What is going on? Am I being ousted?

[HEADintheCLOUDS]

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Okay heres the deal. I approached a surgeon about doing research in the summer and into 2nd year. he said great but he has to get it all set up. That was 2 months ago. I went and shadowed him in practice and all was cool. He invited me to see him surgery and so I went. It seemed like he was cool with me as we joked during the surgery etc. He also said he would let me sew the guy up next surgery. However Now he wont even respond to my emails that I sent about if the research was still available, now that it is summer. Before he responded in one day to email. Does this sound like now he hates me and that I should just find another person to do research for? I mean WTF!!!

 

[Law2Doc]

Okay heres the deal. I approached a surgeon about doing research in the summer and into 2nd year. he said great but he has to get it all set up. That was 2 months ago. I went and shadowed him in practice and all was cool. He invited me to see him surgery and so I went. It seemed like he was cool with me as we joked during the surgery etc. He also said he would let me sew the guy up next surgery. However Now he wont even respond to my emails that I sent about if the research was still available, now that it is summer. Before he responded in one day to email. Does this sound like now he hates me and that I should just find another person to do research for? I mean WTF!!!

A bit melodramatic, don't you think? Perhaps he's on vacation. Or busy with other things (I promise you that summer help is not as high a priority for him as it is to you, so you need to be patient.) Or he forgot about you altogether (med students tend to be very "out of sight, out of mind" to many). Or he heard you were failing classes (as described in your other threads), and figured you had something else more important to take care of this summer. So either give it more time or find someone else. But I doubt "hate" enters into this analysis.

 

[Blade28]

Agree with the above.

Any way you can call him directly, or call his office?

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

Agree with the above.

Any way you can call him directly, or call his office?

As a general rule it's been my experience that email is kind of a poor way to communicate when you're talking about attendings. Although I did have one medicine staff who told us specifically the best way to get him was by email, I met many many more who were nearly computer illiterate and/or simply thought doing things face-to-face or via their office staff (who I promise are more organized) was easier, not to mention more professional. I thought you were repeating a class or something this summer and would be unable to do research? OP sounds like the kind of person who gets tagged around by the drama llama no matter what.

 

[Blade28]

Although I did have one medicine staff who told us specifically the best way to get him was by email, I met many many more who were nearly computer illiterate and/or simply thought doing things face-to-face or via their office staff (who I promise are more organized) was easier, not to mention more professional.

I agree. In my experience, most attendings prefer to be called directly, or have you call their office and set up an appointment to see them.

Some will just tell you to page them and they'll call back. Rarely have I had any older attendings ask me to email them.

 

[HEADintheCLOUDS]

I agree. In my experience, most attendings prefer to be called directly, or have you call their office and set up an appointment to see them.

Some will just tell you to page them and they'll call back. Rarely have I had any older attendings ask me to email them.

Yeah but when you call his office the lady never answers and when you leave a message to call back I guess she doesnt think a med student is worth calling back becasue I have left 4 messages already since I first started and have not received a call back and its been 6 months!!Plus I just want to find out if the research is still available and I dont want to waste a trip down back to school just to find out that its not available anymore, and then go back home. What to do!

 

[Law2Doc]

I dont want to waste a trip down back to school just to find out that its not available anymore, and then go back home. What to do!

I think it's fairly likely that there are others doing research at the school even if this dude isn't interested any more. So you should be able to still find something on your trip to the school if you put out enough feelers. If your school has an office of student research, that can be a huge asset for putting you in touch with PIs looking for med students. If not, then fire off your CV to various faculty known to do research in the field you are interested in.

 

[Blade28]

Yeah but when you call his office the lady never answers and when you leave a message to call back I guess she doesnt think a med student is worth calling back becasue I have left 4 messages already since I first started and have not received a call back and its been 6 months!!Plus I just want to find out if the research is still available and I dont want to waste a trip down back to school just to find out that its not available anymore, and then go back home. What to do!

Personally I'd either try to find a time when he'd be at his office and physically go down there to talk to him...or find another research mentor.

 

[ACSurgeon]

Personally I'd either try to find a time when he'd be at his office and physically go down there to talk to him...or find another research mentor.

Agreed. If he is treating you this way now, he probably isn't a good connection to have. Look for a different mentor that could help you down the line.

 

[kdburton]

Okay heres the deal. I approached a surgeon about doing research in the summer and into 2nd year. he said great but he has to get it all set up. That was 2 months ago. I went and shadowed him in practice and all was cool. He invited me to see him surgery and so I went. It seemed like he was cool with me as we joked during the surgery etc. He also said he would let me sew the guy up next surgery. However Now he wont even respond to my emails that I sent about if the research was still available, now that it is summer. Before he responded in one day to email. Does this sound like now he hates me and that I should just find another person to do research for? I mean WTF!!!

How long has it been? I just received a response from a ortho doc I'm supposed to be helping with some case reports this summer and he said "sorry it took me over a couple weeks to get back to you, I just had a son and my life has been hectic with that, etc." Now hes going to meet with me this week. So there are a lot of possible reasons why he may not be responding, so one thing you DON'T want to do is keep sending a bunch of e-mails because then he may actually begin to ignore them.

