Wrongful termination and discussion in personal statement or interview

[newolddoc]

I'd like some level headed advice on this topic.

Two years ago I was terminated from a residency position, and I believe wrongfully. I think that the crux of the issue was when I accidentally witnessed my program director and someone else in the PD office having an inappropriate physical relationship. I never said anything about it, and never challenged my termination on these grounds as I was already undergoing academic remediation and felt that it would be a losing battle. At the time I was making great strides and was nearly on par with my peers, however, and I was surprised to be terminated (with pay) in February with little if any warning.

I wonder if it would be best to just let the issue be, or to raise the issue with my personal statement and during residency interviews. As I was becoming a stronger resident and was more than willing to fulfill my academic obligations, I feel that the untimely termination misrespresents how I was as a resident and is a terrible mar on my record that could preclude me getting interviews and/or a residency spot.

I brought the issue up with an attending friend who said that I should included a brief statement about the issue on my personal statement, and offer to share more information during the interview. My concern is that whereas me being in the wrong place at the wrong time is one thing, sharing the witnessed misdeeds may result in me becoming blacklisted when perhaps the issue should just be dropped. Of course, on the other hand, since I think this is what ultimately lead to my early termination I do feel that I have to try to explain the program's actions to the best of my abilities.

Please advise as I'm not sure what to do. Thanks.

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[mcl]

I'd like some level headed advice on this topic.

Two years ago I was terminated from a residency position, and I believe wrongfully. I think that the crux of the issue was when I accidentally witnessed my program director and someone else in the PD office having an inappropriate physical relationship. I never said anything about it, and never challenged my termination on these grounds as I was already undergoing academic remediation and felt that it would be a losing battle. At the time I was making great strides and was nearly on par with my peers, however, and I was surprised to be terminated (with pay) in February with little if any warning.

I wonder if it would be best to just let the issue be, or to raise the issue with my personal statement and during residency interviews. As I was becoming a stronger resident and was more than willing to fulfill my academic obligations, I feel that the untimely termination misrespresents how I was as a resident and is a terrible mar on my record that could preclude me getting interviews and/or a residency spot.

I brought the issue up with an attending friend who said that I should included a brief statement about the issue on my personal statement, and offer to share more information during the interview. My concern is that whereas me being in the wrong place at the wrong time is one thing, sharing the witnessed misdeeds may result in me becoming blacklisted when perhaps the issue should just be dropped. Of course, on the other hand, since I think this is what ultimately lead to my early termination I do feel that I have to try to explain the program's actions to the best of my abilities.

Please advise as I'm not sure what to do. Thanks.

I'm just one person who reviews applications, but I would strongly advise against mentioning your suspisions regarding your termination. I can't imagine that a PD would want to get caught up the soap opera-like drama that this explanation entails, and it isn't proveable--especially given that you were being remediated. I would probably utilize the job experience "reason for leaving" section for the explanation, where I would acknowledge the academic remediation, but add that I believed I was making appropriate progress and was surprised by the sudden termination. If I addressed the issue in the personal statement, I would say how I've used this experience to increase my study focus and relate a couple of tangible things I've done to keep my clinical skills up since leaving residency. I know it's not your truth, but it isn't false, it's likely to match what the former PD will say, and gives you a way to put the past behind you and move ahead.

 

[gutonc]

I also review apps (although for fellowship) and if I saw you try to explain your situation by blaming in you catching the PD banging a med student (or whatever), I'd immediately write you off as a drama queen and your app would be round-filed.

Now...the best way to address this situation is something I'm afraid I don't have any really good advice on. I think you need to focus on the remediation issue and make sure you get good LORs from attendings in your former program. You're also going to need to have something from the PD explaining your academic standing when you were terminated. That may be a bit of an issue.

Good luck.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I'd add my advice, which agrees with the above.

This type of information absolutely does not belong in your application.

First, you were already on probation/remediation. We (so far) have your word for it that you were doing better. Perhaps you weren't, and were terminated. In that case, this just looks like you're trying to blame someone else for your problems. Maybe you were terminated for what you saw, but the alternate explanation that your performance was the problem seems equally likely (with no data to prove either way).

Second, you call this an "inappropriate relationship". That's a complicated term. Not that I'm suggesting that whatever you saw was "OK", but if the PD had a relationship with someone who was married, etc, that's their business and not yours. If they had a relationship with someone who was 10, then that's illegal and you should have reported it. If they had a relationship with a student or a resident, then that is at best ill advised and at worst unethical. Please understand that I totally agree that a PD having a relationship with a resident is simply wrong -- but if it happened, it could be "dealt with" by firewalling the resident's evaluations / promotions from the PD and having someone else deal with them, etc. Still, there were probably channels to report this, you could have contested your termination on these grounds, etc, which you didn't.

So, bottom line, reporting this now doesn't make you look any better. So don't do it. Even if it comes up in your interview in some vague way, do not mention it.

And, as mentioned above, you really want to know what your prior program thinks about you. I personally feel that a PD letter from a prior program is not a "waived" letter -- that you should be able to see it. It's best if your story and their story jive.

 

[newolddoc]

Thanks all. I'm fine with letting things lie. Everything was really awkward and uncomfortable at that time. I will use a "since then" approach.

Best to all.