CHIef residents: CHANGE AGENTS
By Sam Marie Engle
Why would anyone want to be a chief resident, with all that responsibility for scheduling and organizing and mentoring and administrative paperwork, on top of sprinting to complete one's own clinical training and finding a fellowship spot?
Chief Resident Carlos Sanchez, MD
Domnique Newallo, MD, RT(R)(CT), knew she wanted to be a chief resident almost from the start. "I enjoy helping people, supporting people, advocating for people. I have a different experience from serving in the military and my prior career as a rad tech that I think helps me more effectively find ways to improve work-life balance for residents. I saw the impact COVID had on everyone and I want to be sure we learn from that experience to improve the way we support residents."
On the flip side, "I wasn't planning on it and pulled out of the running," says Carlos Sanchez, MD. "But then I realized it was a great opportunity to take what we've learned these past three years and make positive changes for residents now and to come. I wanted to be part of a cultural change."
Change agency turns out to be the leading cause of chief residency for this year's chief residents. Building community, something squashed by COVID, is a close second.
Setting up residents to succeed starts from day one and hinges, the chiefs think, on the strength of the bonds within and across residency classes.
On the flip side, "I wasn't planning on it and pulled out of the running," says Carlos Sanchez, MD. "But then I realized it was a great opportunity to take what we've learned these past three years and make positive changes for residents now and to come. I wanted to be part of a cultural change."
Change agency turns out to be the leading cause of chief residency for this year's chief residents. Building community, something squashed by COVID, is a close second.
Setting up residents to succeed starts from day one and hinges, the chiefs think, on the strength of the bonds within and across residency classes.
Chief Resident Domnique Newallo, MD, RT(R)(CT)
"I'm most passionate about improving the bonding and cohesiveness among the residents. Radiologists are at a disadvantage because we have more of an individual experience and work alone, even in a reading room full of other people. I'm passionate about changing that for residents." says Alex Diaz Bode, MD, who is in his fourth year of the Interventional Radiology - Integrated Residency program.
For Christina Sumner, DO, being a chief resident is the perfect opportunity not only to develop her own leadership skills, but also to help other residents grow, too. "I'm like a mama bear; I love helping people. We were pretty isolated during COVID, so It's important for me as a chief resident to find ways for our residents to feel more connected to one another so they can be cohesive team members working collectively to be their best and to deliver the best patient care."
With all four chiefs on the same page regarding priorities, the team quickly pivoted to implementing solutions.
For Christina Sumner, DO, being a chief resident is the perfect opportunity not only to develop her own leadership skills, but also to help other residents grow, too. "I'm like a mama bear; I love helping people. We were pretty isolated during COVID, so It's important for me as a chief resident to find ways for our residents to feel more connected to one another so they can be cohesive team members working collectively to be their best and to deliver the best patient care."
With all four chiefs on the same page regarding priorities, the team quickly pivoted to implementing solutions.
TEAM SPIRIT
Chief resident Christina Sumner, DO
First- and second-year residents must absorb a mountain of new medical and scientific knowledge while also learning new organizational structures and technology systems such as the picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Residents tend to form mutual support systems within their classes as they navigate these steep learning curves, but the chiefs realized junior residents don't have as many opportunities to interact with senior residents who have intense clinical service schedules.
To remedy this, the chiefs have paired each first-year resident with an upperclass mentor who helps them navigate the steep learning curve.
"Relationships among junior and senior residents are as important as relationships among members of your residency class year," Dr. Bode says. "We're working to ensure our senior residents learn how to advocate for and educate junior residents and junior residents learn how to ask for what they need and share what they know. It's a bi-directional relationship that benefits everyone."
Mentors also communicate with the chiefs, who stay in close contact with one another, so they quickly can identify opportunities for addressing common or systemic issues when they arise.
To remedy this, the chiefs have paired each first-year resident with an upperclass mentor who helps them navigate the steep learning curve.
"Relationships among junior and senior residents are as important as relationships among members of your residency class year," Dr. Bode says. "We're working to ensure our senior residents learn how to advocate for and educate junior residents and junior residents learn how to ask for what they need and share what they know. It's a bi-directional relationship that benefits everyone."
Mentors also communicate with the chiefs, who stay in close contact with one another, so they quickly can identify opportunities for addressing common or systemic issues when they arise.
Chief Resident Alex Diaz Bode, MD
The chiefs have a social chair responsible for creating opportunities for members of all classes to socialize together. Whether it's movie night or a group dinner at a nearby restaurant, these gatherings let residents get to know each other and bond not just as doctors, but more deeply as people.
The chiefs also make it clear that any resident can approach them at any time with a concern or an idea. "There is no hierarchy, really, we're all one," says Dr. Sumner.
That sense of oneness applies to their approach to service as chiefs. "We are all strong people with strong skills in different aspects of leadership," says Dr. Newallo. "We've learned how to organize the work based on our individual strengths so we can operate as a cohesive unit. We not only want to work together, we enjoy it!"
"We want the residents to see us working together and working for them," adds Dr. Sanchez. "It's important for us to operate with transparency and with greater visibility. If we organize an event, we're going to be there. When we're in the reading room, we're doing the work and helping wherever we can. It's essential for us to be hands on to build trust and accountability."
The chiefs also make it clear that any resident can approach them at any time with a concern or an idea. "There is no hierarchy, really, we're all one," says Dr. Sumner.
That sense of oneness applies to their approach to service as chiefs. "We are all strong people with strong skills in different aspects of leadership," says Dr. Newallo. "We've learned how to organize the work based on our individual strengths so we can operate as a cohesive unit. We not only want to work together, we enjoy it!"
"We want the residents to see us working together and working for them," adds Dr. Sanchez. "It's important for us to operate with transparency and with greater visibility. If we organize an event, we're going to be there. When we're in the reading room, we're doing the work and helping wherever we can. It's essential for us to be hands on to build trust and accountability."
The chiefs also lean into their diversity as a leadership strenth. As Dr. Sanchez explains, "Every one of us comes from a different background and has different life experiences. By working together as a team, we're showing everyone how important diversity is to team success."
"We're better because we're different," agrees Dr. Sumner.
"We're better because we're different," agrees Dr. Sumner.