Background Approximately ten percent of psychiatry residents in the Netherlands discontinue residency training prematurely. Sometimes the decision to terminate residency is initiated by the training director. Residents who want to challenge the decision to terminate training can request the national conciliation board to give judgment.
Aim To identify the reasons for training directors’ decisions to terminate psychiatry residency prematurely and how often this decision is respected by the conciliation board. To identify sufficient remediation according to the board.
Method Structured analysis of cases from 2005 to 2020 of the conciliation board of The Royal Dutch Medical Association.
Results The conciliation board decided in favor of the training director in 17 of 26 cases. In 9 cases the resident was allowed to continue the training, often with extra surveillance, in another institution.
Conclusion Residents who challenge the training director’s decision to terminate training, are most frequently considered insufficient on communication. Unsatisfactory communication might compromise other competencies such as collaboration, professionalism, management and medical expertise. Sufficient observation of competencies, among other communication, is essential in training psychiatry residents.