UC Irvine imaging gains monetary gift -- and donor's son as a resident

Feb 8, 2006

A radiology resident at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), nabbed a newly created position in the department during the same month that his father pledged a $250,000 donation, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Alfred Sein did not originally match with UCI under the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). The Boston University graduate worked in an unpaid position at the UCI department in the latter half of 2004, the Times article stated. He was offered a newly created position in ear, nose, and throat (ENT) imaging in November 2004 and began working in January 2005 (Los Angeles Times, January 26, 2006).

In the meantime, Sein's father, Dr. Michael Sein, promised a $250,000 gift in honor of Dr. Fong Tsai, director of the UCI radiology program. The senior Sein is chief of staff at Coastal Communities Hospital in Santa Ana, CA, and teaches at UCI on a voluntary basis.

UCI radiology department officials have denied any connection between the elder Sien's donation and his son's acceptance into the program. Tsai told the newspaper that he had wanted to increase the number of residents from 22 to 23 for some time. After receiving approval from the college of medicine's dean for an additional hire, Tsai said he interviewed several candidates for the ENT imaging position and deemed Alfred Sein the most suitable.

Michael Sein told the L.A. Times that he would have made his donation anonymously if he had wanted to influence his son's application. He also stated that he would have given money to the UCI department even if his son had not gained a residency position.

This is not the first time that questions of propriety have been raised in connection with UCI's hiring practices, according to the newspaper. The university is also under fire for hiring children of top hospital executives, including the medical school's dean, the article stated.

By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
February 9, 2006

Court puts the kibosh on residents' anti-NRMP crusade, August 31, 2004