Resident Unions Are Growing in Popularity in Otolaryngology

by Renée Bacher •

—Michael Ruckenstein, MD, MSc, otorhinolaryngologist and director of residency training and education at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

“I certainly wish I had a housing stipend when I was a resident—that would have been great. But we didn’t, and I’m really glad our residents do now. It doesn’t feel like it’s coming directly out of my pocket. I’m glad that when residents interview with us that I can tell them there’s money that’s designed to help ease their housing costs here. It would have been nice for me, and I’m happy it’s happening now.” 

—Steven D. Pletcher, MD, director of the residency program in the department of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at the University of California, San Francisco.

“I’m pleased to know that I’m the recipient of more benefits than my predecessors because it feels like progress. Residents work very hard and are paid a fraction of our worth. It’s great to know that we’re fixing the wrongs of history and making lasting positive changes for the work environment of future generations of residents.” 

—Jacqueline Harris, MD, otolaryngology resident physician and resident union representative at UCSF 

“When my mentors were training, there were far fewer women in surgery. It was much harder for a woman in a surgical program to discuss topics such as maternity leave. Through the union, these topics can be discussed while still staying within the guidelines of the ACGME parameters for educational curriculum. Through recent negotiations, the UCSF union just won approval to increase maternity leave from two to three weeks. I wouldn’t call this ‘more benefits’ than what my mentors received; I’d say that the union helps give trainees a voice so that the universities can evolve with time. University hospitals tend to change much more slowly than the private sector. Residents are an important part of how university hospitals function, and the evaluation of business models is a natural progression.” 

—Gaelen Stanford-Moore, MD, MPhil, former otolaryngology resident and resident union representative at UCSF, current facial plastic and reconstructive surgery fellow at Oregon Health and Science University