Blogging with The Doctor Job

There are two types of program directors.

First, the bad ones. They just don’t care anymore. They’ve lost the desire to help their residents or fellows and just see them as cheap labor to be exploited and used until they graduate and leave. They barely remember the names of their residents and fellows. They don’t care if the residents find jobs after graduation, and they don’t care about anything other than their little world. If you find yourself with this type of program director, prepare yourself for a miserable experience.

Then, there are the good ones. They care. They take the time to educate residents and fellows on business (starting up your own practice), careers (how to find a job and write a resume) and other elements that might never come up in training. They know the name of every resident and fellow in the program, and they want to make sure that their physicians are rewarded for their hard work. This doesn’t mean that the program is easy, though. Residents work long, hard hours and are still tired and stressed, but the environment is friendlier, which makes a big difference. If you are in one of these programs, you are very lucky.

What are some of your program director stories? Good? Bad? Neutral?