Forced out of residency

[Gastrapathy]

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I'm still confused. You can't be a GMO without finishing internship. Are they offering to graduate you from pgy1 if you agree not to progress? If you resign while an intern, that's really bad. If you can get credit for internship, take that offer and move on because otherwise you'll fail internship in 3-6 mo.

 

[denali]

So quick update. Today I was told that since my Dept. level remediation period is ending and I have not made sufficient progress that I have two options

1) Proceed with GME probation and that would extend intern year by 3-6 months but they don't think I would make sufficient progress even if given an extra 6 months plus in the future when applying
for jobs when asked if I was put on probation I would have to answer that yes, I've been put on probation


2) Resign from my residency program and do a GMO tour if in the future I decide to return to residency in the military I can do so but if I don't then I can pursue residency outside of the military and I don't have that probation label attached to me

I have to let them know by friday but I feel like there is a target on my back since early on in Intern year. I think I may have pissed off the wrong attending and **** just snowballed. One attending told me that "the rumors I heard about you aren't true" but that's just one attending out of the dept.

From the point of view of what is best for you personally, if your PD will attest that you successfully completed PGY-1 and you can get a medical license, becoming a GMO is your best option. You can get away from your history in your current program and get the closest thing to a fresh start. You can then re-apply for residency somewhere else later on, perhaps in another specialty.

BUT, from the point of view of what is best for your future patients, you need to seriously and objectively consider if you can safely take care of them. Could you truly just not catch a break during your internship, or are you an incompetent intern? Just as important for a potential GMO, do you know your limits/when to refer/evac/ask for help? By now you should have developed some measure of judgment capable of making that kind of self-assessment; if you haven't, you may have your answer. Alternatively, get an assessment from the relatively friendly attending.

I can't tell from your posts, but would argue that if you can't hack it, you need to do the honorable thing and bow out to protect patients and your future prospects. If you truly think you can practice competently at the intern/USMLE Step III level, then extract yourself from the situation and go be a GMO.

Good luck.

 

[Kilgoretrout 65]

You need to meet with the Dean/DIO/Director Of medical Education and get your concerns addressed. First meet with the Ombudsman if they have one. It sounds like they are not telling you everything you should know. I would leave after this PGY1 year, trying to avoid probation, do a GMO and apply for a different residency later. It would be nice if you knew how the current PD was going to characterize your performance and whether they will let your next application be judged on its merits without alot of negative baggage, unless of course they think you deserve the negative baggage.

 

[metabolite]

Option #2 is to resign at the end of your intern year, correct? If you can finish your intern year, that's the best option. Do a couple yrs of GMO and start fresh.

If you have been targeted the whole year, I think probation will only worsen the pressure, criticism and your depression, so I don't think you will benefit much from it,

 

[InternBlues]

Thanks for the advice, I'll take option 2.


But now my questions are how does one reapply to residency training programs as a GMO or even once the mil commitment is done with? I don't know what field yet but I'd like some idea of what I need to do down the road in ordert to prepare

 

[pgg]

But now my questions are how does one reapply to residency training programs as a GMO or even once the mil commitment is done with? I don't know what field yet but I'd like some idea of what I need to do down the road in ordert to prepare

The online application for inservice GME2+ training opens up in June or July every year, supporting documents due by October I think, board meets in November, results out in December. Interview any time. It's relatively painless.

In your final GMO year, you can apply for a civilian position.

As for what to do to prepare - no real secret here. Pass your boards and get a license. Do a good job as a GMO. Publishing some research (anything) has a disproportionate effect on inservice GME applications. Get good LORs.

 

[Homunculus]

this really leaves me scratching my head. i've seen people booted for complete lack of common sense and motivation, but they really didn't like medicine anyway and went to the medical service corps. i've seen others booted for ethical issues (taking leave, skipping calls, etc) who also really didn't seem to care.

this person seems to care. hence the confusion. i've yet to see someone who successfully graduated medical school (ie, had some kind of basic fund of knowledge) and be willing to work not complete intern year.

good luck, but to echo what i think has been brought up before you may want to sit down and seriously consider your life's path and what is best for you and your potential future patients.

--your friendly neighborhood primum non nocere caveman