Penn

[ampaphb]

A reasonable applicant from this year recently wrote what seemed like a very down the middle review of the Penn interview day. Apparently the program didn't share my view, or prefers that only glowing reviews be posted.

They contacted the higher-ups at SDN, and threatened to bring a slander/libel action unless the review was taken down. They would have had no chance at winning such a suit, and likely would have been dismissed on summary judgment as truth is an absolute defense in such actions, and reviews are clearly subjective opinions, with the appropriate First Amendment protections. None the less, SDN's limited resources would have been stretched thin, and they were not in a position to take on the deeper pockets of the University. The post was removed as a result.

These kinds of strong-arm tactics are inappropriate, unprofessional, and reflect poorly of the University of Pennsylvania's PM&R hierarchy. I am left to wonder why a program would be so concerned about an SDN review, unless it had elements of truth to it. I challenge the PD or Chair to respond this time, rather than simply intimidating the SDN moderators to remove this post as well.

If I were an applicant, finalizing my rank list, I would think long and hard before agreeing to work with people who use such scare tactics.

Just my two cents.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[lobelsteve]

What is wrong with the folks at Penn? Too high and mighty?
Salcido has a complex.
Richard Salcido, M.D.



Administrative Title:


Chairman, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program Director, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency

Faculty Appointment:


William J. Erdman, II Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine Associate, Institute of Medicine and Bioengineering Senior Fellow, Institute on Aging

Medical Degree:


Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Autonomous University of Juarez, Mexico

Residency:


Medical College of Virginia

Certifications:


American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
American Academy of Pain Management
Subspecialization in Spinal Cord Medicine - ABPM&R

Special Interests:


Chronic Wounds; Ischemia Reperfusion


That's ripe. For an academic chair to be part of that. You know he's a dinosaur. I'd say skip Penn if that's their attitude.

 

[nvrsumr]

I agree with the above posters. Imagine how they deal internally with concerns or dissent expressed by their residents.

 

[The JockDoc]

Wow, interesting. That school may have been on my list to apply to next year, but i'll be sure to avoid the mess altogether now.

Thanks for making it known ampaphb instead of deleting the review without explanation. That sort of behavior should never be tolerated by potential applicants.

 

[lobelsteve]

Wow, interesting. That school may have been on my list to apply to next year, but i'll be sure to avoid the mess altogether now.

Thanks for making it known ampaphb instead of deleting the review without explanation. That sort of behavior should never be tolerated by potential applicants.

More so:

SDN should not be forced to remove unfavorable reviews of a place at the request of a PD or chair. I've posted my share of bad feelings towards my residency program and they are doing just fine. They even cleaned the place up a bit...

I know nothing about Penn's program, but Phila is a great city (I grew up across the river in South Jersey). The area Penn is in is not the best part of town. I've heard gunshots just walking down the street at night.

 

[Llenroc]

U-Penn? WTF is that? One of them state schools? It's no Ivy like Cornell.

 

[bananaface]

SDN should not be forced to remove unfavorable reviews of a place at the request of a PD or chair.

We aren't.

I believe this may be the negative review the OP is complaining about. It's still posted, though. http://more.studentdoctor.net/viewresidency.php?residency=800

 

[ampaphb]

We aren't.

I believe this may be the negative review the OP is complaining about. It's still posted, though. http://more.studentdoctor.net/viewresidency.php?residency=800

It has recently been RE-POSTED. It was pulled more than once after Penn claimed "the information in the review was incorrect and libelous."

Once the original author contacted the SDN hierarchy and modified what he perceived to be the more subjective comments:

1. Residents weren't smiling or having friendly interactions
2. UPenn name is the best part of the program

the review was "reinstated"

 

[Disciple]

I don't see anything out of the ordinary. Just the applicants perceptions of the program.

Unless I just read the "edited" version.

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

I love this country - don't like something someone said - sue 'em. Free speech? Nahhh. Suppress it.

I wonder if same doc would suppress bad reviews by his own residents when it comes to a year-end review of attendings - we did this in med school, but not residency, but I always thought we should.

 

[Disciple]

I love this country - don't like something someone said - sue 'em. Free speech? Nahhh. Suppress it.

I wonder if same doc would suppress bad reviews by his own residents when it comes to a year-end review of attendings - we did this in med school, but not residency, but I always thought we should.

True, but in residency you have those ACGME RRC site reviews/inspections where the inspectors are supposed to have an opportunity, during their visit, to get feedback from the residents without any attendings around.

