Amongst the changes of a new rotation structure and fewer residents, Chief Residents Carter Mohnssen, M.D., and Sean Rajnic, M.D., remain focused on their main objective of achieving resident wellness.
Chief residents essentially create and manage the clinical and academic schedules of all residents for the year. They are also responsible for organizing time off for personal and academic ventures, as well as ensuring coverage in their peers’ absence. Academic year 2019-2020 marked the first year of smaller resident class sizes, which reduced the number of residents available for clinical coverage. Following the graduating class of 2023, all residency classes will have eight categorical and two advanced residents. In recent history, class sizes typically had 12 residents. Smaller resident class sizes intend to place a heavier emphasis on education.
Additionally, this academic year marks the first year the resident rotations are in four-weeklong blocks, instead of monthly blocks. This change ensures all rotations get equal time, while providing an additional rotation block for electives. These changes meant the chief residents had to start from scratch in schedule creation.
"These are the things that makes our program special, and makes me proud to represent our program," Dr. Rajnic said. "Our residents are able to have excellent educational experiences, but also still have a family life and spend time with their loved ones."
Other responsibilities of chief residents include leading a quarterly, residents-only meeting that provides opportunity for trainees to voice concerns, and for chiefs to deliver messages from administrative leaders. New this year is a special effort initiated by the chiefs to meet quarterly with the CBY resident class to address their needs.
"A lot of our responsibility is to be leaders for junior residents, professionally and personally," said Dr. Mohnssen. "We make sure the health of the program is not only clinically and academically going well, but also personally. We want to make sure everyone is in a healthy frame of mind."
All candidates for the department’s two chief resident positions are nominated by their peers. Winners are selected by a vote in Spring. The newly elected chief residents then immediately work to transition responsibilities from the previous chiefs. Their term officially begins at the start of the academic year, July 1.
Drs. Rajnic and Mohnssen didn’t take their nominations lightly.
"It’s humbling to be selected because everyone in this CA3 class is an amazing resident," said Dr. Mohnssen. "These first few months have also made me realize how much work our previous chief residents put in behind the scenes to make things run smoothly. It’s been a great opportunity to get to know the program inside and out."
Chief residents focus on quality of resident education, wellness
