probation or remediation or something else?!?!

[nsadod]

Hello friends,

I need help and advise. I really would appreciate any input!
Is there anything that could be done if you feel you are being placed on probation unfairly? Can the lawyer help in this situation? Do you think it is better to leave on your own(family/health reasons) before you are put on probation then to have it in your records forever and spoil your chances for any potential residency?
Do you think it is safe and confidential to turn to GME or it will complicate matters even more?

Thank you very much!

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[JackADeli]

...Do you think it is better to leave on your own(family/health reasons) before you are put on probation then to have it in your records forever and spoil your chances for any potential residency?...

Bottom line, probation/etc... is because you are failing to meet education/training requirements which may or may not include patient care requirements. Being a trained physician is NOT about spending "X" number of years affiliated with a program. It is spending "X" number of years within a program and performing the tasks to standard during that time. That is what it means to be trained. If you are unable to meet these requirements, you need to take a leave of absence or some seperation from clinical training duties. There is no pride in "toughing it out" if you really are not actually doing your job. No matter how sad your story may be, if you half-*ss continue in your program you are not meeting you obligations, i.e. getting trained. You are doing both your patients and yourself a disservice.

 

[dragonfly99]

I think that you need to be realistic.
Realistically, your best option very likely is to try to stay in your current program and make the best of it. Getting an attorney is very unlikely to be helpful. The GME office is also very unlikely to come down on your side, as they are hospital employees; nobody is going to contradict the word of your program director or faculty in terms of whether you are competent or not.
My advice is to act very humble, show that you can work harder than any of the other residents (in other words, get there earlier in the morning, act more enthusiastic, and be totally on top of your patient care duties and attend all the teaching conferences you can and don't hide in the back row).

Whether your program director is right, wrong, or somewhere in between with regard to how he's judging you, he's the one with the power in this situation. You need to change things about how you are doing things and how you are coming across at your program, if you want to avoid being fired. It sounds like you might not be on formal probation yet, maybe just threatened with that, which is better than formally being on probation. I suggest that if there is a chief resident or faculty member you have a good relationship with, go to that person and see if he/she has any input on how you can improve, and say that you really want to. You can also go back to attending(s) you've worked with, hopefully the ones that seemed reasonable and not too malignant, and ask for positive and negative feedback regarding how you did on the rotations.

It sounds like you might be a foreign medical grad. If so, it would be even harder to find another residency if you get fired, so you need to try hard to stay in the one you are in.

 

[nsadod]

Thank you very much for very insightful answer. I am already doing everything you said but the fear is that inevitable is coming. As it turns out you can not turn situation even you are right as you pointed. I was wondering how to minimize collateral damage for future carrier. If probation is suggested maybe is better to leave before being put on it formally and ask permission to finish a year and get a credit for it.
Do you have to inform other programs of the fact you have been previously on probation?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Thank you very much for very insightful answer. I am already doing everything you said but the fear is that inevitable is coming. As it turns out you can not turn situation even you are right as you pointed. I was wondering how to minimize collateral damage for future carrier. If probation is suggested maybe is better to leave before being put on it formally and ask permission to finish a year and get a credit for it.
Do you have to inform other programs of the fact you have been previously on probation?

Not only will programs ask, but so will licensing bureaus, hospitals when you try to get privileges, your board when you take your exams, etc. It is also likely that even if you replied "no" to all inquires, your current PD will mention it in any communication with the afore-mentioned entities.

 

[dragonfly99]

so the OP should do everything possible to try to avoid formally being put on probation. I think if I were in that situation, and I had a faculty member who knew me pretty well and was sympathetic, I would see if that person could intervene with the PD, to see if maybe he's willing to see how the OP does for the next 2-3 months, and see if the OP can avoid formal probationary status.

 

[eforest]

I ended up in a very unfair situation at work at one job I had prior to medical school. It's a long story. I just pretended to agree with any and all criticisms, and promised to work very hard to right them. Meanwhile I looked for another job. Basically, when I left, I left about as good an impression as I could. It might be best to make yourself seem really earnest- like you see what problems the program has with you, and you want to become better. You totally understand why they want to not renew your contract, and you only wish you'd done a better job.

Good luck! It's not an easy position to be in.