Applying to two specialties in the same hospital?

[Bagheera]

Hello,

I have a quick question regarding applying to Internal medicine and Family medicine in the same hospital. I want to work in primary care, and Internal medicine is my first choice as it would give me the best chance to work as a hospitalist in the future. But family medicine also offers that opportunity, and being that things are getting hard nowadays for IMGs to match, I would be perfectly happy doing a family practice residency as well. Is that going to be a problem applying to IM and FM in same hospital or should I make sure it is in different hospitals? Thank you!

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[Dermione Granger]

Don't do it. Programs talk. U can run into faculty and residents from the other program when u interview twice. Just don't do it

 

[rokshana]

this has been discussed every interview season….as above, programs talk and people will see you…don't do it.

 

[Yoyomama88]

is it OK to apply and then just choose to go on only one of the interviews at said institution? Appreciate any input here.

 

[Dermione Granger]

Tread lightly. You never know. Maybe one of the coordinators is married to the PD of the other program, or maybe the chief residents
(who often are involving in the application process) are married or roommates.

 

[Winged Scapula]

is it OK to apply and then just choose to go on only one of the interviews at said institution? Appreciate any input here.

That's fine.

 

[Knicks]

what's exactly wrong with doing this?

 

[Raryn]

what's exactly wrong with doing this?

Doesn't show dedication to the field. No one wants to be your second choice for the prom.

And yes, we realize that's as stupid as it sounds.

 

[Prog86]

How should reapplicants proceed? Especially if you are reapplying to your very compeititive first choice specialty and a back up specialty just so that you don't end up matching again this year?

 

[mcl]

How should reapplicants proceed? Especially if you are reapplying to your very compeititive first choice specialty and a back up specialty just so that you don't end up matching again this year?

There's no problem with applying to multiple specialties--you just don't want to interview at two programs at the same hospital. If you get invited by both specialties, choose one and decline the other. It is a world of awkward when you unexpectedly run into someone from Program A when you are there to interview with Program B.

 

[j4pac]

My wife was in an interesting situation. I was stationed (Navy) in a town that had one major hospital and two residency programs. She wanted Peds #1 but could settle for Internal Medicine #2. So she had the tough decision of applying to only one program, or to cast a wider net and apply to both. She only applied to those two programs, as we had very young children and it would be nearly impossible to be a decent resident without the two of us. On her interviews she explained why she was applying to both programs. Attending and the program directors were very understanding and told her that they would be doing the same exact thing if she was in her shoes.

Bottomline...if you are going to be applying to multiple specialties in the same hospital...you better have a good reason.

 

[Yoyomama88]

My wife was in an interesting situation. I was stationed (Navy) in a town that had one major hospital and two residency programs. She wanted Peds #1 but could settle for Internal Medicine #2. So she had the tough decision of applying to only one program, or to cast a wider net and apply to both. She only applied to those two programs, as we had very young children and it would be nearly impossible to be a decent resident without the two of us. On her interviews she explained why she was applying to both programs. Attending and the program directors were very understanding and told her that they would be doing the same exact thing if she was in her shoes.

Bottomline...if you are going to be applying to multiple specialties in the same hospital...you better have a good reason.

but they did only find out/question her because she attended both interviews or did they know just from her applying through eras?

 

[j4pac]

but they did only find out/question her because she attended both interviews or did they know just from her applying through eras?

She explained the situation in ERAS so that they both knew the situation. She anticipated them talking to one another (which they do) and she wanted to be ahead of it. She wanted to explain to them that she had nothing to hide and that her decision making is something that ANYONE would do in her situation.

To complicate the matter, her #2 choice was DO and her #1 choice was MD. So if she would have been accepted into her #2 choice, she would have been removed from the MD match (her #1 choice). On her interview the IM program director asked her to clarify her situation, and she did. He then asked her straight up, which program would you prefer to go to. She answered honestly and told him Peds but that she feels that she would also be happy in IM.

That PD then went to the Peds PD...they talked...and the IM PD ranked my wife low and the Peds PD ranked my wife high. She didn't match DO...and matched MD into the much stronger and competitive Peds program that she wanted all along. It's good to be honest. I would be upfront about your circumstances...by doing so it made my wife look incredibly selfless (which she is) and put her in a very positive light.