Both women agree that a portion of what they do for the residents happens after they find a job. The incredible amount of paperwork that has to be provided for credentialing primarily comes from the coordinator’s files. It’s a laundry list of documents, from diplomas to vaccination certificates, that would choke a mule. They also handle reference requests and verifications.

The Dark Side of Residency Coordination

By now, if you are a resident reading this, your head must be spinning as you realize what your residency coordinator does for you and what impact that can have on your future. Well, it’s not all about service. In many places, the golden rule applies. If you don’t treat your residency coordinator with respect and appreciation, best of luck to ya. Those coordinators who preferred to remain anonymous were quite specific about the consequences of not respecting or cooperating with your residency coordinator. They reported having done the following, and any of these could conceivably happen to you:

• Gave your phone number out to every recruiter who calls in
• Kept job profiles from getting to you
• Held up your credentialing paperwork
• Held up your references—even engineering negative reference information

Neither Ms. Dinh nor Ms. Rush would dream of resorting to the tactics mentioned above, but both stated that they can understand the frustrations other coordinators might experience with uncooperative residents.

Residency coordinators have the ability to smooth the path and provide invaluable assistance in a job search—or to make it a very difficult task. But the truth is that residency coordinators are your guides, your champions, your first and best defense, and all the things that make the residency experience a positive and fruitful one. So let me give you a little piece of advice before you depart your program for new jobs and untold riches: don’t forget to say thank you to the person who helped you achieve success!

Barb Katz is the president of The Katz Company EMC, a member of ACEP’s Workforce and Career Sections, and a frequent speaker and faculty at conferences and residency programs. She can be reached at katzco@cox.net.