I think this is stated in accreditation requirements these days, that there is a requirement for each program to have a system of anonymous review of attendings.

 

[Llenroc]

The anonymous evaluation system is so ******ed. If you criticize your attending you'll end up paying the price because programs (and especially rotations) are small and people know who wrote what.

 

[Xardas]

The anonymous evaluation system is so ******ed. If you criticize your attending you'll end up paying the price because programs (and especially rotations) are small and people know who wrote what.

True for your rotations but on the interview trail this is probably the only way that such information can get safely disseminated. As opposed to a rotation where even if you have negative feedback its doubtful you will get fired (unless you made say real threats!), negative comments on the interview trail likely mean you're not going to be considered any longer.

The fact that Penn made such a huge deal about this suggests to me a feeling of insecurity. Why worry about what one applicant has to say if you have a program worth its salt? No, what this says to me is y ou have a program where the top guy(s) are more concerned with keeping everyone in line, military style...

Sorry, but hearing this kind of thing would make me never ever consider working there in any capacity.

Keep in mind I am not an insider at Penn, I know a few people who have been affiliated with that program including a colleague who was recently faculty there. I have no agenda against Penn nor even any sort of feelings one way or the other.

But to the movers/shakers of that program: Grow up, and get a thicker skin!

 

[chauffeur]

Salcido seemed like a nice person to me.

Maybe this was the work of a PD or someone else. Chairmen are probably too busy to worry about something like this.

Salcido was a Green Beret. I wouldn't mess with him.

 

[ampaphb]

Salcido seemed like a nice person to me.

Maybe this was the work of a PD or someone else. Chairmen are probably too busy to worry about something like this.

Salcido was a Green Beret. I wouldn't mess with him.

Dr. Salcido is both PD and Chair, according to the Penn PM&R website (http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/rehabmed/education/residency/support/)

It is disappointing that neither Dr. Salcido, nor any member of his attending or resident staff, took the time to respond to this thread. Perhaps they, like me, found their actions to be simply indefensible.

 

[goodandplenty]

Dr. Salcido is both PD and Chair, according to the Penn PM&R website (http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/rehabmed/education/residency/support/)

It is disappointing that neither Dr. Salcido, nor any member of his attending or resident staff, took the time to respond to this thread. Perhaps they, like me, found their actions to be simply indefensible.

Maybe they don't have time to surf SDN

 

[Xardas]

Maybe they don't have time to surf SDN

trust me faculty know about these types of sites...

 

[Ludicolo]

It is disappointing that neither Dr. Salcido, nor any member of his attending or resident staff, took the time to respond to this thread. Perhaps they, like me, found their actions to be simply indefensible.

Maybe UPenn residents (or faculty) are afraid to respond, for fear of possible repercussions?

trust me faculty know about these types of sites...

Absolutely.

 

[prefontaine]

Per one of their residents...

...the chair is very aware of this board and had one of his chief residents complain about the review.

...the residents tend to stay quiet due to the "vindictive nature of the chair," thus will not likely respond on this site.

...the dept was advised by the Penn GME office that the PD should be separate from the chair position. The response was to have a recent grad handle the scut, while the chair maintains control.

...the chair coaches the residents on how to answer to ACGME RRC questioning.

...he has said he was a green beret, a physical therapist and a nurse. No one has been able to verify if true. Was also told that they "lost count of his lies."

...at least 12 attendings, two residency coordinators, the co-PD (a PhD) and several residents have left since the resident interviewed.

 

[lobelsteve]

Graduate Medical Education Committee

According to ACGME Institutional Standards, a strong Graduate Medical Education Committee is a vitally important requirement:

“The Sponsoring Institution must have a GMEC that has the responsibility for monitoring and advising on all aspects of residency education. Voting membership on the committee must include residents nominated by their peers. It must also include representative program directors, administrators, the accountable DIO, and may include other members of the faculty.”

We are fortunate at HUP / PMC to have a strong GME Committee, comprised of the membership shown below. The Committee meets monthly on the 3rd Friday at 7:30am (see dates below), and is chaired by Dr. Jeffrey S. Berns, the Associate Dean of Education.

If you wish to submit an agenda item for the Committee’s attention, please contact Jeffrey S. Berns, M.D., Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education and Designated Institutional Official, via email [email protected] or telephone (215) 662-3957.

http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/gme/committ/gmec/index.html

Send your angry letters to Berns, but do it anonymously. GME is not there for the residents, it is there for the institution. They also list Falcon as the PD for GME purposes. Has there been a change?

