So, what exactly is the role of a program director?

[PunkRockDoc]

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As many of you may know from my other posts, my residency program has some issues. I just wanted to share a little anecdote from one of my fellow residents who is currently applying for a surg path fellowship. First, a little background: we just had a new chairperson start in July (the only beacon of hope for this program to improve at this point); for 18 months prior to that, our director of AP was the acting chair.

So the other day, one of our residents asked our program director to write an LOR for a surg path fellowship. He hemmed and hawed and said that last year, he was scolded by our director of AP (when she was acting chair) for writing an LOR for another resident applying to surg path. This resident responded by saying "You're the residency director. They require a letter from the resident director." He continued to be wishy washy, but agreed when the resident told him that they had asked the director of AP for a letter as well.

This director of AP has also told our residency director to "not involve himself with any matters of the residents and anatomical pathology".

So basically, I don't think that or residency director does anything for us.

Just needed to vent a bit - thanks for reading.🙂

 

[yaah]

Why don't they replace the residency director then? Have all the residents sign a letter requesting it. sounds like they pretty much agree with you.

 

[LADoc00]

Hold it. Your residency director claims not to handle resident matters?!

What?! This might require a letter to the board of trustees of the hospital.

I smell shenanigans.

 

[djmd]

It might be a intradepartment politics thing...

The AP director (then acting chair) may have been against the residency director... (maybe the residency director blocked the AP's bid to become the actual chairman.)

Sad that residents can get caught in the middle of political infighting like this..

 

[SLUsagar]

As many of you may know from my other posts, my residency program has some issues. I just wanted to share a little anecdote from one of my fellow residents who is currently applying for a surg path fellowship. First, a little background: we just had a new chairperson start in July (the only beacon of hope for this program to improve at this point); for 18 months prior to that, our director of AP was the acting chair.

So the other day, one of our residents asked our program director to write an LOR for a surg path fellowship. He hemmed and hawed and said that last year, he was scolded by our director of AP (when she was acting chair) for writing an LOR for another resident applying to surg path. This resident responded by saying "You're the residency director. They require a letter from the resident director." He continued to be wishy washy, but agreed when the resident told him that they had asked the director of AP for a letter as well.

This director of AP has also told our residency director to "not involve himself with any matters of the residents and anatomical pathology".

So basically, I don't think that or residency director does anything for us.

Just needed to vent a bit - thanks for reading.🙂

i feel for you.

but hey, where the h*ll are you? I don't have the time or energy to "decipher" from your previous post, so please just let the freaking cat out of the bag. it's no big deal; i think folks applying to this program would appreciate it and frankly deserve to know.

 

[HRantz]

i feel for you.

but hey, where the h*ll are you? I don't have the time or energy to "decipher" from your previous post, so please just let the freaking cat out of the bag. it's no big deal; i think folks applying to this program would appreciate it and frankly deserve to know.

My thoughts exactly.

We also have a stinky PD, but at least ours puts forth a tiny bit of half-hearted effort.

 

[PunkRockDoc]

As far as replacing our PD - we're not really sure who might be better. The one person who we wanted to suggest had turned down the job when first offered. The underlying politics in this program is ridiculous. I know there's politics in everything - I worked in the pharm industry prior to med school and did an FM internship - but it is truly crazy here. There is a lot of underlying distrust and dislike between various groups.

At any rate, a few people have PM'd me about which program this is, and I sent them messages back with the answer. It's Temple University in Philly.

 

[PunkRockDoc]

Oh, and to clarify one thing in response to LADoc - It's not the residency director who is claiming not to handle resident matters - it's the director of AP telling the residency director that he is not to concern himself with the residents and AP.

 

[LADoc00]

this is all quite sad because my PD was one of the shining lights of the program...feel for you guys, but like 5th grade is for you now, residency will be a distant memory far sooner than you can imagine.

 

[star23]

The ACGME has mandates regarding the duties of program directors in terms of things they must do/provide or else lose their accredidation. If you wish to pursue this further, you do have reason to contact your graduate medical education office (they should provide the opportunity for you to express your concerns confidentially without fear of retribution) or your ACGME internal review committee which your GME office should be able to refer you to.