The chief residents and fellows at UW Medicine are key players in the clinical space through their guidance and leadership, but who are they?
The chief residents and fellows are trainees, usually senior, who serve as the leaders and representatives for the group of residents or fellows in their training program. Their roles and responsibilities can vary greatly depending on their program, but each chief resident and fellow is expected to be a model of professionalism, to communicate or liaise with a variety of stakeholders to represent their trainees’ needs or opinions, and to provide counsel to trainees about all matters — big or small.
These roles are essential at UW Medicine because these individuals represent the interests and opinions of a critical group of the workforce while also acting as subject matter experts. They answer questions that would otherwise go to faculty or administrative staff and bring knowledge and insight that might otherwise get lost when developing policies, practices and communications. Many chiefs eventually pursue faculty roles and become clinician educators within the system.
Serving as chief is also an opportunity for a trainee to expand their leadership skills and get insight into the complexities of how a training program is operated. The selection process varies depending on the program. Some programs hold faculty or peer elections, while others have faculty members select trainees based on written criteria. All chiefs are chosen for their leadership abilities, clinical or scholarly accomplishments, administrative or oversight abilities, and strong communication and interpersonal skills.
To be a chief resident or fellow is a prestigious honor — one that can involve an additional year of training beyond the board eligibility and requires a large amount of attention. It denotes a respected leader.