How to Optimize the CoordinatorProgram Director Relationship

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How to Optimize the Coordinator/Program
Director Relationship
What Would Lucy Be Without Ethel?

• Blair Mitchell, MHA Erika Ringdahl, M.D.
• University of Missouri

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Lucy Ethel

• Residency coordinators and program directors
  should
• Interact like a dynamic duo
• Be there when the other
• needs a hand
• Handle crazy situations
• while having fun
• Realize that teamwork is the key to success

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Do Not Emulate
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Batman and Robin (one always delegated to the
sidecar)
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Thelma and Louise (jump off the deep end
together)
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Jekyll and Hyde (one is always the bad guy)
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Popeye and Olive (one has all the strength)
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Bonnie and Clyde (effective but ruthless)
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Scarlett and Rhett (not giving a d)
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Role of the Program Director

• Assures compliance with RRC requirements
• Accountable to the DIO re institutional
  requirements of the ACGME
• Ultimately responsible for the administration of
  the program (all activities related to
  recruitment, instruction, supervision, evaluation
  and advancement of residents)
• Maintain all records related to program
  accreditation
• ACGME Institutional Requirements, 2007

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LUCY
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Survey of MU Program Directors

• What are the biggest challenges working with your
  residency coordinator?
• What strategies do you use to optimize your
  working relationship/division of labor?

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Biggest Challenges

• Other commitments
• Finding time to work together
• Finding time to meet
• Finding time to communicate about urgent things
• Knowing how much information she should tell me
• If they fall behind in their work
• Inattention to detail
• Not committed to residents

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Strategies Used to Optimize Working Relationship

• Email, phone, and F2F communication several times
  a day
• Develop guidelines and empower coordinator to
  enforce
• Regular and frequent standing meetings

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Strategies Used to Optimize Working Relationship

• We view ourselves as a team
• I dont make her feel like my flunky
• Ask her opinion and listen
• Review and approve schedule changes together
• Review curriculum, resident performance and new
  ideas together

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Strategies Used to Optimize Working Relationship

• Identify items that need to be addressed and
  determine who can best address each item
• Encourage regular reminders from my coordinator
  to keep me on track
• No shrinking violets---harass each other to
  stay on track

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Strategies Used to Optimize Working Relationship

• Accomplish tasks well ahead of deadline so we
  have time to revise
• CC each other on communication to keep each other
  in the loop
• Run potentially controversial decisions and
  communications by each other for tone and content
  editing

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A Program Directors Wish List

• Accountability
• If you say you are going to do it,
• do it and tell me its done

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A Program Directors Wish List

• Complete forms expeditiously
• Create standard form letters
• Fill in credentialing dates

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A Program Directors Wish List

• Take responsibility for all deadlines
• and
• work ahead of schedule

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A Program Directors Wish List

• Earn credibility with the residents and faculty

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A Program Directors Wish List

• Develop areas of expertise
• Immigration law
• Marketing
• Evaluation

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A Program Directors Wish List

• Provide good guidance and
• advise on residency issues
• Be the voice of reason
• Be tough/hold the bar high
• Be a resident advocate

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A Program Directors Wish List

• Take ownership of the program

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A Program Directors Wish List

• Anticipate needs/tasks

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A Program Directors Wish List

• Have clear roles and division of labor
• Be comfortable setting guidelines
• Communicate discomfort
• Be accountable
• Keep me accountable

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A Program Directors Wish List

• Be Professional
• You are the face of our program!
• Adapt to the situation
• (when to be a grid-mind vs. a mother hen)

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Dont Forget
about your partner in crime!
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Role of the Coordinator

• Physical presence in the residency
• Global view of the program
• Intimate knowledge of RRC and ABFM requirements
  and institutional policies
• Represent program to applicants
• Recruitment/initial screening
• Liaison between program and institution
• Prioritize program-related tasks and activities
• Maintain accurate and retrievable records
• Otterstad D. The role of the residency
  coordinator. Acad Radiology2003 26 (8)696-702.

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Ethel
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Survey of Coordinators/Administrators on the AFMA
discussion list

• What are the biggest challenges working with your
  program director?

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Biggest Challenges

• Unaware of the behind the scenes work
• Not involving me in meetings but expected to
  communicate the information
• Support of unrealistic faculty expectations
• Disregard for the complexity of schedules
  making changes to them
• Need for continual hounding to get things done
• Lack of recognition

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Coordinators Wish List

• Give me responsibility WITH authority

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Coordinators Wish List

• Dont make me harass you
• to complete your tasks
• Golden Rule
• Thou shalt hold ones hand
• but not wipe ones behind

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Coordinators Wish List

• Dont reverse a decision I made publicly

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Coordinators Wish List

• Take responsibility for the hard decisions

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Coordinators Wish List

• Remember that mind reader is not initially part
  of my skill set.

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Coordinators Wish List

• Recognize that,
• much like you,
• my job isnt always 800-500

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Coordinators Wish List

• Dont say yes unless you are sure you know
• (especially with schedules!)

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Coordinators Wish List

• Dont reward the slackers
• while letting me burn out

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Coordinators Wish List

• Include me in residency related discussions
• Help me, help you!

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Coordinators Wish List

• I dont need a public ovation, but a thumbs up on
  a job well done works wonders!

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What Works for Us.

• Twice weekly meetings
• Constant communication
• Energy and enthusiasm about residency projects
• Revolving good cop/bad cop roles
• A united front (much like parenting)
• Mutual respect
• Humor
• Friendship

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Questions?