Program Coordinators – Professional and Successful

Program Coordinators – Professional and Successful

Ruth Nawotniak, MS, C-TAGMEUB – SUNY

Ellie GrayMayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale AZ

ARCS Spring Conference 2006 Tucson, AZ

How do others perceive the Program Coordinator?

How do Program Coordinators perceive themselves?

What is Your Role?

Den mother (father) Counselor Cheerleader Liaison between

residents and the program director

Liaison between faculty and program director

Support Staff Arbitrator

Manager Resource Data Entry/Analyst Advisor Human Resource

Manager Information Resource Social / Event Planner Scheduler Advocate

Attributes of a Professional

Professional Roles Manager Advocate Advisor Counselor Communicator Liaison Arbitrator Information

Resource

Additional Roles Data Entry / Analyst Scheduler Social Event Planner “Pseudo” Parent Cheerleader Shoulder to Cry On


Resident Den parent Counselor Liaison (PD, ACGME,

ABS) Confidant Human Resouce

Person Documentation

Manager

Program Director Scheduler Data Entry / Analyst Liaison (Residents,

ACGME, GME, ABS) Event Planner Person “In the Know” Support Person Manager

Your role as seen by the Resident and the Program Director

For the Program Coordinator, You See Yourself As…

“Pseudo” Parent Scheduler Event Planner File Manager Cheerleader Support person

But, Do You Also See Yourself As…

Manager / Administrator Human Resource Manager Data Analyst Advocate Advisor Counselor

To our Applicants…

What is our role?

How are we perceived by our applicants?

Survey on the professionalism of theprogram coordinator.

Attributes of a Professional Applicant Survey Results

Survey DetailsNumber of surveys sent out 111Buffalo – 66Scottsdale – 45

Number of surveys returned 55

50% return rate

Attributes of a ProfessionalApplicant Survey Results

State or Country of Medical School

New York Michigan EgyptMinnesota Missouri DominicaPennsylvania California GrenadaMaryland ArizonaFlorida GeorgiaNebraska KansasNew HampshireNew JerseyIllinois TexasUtah


Number of Invitations received (ave) 18-20The number of invitations received ranged from 5 to 40One applicant listed confidential

Number of Interviews attended (ave) 12-13The number of interviews done ranged from 5 to 27One applicant listed confidential


Information Regarding the Program(1 = Poor / 5 = Excellent)

1 2 3 4 5 N/AOn the Website 5 17 18 15

Sent with interview materials including directions

3 8 14 15 14 1

Information in handout at interview

3 17 33 1


Information regarding Coordinator(1 = Poor / 5 = Excellent)

The coordinator… 1 2 3 4 5 N/A

Was Helpful – pre-interview 1 10 41 2

Was Helpful – post-interview 3 14 30 7

Was Helpful – during the interview 1 8 46

Contacted you regarding changes 4 5 41 5

Acted in a professional manner 2 8 45


Extremely organized program coordinators who were informed about the program were the most helpful.

One could really tell that the coordinators really cared about the program and the prospective candidates. It was not just a job responsibility. This has a very positive effect on the interviewees.


I remember calling one program coordinator to verify the time I was to be there, and she said, “well, didn’t you get the email?” I had, in fact, received the email but I was just making sure I understood correctly.


At a few places, the coordinator did not communicate a change in the schedules for the interview day that was sent out prior to the visit. This was particularly distressing for applicants who had made travel plans based on the original itinerary.


Nine of the coordinators were excellent – professional, provided useful information, organized, responded in a timely manner to inquiries. The rest were awful in those respects.


. . . if program directors and chairmen knew people were being turned off to their programs based on the poorly executed duties of the coordinator, they would probably be adamant about some sort of remediation.


The interview day is the coordinator’s audition, as well. If that person can’t manage to put the program’s best foot forward when it is absolutely mandatory, one can only imagine what life will be like to deal with this person day to day. It truly does affect one’s impression of a program.


