Forced to resign a year ago

[koh]

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I need some advice from you guys. Let me briefly tell you what happened to me first:
A year ago when I start residency as new 2nd year in a program ( first program was closed after I completed my internship) which was farthest point of home town city which I used to live and I had to leave my wife and my son and travel to join the new program. During the orientation time in new program I had to go back to the hometown to be with my wife for her C/S and when I returned back to orientation in new program the PD asked me to meet him right away and he told me that I am not in vacation and he gave me a warning letter because I didn't pay enough attention to orientation and 10 days later he put me on probation because of deficit in medical knowledge( honestly at least 50% of class had less medical knowledge compare to me!). Two months past with probation then I left the program for my first vacation. When I came back to program after first vacation again the PD asked me to meet him right away without going to my room! Then at that time he declared and told me that he gives me two options, either resign from the program right away or he will fire me the next day, so I had to resign and come back home. Since that time I had three interview for 2nd year but malignant PD blocked me to get in new program.
What sould I do in this situation to find another 2nd or even 1st year position?
Thanks

 

[eforest]

Did you ask permission to take time off from orientation to see your wife? Even though people have legitimate emergencies sometimes in medicine, the culture is such that you do not take unauthorized days off. Is there anything else to the story?

I'm sorry for your tough situation.

 

[koh]

Did you ask permission to take time off from orientation to see your wife? Even though people have legitimate emergencies sometimes in medicine, the culture is such that you do not take unauthorized days off. Is there anything else to the story?

I'm sorry for your tough situation.

Yes I did ask permission, but he first considered it as my first vacation and then I talked with him and explain to his coordinator that it must be counted as family leave not vacation and I think it made the PD really upset about me and now I agree that I shouldn't ask him that, becuase as a new resident we should say yes to anything they consider for us. Also I missed two days of my clinic due to bad luck of dalyed flight from Chicago airport.

 

[ramonaquimby]

i feel like there's something missing to this story. can a PD be that unreasonable? somethign is missing. we can help you if you tell us everything.

 

[koh]

i feel like there's something missing to this story. can a PD be that unreasonable? somethign is missing. we can help you if you tell us everything.

I sumitted all details but when I clicked submit every thing was lost.
I will sumitted again latter.

 

[maceo]

I need some advice from you guys. Let me briefly tell you what happened to me first:
A year ago when I start residency as new 2nd year in a program ( first program was closed after I completed my internship) which was farthest point of home town city which I used to live and I had to leave my wife and my son and travel to join the new program. During the orientation time in new program I had to go back to the hometown to be with my wife for her C/S and when I returned back to orientation in new program the PD asked me to meet him right away and he told me that I am not in vacation and he gave me a warning letter because I didn't pay enough attention to orientation and 10 days later he put me on probation because of deficit in medical knowledge( honestly at least 50% of class had less medical knowledge compare to me!). Two months past with probation then I left the program for my first vacation. When I came back to program after first vacation again the PD asked me to meet him right away without going to my room! Then at that time he declared and told me that he gives me two options, either resign from the program right away or he will fire me the next day, so I had to resign and come back home. Since that time I had three interview for 2nd year but malignant PD blocked me to get in new program.
What sould I do in this situation to find another 2nd or even 1st year position?
Thanks

do what everyone does.. Get a lawyer and sue him

 

[koh]

I sumitted all details but when I clicked submit every thing was lost.
I will sumitted again latter.

Of course there are more details but even with all those I don’t deserve this much punishment.
1. After the PD accepted me as new 2nd year I had two more months to finish with my R1 (including one month vacation). He told me when I come back from vacation I should let the program knows and ask them to send me the contract. I thought because I didn’t singed the contract with them , I was eligible to search for another program closer to the area which I live.( I agree this part was my mistake). Finally on the last rotation I called and asked them to send me the contract. Also the program orientation started 10 days before the end of last rotation. I missed part of orientation at the mid of it also to be with my wife for her c/s. At the beginning they consider that leave as one wk vacation instead of family leave. I think above events gave the PD bad impression about me and after that his relationship with me wasn’t warm as before: Wright away after returning from my wife c/s he called me in his office and was very upset and told me I am not on vacation and gave a warning letter... Honestly I couldn’t imagine what is wrong at that time and the entire conclusion came later in my mind.
2. After two more wks he put me on probation because of deficit in medical knowledge and told me don’t try to sue him! Which I never thinking about it. He also told me I am in top notch program in the country and the only reason that he chose me an R2 was only one of my LOR, nothing else
3. When he forced me to resign he showed me some quotes from some attending in a very exaggerated manner which one of them was department vice chair and I was very surprised because specially that person was happy with me and when she heard about it she called me to meet her and denied all quotes which was made on her behalf that letter. I know that is unbelievable.
4. When I was leaving the program some of residents came to my house and offered me their LOR, but the next day one of them came and told they scared to provide that LOR because chance of retaliation if PD knows about it. Also those attending which were happy with my performance totally were ignoring me to give a LOR.
5. Beginning of this year I tried to break the ice and I sent to him an apology letter and a new year cart and a small gift and I declared to him that all those were my mistakes and I worked hard on my medical knowledge to improve it, but he is ignoring all my efforts even I suggest to meet him in person to talk more but he didn’t reply.
6. Again I want to say I did some unintentional small mistakes and there was some
miscommunications but I don’t deserve that much punishment. I think those miscommunications that happened because of me at the beginning made the PD to hate me and gather all his efforts to get rid of me.
Now even though all my rotations in first year were successfully completed no one look at it and they just see few months which I spent as R2 and all the programs which I applied to just considering 2nd year evaluations , it give them enough reason to don’t trust me any more.

