What do you say??

[familyfirst]

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Need help guys...I resigned from my residency program without completing the last 3 months. It was a really bad fit in many aspecs. Anyway, I am going for interviews for PGy-2 position. Any suggestions in how I can better say things besides it was a bad fit. I have some personal reasons that I can list among the reasons but the most important question to answer is "Why did you leave the program with 3 months to go?" Without going into the details about what happened, I was miserable and decided with the program that it was a suitable time to leave. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[u_r_my_serenity]

If you and the program both agreed it was ok to resign: You might say something along the lines of:

I knew that [type of medicine] was not for me and I wanted to pursue [whatever you're interviewing for]. I discussed this with my program director at the beginning of my third year and agreed to stay on and stick it out until the program could afford to lose an upper level resident. That happened to be when 3 months remained. Three months is a short time and I thought about just finishing, but I did not see the point in completing another day for I know that I do not want to practice in that specialty. It took me a while to realize that it was such a bad fit. At first I thought the way I felt was simply because I was an intern, and this is why I continued pushing myself through it for so long. But after feeling this strongly after giving it a shot for 2 years I came to realize it is just not my calling. The program itself is geat, as is the program director, and I am greatful to him/her. I feel young, however, and I am not the least bit afraid of starting again at the second year in an area I know I will enjoy. I need to be able to wake up in the morning and feel good about what I do.

 

[tridoc13]

Wow. You're good! 😉

 

[Danger Man]

"When in doubt, tell the truth."---Mark Twain 😉

 

[8744]

If you and the program both agreed it was ok to resign: You might say something along the lines of:

I knew that [type of medicine] was not for me and I wanted to pursue [whatever you're interviewing for]. I discussed this with my program director at the beginning of my third year and agreed to stay on and stick it out until the program could afford to lose an upper level resident. That happened to be when 3 months remained. Three months is a short time and I thought about just finishing, but I did not see the point in completing another day for I know that I do not want to practice in that specialty. It took me a while to realize that it was such a bad fit. At first I thought the way I felt was simply because I was an intern, and this is why I continued pushing myself through it for so long. But after feeling this strongly after giving it a shot for 2 years I came to realize it is just not my calling. The program itself is geat, as is the program director, and I am greatful to him/her. I feel young, however, and I am not the least bit afraid of starting again at the second year in an area I know I will enjoy. I need to be able to wake up in the morning and feel good about what I do.

Yeah, but three months? I mean, I could do anything for three months. If I really hated it I would naturally try to slack off as much as possible or call in sick as much as allowed but I'd suffer through to the bitter end just to avoid the problems expressed by the OP.

I had a friend who despised medical school, absolutely hated sick patients, and who told me that everything about the profession made his skin crawl. He sucked it up for two years, graduated, and went to law school.

 

[Qafas]

Yeah, but three months? I mean, I could do anything for three months. If I really hated it I would naturally try to slack off as much as possible or call in sick as much as allowed but I'd suffer through to the bitter end just to avoid the problems expressed by the OP.

I had a friend who despised medical school, absolutely hated sick patients, and who told me that everything about the profession made his skin crawl. He sucked it up for two years, graduated, and went to law school.

Two years is a long time to do something one despises so much. But, there is certainly much benefit to be reaped from being a doctor-lawyer. And I agree about the 3 months - can't see why the OP just didn't stick with it.
Anyway, I would be forthcoming with the new program and just tell them the truth about why you left. I think it'll make you come off much stronger in character than trying to make excuses. I'm sure they'll know that if someone leaves a residency with just 3 months to go, there have to be problems between the program and the resident. Are you switching specialties, by the way?
Good luck!

 

[Danger Man]

I had a similar situation. I did my intern year in one specialty and had realized about 1/2 way thru that year that I would not be coming back. After telling the PD that I was leaving, I sucked it up for the next 6 months trying to step on as few toes as possible. I felt like I was a third year med student on a clerkship that I could not wait to end. I applied for and received a spot in a different specialty and was asked about my intern year at each of those interviews. I simply told them that I realized that I did not want to complete training in my first specialty and I seemed to get positive (at least, not negative) responses.

As for not stepping on toes, I offered to pay other interns to take call for me and absolutely hated every moment of my last few months there. I did not receive a goodbye from any one (resident, attending) when I left. I look at it as a reflection (not a good one) on my year there, but I feel the program is stronger since they now have a person who wants to train in that specialty--and that is always good for resident morale.

 

[8744]

I had a similar situation. I did my intern year in one specialty and had realized about 1/2 way thru that year that I would not be coming back. After telling the PD that I was leaving, I sucked it up for the next 6 months trying to step on as few toes as possible. I felt like I was a third year med student on a clerkship that I could not wait to end. I applied for and received a spot in a different specialty and was asked about my intern year at each of those interviews. I simply told them that I realized that I did not want to complete training in my first specialty and I seemed to get positive (at least, not negative) responses.

