How to...?

[deedubs]

Hello all,

I'm a first year family medicine resident that was hovering between FM and Psych in med school but picked fam med thinking I'd miss the other aspects of medicine. But throughout this year I've been finding that the psych patients and rotations are what interests me. I've been talking to a local psychiatrist that I've rotated with for advice and he will write me a LOR. I can probably get some more over this year. The residency I'm at is great with good training and great people and I'm excelling here but Psychiatry is where I'll be happiest.

So my question would be what is the process for...

1. Finding a psychiatry residency that I can start as a pgy 1 or 2? (doesnt matter to me)
2. Telling my PD and when?
3. Can I do this now or would it be better to wait until after 2nd year? (2/2 to match coming up)
4. Do I need to go through the match again or outside of it?
5. Any other questions I missed that you may feel are relevant?

Thanks all!

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[heyjack70]

Assuming you have a supportive PD, I would tell the PD immediately. They might have connections to help you find a residency spot. It also gives them more time to prepare before you leave. I would start looking for a PGY2 spot asap, you might find one to start in July. I imagine it's more complicated if you've already signed your PGY2 family med contract.

 

[deedubs]

I haven't signed anything for second year.

 

[3882370]

It is too late for the match for this year. However, the PGY2 match is new and will likely not fill. Many people, like you, don't decide early enough that they want to switch to psych to get into the match cycle. Basically, you'd have to know in September that you want to make a switch so that you can get your letters and application uploaded to ERAS in time for interviews. This route is only for programs that always take PGY 2s (e.g. They take a certain number as PGY1s and always add several more as PGY2s). They will have put those slots into the match for this year. In addition, many programs will have unanticipated PGY 2 openings (people transfer) and the PD may not be aware that a resident plans to leave until after the match cycle begins. These spots might not be in the match.

Bottom line, after the match you can find out what planned PGY2 slots are still open and if it's anything like last year there will be a good number. In the meantime, you could directly contact programs that you are interested in and see if they anticipate they will have a slot or, if they intend to fill through the match, simply let them know of you are interested in case they don't. You should probably have a conversation with your program director, because you will need a letter from the program director for the application.

 

[vistaril]

Hello all,

I'm a first year family medicine resident that was hovering between FM and Psych in med school but picked fam med thinking I'd miss the other aspects of medicine. But throughout this year I've been finding that the psych patients and rotations are what interests me. I've been talking to a local psychiatrist that I've rotated with for advice and he will write me a LOR. I can probably get some more over this year. The residency I'm at is great with good training and great people and I'm excelling here but Psychiatry is where I'll be happiest.

So my question would be what is the process for...

1. Finding a psychiatry residency that I can start as a pgy 1 or 2? (doesnt matter to me)
2. Telling my PD and when?
3. Can I do this now or would it be better to wait until after 2nd year? (2/2 to match coming up)
4. Do I need to go through the match again or outside of it?
5. Any other questions I missed that you may feel are relevant?

Thanks all!

directly contact the programs out there with open pgy2 spots. Tell them your situation.

The worst case scenario is you don't get a spot and have to do a pgy2 family year and then reapply for a pgy1 psych position. If I were in that position I would actually strongly consider just finishing the last year of family. Being be/bc as a primary care physician would always be super nice, even if you do psychiatry later. It will give you credibility, amongst those in and out of medicine. Of course if you get a pgy2 position it is a different game....I might be willing to lose 1 year to say I am a be/bc pcp, but probably not 2.

 

[st2205]

I'll agree with vistaril. At this point it seems heading in to a program come July would be tough to find. Of course, I say this without experience being in your situation so I'd certainly exhaust all resources before acquiescing to that opinion. If you end up applying for next cycle, meaning you'd have finished 2 years of FM, the question you'll have to answer for yourself is if you should just go ahead and finish off the year to wrap up being board eligible in a specialty when it's so close to reach, even of its not the end destination you want. I can definitely see a lot of utility in being BE in two specialties, even of you're solely practicing in one field, of all it ultimately amounts to is another year (I do admit, though, that another year of something you don't like may be more than you feel it's worth).

In any case, I'd look for PGY2 opportunities rather than settling for a second intern year. Numerous programs set aside specific spots to take PGY2s (Washington University, New Mexico, etc.)