Resident Unions Are Growing in Popularity in Otolaryngology

by Renée Bacher •

Effects on Institutions

Are practicing physicians worried about unionization at other institutions? Last summer at Loma Linda University Health in California, residents and fellows voted to unionize, but the university pushed back against these efforts, citing its status as a religious educational institution and filing a lawsuit against the National Labor Relations Board. A federal judge dismissed the case in April, and Loma Linda has appealed. Prior to the vote, they argued against unionization efforts, stating that residents and fellows are students rather than employees as defined by the National Labor Relations Act.

“I think the answer is yes,” said Dr. Pletcher. “Change often brings concern and anxiety, and I think the traditional sense of a union is that it creates antagonism between the workers and the employers.” From a program director to resident standpoint, however, this hasn’t been Dr. Pletcher’s experience; he believes the relationship between residents and faculty is the same as it was in the pre-unionization days at UCSF.

“I think the special thing is that otolaryngology residents overall are interested and invested in their training,” Dr. Pletcher said. “While they want to be able to afford rent, food, and all of the basics, they’re still very committed to their position as residents and the same clinical care partnership they currently have with their faculty mentors.”

Dr. Stanford-Moore considers her residency at UCSF to have been a very positive experience: She received a great education and valued her mentorship. “The union wasn’t an angry place,” she said. “There was a general sentiment that we were grateful for opportunities to learn, but any job needs to evolve with time. Residencies nationwide have been shown to be very slow to change and adapt. The union serves as a positive way to have representation on a university level.”     

Renée Bacher is a freelance medical writer based in Louisiana.

Resentment Among Equals?

ENTtoday asked several otolaryngology program directors whether resentment exists in terms of newly unionized residents receiving more perks than their predecessors. Here’s what they had to say:

“Other than a humorous remark here and there, I don’t think anyone will feel bitter about that. Residency is a five-year process. Nobody goes into residency thinking they’re going to get rich or have excessive time off. They acknowledge that it’s a delayed gratification model, and I don’t think anybody who went through residency in the past will say, “Why didn’t I get that back then?”