Intro-Husband of an intern wife

[Vabsmith]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[MrsK]

Welcome. I agree with everyone's advice about never taking probation. I know that it's a big hit to her confidence but tell her to hang in there. Treat it as a learning opportunity.

[niener]

Welcome! A new country plus new baby plus new intern is seriously rough. I'm glad your son is adjusting to daycare.

[Meenah]

Welcome!!! I agree with repeat the rotation, DO NOT TAKE PROBATION!!!!

[Vabsmith]

I apologize for confusing myself and the readers on this thread. When my wife checked the official letter that she has received from the PD, she is actually put on probation for 3 months. Plus the one month repeat rotation.
We were expecting that since this happened for the first time there would be some kind of warning before they put her on probation but that is not the case.
I am not sure how bad it will hit her in terms of her medical career in US. We are now thinking of moving back to India and quitting the whole thing. May be the quitting thoughts are coming from highly charged emotional state.

[diggitydot]

A probation on her file doesn't have to be a career killer, but it does make the credentialing process more difficult everytime she looks for a job. It's not impossible for her to get a position, but her prospects will be more limited than if she didn't have the probation on her file.

Hang in there and good luck.

[Deebs]

Did she have any warning or process before she was placed on probation? Is there a residents association there up help you? If at all possible at this point, I'd encourage her to challenge the probation.

[diggitydot]

I'm really surprised that there wasn't some sort of warning. Any way it could have either been a verbal warning that she maybe didn't realize was "official" or the fight with the PGY2 was a physical altercation? I could see an actual physical fight garnering that kind of response, but not just a verbal disagreement.

[Vabsmith]

Thanks diggitydot and Deebs.
There was no physical fight. There were tensions between the PGY2 resident and my wife over the claim that my wife was "slow" in making notes of the patients.
There was one procedure to be done by the resident team of three ladies (wife, a PGY2 and a PGY3) and when my wife asked the team " are we going to do the procedure on this patient?" ; the other two ladies together replied pointing finger to my wife -" NO. YOU are going to do the procedure".
My wife mis understood this reply as she alone has to do the procedure and she went ahead and did it alone. This was against the rules because she as an intern has to be supervised by PGY2 or above while doing the procedure. Under stress my wife broke the rule and the probation letter followed.
The procedure was done correctly and no one was harmed.

[diggitydot]

Ah, gotcha. That makes more sense now. I'm so sorry she's having to deal with this whole thing. What a pain.

[SoonerTexan]

Oh man that is rough. Did she get any chance to tell her side of the story?

[Vabsmith]

She was given the letter first and then asked what happened. She did explain what happened but that did not help.

[ides]

Wow. How sucky. I'm sorry

Welcome, by the way.

[MrsK]

She was given the letter first and then asked what happened. She did explain what happened but that did not help.

How is her relationship with the chief resident or residency director? It sounds like a communication issue and she should speak to someone that may be an alli. But she should take care not to be defensive. More like, "I misunderstood and I need advise/help so this doesn't happen again."

[Cinderella]

Is this typical protocol for something like that? The punishment seems extreme.