There is one program I will not be ranking, because of the way they presented themselves on interview day. The program coordinator did a good job in general, but the way the day was set up was strange.


Worst Interview Scenario – 30-40 applicants stuck in a very small

room from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM First interview is at 7:00 AM; no

interview for another 2-3 hours No food or beverage provided

throughout the day Applicants leave out of disgust


Program coordinators are the glue that hold the entire chaotic interview season together. They are generally overworked and under-appreciated. For all those that haven’t heard it enough lately … THANK YOU!

What is the Basis for Success for the Program Coordinator?

• How the program director views the position

• How much credibility the coordinator has with the residents

The Program Director…

Must see the position of coordinator as a mid-level manager and must value the skills, knowledge, abilities and opinions of the coordinator.

Will then support the coordinator’s activities

The residents will see the coordinator as an extension of the program director.

This is a powerful perception.

It promotes adherence to compliance issues.

The Residents…..

Must see the coordinator as an advocate and resource for

them someone who has earned their

respect someone who is professionally

responsible

This is a powerful perception.

It promotes the well-being andsuccess of the resident.

The resident will then supportthe efforts of the coordinator on their behalf to meetprogram requirements.

When both of these perceptions come together, the coordinator isgiven the opportunity to be anactive, productive participant,involved in achieving all the goalsand objectives of the trainingprogram.

To strive towards the goal ofbeing a successful andprofessional coordinator, remember the competencies


Competency 1 – (Patient) Resident, Program Director, Residency Program Care

The Professional Coordinator needs to:* Be compassionate* Effectively handle (treat) accreditation issues for the health of the program* Appropriately care for all aspects of the residency to keep it viable


Competency 2 – (Medical) Coordinator Knowledge

The Professional Coordinator needs to know:* Common and Surgery Program Requirements* Evolving Board and accreditation processes and standards* How to apply knowledge to care for the residency training program and keep it healthy


Competency 3 – Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

The Professional Coordinator needs to:* Network about and evaluate the program* Appraise the residency looking at trends in graduate medical education* Improve the residency by applying information learned through networking


Competency 4 – Interpersonal and Communication Skills

The Professional Coordinator must:* Communicate effectively with program director, residents, ACGME, ABS, GEC, applicants, and anyone else they come in contact with during their day* Be able to network with appropriate institutions and individuals for sharing information to enhance the residency* Take their role as counselor, liaison and advocate to heart and be there when needed in those roles


Competency 5 – Systems-Based Practice

The Professional Coordinator is:* A resource manager who is able to demonstrate their awareness of the larger context of graduate medical education* Responsive to the issues by effectively calling on appropriate individuals or web site resources to provide education and/or direction that is of optimal value to the residency as a whole


Competency 6 – Professionalism

The Professional Coordinator is:

* committed to doing the job in a responsible manner* committed to presenting a professional appearance* committed to adherence to ethical principles* sensitive to a diverse graduate medical education population* understanding and respectful of the confidential nature of our jobs

Professionally Responsible…We Know It When We See It

Communication

Organization

Appearance

Professionalism, as manifested through a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities, adherence to ethical principles and sensitivity to a diverse graduate medical education population

• Appearance

Appearance – Communications Body Language Direct (speaking)

phone in person

In-Direct (writing) email letters / signature

Appropriate Terminology

Appearance - Organization

Incoming resident activities Employment paperwork Files / Office Interview day Department orientation Other program functions

Appearance - Dress

What’s fashionable? What’s professional?

Is there a difference? What’s reasonable? Who are your role models? What are others in your profession

wearing?

Appearance – Actions

What is your role? How do you manage stress? What is reasonable? Who are your role models? Is there a difference between how you

act and speak at work and how you act and speak at home?

Do you have a “game” face?

Program Coordinators – Professional and Successful How you are perceived by others

Residents, PD’s, Applicants How you perceive yourself What are your roles?

Professional and other Apply competencies Appearances count

Oral, Written, Visual

Documents

Program Coordinators – Professional and Successful