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Guiding an individual through the years-long transition from new MD to fully qualified practitioner takes supervision and an environment that encourages communication at all levels. One major reason is that residency programs need to balance trainee learning and independence with patient safety.
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April 2017“The key is the balancing act between allowing a trainee to grow confident in their abilities while still preventing unnecessary mistakes,” said Michael Cunningham, MD, otolaryngologist-in-chief and Gerald B. Healy Chair in pediatric otolaryngology at Boston Children’s Hospital.
One impediment to this communication traditionally has been the hierarchical nature of medicine. How does a physician-in-training approach someone who may be one of the world’s top experts in their field?