Intern year contract extension?

[selkie14]

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I'm a current preliminary intern, and I'll be doing my PGY2-4 years at another institution across the country. According to the contract I signed when I started at my preliminary program, I'm supposed to work until June 20th. We've just been told that that contract "was in error" and that we are supposed to work through June 23rd (I guess this is when the new interns are coming), or we will not receive our completion certificates. This is obviously an issue for prelims who have to move; in addition, some of my fellow prelims have program start dates of June 22nd or 23rd.

I'm guessing I shouldn't work without an active contract given, well, payment, but more importantly malpractice coverage through the hospital. They haven't moved to actually correct our current contract or give us new contracts, but I think I need that before I work those days.

Could the program withhold completion certificates if I (and others) simply upheld the terms of our original contracts, and left after June 20th?

I'm linking to a (short) prior discussion of this sort of issue from 2003: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=56940

 

[Samoa]

Probably not, but considering the stakes, it's definitely not worth testing unless you have no other option. And even then, I'd seek advice from my future PD before doing anything that might jeopardize getting my internship certificate. best case scenario: future PD calls current PD, they come to an agreement and poof! Problem solved.

Contrary to the common saying, in medicine, permission is far easier to get than forgiveness.

 

[Law2Doc]

Could the program withhold completion certificates if I (and others) simply upheld the terms of our original contracts, and left after June 20th?
?t=56940[/url]

Dude, you have to look at the big picture here. Yes, legally you are not contract bound to do anything after June 20. But from a Practical point of view, you need your PD to give you your preliminary certificate, and sign forms for when you take step 3 if you haven't already, and complete forms any time you obtain licensure or when you apply for fellowship and so on. In short, you need this PD to be available to do you a solid multiple times down the road. So now is not the time to draw a line in the sand and poison what has been a good working relationship with someone you will need in the future, at least administratively.

 

[gutonc]

What L2D said.

This has the potential to be a "win the battle, lose the war" scenario. Where the "battle" is 5 days of work in June and the "war" is your career.

I sympathize with your situation but encourage you to just suck it up.