 

[ampaphb]

...he has said he was a green beret, a physical therapist and a nurse. No one has been able to verify if true. Was also told that they "lost count of his lies."

Can't say for sure, but I would guess Penn did a bit of due diligence prior to this press release, which says, in part:

Salcido was trained as a medic in the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and graduated from the Physician Assistant Program at Baylor University in 1977. He earned his medical degree in 1985 from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the Autonomous University of Juarez, Mexico. Salcido completed an internship in general medicine and a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Medical College of Virginia ...
​

http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/oct98/salcido.shtml

 

[njdevil]

This must be incorrect. Natcha has not been in practice long enough to be program director. Perhaps the associate program director?

They also list Falcon as the PD for GME purposes. Has there been a change?

 

[prefontaine]

njdevil is correct.

One must be out of residency five years to be an ACGME PD.

From my previous post:

...the dept was advised by the Penn GME office that the PD should be separate from the chair position. The response was to have a recent grad handle the scut, while the chair maintains control.

 

[lobelsteve]

This must be incorrect. Natcha has not been in practice long enough to be program director. Perhaps the associate program director?

From the link in my post above:

2008-2009 GMEC Members

PROGRAM DIRECTORS
Thomas Bader, MD
OB/GYN
Lisa Bellini, MD
Internal Medicine
Francis DeRoos, MD
Emergency Medicine
Natacha Falcon, DO
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Robert Gaiser, MD
Anesthesiology
Steven Galetta, MD
Neurology
Helen Giannakopoulos, MD
Otorhinolaryngology
Ellen Kim, MD
Dermatology
Jon Morris, MD
Surgery
Richard Neill, MD
Family Medicine
Patrick Reilly, MD
Surgical Critical Care
Anthony Rostain, MD
Psychiatry
Mary Scanlon, MD
Radiology
Neha Vapiwala, MD
Radiation Oncology
Gordon Yu, MD
Pathology

 

[prefontaine]

Falcon finished in '07.

Pretty sure PDs need to be five or more years out of residency.

No wonder it has a shady reputation.

Supposedly one of the well respected pediatric physiatrists at CHOP was interested in the PD position, but the chair knew he would not be able to control her.

 

[Ludicolo]

Falcon finished in '07.

Pretty sure PDs need to be five or more years out of residency.

No wonder it has a shady reputation.

Supposedly one of the well respected pediatric physiatrists at CHOP was interested in the PD position, but the chair knew he would not be able to control her.

The minimum requirement is 4 years. But either way she doesn't qualify.

http://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/downloads/RRC_progReq/340pr706.pdf

"III. Program Personnel and Resources

A. Program Director

1. There must be a single program director responsible for the program. The person designated with this authority is accountable for the operation of the program. In the event of a change of either program director or department chair, the program director should promptly notify the executive director of the RRC through the Web Accreditation Data System (ADS) of the ACGME.

2. The program director, together with the faculty, is responsible for the general administration of the program, and for the establishment and maintenance of a stable educational environment. Adequate lengths of appointment for both the program director and faculty are essential to maintaining such an appropriate continuity of leadership.

3. Qualifications of the program director are as follows:

a) The program director must possess the requisite specialty expertise, as well as documented educational and administrative abilities, including at least four (4) years of recent, post-residency experience as a clinician, administrator, and educator in PM&R.

b) The program director must be certified in the specialty by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, or possess qualifications judged to be acceptable by the RRC, including qualifications as a physiatrist.

c) The program director must be appointed in good standing and based at the primary teaching site, or a major participating institution. A major participating institution is one at which residents spend a minimum of six months."

 

[lobelsteve]

Anyone want to forward this thread to the appropriate ACGME staff?

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Staff


Title Name Phone (312) E-mail
Executive Director Steven P. Nestler, PhD 755-5025 [email protected]
Associate Executive Director Eileen Anthony 755-5047 [email protected]
Accreditation Assistant Stephen Moore 755-5045 [email protected]

http://acgme.org/acWebsite/RRC_340/340_staff.asp

 

[Shalom77]

This must be incorrect. Natcha has not been in practice long enough to be program director. Perhaps the associate program director?

She was introduced as the associate PD during the interview day.

Salcido is still listed as the PD. http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/gme/programs/index.html#pathanatomicclin

Perhaps one of her associate PD duties is going to those meetings.