Medical residencies are an exciting step as you begin your path as an MD. These programs allow you to gain hands-on experience while receiving training and mentorship and gaining essential knowledge. The institution where you start your residency program is critical for your success and future growth as a doctor. One such institution, VCU Medical Center, offers exceptional training and career advancement opportunities. It has 91 specialty programs and receives constant recognition for its commitment to healthcare and education, including numerous ACGME rewards.
VCU Medical Center has a long and rich history of helping residents and fellows hone and sharpen their skills. Construction started 184 years ago, in 1838, with high academic rankings in Allied Health Professions, Nursing, Medicine, and Pharmacy. It is the 2nd overall highest-ranking hospital in Virginia. You have many opportunities to learn and grow if your residency is at VCU Medical Center. These opportunities are possible because the institution dedicates much of its resources to shaping you into the doctor you always envisioned you would become.
Medical Resident Policies at VCU Medical Center
Although your residency program is a time where you continue to learn and perhaps make a few mistakes, policies exist to maintain quality control and patient safety. You will have to follow all the rules established within your program or face the consequences, such as discipline or dismissal. Multiple policies published on the VCU Medical Center website enforce the standards necessary to guide your growth and path. These policies address professionalism, timely progression, academic appeals, remediation, withdrawal, and dismissal. These meticulous expectations at VCU Medical Center allow you to become a more well-rounded, professional doctor now and in the future.
- Professionalism Policy: Residents must acceptably conduct themselves and follow the standards of professional behavior that are a substantial part of their practice. VCU places posters throughout the institution that clarify what these standards entail.
- Disciplinary Matters: Avoid infractions, unsatisfactory service, or unbecoming conduct. The Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education handles all disciplinary matters at VCU.
- Moonlighting: Every program at VCU has specific moonlighting policies and criteria for residents, with related duty hours and employment activities.
- Physician Impairment: Under the VCUHS Medical Staff Impairment Policy, the institution addresses potential impairment cases among physicians, residents, and other medical staff.
- Duty Hours: All residents must document their hours according to the procedures established by the VCU Health System policy.
- Performance Assessment: This policy concerns the evaluation of a resident's performance and occurs on a semi-annual basis.
- General Hospital Policy: Under this policy, residents recognized as members of the hospital's professional staff must abide by the rules that govern the institution. These rules include patient confidentiality, sexual harassment, drug testing for cause, informed consent, risk management, advance directives, and guest relations.
As a resident, you must strive to comply with the policies outlined in your program. Failure to do so may result in actions that severely affect your trajectory and performance.
Violating VCU Medical Center Policies
Violating MCU Medical Center Policies comes with heavy repercussions for residents. As mentioned in the Assessment, Promotion, Discipline, and Dismissal of Residents policy, students must maintain excellent behavior and academic performance. Those who cannot keep up with their fellow residents may experience repercussions for their actions that include but are not limited to discipline and dismissal. According to the policy, dismissal falls under two primary categories: Academic and Non-Academic reasons.
Dismissal for academic reasons is due to the inability to maintain satisfactory performance according to the institution's standards. It includes consistently failing rotations, not having exam scores at or above the program's requirements, and marginal or generally unsatisfactory performance. The areas in which the institution judges residents include clinical diagnosis and judgment, medical knowledge, interpretation of data, communication skills, patient interactions, motivation, and initiative.
Dismissal for non-academic reasons includes a failure to comply with the bylaws, policies, regulations, and rules of the university and the health system or affiliated hospitals, medical staff departments, and the terms and conditions of each. Additionally, residents may not commit a federal, state, or local law offense, impacting their ability to perform their regular duties in the residency program. Finally, residents must maintain proper conduct and not violate professional and ethical standards, disrupting the operations of the university and its departments or disregarding the rights and welfare of patients, visitors, hospitals, or clinical staff.
Protective Procedures for VCU Medical Center Residents
VCU Medical Center will not simply dismiss a resident for no reason or immediately. Multiple procedures exist and act as a warning before this occurs. In the Assessment, Promotion, Discipline, and Dismissal Policy, VCU Medicine outlines what happens before a final dismissal. For dismissals related to academic reasons, VCU sends the resident a notice of performance deficiencies with a chance to remedy those issues. Additionally, the institution informs the student that if these issues continue, they may face dismissal or non-renewal of their contract. As for non-academic reasons, the resident receives a notice from a University or hospital representative of the charges against them.
VCU also includes a list of charges that may lead to disciplinary action, the name of the person who made the complaint, and the specific allegation nature. Residents may appeal the dismissal and attend a hearing. Fortunately, VCU permits legal counsel to observe the hearing, but they cannot participate in the proceedings.
Winning Representation at VCU Medical System
Although you may receive a hearing if you appeal a dismissal or disciplinary dismissal, there is no guarantee that the process will follow standard protocol. And because you invested significant time and funds to make your residency a reality, you should also strive for excellent support during the hearing. As soon as you receive notice of a potential violation, call Attorney-Advisor Joseph D. Lento.
Attorney-Advisor Lento understands your predicament and the stress you are going through. With years of experience working with medical residents nationwide, Attorney-Advisor Lento continuously strives for the best possible outcome. You worked hard to get where you are in your residency. Don't let a mistake end your program and cause issues in employment later.
Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 for more information on how Attorney-Advisor Lento can help you.
