RACIST Attending - What do I do ?

[Doowai]

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I was driving home from announcing at a basketball game - and for some reason this thread came to my mind. One thing I thouoght about was what if you did cook this guys goose - is it a good thing? It takes a tremendous amount of work to create a good doctor - other than his racist attitude is he a good doctor? They are hard to find. Sure you could probably cook his goose, maybe even enlist nurses or ancillary staff who feel similarly to file harrassment charges (thereby relieving you of the pressure, and in actuality probably more effective than anything a resident could do) - but again society loses a doctor that was a decade plus in the making, over someone getting butthurt over some words.

No doubt, if his attitude is that pervasive its already known to administration and your PD - surely by now they have heard it, and tolerate it. Doesn't speak very highly of them. Whatever their personal preferences, likes or dislikes, it should not spill forth like that.

I think I would instead opt to at some point, simply look them in the eye and let them know you think their opinions are wrong, and its too bad they feel that way. No animosity, but certainly clear you look down on their opinion.

 

[oompaloompa]

Arleen,
I have thought. Go to your PD and complain about this SOB. Trust me. This crap will not go away and it will end up ruining all your nights. So, if are an average resident who pulls her own weight, then there is no issue. Just go to your PD and blast this dude. However be forewarned, you PD maybe less than amicable with your request. Thats what we get in residecy (i.e. slavery). Another thing to consider is that has this attending been in trouble with other residents. If he has, than its a lot easier to badmouth him. Otherwise, its going to be an uphill battle (unfortunately).

By all means, if you feel you are out of options and at the end of your rope, do as suggested above. But a word of warning - this is BIG deal and you will only have one shot at this. If you come to the PD without documented specific examples and only vague complaints like "he was mean to me" you will have set things in motion without the werewithal to influence the outcome in your favor. Things will escalate quickly to the higher ups and your meaningful part in the conversation is likely over once you state the initial complaint, so make sure it counts.

Sure the chiefs and the PD say that you "can come to them with anything." The truth is that you get one, maybe two complaints a year before you get labeled as the "whiner" resident. A particular person from my program has been effectively marginalized due to over-reporting. The fact is that I think she's right in nearly every case, but because she doesn't know how to pick her battles, no one listens anymore.

I would liken it to telling the truth on our duty hours. Every naive intern has done this, but probably only once. Why? Because you're made to eat **** for something that you're already pissed about. Not to say you can't fight back, but you better be prepared for an epic battle. An important point to remember is that while the initial duty hours whistleblower may have been a catalyst for change, he was personally f-cked over bigtime.

I would advise weighing the risk/benefit ratio carefully before you proceed. Only you can decide what's right for you, but my personal philosophy is "Fake it till you make it." This guy sounds like an @sshole certainly, but remember that his power over you is temporary - he knows and fears this.

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

I was driving home from announcing at a basketball game - and for some reason this thread came to my mind. One thing I thouoght about was what if you did cook this guys goose - is it a good thing? It takes a tremendous amount of work to create a good doctor - other than his racist attitude is he a good doctor? They are hard to find. Sure you could probably cook his goose, maybe even enlist nurses or ancillary staff who feel similarly to file harrassment charges (thereby relieving you of the pressure, and in actuality probably more effective than anything a resident could do) - but again society loses a doctor that was a decade plus in the making, over someone getting butthurt over some words.

This can be a thread in and of itself. But I've always been personally fascinated by this idea.

I think it's exemplified by "House", but the idea of Bad person/great doctor has been around forever. Heck, Halsted was a jerk and an addict but he was a hell of a doctor.

I know at my institution you've got the doctors who are horrible to deal with from peers to subordinates, but they always put patients first and that's kept them their jobs for years.

Now, in this scenario, racism carries a special risk because it can be so inflammatory. A case of a "racist doctor" would be a sensationalist story in the media and can lead damage locally to the institutions with which he was associated as well as the profession of physician as general.