Q & A Table of Contents
I’ve Put In The Time, But Haven’t Got The Credit
From: Gina, Harrison, NY
Question: I am a physician who graduated from medical school in 1994.
Following graduation I started a residency training program in pediatrics.
At that time I had difficulty with the program and received credit for only 1
year even though I was there for 3 years. Therefore I am not able to sit for
the Pediatric Board exams to be certified as a pediatrician. I would like
advice on negotiating with a medical center to give me credit for the
extensive pediatric work I have done since then so I can sit for the boards.
Response: The circumstances you describe give rise to many questions. When
you describe ‘difficulty’ with your residency program, that could indicate
everything from the interference of family issues with your job performance
to conflict with other members of the staff to a determination that you were
not demonstrating an adequate degree of competency in the field (or many
other possibilities). Therefore before undertaking any attempts to be deemed
qualified to take the Board exams, you should find out what your current
employer (or any other parties) may have in their records relating to your
eligibility to sit for the Boards.
If I understand your question correctly, since your previous residency (for
which you got one year’s credit) you have spent additional time working in
pediatrics for your current employer. It is important to find out whether
that additional time qualifies as a residency — or whether you have simply
been doing the work without ‘accruing credit’ for time as a resident. In
other words, the main issue is whether there are clear criteria you have met
that should enable you to take the exams.
Basically, before you begin negotiating to bring about a change in your
situation you need to do homework to find out whether there are any hard and
fast rules that determine whether you are qualified to sit for the Boards.
In addition, you need to find out whether there is any person or agency in
authority who has the capacity to interpret those rules in your favor. Then
you need to figure out what that individual or organization has to gain from
going to bat for you. For example, if your current employer is a health care
organization, they may need board-certified pediatricians. If there is that
need, there is a greater likelihood they have an interest in supporting your
efforts to become board-certified. If the need is not there, you should
learn as much as you can what ‘your’ organization has to gain from giving you
credit for two additional years of ‘residency’ so you can sit for the boards.
Take a look at what you have to offer whoever you’re asking for support: will
they want an extended commitment from you? Do they have an interest in
giving you the opportunity to increase your knowledge/skills as a specialist
within pediatrics? Do you have anything to offer they’re not likely to find
in other people?
After you’ve researched these issues, you will have a better chance of
comprehending the interests that will drive the decisions of whomever you
might ask for assistance in gaining qualifications to sit for the Board
exams. Then you need to find out whether the assumptions you have made will
pass a reality check; you will have to ask questions to see whether your
assumptions are accurate. If they are, it should provide you guidance
regarding what will convince the powers that be to acquiesce to your request.
If each party has something to gain, there are high odds your negotiation
will yield a mutually favorable agreement. If a one-sided result is likely,
then the odds are against an agreement being reached.
Good luck,
Steve
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