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Disciplinary Measures in a Residency Program

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Philadelphia Health Care Lawyers: Residency ProgramAs a medical resident or post-graduate fellow there is a certain code of conduct that must be followed. Disciplinary action by a residency program is a major issue. Schools require administrators to document any disciplinary action taken against residency students.

These documents will stay on school records and anyone with access will find information about any disciplinary action taken. Physicians should be on their best behavior knowing that future employers can access this information. These records should also help program directors recognize a possible problematic resident in the future.

Residency and Fellowship

A residency is a program that requires an interview and information from a medical school. Board members do their research before matching someone to their program. A fellowship can also be intimidating. Most fellows have already completed their residencies and are now completing additional training. In theory, fellows are experienced physicians, but superiors may still feel the need to watch over them.

Residency Rights

Every residency program has its own code of conduct and its own disciplinary actions. Some residencies may issue verbal warnings as a pre-cursor to termination. Other residencies may use a verbal warning to educate the resident about their behavior and to help them improve. They may schedule a meeting with other physicians or board members to discuss the issue.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) oversees many of the nation’s medical residency programs. They have a strict code of guidelines for disciplinary actions that let you state your case to a panel of your peers. They submit a recommendation for a course of action to be taken by the Chief Medical Officer.

ACGME also has a list of core competencies that every medical resident must follow. Most residency programs discipline students for violating one of those competencies. They do not encourage disciplinary action for small breaches. Instead, they suggest program directors talk to the medical resident and try to resolve the issue peacefully.

Resolving Disputes

The best way to avoid disciplinary action is to familiarize yourself with the program’s code of conduct and the ACGME core competencies. Many program directors are interested in keeping residents in the program and disciplinary actions to a minimum. Any accusations made by a resident should be handled immediately by a program superior.

Philadelphia Health Care Lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. Protect Medical Residents

Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. are a group of Philadelphia health care lawyers committed to protecting the rights of medical residents. We work primarily in the greater Philadelphia area but we also help clients in New Jersey and New York. Call us today at 215-569-1999 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

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