ok, well, i'm a medical graduate. i took my exams and i'm applying for IM for this year and i hope i can get something. But i was thinkin that incase i dont get a match into a program, is it ok to do a year of prelim instead? i mean, i dont want to have to waste a year and sit around. And finding experience and research is tough. So why not just do a prelim year here and get the full ultimate experience? I want to ask this to any residents or any PDs that maybe reading this. I'm a US citizen who did his education abroad. So what if i go for the scramble and find a prelim spot and take it. Will this in any way hurt me for applying to categorical positions for the 2009 year? I'm not looking to go into a surgical/derm/opth/anest specialty but its just that i would rather do a prelim that sit and waste a year till the next match year comes. :idea:

does anyone have any information on this? i was actually thinkin and having this idea as my backup plan for a while but i wasnt sure if its safe or good. I dont want to destroy any future opportunity. And will it matter where the prelim is done? But really, my first goal is a categorical position, this prelim idea is a backup.

thanks. i hope you understand what i mean.

I don't know a whole lot about prelim as I am applying for categorical medicine but in my understanding prelim medicine is also relatively competitive as lots of people going into rads, ophtho, etc apply to prelim; not sure how it fares with categorical. You can apply to lots of IM programs (40+) including community progs and if you still don't get into one you can always try for scramble in medicine and if you end up at a program that you don't like you can always transfer. I am not sure if you can check the prelim box on eras under a program along with categorical without having to pay extra, in that case it certainly can't hurt to apply to both prelims and categorical.

my reason is that i incase i want to aim for a better hospital and not just a community one. if i take a prelim year, i get a good years experience and thats totally great USCE for gettin into a bigger better hospital. you know what i mean?

thats why im asking. transfering after getting into a program isnt so easy. its actually a bitch and itll get complicated. why bother. there's no guarantee you get to go someone you want after either.

but in general, is there any harm in gettin a prelim first if i'm left with no other choices? its something i want to be sure of before i make any drastic decision.i dont have any other usce, so this probably makes the best sense for me to get some. externships and observerships are pretty lame.