Is it harder to get fired as a prelim than as a categorical?

[odyssey2]

Residency termination is rare enough that this is probably hard to answer, but do you find programs are more likely to push through problem interns if they're prelim and will be gone in a year vs categorical interns who they're stuck with? Are they less likely to get fired or set aside for remediation?

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[RangerBob]

Maybe. In theory it is easier sometimes to just let someone graduate and push them through, but then the program is also putting their seal of approval on that intern.

Programs do also have more interest in remediation game categorical residents-it’s harder to fill PGY2 and up positions. So you could rationalize things both ways.

Regardless, just do your best. Show up early, don’t keep asking to leave early, look up/read what your attendings and senior residents tell you to, and be nice to your coresidents and other hospital staff.

 

[DrMetal]

Residency termination is rare enough that this is probably hard to answer, but do you find programs are more likely to push through problem interns if they're prelim and will be gone in a year vs categorical interns who they're stuck with? Are they less likely to get fired or set aside for remediation?

or you could work hard, study lots, and you'll never need to know the answer to that question.

 

[odyssey2]

or you could work hard, study lots, and you'll never need to know the answer to that question.

I’m asking out of idle curiosity more than anything. I feel like the tempation to push prelim interns through may lead to more lax standards. Have any of you had any experiences where prelims were treated different?

 

[HemeOncHopeful19]

Spill the beans, son. What did you do and/or what crap are you planning to pull?

 

[Osteoth]

Yes. By the time they realize you're bad and get around to setting up remediation, evaluations etc etc your year is done and you're gone.

Besides, if anyone asks they can always just say, "he was only on wards for 3 months, how could we know?" or something like that

Also, they realize you don't care about hepatic encephalopathy if you're a derm or a rads guy. And honestly why would you?

 

[Dave1980]

Yes It's harder to get fired.

They just want you to show up and do the work and then leave. I was dumber at the end of my intern year compared to when I started. But I showed up and worked and so everyone liked me and didn't care that I didn't know anything.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

There's slightly less to get fired for as a prelim. In general, interns get fired for lack of clinical skills, or professionalism / communication problems. If you have the latter as a prelim, you're (perhaps) more likely to get fired -- if you are fired from the program, it won't matter the next year. If it's the former and you can't do the intern job, then you get fired just the same. But if you can do the intern job but don't appear to have the skills to handle the resident job (i.e. can deliver care with direct supervision but not with indirect supervision and managing an intern), then as a prelim that's fine since you'll never supervise IM interns. This situation is probably the most common, hence prelims get fired less often.

 

[BocephusTim]

Prelims are sort of considered temp help and easily expendable. They are both easier to fire and also push through to graduation and wash their hands and be done with you. That being said, don't do things that would make a PD wanna fire you. It's really not that hard to survive internship --- just realize the hours are gonna suck, show up on time, be professional and look interested. Nobody is expecting you to work miracles every day.