Thanks.

 

[Doowai]

I am thinking it may be wise to do what I did in medical school and as I go through residency ask attendings for a LOR early on, just to have it. That way a person does not have to ask for it after getting let go or in the face of any problems

 

[DrJosephKim]

So what are you doing now and what are your future plans?

 

[koh]

So what are you doing now and what are your future plans?

I will spent some more time to get a position either for 2nd or 1st yr. Actually I got an intervie just recently but in my CV I didn't mention the fact which I was forced as 2nd yr to resign. I will let the PD know at interview time, but also I am thinking if I don't mention it what would be the consequences in case they accept me as new 2nd yr and PD find it latter on.

 

[koh]

do what everyone does.. Get a lawyer and sue him

Plz. help me:
I got an interview app. recently, but the only way to get this interview was that I didn't mention about 2nd yr forced resign in my CV. I am thinking that I should let the PD know about it when I am in interview, but if I keep it confidential and I get the position, what would be the consequences if the program find out about it latter on?
Thanks.

 

[kingalls]

Well...to start with, they would have grounds to dismiss you, as you would have knowingly misrepresented your employment history.

 

[tkim]

Plz. help me:
I got an interview app. recently, but the only way to get this interview was that I didn't mention about 2nd yr forced resign in my CV. I am thinking that I should let the PD know about it when I am in interview, but if I keep it confidential and I get the position, what would be the consequences if the program find out about it latter on?
Thanks.

By omitting this info on your CV, you've already screwed yourself. If they find out, you're out.

 

[deleted87716]

All program directors talk to each other. Trust me, if your new PD wants to know why you left your original program, he can find out.

 

[MedicineDoc]

f you resigned you resugned. They can't technically force you to resign. You can spin the situation however you like. It is not helpful to beat yourself up about it. I would think that the scramble would get you a spot if it came right down to having to repeat your first year. You would have the benefit of your prior training in attracting a new program and if you truly were deficient in your knowledge maybe you would be ahead of the game as a first year and behind it as a second year.

 

[koh]

Thanks god my interview went well and I feel there is some hope. It seems that PD completely underestood my situation.
Now can someone please tell me what book is good as a reference to write orders( in-patient, out-patient, ER).
Thanks.

 

[eforest]

Be careful in the future- It seems, from your writing, that you might be from another country. In America, the culture is work-work-work-don't-acknowledge-that-you-have-a-life. I held a job prior to medical school, and while I was entitled to vacation, I was, in effect, not permitted to take any days off. Sure, it's totally illegal to deny your employees vacation, but I was hired at will- there was no contract, so I could quit at any time for almost any reason, and I could be fired at any time. Also, I wanted a good letter. I believe during the two and a half years I was at that job I took a total of a week off, not including university holidays. It sucked and was unfair but unfortunately, my boss was the person who held power in that situation and arguing was unwise.

I know that it sucks and many things aren't fair, but sometimes, in order to get through residency and not ruffle any feathers, you have to agree to use what should be family leave as vacation days. It isn't right and it isn't fair, but in many cases arguing will get you nowhere and will merely piss people off.

The key is to find a good boss/ PD/ person who has power over you. They do exist. But, if you are not American- some key aspects of our culture to keep in mind are- firstly, work-work-work- appear like you don't have a life, secondly, there is no guarunteed employer-employee loyalty- your boss does not necessarily have YOUR best interest at heart, thirdly, cover your own ass!

Good luck!

 

[mwest]

Great post to read just before starting my residency!

 

[deleted87716]

What every intern should remember...