Toxic residency

[hippieskippy]

I don't deserve this. I know I don't deserve this. In fact, no human being deserves the psychological torture that my program is putting us all through.

It is not normal to be harassed and disrespected just because you are a resident at an institution that turns a blind eye to residents who are being mistreated.

I'm so frustrated, sad, and mad. I wish I would have never matched here. I would have rather SOAPed into another specialty. Or quit medicine entirely. The way we are treated is simply unacceptable.

The worst part is that everything can always be turned back on the resident.

"Professionalism."

Had I known residency had the potential to be this toxic, I would have never even tried to get into med school. The situation I'm finding myself in is just so unbelievably toxic.

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[mistafab]

I don't deserve this. I know I don't deserve this. In fact, no human being deserves the psychological torture that my program is putting us all through.

It is not normal to be harassed and disrespected just because you are a resident at an institution that turns a blind eye to residents who are being mistreated.

I'm so frustrated, sad, and mad. I wish I would have never matched here. I would have rather SOAPed into another specialty. Or quit medicine entirely. The way we are treated is simply unacceptable.

The worst part is that everything can always be turned back on the resident.

"Professionalism."

Had I known residency had the potential to be this toxic, I would have never even tried to get into med school. The situation I'm finding myself in is just so unbelievably toxic.

can you give any more details?

 

[ROBINHO]

You may want to talk to a senior resident who you trust to get their perspective and see how they cope with things.
A faculty that you trust can also be an outlet.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

How much time do you have left?

Is there a way to get away from some of this by being scheduled on certain rotations etc?

Residency often does suck, but it ends. You get out and you move on with your life, and you get to have control of things then. My fellowship was a pretty toxic experience…but I’m 5 years out now and it’s basically just a distant memory.

 

[Iamnew2]

I don't deserve this. I know I don't deserve this. In fact, no human being deserves the psychological torture that my program is putting us all through.

It is not normal to be harassed and disrespected just because you are a resident at an institution that turns a blind eye to residents who are being mistreated.

I'm so frustrated, sad, and mad. I wish I would have never matched here. I would have rather SOAPed into another specialty. Or quit medicine entirely. The way we are treated is simply unacceptable.

The worst part is that everything can always be turned back on the resident.

"Professionalism."

Had I known residency had the potential to be this toxic, I would have never even tried to get into med school. The situation I'm finding myself in is just so unbelievably toxic.

Most people dislike their residency at various points - care to share your concerns? Hard to give advice with no details. As someone else pointed out how much longer do you have?

 

[Goro]

All you're doing is giving us the 5% of the iceberg.

What about the 95% that's underwater?

 

[wholeheartedly]

All you're doing is giving us the 5% of the iceberg.

What about the 95% that's underwater?

Maybe OP just wants to vent and not necessarily advice?

 

[Goro]

Maybe OP just wants to vent and not necessarily advice?

Possible, but most people come here looking for advice, hence my response.

 

[hippieskippy]

Maybe OP just wants to vent and not necessarily advice?

Exactly, just looking to vent.

I always thought the hard part of residency was just the hard work. I never would have signed up for this if I knew there would be disrespect/harassment/abuse on top of that.

I think I would have been happier in another career field. Sometimes I think about switching, but then I think about how I've come so far already.

Sometimes I think about how much unnecessary hardship physicians go through in comparison to NPs and PAs, and it makes me sad. Certainly, some parts of the physician pathway produce stronger clinicians. But many parts could easily be left out without any negative impact on the final product.

 

[LucidSplash]

Exactly, just looking to vent.

I always thought the hard part of residency was just the hard work. I never would have signed up for this if I knew there would be disrespect/harassment/abuse on top of that.

I think I would have been happier in another career field. Sometimes I think about switching, but then I think about how I've come so far already.

Sometimes I think about how much unnecessary hardship physicians go through in comparison to NPs and PAs, and it makes me sad. Certainly, some parts of the physician pathway produce stronger clinicians. But many parts could easily be left out without any negative impact on the final product.

I agree that harassment and abuse should be retired. However, I’m not sure what you mean by your last sentence. I would caution against thinking you can cut out parts of or time in training and still produce a quality physician.

Regardless, most of us have felt as you do at some point. But the important part is to get through training, as life is usually better on the other side. We have all survived, and so can you. It suck’s, 100%, but in most cases just work hard and put your time in and the clock will eventually run out on your time in training.

 

[hippieskippy]

I agree that harassment and abuse should be retired. However, I’m not sure what you mean by your last sentence. I would caution against thinking you can cut out parts of or time in training and still produce a quality physician.

Regardless, most of us have felt as you do at some point. But the important part is to get through training, as life is usually better on the other side. We have all survived, and so can you. It suck’s, 100%, but in most cases just work hard and put your time in and the clock will eventually run out on your time in training.

Definitely didn't mean cutting out training time. Just overall would like to somehow cut out the "we own your life" aspect of residency.

Just feels like one big Stanford Prison Experiment

 

[NITRAS]

Definitely didn't mean cutting out training time. Just overall would like to somehow cut out the "we own your life" aspect of residency.

Just feels like one big Stanford Prison Experiment

I had a pulm/crit doc tell me: They are using you. You are using them. You have to get used to that and get over it. Looking back it is a short time.

Be nice, work hard. Give respect to attendings regardless of what you think of them. A resident who gets kicked out of residency for professionalism issues is up a creek without a paddle. Way better and easier to refocus and keep your head down.