As for not stepping on toes, I offered to pay other interns to take call for me and absolutely hated every moment of my last few months there. I did not receive a goodbye from any one (resident, attending) when I left. I look at it as a reflection (not a good one) on my year there, but I feel the program is stronger since they now have a person who wants to train in that specialty--and that is always good for resident morale.

Dude, that's my story this year. I have tried to be tactful and diplomatic as to why I am both leaving the program and switching specialties. There is absolutely no sense unnecessarily annoying people, especially since some of them, like my Program Director, have been both gracious and very helpful.

I have matched for next year so I could get a real short-timer's attitude but if anything I am even more gung-ho now that I know I am back on track.

I apologize to the OP for rubbing lemon juice in his paper cuts. What's done is done. We had some residents leave our program mid-year last year so obviously there are some things that people find intolerable and we all have our threshhold of tolerance. I have quit a job or two in disgust in my life so I am a fine one to talk.

But I just want to put my vote in for sucking it up.

 

[Lizard1]

Need help guys...I resigned from my residency program without completing the last 3 months. It was a really bad fit in many aspecs. Anyway, I am going for interviews for PGy-2 position. Any suggestions in how I can better say things besides it was a bad fit. I have some personal reasons that I can list among the reasons but the most important question to answer is "Why did you leave the program with 3 months to go?" Without going into the details about what happened, I was miserable and decided with the program that it was a suitable time to leave. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!

just tell the truth... if you can't, then that's a pretty big sign that you were the problem and not the residency program

 

[familyfirst]

Thank you very much for all your suggestions.

First of all, iti s my first time to the forum. I have no idea what is OP. If someone can let me know, that will be great 😀

The problem is that I love Ob/Gyn. I have no problem with the specialty. Love what I do. Not even considering switching specialty. And I am an intern with 3 months to go. Not very favorable position at all. Just like many of you mentioned, there were personal conflicts and stepped on some wrong but big toes. Probably some nurse manager. I don't suck up to anyone which was a major mistakes. Too late to repair the damage. Don't want to fight up-hill for the rest of the 3 years. And I hated where I am, geographically. So just want to relocate and get a fresh start.

Well, I have a few interviews line-up for next week. Wish me luck. 👍

 

[Idiopathic]

Okay well that is different. I think we all assumed that you had three months left in your residency, at which point it would be ludicrous to leave. Leaving during internship, while not good, is certainly explainable. Tell the truth, odds are they will contact your current boss at some point, right?

 

[u_r_my_serenity]

Say that you were busted suckling on the new mothers to encourage breast milk production. Then talk at length about how the evidence supports that your method works but your program wouldn't accept it. Say you don't want to be at a program that is afraid to break away from dogma and that you only practice evidence based medicine.

 

[penguins]

First of all, iti s my first time to the forum. I have no idea what is OP. If someone can let me know, that will be great 😀

OP = Original Post/er

 

[8744]

You know who really annoys me?

Midwives.

Wannabe OB-Gyns. Natural childbirth, water birth, blah blah blah.

 

[familyfirst]

Say that you were busted suckling on the new mothers to encourage breast milk production. Then talk at length about how the evidence supports that your method works but your program wouldn't accept it. Say you don't want to be at a program that is afraid to break away from dogma and that you only practice evidence based medicine.

So not funny at all, maybe that's why I have a hard time let things roll of my back.

 

[familyfirst]

You know who really annoys me?

Midwives.

Wannabe OB-Gyns. Natural childbirth, water birth, blah blah blah.

Well, that's hard to say. They can do a lot in rural areas where there are no Ob/Gyns. But again, women gave birth without physicians for centuries... Must learn how to work with other health professionals...

 

[Apollyon]

But again, women gave birth without physicians for centuries... Must learn how to work with other health professionals...

With 20% or higher mortality to mother, baby, or both. Thanks, but no thanks - give me the professional.

 

[penguins]

With 20% or higher mortality to mother, baby, or both. Thanks, but no thanks - give me the professional.

A biology proff of mine from undergrad delivered the last 4 of his 5 kids at home and then burried the placentas in the backyard and planted a tree over it. 😀 Only with the first one did he even have a midwife to help.
He has a PhD is some kind of biology subject and his wife has one in nuclear engineering or something. So even educated people choose to do it that way.

Wowzzers!

I want to be in a sterile environment with drugs and more drugs!

Regarding the OP: I agree with the person who said honesty is the best policy. They are likely to see through any story you tell. Good Luck!

 

[Apollyon]

A biology proff of mine from undergrad delivered the last 4 of his 5 kids at home and then buried the placentas in the backyard and planted a tree over it.

At least they didn't eat it like the ungulates!

Go education!