Residency coordinator survival tip: Keep a sense of humor
Most days I love my residents, but there are sometimes when they just frustrate me, especially when they don’t listen to me. (Sounds like I’m talking about my own kids, not residents, doesn’t it?)On those rare days when I can’t take it, I need to vent to my co-workers at times in order to keep sane. Other times, I find that the only way to deal with them is to just maintain a sense of humor. What’s the saying? “Truth in jest”. That’s my way of feeling better when I might otherwise like to look them square in the face and, just like a mother, say “What do I have to do to get you to get you to listen to me?”
Case in point: I scheduled one of my residents for BLS recertification weeks ago. Not only did I e-mail him right after I scheduled it, but I sent him a reminder notice yesterday telling him his class was taking place this morning at 8:30 am. I spot him in the hallway about 9:15am and say “Why aren’t you in the BLS class?”
He turns and looks at me with a confused look, and says, “What…today…May 6th….ahhhhh… Wednesday….or Thursday…..May 5th?” I just shook my head.
He heads to the class, an hour late, and they send him away and tell him to come back next month (not surprisingly).
In order to get my point across, I copied him on my note to the BLS coordinator, asking that he be scheduled for the next class. I asked her to send me the date and time so that I can “paste a sticky on his head the next time.” Cracked myself up as I was writing it, and I hesitated for just a split second on copying him, but I hit the “send” button and felt much better after that. A girl’s got to do, what a girl’s got to do. Plus, chances are, he probably won’t even read the e-mail.
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Diane Slosser
Diane L. Slosser is the radiology residency coordinator at Bridgeport Hospital, Yale New Health Health, in Bridgeport, CT.
She has been in this position for almost three years and is currently responsible for 14 residents. For two years prior to this position, she was the administrative secretary to both the department chairman and administrative director.
Prior to joining Bridgeport Hospital, Slosser was a stay-at-home mom for six years. She was previously employed as a program manager, corporate events, for UST, Inc., a leader in the smokeless tobacco industry. Slosser also held positions of increasing responsibility in the legal and government relations departments during her 10 years with UST.
Slosser loves to travel and spend time with her family and friends doing the simple things in life. She is involved with the PTA and all of her family’s activities, and hopes to one day again be able to find the time and energy to bowl with the ladies, knit, crochet and read a good mystery novel.Diane has written 4 posts.
Comments
AMEN Sister, half the time when you are talking to a resident much less email you wonder are they really listening or am I just talking to hear the sound of my own voice! This happens all the time with my residents, thats why I call them all my children.
When I have to re e-mail, re-phone, re-schedule, I get my point across by copying the PD on the third communication I need to send out. Two reasons for this: 1. Keeps my communication professional(because by then I’m totally annoyed)and 2. I always get a response and an apology, which is also copied to the PD. Teaching professionalism even to residents is a never ending task!
I have worked for a very large residency (130 residents) and now a smaller residency and for both have had the residents take responsiblity for their own ACLS/BLS. They register and bring me the invoice and we reimburse. I have found that if the money comes out of their pocket first they tend to pay more attention to maintaining their certification.
I’m in agreement with all of you. I guess it’s the closeted environment they’ve lived in since undergrad.
In my emails to them when they need to do something by a certain time, I always leave them with the phrase “remember, I know where you live” (meaning their office).
Having the ability to email a message to my residents’ text pagers has made my communication with them much more immediate. They check email once a day (well, they’re SUPPOSED to check!), but they ALWAYS look at their pagers.
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