Subtle Warning About Residency During Interviews

[MDisposible]

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I don’t like my residency program; the culture, admin staff, or the clinical experience. I have to attend our mandatory preinterview socials and interview days to show face and make it look like we have a great program to applicants.

But I don’t want to do that…

At the same time, I don’t want to paint a big target on my back for retribution from my peers or program leadership by just blatantly badmouthing the program.

Other than blinking “SOS” in Morse code when talking to applicants, what are some creative ways I can answer questions as subtle warnings and red flags to applicants? What can I say is great about the program that is actually a major turn off?

 

[operaman]

Honestly I think you can generally be truthful with people. Just stick to giving facts and try to minimize the editorializing. Give specifics about the culture or the weaknesses in the clinical experience, not just that you think they’re weak. No program is perfect and if the problems are real, then others will feel the same way.

You will have more credibility if you also speak to what’s good about your program too. Surely there are some strong points as well so don’t neglect those. Other people may fit in with the culture and not have the same concerns you do.

 

[eforest]

I don’t like my residency program; the culture, admin staff, or the clinical experience. I have to attend our mandatory preinterview socials and interview days to show face and make it look like we have a great program to applicants.

But I don’t want to do that…

At the same time, I don’t want to paint a big target on my back for retribution from my peers or program leadership by just blatantly badmouthing the program.

Other than blinking “SOS” in Morse code when talking to applicants, what are some creative ways I can answer questions as subtle warnings and red flags to applicants? What can I say is great about the program that is actually a major turn off?

What’s bad about it? I had 2 interns warn me about a terrible program- they didn’t editorialize- they just said that the PD follows guidelines to a T and makes sure that when you’re working 24 hours plus 6 (rules when I applied) she will make sure you’ve worked that much. It was stressed that every little bit would be squeezed out of us. There were some pointed “um uh’s” I didn’t rank the program. They were only there intern year and moving on to another residency so having a “target” was less relevant.

The enthusiasm of the residents said a lot. I did have a resident blatantly lie to me at one interview. I knew that ancillary staff at the hospital was horrible. “How’s the ancillary’s staff?” I asked - curious about what they’d say. One of the residents bubbled about the wonderful ancillary staff. A current med school there was facing me. Residents were behind her. She looked down, took a deep breath, and raised one eyebrow.

At another hospital where I suspected ancillary staff was better- I asked how often we transport patients and draw blood. “Zero,” she said- making an “o” with her thumb and forefinger. None of the other residents I watched as she responded made a face, raised eyebrow (s), etc

Be very careful about badmouthing a malignant program. Subtle facial expressions, the way residents look, watch carefully.

I loved my intern program (as much as you can like an intern program) and enjoyed residency. I went to the Good Ancillary Staff program. I loved the nurses, other residents, etc

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