Just wanted to tell you all about things that otherwise go untold. The devil is in the details.
One of the biggest red flags about a program can be a big intern class with less and less residents when you see their list of residents web site. It shouldn't automatically dissuade you from ranking a program differently, but it should get you thinking. If you like a program and you see there are residents who dropped out, you can strategically ask residents if anyone has left the program or been dismissed from it.
If you didn't know this, yes, you can get fired from residency. Your contract isn't automatically renewed every year. You can get disciplined, fired, and then have an incredibly difficult and near impossible time finding another job in medicine depending on the circumstances.
You want a program director and chair that will have your back and support you. I've heard of residents being fired from different programs years ago, and some programs with bad atmospheres in stories from old attendings. If you get a bad gut feeling from an interview day, trust it.
Residency is hard and you need a supportive environment. You can be the toughest resident enduring all kinds of work hours and tough personalities, but if the program isnt supportive of you, you could get fired for a mistake you made or you might not even have support or enough supervision to prevent mistakes.
No one will really talk about that on interview day, but you need to gauge and see how supportive attendings and the program director and chair are of residents.
There are residents at programs in the country who feel like they are just workers and who feel like they are treated poorly, while there are others who are in the same specialty at other places and happy.
Make informed decisions.
this is a fantastic blog, thank you for sharing your experiences and advice. bookmarked!
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