Medicine THEN Peds?

[SuperHero]

So I am currently applying to Med-Peds, and due to the increasing competitiveness and specifics of my application, I don't think that I am going to match. I'm trying to come up with a few contingency plans and thought about doing a Medicine residency followed by a Peds residency. Has anyone one done that, and if so could you provide some insight into the application process? Did you receive any credit for the second residency? Were there any funding issues?

Thanks!

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[J-Rad]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=768495

Here is a thread that touches upon the funding issues that you will have with the second residency.

From the perspective of a peds person (not Med Peds):

-If there are deficiencies/red flags in your application, they are not going to magically go away by the time you are applying for your second residency. Even if you are a superstar in your IM residency, you will be be an applicant with 1/2 the funding who hasn't laid eyes on a pediatric patient in 3+ years.

-What is your goal? Do you plan on being a generalist? Then why not FM? If you fear the dearth of pediatric training that exists in some FM programs, look for those that do more peds and have the opportunity to do interesting pediatric rotations (maybe an opposed program that has a pediatrics residency would be better for you). What makes Med Peds the right answer for you? I think this is critical.

-I would bet there are people that have done this, but I doubt there are many. And to do it deliberately seems risky. You won't be a top-of-the heap applicant for the peds residency, and even the programs that you'd have a better shot at will be able to find a fully funded FMG who was a top student in India (or where ever), maybe already done a foreign peds residency, etc. to fill the spot you want. Even if you've get in, now you'll spend six years getting to the point you might have been at in three years (see second point above).

-My gut tells me that you should apply broadly to the med peds programs that you have a shot of getting into and apply to some FM programs as a backup.

 

[322351]

J-rad may have missed that med peds has become one of the most competitive fields. There were many who did not match last year. Pittsburgh this year put a 240 minimum board score cut off. Which is higher than ophtho. My friend who matched at Hopkins in ophtho had a 235.

Definitely people will match in med peds but it is much more competitive than either categorical program.

So to not match might not mean the OP has "deficits"

1. It's january. Call your programs and see if you get interest. Don't believe anything that's less than "ranked to match" but it might help you. If any are programs that you are intested in then email them more and have people make phone calls for you.

2. If you got into medicine or peds at a program with a med peds program you likely could get into the med peds program. Not guarenteed but likely.

3. Do you think you would be happy with cat medicine or family med? Both are good clear options. It's just what will make you happy. You could imagine for a day or two that you agreed to that and see how you feel. If you haven't applied to these programs it might be hard to add but I've heard of people doing it this late in the game.

Family med is great for outpatient primary care but won't allow you to specialize. It depends on what you want to do.

Do you have an advisor at your school who will give you good and straight advice? Someone in med peds who can tell you how competitive it is? Not the nice peds advisor who will tell you everything is great but someone who will give it to you straight.

Don't psych yourself out but try to be honest with yourself. Many are going to match but many will not.

 

[J-Rad]

No, didn't miss that, but I took "...specifics of my application..." to mean some kind of relative deficiency. I suppose I could have assumed it meant the OP had a criminal record, but I like to think the best of people.

 

[johnnywalker]

2. If you got into medicine or peds at a program with a med peds program you likely could get into the med peds program. Not guarenteed but likely.

- Actually unlikely, unless a spot opened up.

 

[group_theory]

I've met an attending once who did the Internal Medicine residency then Pediatrics Residency (the whole 6 year). It's possible (albeit reduce funding during your 2nd residency from Medicare).

The question for you is: towards the end of your Internal Medicine residency - will you have the energy, goal, and desire to repeat another residency (can you be an intern again?). While you may get some credits (depending on what the ABP says), I doubt any program will let you jump straight into being a junior/senior pediatrics resident.

And you will also have to convince the pediatric residency (more importantly, the pediatric faculty on the residency selection committee) that you want to do pediatrics (which will look weird coming from a 3rd year medicine resident).


Also, from the numbers this year, pediatrics is slowly becoming more competitive ... not sure what it will look like in 3 years.


And I also agree with the above poster - not sure why Med-Peds is suddenly becoming more competitive but it is.

 

[NOsquid]

J-rad may have missed that med peds has become one of the most competitive fields. There were many who did not match last year. Pittsburgh this year put a 240 minimum board score cut off. Which is higher than ophtho. My friend who matched at Hopkins in ophtho had a 235.

Definitely people will match in med peds but it is much more competitive than either categorical program.

So to not match might not mean the OP has "deficits"

1. It's january. Call your programs and see if you get interest. Don't believe anything that's less than "ranked to match" but it might help you. If any are programs that you are intested in then email them more and have people make phone calls for you.

2. If you got into medicine or peds at a program with a med peds program you likely could get into the med peds program. Not guarenteed but likely.

3. Do you think you would be happy with cat medicine or family med? Both are good clear options. It's just what will make you happy. You could imagine for a day or two that you agreed to that and see how you feel. If you haven't applied to these programs it might be hard to add but I've heard of people doing it this late in the game.

Family med is great for outpatient primary care but won't allow you to specialize. It depends on what you want to do.

Do you have an advisor at your school who will give you good and straight advice? Someone in med peds who can tell you how competitive it is? Not the nice peds advisor who will tell you everything is great but someone who will give it to you straight.

Don't psych yourself out but try to be honest with yourself. Many are going to match but many will not.

Read some of your old posts, curious how things are going? Sticking with IM or have some peds plans? Med-Peds is getting ridiculous...I'm guessing this year's match will get ugly again.

 

[322351]

Yes, I'm afraid it will get ugly again for some people and it's hard not to match. People can say whatever they want but that sequence (not matching, scrambling, going to a place I didn't expect or really want to go to) was one of the most stressful I've ever been through.

It's funny that you ask, though. I just met with the peds pd this week at my current institution. I'd looked into reapplying but found it to be even more competitive than last year. But I'd like to be academic and I was afraid things might not go my way again- even if I matched I might not be at a strong program or might not match again. And I like my program a lot. Not what I would have ever guessed, but the attendings are nice and I've been invited on team dinners, to an attending's house for thanksgiving, and have frequent outings with my cointerns. And there are lots of research opportunities. So staying seems good. I was discussing this with the peds pd and she said I was welcome to do electives in peds and do research in their dept if I want. And that I could apply to peds later if I want. My PD has promised to help me do this if I want in a few years. I think Medicine then peds is possible and what I'm hoping to do, but I might decide to just stick with medicine. I think I'm at a particularly supportive program/institution, though and one with funding. My PD checked and the GME office said I'd be covered for 6 years if I so desire.

That said I wouldn't recommend it. It will take me 6 years, will require me to do another intern year, and keep me out of peds then medicine for 3 years, although the peds pd here pointed out that I could do electives in combined specialties.

I'd interviewed at some of the top programs last year and had good feedback from them, but also had a fairly broad list. To not match was tough. Things worked out though. Good luck to you guys!

 

[NOsquid]

Glad things are working out

 

[deleted272130]

Now that interviews are mostly done, are people emailing their top program to tell them they are the #1? Do people do this?? Can it hurt you at all?