 

[HEADintheCLOUDS]

How long has it been? I just received a response from a ortho doc I'm supposed to be helping with some case reports this summer and he said "sorry it took me over a couple weeks to get back to you, I just had a son and my life has been hectic with that, etc." Now hes going to meet with me this week. So there are a lot of possible reasons why he may not be responding, so one thing you DON'T want to do is keep sending a bunch of e-mails because then he may actually begin to ignore them.

Well I have only sent one so far to check up and see if it was still available. (he told me months ago there would be researcH) SO how do I know if he is just busy or if he didnt get my email?? I am guessing I will just get someone else then.

 

[Occams Razor]

maybe he's a SDN member...

 

[78222]

maybe he's a SDN member...

What I was thinking...

 

[Pinkertinkle]

You worry too much.

 

[vtucci]

As a general rule it's been my experience that email is kind of a poor way to communicate when you're talking about attendings. Although I did have one medicine staff who told us specifically the best way to get him was by email, I met many many more who were nearly computer illiterate and/or simply thought doing things face-to-face or via their office staff (who I promise are more organized) was easier, not to mention more professional. I thought you were repeating a class or something this summer and would be unable to do research? OP sounds like the kind of person who gets tagged around by the drama llama no matter what.

My experience is that e-mail is the best way to get ahold of most docs. Pagers are for emergencies only and office phones- kind of a joke.

 

[ZagDoc]

My experience is that e-mail is the best way to get ahold of most docs. Pagers are for emergencies only and office phones- kind of a joke.

Ditto, but our entire patient records system is electronic so physicians spend the majority of their time that they aren't with patients in front of the computer screen.

 

[mjl1717]

Okay heres the deal. I approached a surgeon about doing research in the summer and into 2nd year. he said great but he has to get it all set up. That was 2 months ago. I went and shadowed him in practice and all was cool. He invited me to see him surgery and so I went. It seemed like he was cool with me as we joked during the surgery etc. He also said he would let me sew the guy up next surgery. However Now he wont even respond to my emails that I sent about if the research was still available, now that it is summer. Before he responded in one day to email. Does this sound like now he hates me and that I should just find another person to do research for? I mean WTF!!!

Ok

1) Id say email is the new way to communicate except for some older docs (you cant teach an old dog new tricks)-still holds true..

2)I find some attendings( believe it or not) are just POOR communicaters.. Eg. too busy, too BIG, scattered, not nice etc..

3) Now surgery, an area where I was told you dont have to think hard...If you are expecting thinking and communication.. You may be asking for too much.

4) I say set a date if he doesnt reply by then look for something else..😕

 

[Noeljan]

Okay heres the deal. I approached a surgeon about doing research in the summer and into 2nd year. he said great but he has to get it all set up. That was 2 months ago. I went and shadowed him in practice and all was cool. He invited me to see him surgery and so I went. It seemed like he was cool with me as we joked during the surgery etc. He also said he would let me sew the guy up next surgery. However Now he wont even respond to my emails that I sent about if the research was still available, now that it is summer. Before he responded in one day to email. Does this sound like now he hates me and that I should just find another person to do research for? I mean WTF!!!

Hi
I never thought I would be the one telling someone this, but friend you need to calm down!! chillax, this guy is probably too busy and cannot take on a student now. Contact (CALMLY!!!) someone else.

 

[HEADintheCLOUDS]

Hi
I never thought I would be the one telling someone this, but friend you need to calm down!! chillax, this guy is probably too busy and cannot take on a student now. Contact (CALMLY!!!) someone else.

Only problem is all our ortho guys have offices in the same halway/section of a building complex. What if I run into that guy that f-ed me over. Do I confront him???

 

[BoredMD]

Only problem is all our ortho guys have offices in the same halway/section of a building complex. What if I run into that guy that f-ed me over. Do I confront him???

Just let it go and move on. These things happen all the time and there's no need to confront the guy so you don't screw yourself over even more.

 

[Blade28]

Only problem is all our ortho guys have offices in the same halway/section of a building complex. What if I run into that guy that f-ed me over. Do I confront him???

Don't be confrontational, if that's what you're asking. Don't burn any bridges.

 

[BoredMD]

Don't burn any bridges.

I have a feeling HEADintheCLOUDS has burned a lot of bridges in his time.

 

[HEADintheCLOUDS]

Don't be confrontational, if that's what you're asking. Don't burn any bridges.

you guys are right. So should I just ignore him? say hi and keep walking? What if he says somehtin to me like......."so I wasnt good enough to do research with huh?" or "you commited to do research for me and now you are going with someone else?"................or am I being paranoid?

 

[HEADintheCLOUDS]

I have a feeling HEADintheCLOUDS has burned a lot of bridges in his time.

Not on purpose. I am just socially ******ed.

 

[BoredMD]

you guys are right. So should I just ignore him? say hi and keep walking? What if he says somehtin to me like......."so I wasnt good enough to do research with huh?" or "you commited to do research for me and now you are going with someone else?"................or am I being paranoid?

Yes, I think you're being paranoid. I really doubt that he will ask you about it. On the off chance that he does, you could always say that you hadn't heard back from him so you thought the position was already taken and you looked elsewhere. No big deal.

Not on purpose. I am just socially ******ed.

I see.