New Boss Vent

[RachelEllen]

Ok...this is actually quite serious, but I'm just posting the amusing part.

We just had a new chair come to head our department. In the 30 days since he has started he has:

1) Killed funding for largest completed project, a 200 page in-house training manual I editted, which may no longer be printed.

2) Set out strict new limits on working outside the hospital on extra shifts. (called 'moonlighting' very common way for residents to earn money. Currently 40% of my income)

3) Revamped my already approved, in process reseach project which I have one year to complete, essentially forcing me to start from scratch.

4) Denied reimbursement for already approved research expenses, which would then come out of my pocket.

5) Decided that everyone must move offices.

Ok....just a taste of it all. Anyhow.....we were just looking out the window during am conference to see a giant, white, stretch limo pull up in front of the hospital. It's an unusual site, so we were curious who would be riding in such a thing.

Yup, out of the hospital comes the new chairman.......

 

[horseshowmom]

While I realize there's nothing you can do, I think there are some ethical issues here - particularly in the case of the denied reimbursement for approved expenses.

I also can't imagine how you must feel over starting your research project from scratch. I'm sure you've put a tremendous amount of work into it already.

I saw an episode of MASH last night where Frank Burns was in charge for a few days and decided to remind everybody that M stood for mobile, so he made them break down the whole camp and move across the road. That sounds a little bit like your office exchange.

Good luck (it sounds like you may need it)!

 

[RachelEllen]

While I realize there's nothing you can do, I think there are some ethical issues here - particularly in the case of the denied reimbursement for approved expenses.

I also can't imagine how you must feel over starting your research project from scratch. I'm sure you've put a tremendous amount of work into it already.

I saw an episode of MASH last night where Frank Burns was in charge for a few days and decided to remind everybody that M stood for mobile, so he made them break down the whole camp and move across the road. That sounds a little bit like your office exchange.

Good luck (it sounds like you may need it)!

Thanks

There are definitely ethical issues here. But there's also the issue that I have one year left to complete my certification, and this guy could cause me some real problems in that time.

 

[agnes!]

It's called the "Peter Principle"...workers are promoted to the level of their incompetence. (ah-hem, not that this person is "incompetent", but *still*...)

Hmmmmmm, I do wonder if any local media outlets would be interested in what this person has done, or if any professional or accrediting organizations would be interested?
If the income loss would truly be catastrophic to the students, then everyone should consider a group protest like going en masse on some kind of public assistance. I bet folks would like to know if residents have to go on food stamps to afford their training because of this new chair.

I do understand that your training needs to be protected, but has anyone contacted the Board of Trustees or whoever is in charge of the new guy? I mean, *someone* had to hire this person...they would also have the power to fire him as well...or at least they might be interested in the anguish & destruction he is wreaking upon the department. I would also think about contacting any alumni that any of the students could talk to. Alumni & alumni associations are a powerful force to be reckoned with - can you say "endowments in jeopardy", boys & girls ? - espcially if they think someone is messing with their alma mater.

Good luck,
agnes!

 

[RachelEllen]

Ugh....I really won't get much help about this. Plus, once I get started this is going to be veyr long....

It's hard to explain, but from the outside, a lot of this really looks like a very 'good thing.' One thing I loved about my program was that it was very supportive of those of us who just wanted to be trained to be doctors. Not high powered researchers. As long as you worked hard, and produced, you could tailor how you spent your time based on your eventual career path.

This new guy wants high powered researchers, period. Plus, he wants to save money.

So....insisting I have a research project that could be published in a major journal, instead of the 'touchy feely how can we improve the communication with patients' project I currantly have is 'good thing.'

Moving paid upper level people into extra shifts they are overqualified for instead of paying extra for lower level people to do them. 'good thing'

Insisting we lower level people use that extra time we used to be getting clinical training instead working on our higher powered research or extra time we used to use creating manuals ...both....'good things'

Medical training is supposed to be awful hours and poor pay. I hate to say it, I won't get much sympathy for it. Plus, 'catastrophic' is in the eye of the beholder. Many, many people in this country raise families on my base salary. It's about as high as it gets for medical trainees, as I am in my seventh year!!! However, when one creates a lifestyle on something 40% higher, it's damn painful to cut back. Plus, I'd have to move, get rid of my dog, and quit saving. Hopefully, it won't come to that.

But I appreciate the sympathy here

 

[agnes!]

Well, at least someone could document usage of that white stretch limo...that might look verrrrrrrrry interesting in the local news ...

(I mean, if he's saving money just to turn around and lavish it on himself...)

agnes!

 

[RachelEllen]

Well, at least someone could document usage of that white stretch limo...that might look verrrrrrrrry interesting in the local news ...

(I mean, if he's saving money just to turn around and lavish it on himself...)

agnes!

Oh....you don't know how badly I wished I had my cell phone/camera in hand

 

[golfgal]

One of the highest paid executives in the country is the CEO of Allina Medical Group. He has been pulling in over $50 MILLION dollars the past few years. It is one thing to be Bill Gates, own your own company, build it from scratch out of your garage, it is another thing to be CEO of a publicly held company, especially in the medical field where people can't afford to buy medications and get medical treatments, and pull in that kind of money. That 50 MILLION/year would fund a LOT of research projects.

 

[agnes!]

Oh....you don't know how badly I wished I had my cell phone/camera in hand

I think that everyone's cell phone/camera is a necessity from now on . Document *everything* heheheheh...a paper trail (and photographs!) are hard to argue with.

Sorry to hear about all the changes.

agnes!