Fired with multiple interviews...

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FiredReapp

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Hi everyone,

So I should be at work right now, but I was just fired. I worked as a PCT directly treating patients and was at this job for a little over a month and a half.

The main reason they gave for firing me was that I requested too much time off for medical school interviews. The next reason was that I wasn't CPR certified. When I interviewed I was still EMT certified and CPR certified, when they accepted me it was about a week after the certification expired. They offered me two dates to become CPR certified- the first one I forgot about (completely my error), the second one I was in the hospital and sick. This is still my fault and I completely admit that I should have done it sooner, despite that I already registered a CPR class for next week and told them that. The final reason was that I did not complete my "post-tests" on time for the 3 month long orientation. This is only technically true because the staff educator is on vacation this week so my post-test from last week hasn't been submitted to her. Another reason, though unofficial, is that when OSHA came by to interview staff I was actually completely honest with them. They asked if I had certain training and I said no because they did not give me that training. This apparently got the center in trouble apparently. This reason was not stated in the termination letter, so it never happened (much like medical documentation-- if something isn't written, it didn't happen.)

So far I have 4 interview invitations (bitter-sweet, I guess). What do I tell them when they ask about my awesome clinical job? Has anyone had to deal with this?

When I was applying for jobs I had multiple offers but turned them down for this one because of the patient experience-- how bad of a place would I be in for reapplying to them?


This morning has pretty much been a blur so I apologize if I am ranting. I take full responsibility for the CPR issue and I guess that is enough for termination. I can't help but feel that this was retribution for talking with OSHA, but there is absolutely no written proof that any of that happened.
 
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Your interviewers probably won't bring it up. A lot of interviews are closed file (they aren't given access to your application). And if they do bring it up, just be honest. Say you were fired for requesting too much time off for interviews. It's understandable and not a big deal.
 
Your interviewers probably won't bring it up. A lot of interviews are closed file (they aren't given access to your application). And if they do bring it up, just be honest. Say you were fired for requesting too much time off for interviews. It's understandable and not a big deal.

Yes, this, although I would avoid using the word 'fired'. "I was asked to resign because of the time off I needed to attend medical school interviews...."

Don't talk about the rest of the reasons. You shouldn't have to and it will reflect poorly on your anyway.

You can try and get another job but you're certainly going to have an uphill battle to find something that will take you short-term and give you time off.
 
Yes, this, although I would avoid using the word 'fired'. "I was asked to resign because of the time off I needed to attend medical school interviews...."

Don't talk about the rest of the reasons. You shouldn't have to and it will reflect poorly on your anyway.

You can try and get another job but you're certainly going to have an uphill battle to find something that will take you short-term and give you time off.

This was my plan, I'm just relatively concerned that if they call and ask that they will hear other reasons as well regardless of them being totally true or not.

I'm going to reapply to the PCA positions that I had originally been accepted to and see what happens. In the mean time I'm going to try to do more volunteering and try to find physicians to shadow.
 
The main reason they gave for firing me was that I requested too much time off for medical school interviews.

I would be upfront about how much time you have to take off for interviews when you look for another position. If you aren't forthcoming with this, your next job might fire you again.

Also, don't say you were fired; it immediately raises a red flag for your candidacy.

As for your interviews, be honest.
 
I would be upfront about how much time you have to take off for interviews when you look for another position. If you aren't forthcoming with this, your next job might fire you again.

Also, don't say you were fired; it immediately raises a red flag for your candidacy.

As for your interviews, be honest.


So the consensus is for me to not use the term "fired" and if asked for a reason, tell them the truth that I requested too much time off for medical school interviews.

This is just exceedingly frustrating for me because during the interview for this job, we spent a good 15 minutes talking about how I am applying to medical school and how in the beginning I would have to take a few days off for interviews. They even switched me from a non-clinical position to this clinical position because they thought it would help prepare me better for medical school.
 
So the consensus is for me to not use the term "fired" and if asked for a reason, tell them the truth that I requested too much time off for medical school interviews.

This is just exceedingly frustrating for me because during the interview for this job, we spent a good 15 minutes talking about how I am applying to medical school and how in the beginning I would have to take a few days off for interviews. They even switched me from a non-clinical position to this clinical position because they thought it would help prepare me better for medical school.

To be honest, it probably wasn't the interviews alone that's the reason. You yourself articulated the other reasons. Someone who didn't have any of those other issues but was going on interviews probably wouldn't have been fired. Someone who had the other issues but wasn't going on interviews, same.

Also, it's one thing to know theoretically that people are going on interviews and another to see the actual days they'll be gone. My boss has known I'm applying to medical school for three years and is hugely supportive, but is still struggling a little bit with how much I'm going to actually be gone now that I have multiple interviews.

There's nothing you can do about the situation now but learn from it and move forward (and do better next time).
 
To be honest, it probably wasn't the interviews alone that's the reason. You yourself articulated the other reasons. Someone who didn't have any of those other issues but was going on interviews probably wouldn't have been fired. Someone who had the other issues but wasn't going on interviews, same.

Also, it's one thing to know theoretically that people are going on interviews and another to see the actual days they'll be gone. My boss has known I'm applying to medical school for three years and is hugely supportive, but is still struggling a little bit with how much I'm going to actually be gone now that I have multiple interviews.

There's nothing you can do about the situation now but learn from it and move forward (and do better next time).

I completely agree and take full responsibility for the mistakes; you are right. Thank you for the advice.
 
I don't think the ADCOM can legally be told that you were fired. When I was in the business world, prospective employers would go around the legality of asking if you were fired, and instead asking if you were eligible for rehire. If you were fired from a previous job, they would answer "no." I don't think ADCOMs would verify if you were fired or not. They would just ask for dates and hours.

Therefore don't say anything that might hurt you.
 
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