Residency program might shut down

[Daramrod123]

Hello everyone and apologies in advance if this has been discussed before.

I am an incoming MD PGY-1 due to start general surgery residency this July. Recently I was told by the program that they are at risk for shutting down due to some residents making false claims and comments to the ACGME regarding the program. ACGME has not made any comments or responses and I understand I may be overreacting specially since no official announcement has been made but I am very concerned and scared regarding my future. I understand the term “orphan resident” but I’m not sure if that applies to incoming residents as well...basically I want to know in the event the program does shut down, what options do I have ahead of me. Do I need to scramble to find a position or is this essentially a lost year. Again apologies if this is overreacting I’m just very scared and have no clue where to turn.

I appreciate your help and responses.

Regards,

Concerned MD

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[rokshana]

Hello everyone and apologies in advance if this has been discussed before.

I am an incoming MD PGY-1 due to start general surgery residency this July. Recently I was told by the program that they are at risk for shutting down due to some residents making false claims and comments to the ACGME regarding the program. ACGME has not made any comments or responses and I understand I may be overreacting specially since no official announcement has been made but I am very concerned and scared regarding my future. I understand the term “orphan resident” but I’m not sure if that applies to incoming residents as well...basically I want to know in the event the program does shut down, what options do I have ahead of me. Do I need to scramble to find a position or is this essentially a lost year. Again apologies if this is overreacting I’m just very scared and have no clue where to turn.

I appreciate your help and responses.

Regards,

Concerned MD

It takes a lot to close down a residency program...not just a few residents making “false” claims and comments...
Was the program on probation when you interviewed? If not, highly unlikely that it would close while you are a resident...ACGME has a process and it takes years ...I remember when st Francis finally lost their GS program and that prolly took 10 years.
If for some reason they close before you actually start in June/July , then yes you are screwed but otherwise if they close when you are a resident , you would have orphan status.

Unless you are starting at Drexel, you probably don’t have anything to worry about.

 

[Raryn]

Hello everyone and apologies in advance if this has been discussed before.

I am an incoming MD PGY-1 due to start general surgery residency this July. Recently I was told by the program that they are at risk for shutting down due to some residents making false claims and comments to the ACGME regarding the program. ACGME has not made any comments or responses and I understand I may be overreacting specially since no official announcement has been made but I am very concerned and scared regarding my future. I understand the term “orphan resident” but I’m not sure if that applies to incoming residents as well...basically I want to know in the event the program does shut down, what options do I have ahead of me. Do I need to scramble to find a position or is this essentially a lost year. Again apologies if this is overreacting I’m just very scared and have no clue where to turn.

I appreciate your help and responses.

Regards,

Concerned MD

ACGME - Accreditation Data System (ADS) has the list of all programs on probation (just hit run report - then do the same with institutions)

Is your program listed? If so, I might be worried. If not, I wouldn't be - at least not right now. Shutting a program down straight out without putting it on probation first is more or less unheard of. You'll be able to start. By the time it's an issue, you'll almost certainly get a fair bit of warning.

 

[Daramrod123]

Thank you for your responses. I checked the status and it’s listed as initial accreditation for a 3 year period which started in 2017.

 

[sararazavi]

Thank you for your responses. I checked the status and it’s listed as initial accreditation for a 3 year period which started in 2017.

Has it ever had any problems listed before obtaining that inital accreditation status? Example, " initial accreditation withheld"?

 

[hamstergang]

Recently I was told by the program that they are at risk for shutting down due to some residents making false claims and comments to the ACGME regarding the program.

I'd be more worried about how shady this makes the program sound.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

I'd be more worried about how shady this makes the program sound.

Sounds like they are trying to scare the residents into not reporting anything bad on the ACGME surveys...

 

[Daramrod123]

Has it ever had any problems listed before obtaining that inital accreditation status? Example, " initial accreditation withheld"?

As far as I’m aware they were in continued preaccreditation previously and then got initial accreditation. The hospital as whole has multiple programs and fellowships that are acgme accredited. Our IM program itself has many fellowships that are accredited. So like it was suggested I find it hard they would outright shut the program down or take the accreditation away without first putting us on probation.

 

[deleted103644]

Sounds like they are trying to scare the residents into not reporting anything bad on the ACGME surveys...

100% this.

They’re not worried about the program being shut down, they’re worried about what recent residents have said in their surveys and want to scare you not to say anything bad.

It’s possible those residents were the problem, but frankly this kind of attempted coercion is a huge red flag for your program.

You honestly might be better off as an orphan resident, they often end up at better programs since they bring their own funding. As long as you start your residency, it will follow you (if a program closes before you start, unfortunately it does not).

 

[evilbooyaa]

I'd be more worried about how shady this makes the program sound.

Bingo. A surgery program trying to suppress resident complaints in the incoming interns by making claims of "the program will shut down!!111". If it was just one resident then maybe but if it's like 2-3+ residents making complaints on the ACGME survey I'm hard pressed to think it's a bunch of the residents that are the issue.

OP, if they're not on probation now, you should be fine to start, just be cautious from day 1 of the program given the pre-amble to your 5+ long year relationship. You don't want to wake the dragon on day 1.