03-25-2019, 05:10 AM
I graduated from CCH many years ago but I remembered some really bad things over the weekend reading an article in the Boston globe about bullying in medical residency.
The experience at County was horrible, demoralizing and ridiculous. 3 years of suffering, literally, that had to be hidden due to personal reasons and fear of retribution.
I am grateful for learning some things and because it was a platform for a better life in the US but I would never, ever do it again if I had to. At least not as Stroger hospital
Starting with the fact that I was not paid for almost 2 weeks when I started because some documents were late. The program took it as a "favor" to me to let me work, and I was vulnerable because I could not complain to the ACGME. Either way, they broke the rules and I was not paid for 2 weeks of work. Actually not just me, may of us.
The issue with the bullying was probably the worst you can imagine. Chiefs making fun of you and throwing you in front of the bus, then acting concerned. Attendings putting you down and making you suffer physically and emotionally and senior residents getting used to the abuse culture and focusing on making your life more difficult instead of teaching. Add the normal long hours of any residency, the reading requirements and the patient care responsibilities, having tho push stretchers around, beg secretaries to do their job and endure abuse from every attending in your way trying to block your work instead of collaborating for better patient care, then you get the most toxic work environment you can imagine. Nevermind the unsupervised clinic, the joke that certain rotations were and the constant wasting of time due to the need for reverence to seniors and attendings. That was Stroger in my time, at the "new" hospital.
If you matched and you are being bullied in residency report it. ACGME reporting is anonymous.
300-400 suicides per year among physicians, some of those were residents at the breaking point
It may not help, but not saying anything is perpetuating the chain of abuse. I wish I had said something.
The experience at County was horrible, demoralizing and ridiculous. 3 years of suffering, literally, that had to be hidden due to personal reasons and fear of retribution.
I am grateful for learning some things and because it was a platform for a better life in the US but I would never, ever do it again if I had to. At least not as Stroger hospital
Starting with the fact that I was not paid for almost 2 weeks when I started because some documents were late. The program took it as a "favor" to me to let me work, and I was vulnerable because I could not complain to the ACGME. Either way, they broke the rules and I was not paid for 2 weeks of work. Actually not just me, may of us.
The issue with the bullying was probably the worst you can imagine. Chiefs making fun of you and throwing you in front of the bus, then acting concerned. Attendings putting you down and making you suffer physically and emotionally and senior residents getting used to the abuse culture and focusing on making your life more difficult instead of teaching. Add the normal long hours of any residency, the reading requirements and the patient care responsibilities, having tho push stretchers around, beg secretaries to do their job and endure abuse from every attending in your way trying to block your work instead of collaborating for better patient care, then you get the most toxic work environment you can imagine. Nevermind the unsupervised clinic, the joke that certain rotations were and the constant wasting of time due to the need for reverence to seniors and attendings. That was Stroger in my time, at the "new" hospital.
If you matched and you are being bullied in residency report it. ACGME reporting is anonymous.
300-400 suicides per year among physicians, some of those were residents at the breaking point
It may not help, but not saying anything is perpetuating the chain of abuse. I wish I had said something.