Share your stories

about why you’re organizing, and why you need a union. Visit our “Why a Union?” page to see the broad strokes, but we want to share how the lack of effective resolution on these issues is impacting housestaff, their families, and their patients directly.

Submissions will be anonymous by default but feel free to include your name/information if you would like it to be attributed. Submissions will be seen by members of the housestaff organizing committee (your co-residents/fellows) and may be posted anonymously (in part or in whole) on this website and/or CIR’s social media (Instagram, Twitter) similar to what University of Washington’s union did leading up to their contract negotiations. If you just need a place to vent check the box below!

Want to help us fix these problems? Get involved in organizing for our union!

Much love,
Your housestaff organizers

 

“I scavenged noon conference food for dinner because I had no income my first month…Stanford said it was ‘too complicated’ to pay me sooner.“

“I have 3 dependents. I am drowning in debt. I can’t call off for family emergencies because trainees in our backup system are moonlighting to make ends meet.”

“I took a blanket and slept on the floor of our workroom when I was on nights. I can’t help but wonder if building the spacious C-suite offices on the third-floor rooftop gardens was deemed more critical by the hospital than providing call rooms..“

“On one rotation I was averaging 100h+ a week. Was so sleep deprived I had to pull off the freeway and call a Lyft in order to come in for the consult, because I was afraid of getting in an accident. This rotation incited my first ever episode of major depression and I fortunately was able to get help through WellConnect, but now my disability insurance premiums are through the roof due to the psychiatric help I received. Still, I am told by some faculty and seniors it’s because my generation and I are “too soft.””

“Witnessing the burnout and trauma of my colleagues only amplifies my own sense of powerlessness. Despite us demanding change, it feels as though we are shouting into an empty void.”

“I got 5 paid days off when my child was born. I couldn’t afford to take any more unpaid time off and I didn’t yet qualify for California Paid Family Leave because I was just an intern.“