With sixteen years of experience working with dermatology residents, my role as a program coordinator has evolved immensely. Within the auspices of graduate medical education (GME), I manage the dermatology residency program, projects, and program budgets, assist in determining policies and procedures, and work closely with the program director with any and all directives given. I guess you could say that I am the person who makes sure residents “get it done” before they graduate and helps them advance in their careers.
From a program coordinator’s’ perspective, succeeding in residency is truly about being a collaborator and understanding that there will be administrative tasks residents may not enjoy or want to complete but must be done solely by the resident. Being responsible, completing any and all assigned tasks in a timely fashion, and ensuring that milestones are met will make the three years of this residency easier.
When a new class of dermatology residents starts at the beginning of a new academic year, it is an exciting and nerve-wracking time for not only the residents but also the program. I plan well in advance to ensure that all new residents have their onboarding assignments and tasks completed and are well-informed before they begin their orientations.
Once fully onboarded, or what we like to call “fit for duty,” they can begin their dermatology residency with the confidence of knowing they will not spend the next three years of residency alone. Your program coordinator, chief residents, program director, and GME office are there to assist you with any questions you may have at any time.
Here are pointers that will help your time in residency run smoothly and help you succeed:
1. Review and understand your program and GME policy manuals. Ask your program coordinator for clarification.
2. Take notes on unfamiliar items during your orientation days and ask questions. There is a vast amount of information regarding your training, benefits, perks, and policies given to residents on those days.
3. Within the first three months, find a faculty mentor to help guide you during your residency. Find someone who “fits” in terms of personality and style. This individual will become a great resource for second opinions, career questions, and other personal concerns.
4. Do not fret! Residency can be challenging the first year, but remember that all board-certified dermatologists were once in residency as well. Take the time to study, and you will eventually become more confident within clinic and didactics sessions.
5. When your program coordinator asks you for information or tasks to be completed, try to get them done and submitted as soon as possible. This will gain you the reputation of a compliant resident. Most information can be tedious to assemble and may feel unnecessary, but the reality is that the program director, designated institutional officer (DIO), GME, or Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or another hierarchical official is requesting it.
6. Regularly update surgical logs. Be proactive and do not procrastinate. Waiting until the end of an academic year to submit your logs is not good practice. You will forget details if you wait too long, and this is when errors in logs tend to occur. A good practice is to carve out time once a week to log in those cases while they are still fresh in your mind.
7. Respect your co-residents. Take time to get to know them early on. While some resident classes work well together, there are years when some do not. Always remember that you are a team, and you will need to find ways to work together.
8. Get involved with GMEC or other resident committees within your institution. Be part of the solution instead of complaining about problems. Residents involved with their institution’s resident committees have a better understanding of the administrative side of residency.
9. Utilize the services, help, and benefits provided by your institution, such as purchasing perks, gym memberships, well-being services, or events. Your program coordinator can inform you of these. Learn about these early in your residency and take advantage of as many as possible.
10. Publish! Keeping up with your writing is key. Most programs require you to publish a certain amount before graduation, so you might as well publish as much as you can during your residency. Faculty in your department would love to partner with you, as they too need to fulfill requirements for faculty appointments.
11. Be resilient and do not give up. Learn to have a “tough skin” and try not to be sensitive to situations that you might not be familiar with. Do not be intimidated by co-residents who may be ahead of the learning curve. If you feel you are struggling or problems arise, meet with your program director to discuss a plan of action to get you where you need to be academically and clinically. Your program coordinator and mentor can help guide you as well.
Succeeding in dermatology residency may look different for each resident, but know that leadership in your program will assist you in becoming a better resident and preparing you for independent practice. Your program coordinator is assigned to help you as well. Utilizing these pointers above will make your three years of residency tremendously successful.
Christina Iwanik is a dermatology program coordinator.
