How to deal with this...

[Iamnotme]

I'm looking for opinions on how to deal with the following situation.
There is a new attending that has been hired that is very aggressive with me. Frequently belittles me, tells me how I"m going to miss stuff, how what I do is "not smart," etc. He emails me and tells me things as well, and is frequently looking for me. He asks other residents where I'm at, even when I'm not even working with him. What do I do? I've never been in this situation.

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[mycatishuge]

Aren't you the person that was picking fights with everyone trying to help with your 'situation' in this thread?
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/thoughts-on-my-situation.1034325/
Have you considered the possibility that the attending might actually be going out of his/her way in trying to help you? You did try to berate everyone advising you in the aforementioned thread...so I am wondering if you are creating a similar situation with your attending. Just my 0.0000000000071 bitcoins.

 

[Top Gun]

We're only hearing your side of the story. Maybe you're not performing as well as you think you are. I suspect you're probably performing poorly, and your attending is constantly having to run after you and check on you. And if he is giving you specific feedback on what you need to correct, that's not belittling. That's called training. Its your attending's job to correct you when you make mistakes. And why is your attending even having to look for you? You're supposed to be the one who's available at all times. And if he doesn't do it with the other residents, then it sounds to me like he's not the one with the problem.

 

[Iamnotme]

I have no other issues with other attendings, who tell me that I do a great job on a regular basis, and have given me excellent evaluations. So if I'm performing well by other attendings, I;m clearly not the issue.

 

[shopsteward]

You have resigned because you are being harassed by someone you are not even working with? Why? Have you talked with anyone in your program about this? Residency adviser? Chief Resident? HR? Welfare adviser? Program Director? I suggest -

1) Make a record of all the interactions you have had with this attending, to the best of your memory. Keep adding any new interactions. Also, make sure you have a record of all your excellent evaluations so far, and all the good comments made informally to you (you need this in case your harasser tries at some point to discredit you by attacking your performance - they might turn against you and do this even without your taking any action against them).
2) Talk in confidence to whoever in the program has the formal role of helping residents with harassment/welfare issues. If there is no such person, talk in confidence to whoever in the program is likely to be on your side and who will know what the best way of raising the issue formally might be.
3) If your program is in ignorance of what is going on, and they like you, you may find that they are able to end your problems - you may even want to stay on if they do, particularly if they have been upset because they haven't understood why you want to leave. You may also find that this particular attending has had a history of harassment - it is unlikely you are the first victim.

Even if you don't want to take any action for your own benefit, I think you have some responsibility to try to stop the same thing happening to the people who come after you in that residency. So once you have tied up your next residency position, with full credit for your current year all tied up and your letters of recommendation in the bag, use the opportunity to tell your program why you are leaving, so that they are aware, and if inclined can do something about it.

 

[Top Gun]

Well I am the only woman in my program for one. I have no other issues with other attendings, who tell me that I do a great job on a regular basis, and have given me excellent evaluations. So if I'm performing well by other attendings, I;m clearly not the issue. I was not even working with this attending, which is peculiar. He asks for me frequently when I am not working with him!! He's asking other residents what I am doing on my time off, etc. I was on vacation recently and he's asking other residents why I'm not there, and when I'll be back, where I'm going, etc (there is a schedule of course that's available for everyone to see). That's what I'm saying. Or he blames me when it's another resident's responsibility for something that wasn't done. I was blamed for something that I'm not even on the rotation, when I was off most recently. Unless you are saying that all my fellow residents are perfect, I suspect that I can't be the problem when I'm doing a great job per other attendings. I'm very concerned he has a thing for me. He frequnetly asks me personal questions as well that I"m not comfortable with. It's unnatural and abnormal.

I apologize. I did not realize that this was the situation. If this is the case, I would agree with documenting every interaction with this particular attending, and speaking with whomever is responsible at your hospital for dealing with sexual harassment issues (most likely human resources, but possibly also chief resident, program director, chairman, etc...). And definitely have a record of your excellent evaluations.