Resuscitating Resuscitating Professionalism in Your Professionalism in Your

ProgramProgram

Ramona Kearney MD, MMEd, FRCPCRamona Kearney MD, MMEd, FRCPC

University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta

How to reference this document: Kearney R., Resuscitating Professionalism in Your Program. CanMEDS Train-the-Trainer Program on Professionalism. 2009

Do you need CPR?

Resuscitating Professionalism Resuscitating Professionalism in in youryour program program

Setting the SceneSetting the Scene

• You are the program director of a mid-sized anesthesiology residency program

• Your program has just undergone a Royal College review

• The wrap-up interview with the survey team tells you this…

• “despite generally positive experiences at hospital X, learning is tainted by episodes of intimidation and harassment…”

• “there is a suggestion that this behaviour has been long-standing and has affected numerous staff and residents over the last decade…”

• “this is viewed as a grave flaw in otherwise excellent program…”

ReportReport

• Provisional approval with external review

• However, after going through the usual committees the final report reads…

• Notice of intent to withdraw accreditation

VerdictVerdict

• Your chair wants to know how you and the program will respond.

• What are the issues here?

• Identify the issues and think of ways to address this problem.

TaskTask

• Your program assistant comes to you complaining about a female resident in your program

• The resident writes numerous e-mails to the assistant asking for many things to which the assistant thinks she is not entitled.

Professionalism of the Professionalism of the individualindividual

Wants to change her vacation times (the deadline for such changes has passed)

Attended an out of town meeting without pre-approval, where her spouse presented a paper; now she requests reimbursement for her expenses

Wants to push her unused vacation time from this year forward to next year (she wants to extend her paid maternity leave)

Failed to show up for her mandatory in-training exam (she had a wedding to attend that weekend)

The Resident :The Resident :

• Is this unprofessional behaviour?

• Identify the issues and think of ways to address this problem.

TaskTask