Definition of malignant (in residency progs)

[EtOHWithdrawal]

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Just curious what people think "malignant" means in terms of pathology residency programs. It seems it would be different than "malignant" in surgery or medicine...

Poor teaching?
Disorganization?
Uninvolved program director?
Ignored residents?
Overly mothered?
Constant pimping at the scope?
Grossing until 4 am?
Unknown conference ends with the "loser" being made to lie on the grossing counter and sing "this is my rifle, this is my gun" until the diagnosis arrives via immaculate conception?

This list could go on.
Interested to hear thoughts.

EtOH

 

[Gut Shot]

My personal definition of malignant is when you get up every morning and you hate going to work... and that hatred has nothing to do with the nature of your job or your physical envionment. It is instead rooted in your coworkers, whatever idiosyncratic dysfunctions they might possess. In essesence, it's something that could be solved with a large round of firings.

 

[PathJet]

malignant pathology program???

altered N/C ratio

prominent nucleoli

anisonucleosis and nuclear overlap

pleomorphism

tumor cell necrosis


😀

 

[Fluble]

Constant pimping at the scope?

That is the fun part.

 

[LADoc00]

there are NO truly malignant pathology programs..and I know someone will whine about how MGH used to be as soon as I post this...but in comparison to other specialities Pathology is nothing, nada, it isnt even on the radar of malignancy.

I dont care if places like UCSF dressed you in drag at 11pm at night after you had finished grossing and dropped you off on Polk Street, still isnt malignant compared to the crazy off the wall the crap Ive seen in other fields like trauma, peds surgery and even IM.

 

[pathdawg]

places like UCSF dressed you in drag at 11pm at night after you had finished grossing and dropped you off on Polk Street.

Yeah, but they only do that to the senior residents. The first-year guys get dropped off in the Castro!

 

[Matte Kudesai]

Yeah, but they only do that to the senior residents. The first-year guys get dropped off in the Castro!

No the tenderloin is much worse bro.......

 

[caffeinegirl]

Agreed! Even in MGH's most malignant days, it still doesn't compare to the pre-80hr work rule years of surgery or IM.

there are NO truly malignant pathology programs..and I know someone will whine about how MGH used to be as soon as I post this...but in comparison to other specialities Pathology is nothing, nada, it isnt even on the radar of malignancy.
QUOTE]

 

[DarksideAllstar]

I dont care if places like UCSF dressed you in drag at 11pm at night after you had finished grossing and dropped you off on Polk Street.

Actually, they drop the senior residents off about 12am. The first years are usually dropped off a couple hours earlier.

 

[deschutes]

Poor teaching? = apathy
Disorganization? = apathy
Uninvolved program director? = apathy
Ignored residents? = apathy
Overly mothered? ... huh?
Constant pimping at the scope? ... standard procedure
Grossing until 4 am? = lacking PAs

The greatest challenge pathology residents face while going through their training is probably apathy.

 

[Ziehl-Neelsen]

I think the element that prowls the Polk/Geary/Turk area is generally rougher than the Castro/Church street crowd. But judging from news reports, the deficient residents these days are taken across the bay and dropped off at international ave. in oaktown or cutting blvd. in richmond.

And I agree with deschutes: malignancy in clinical specialties arises from undue attention paid to a resident (constant pimping, scutting, berating). The way to drive a pathology resident to quit is by ignoring them and making it impossible for them to learn.

 

[EtOHWithdrawal]

"Overly mothered" as in do not touch a specimen until the attending looks at it and tells you what to do (even after your fifth colon). Constantly calling and asking to see your progress.
"When you make the first cut, call me. When you make the second cut , call me"
No freedom. Wasted time, hence grossing takes much, much longer.

You should put that entire placenta through...

 

[Cloaca]

My personal definition of malignant is when you get up every morning and you hate going to work... and that hatred has nothing to do with the nature of your job or your physical envionment. It is instead rooted in your coworkers, whatever idiosyncratic dysfunctions they might possess. In essesence, it's something that could be solved with a large round of firings.

Agreed - unhappy, unpredictable, and unfriendly people (from attendings to techs) are what make a program malignant. Well, at least unpleasant.

 

[raspberry009]

Well honestly, it doesn't really matter to me how many hours I put in the day. If the people I work with are back-stabbing, egotistical, lazy, demeaning, meaniheads I don't care how many hours I work. 10 minutes is way too much time to put up with. That's my definition of malignant. And sadly enough, as I learned in medical school, one bad apple can ruin the whole bunch.

 

[Matte Kudesai]

back-stabbing, egotistical, lazy, demeaning, meaniheads I don't care how many hours I work. 10 minutes is way too much time to put up with. That's my definition of malignant. And sadly enough, as I learned in medical school, one bad apple can ruin the whole bunch.

Unfortunately medicine can draw a fair share of "back-stabbing, egotistical, lazy, demeaning, meaniheads." (not sure about lazy)It is the nature of a competitive field with many type A personalities.

There seems to be a continuum in residency with overt competitive hostility at one end and holding hands and singing Kumbaya at the other. Focusing strictly on either end of this spectrum can be detrimental to growth as a trainee.


Hard work, tough skin, and focus can go a long long way anywhere.

 

[raspberry009]

I completely agree with you Matte. You need to develop thick skin in medicine. But there are tactful ways to be competitive. The teams that were most productive were the teams that encouraged each other. Let the attending decide who their favorites are, that's not for the students or residents to figure out. And in most cases the teams that worked together to best got the best evaluations overall. Having a type A personality does not mean that it is all "me-me-me," and no room for "us" as a team.