To whom it may concern:
I am writing to express some concerns regarding communication between Dean Dixie Rawlins, representatives from the Southeast Missouri region, the Missouri scheduling coordinator, and myself.
Back in early January 2000, the match was conducted for the class of 2002. I was one of 9 students who did not match. St. Louis had been my first choice, but Dr. Rawlins stated that she was unable to add any additional students to that region full time (or to any of my other 4 choices, for that matter). She proposed that I complete half of my rotations in the St. Louis region, and the remaining half in the Southeast Missouri region. I agreed to think it over, and she was to consult the two sites to verify that this arrangement was satisfactory to both of them. On January 10th, 2000, I met with Dr. Rawlins and told her that I would like to do the split rotations, with the understanding that I would be doing a true 50/50 split and that each region had confirmed that this was feasible. She assured me that it was fine with both sites, so our agreement became official. I made Dean Rawlins aware that I intended to submit an appeal letter for a full time position in St. Louis or Jefferson City if an opening in either site should arise.†
I met with Dr. Rawlins again on March 17th, 2000, after the appeals committee had met to review the letters. My appeal was denied, but she did clarify our current arrangement at that time. She stated in that meeting that I would complete both Family Practice rotations and both Internal medicine rotations at Forest Park Hospital in St. Louis, and my psychiatry rotation would also be in the St. Louis region. She stated that she was working on additional contracts with other hospitals in the St. Louis region, and if those contracts were signed, I had the option of completing my OB, surgery, and pediatrics rotations in those hospitals or in the Southeast region. I was satisfied with this arrangement.
On April 6th, 2000, KCOM’s Hospital Day, I visited the tables for the Southeast region and introduced myself as a future student to that site. I first spoke with a nurse named Teresa who told me that she did orientation for new students at Southeast Missouri Hospital. I told her I was unsure as to where I would actually be doing orientation because I was unsure which of the hospitals in Cape Girardeau I would be doing which rotations. I mentioned that I thought surgery would be in Sikeston, and I thought that one of the Cape Girardeau hospitals did not have OB, but I was unsure where I would do pediatrics. She then became confused and asked where I was completing my other rotations. When I told her those would be done in St. Louis, she seemed surprised. I left the table thinking our conversation had been relatively benign. Later as I was passing back through the aisle, Teresa pulled me aside to introduce me to Dr. Hall, who I believe is the DSME. Dr. Hall questioned my rotations arrangement, told me that their site did not do split rotations, stating it was an all or nothing deal, and also expressed some frustration with communication with KCOM. I was shocked to hear this man contradict the arrangement that Dr. Rawlins had allegedly worked out for me back in January, but I did not feel that it was my responsibility to work out arrangements such as this. I dismissed myself from the conversation.
A fellow classmate who is in a similar ‘split rotations’ arrangement told me that he had the opportunity to meet Kelli Morse, the Missouri scheduling coordinator, at Hospital Day. I emailed her to ask if she had done any of my scheduling and to see if she was aware that representatives from Cape Girardeau were confused about my arrangement. She mailed back admitting that the Cape Girardeau representatives were unaware of the situation, but she stated she would try to schedule things as smoothly as possible. She also stated that she had received no definite names or dates for students doing split rotations. She mentioned that she was currently working on the St. Louis schedule, so I was somewhat concerned as to why my name had not been given to her so I could have my 5 rotations in St. Louis scheduled.
I had planned to write another letter to Dean Rawlins to clarify this issue, but before my schedule allowed me to do that, I met Kelli Morse in person at the MAOPS convention on May 3rd, 2000. She approached me and stated that she still had no official word on students doing split rotations, but that she had not forgotten about me. I appreciated her gesture and understood that she could do nothing without official documentation from Dean Rawlins. However, I was even more concerned at this point, since I was aware that student schedules were to be distributed in June. I did not understand why one month before schedules were due to be distributed, my name had still not been officially mentioned, and therefore my rotations scheduling had not even begun.
Before I had the opportunity to write my letter to Dean Rawlins, I was informed by the same classmate who had told me about Kelli Morse that Dr. Rawlins had offered him a full time position in St. Louis and that she planned to offer me one also. This was May 16th, 2000. At this time, I have not yet heard officially from Dr. Rawlins that this is true. This situation is obviously more desirable to me. Whether or not the full time St. Louis position is confirmed, the process of rotations up to this point has been confusing and stressful for me. I concluded from my conversation with Dr. Hall from Cape Girardeau at Hospital Day that he felt the same way. I felt documenting this situation was important in order to demonstrate one example of how severe miscommunication can affect not only students, but KCOM’s reputation to outside hospitals.”
