Picking Sides Between Attendings

[Osteoth]

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Recently I've been spending a fairly considerable time with my (hopefully) future department. Been shadowing a lot and getting involved in research.

One thing I've noticed, however, is that every attending has pretty much asked me at the beginning of our time together, whether that be research or shadowing or what have you, who you shadow, how often etc etc. It seems that they're kind of feeling me out, and every time I tell an attending I'm working with another attending I feel like I put a bad taste in their mouths.

This is a subspecialty department, so the staff is small, but I've been wondering how to play this out. Of course I realize that staying neutral and working with everyone is the most advantageous way to go, but this seems impossible. If I don't commit to building a strong relationship with one faculty member then I won't have anything when it comes down to it, but at the same time I don't want to offend anybody or close any doors.

How do you choose your God? Obviously the PD/Vice Chair are the best choices, but often times they're not as active in the day to day of things or on the national scene, they've just been around the longest.

I want to build a relationship with a doc that can make calls for me, but like I said obviously not close any doors. Is it possible to be Switzerland?

 

[Southplains]

I know what you're saying but I can't imagine it actually reflecting poorly on you who you're spending time with. If anything, their interest in that and having an opinion about it could just reflect that they care about your experience and "investing" so to speak. During my electives this year I would often get asked which attending I spent time on call with, and what we saw, procedures done, etc. I think they just wanted to see what I'd been exposed to and maybe feel out how engaged I was in what we were doing.

Wouldn't worry about it personally.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

Something about this just seems a bit odd to me. Shouldn't all the attendings be at least somewhat on the same page? They're all in the same department, right? So why is it that you can't build relationships with everyone in the department?

Guess I just don't get what it is you're 'picking sides' about and why working with multiple attendings is distasteful to them. Having a broad exposure is advantageous. In the end I asked for a letter/got a phone call from the attending that I spent the most time with, in the sub-field I'm interested in, who graduated from a program I want to attend. But that doesn't mean I exclusively worked with them by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Osteoth]

Something about this just seems a bit odd to me. Shouldn't all the attendings be at least somewhat on the same page? They're all in the same department, right? So why is it that you can't build relationships with everyone in the department?

Guess I just don't get what it is you're 'picking sides' about and why working with multiple attendings is distasteful to them. Having a broad exposure is advantageous. In the end I asked for a letter/got a phone call from the attending that I spent the most time with, in the sub-field I'm interested in, who graduated from a program I want to attend. But that doesn't mean I exclusively worked with them by any stretch of the imagination.

I think it kind of comes down to the fact that there are always going to be cliques in any department, and attendings kind of want to know if you're "their guy" or not so they can determine how much they should/want to invest in you.

Makes sense that someone wouldn't want to fully commit to your future if you're more involved with someone else, just like someone wouldn't want to date someone with a boyfriend/girlfriend already.

 

[VincentAdultman]

I think it kind of comes down to the fact that there are always going to be cliques in any department, and attendings kind of want to know if you're "their guy" or not so they can determine how much they should/want to invest in you.

Makes sense that someone wouldn't want to fully commit to your future if you're more involved with someone else, just like someone wouldn't want to date someone with a boyfriend/girlfriend already.

....or you're over analyzing.

 

[Osteoth]

....or you're over analyzing.

 

[DrfluffyMD]

If you want to match there, you want to be in the good graces of PD/APD. Chairman if you are looking for a job.

 

[TypeADissection]

Welcome to your first taste of residency, where attendings often don't even talk to each other. They just count on you to do it, which sometimes places you in a no-win situation. You're going to be pissed, but it's residency. You'll soon learn how to walk that tight rope so amicable solutions can be reached by all parties and without patient care suffering. But you don't have to take sides. Just be someone that everyone likes and can work with. Cheers.

 

[Osteoth]

Welcome to your first taste of residency, where attendings often don't even talk to each other. They just count on you to do it, which sometimes places you in a no-win situation. You're going to be pissed, but it's residency. You'll soon learn how to walk that tight rope so amicable solutions can be reached by all parties and without patient care suffering. But you don't have to take sides. Just be someone that everyone likes and can work with. Cheers.

My issue is I feel like if I spread my time evenly among all attendings then I'll have no relationships strong enough to support me when it comes time to making calls for residency, but if I commit myself to spending time with one attending I'm closing all other doors...

 

[mimelim]

Recently I've been spending a fairly considerable time with my (hopefully) future department. Been shadowing a lot and getting involved in research.

One thing I've noticed, however, is that every attending has pretty much asked me at the beginning of our time together, whether that be research or shadowing or what have you, who you shadow, how often etc etc. It seems that they're kind of feeling me out, and every time I tell an attending I'm working with another attending I feel like I put a bad taste in their mouths.

This is a subspecialty department, so the staff is small, but I've been wondering how to play this out. Of course I realize that staying neutral and working with everyone is the most advantageous way to go, but this seems impossible. If I don't commit to building a strong relationship with one faculty member then I won't have anything when it comes down to it, but at the same time I don't want to offend anybody or close any doors.

How do you choose your God? Obviously the PD/Vice Chair are the best choices, but often times they're not as active in the day to day of things or on the national scene, they've just been around the longest.

I want to build a relationship with a doc that can make calls for me, but like I said obviously not close any doors. Is it possible to be Switzerland?

I agree with @SouthernSurgeon. This sounds like a ****ty place to train.

 

[Osteoth]

Or a bizarrely dysfunctional person.

The faculty all know each other, it's a common question to ask "hey who are you working with" to see how committed you are... like are you making efforts to get exposed to the department and actually know what you're getting into. Lmao that a medical student thinks an attending will be sleighted that you're not choosing to shadow or do research with them personally as if you're going to add much to them. SDN always surprises me with a more ridiculous topic than the last most ridiculous topic ever.

Yeah I could be completely wrong, but I just want to put myself in the most advantageous position and not piss anybody off. I know that in any competitive specialty any person who's willing to go to bat for you can tremendously help you, and the spectre of not matching honestly keeps me up at night...

 

[ortnakas]

Sounds like there’s some interesting department politics. Don’t get sucked in. You’re having a great learning experience with whoever you’re with, you’re impressed with the program, leave it at that.

 

[TypeADissection]

Like many things in life, don’t overthink it.

 

[Donald Juan]

I don't think this is that uncommon with the big egos involved in some fields. I do think you're a bit overanalyzing things still. You should probably talk to the residents about which attendings have a stronger reputation (obviously, usually chair, pd, apd) to figure out which ones would be better to make calls or get LORs from.