residency coordinator - kanoej

[ArchivalUser]

What do you do outside of secretarial work as a PC?

[ArchivalUser]

@fammedtiger : What kind of program makes decisions based on a PC interviewing candidates?? I certainly would not want to be there. I am not looking down at you, I am just stating the facts about what a PC's role is in a program. Your abuse of power is evident from your post and I understand it happens and so I advise fellow folks to take that into consideration and be courteous at all times - as that is the right thing to do anyways.
Anyone can be a PC - sorry, nothing personal about that.

[ArchivalUser]

@fammedtiger - Good for you! I completely agree and also have a DNR list. A PC does very little "secretarial work". @duckson - try researching the responsibilities of a PC...you may be surprised. @harlem - "anyone can be a PC"? Really? I think NOT! A PC holds your future in his/her hands when it comes to interviews, schedules, fellowship applications, LOR's, evaluations, ACGME/AOA system reporting, board exam evaluation, visas, health insurance, Milestones, verifications, etc, etc., etc. (I could go on for an hour). Please do not think for one minute, we are secretaries....we are the right hand of the PD, and the PD is aware and respectful of what we do for the residents and faculty (I would suggest you do the same before you interview).

[ArchivalUser]

I mean...all of those responsibilities sound very secretarial. My PC absolutely considers herself a secretary, I'm not sure what the issue with that term is.

I'm not arguing that the job isn't meaningful and important here, I'm arguing that it has little to do with medicine or clinical work and i'm advising that people not look at it as a step into residency, as seems to be conveyed here. There are more clinically relevant work opportunities. No one hires a PC with the plan to hire them as a resident later...you want someone who will be your PC as a career, not a stepping stone (and again, a poor one at that).

Is becoming a PC a route that more and more people are doing now? I'm surprised by all of this. Has anyone had success?

[ArchivalUser]

>A PC holds your future in his/her hands when it comes to interviews

Your situation compounds this problem further because you have been through the process and you likely have an idea in your head of what a "good" resident looks like. You will be biased towards picking people who are similar to you (in varied ways) in an unconscious attempt to justify to yourself that YOU are deserving of a residency. Denying others what was denied to you levels the playing field and renews your self worth.

[ArchivalUser]

@smartpc & @fammedtiger Sorry, did not mean to upset you both. In the grand scheme of things, it is good that you visit this forum and help provide PC's perspectives to prospective applicants.

Others have provided great input too on this topic and so I will leave it at that.

[ArchivalUser]

thank you for all the input and advice.

[ArchivalUser]

@duckson
That was profound. Thank you for you insight.