Non-trad applicant starting late

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Thanatopsis

Curious
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2008
Messages
52
Reaction score
3
Currently I am fulfilling an active duty service obligation to the military after completing a transitional internship. I am hoping to match into a civilian EM program after my obligation is fulfilled. I will officially be done with the military in AUG 2016. My plan is to apply for a program beginning in the 2016 academic year, but I likely will be unable to start until the military cuts me loose in AUG 2016. Can anyone speak to the likelihood of a non-DoD affiliated program allowing me to start a couple of months late? This is actually fairly common in DoD residencies.

Another question: similar to MSIV audition rotations, will EM programs allow people like me to rotate at their program for a week or two at a time? My plan is to spend some vacation time with a few different programs and hopefully obtain some letters of recommendation.

Members don't see this ad.
 
Currently I am fulfilling an active duty service obligation to the military after completing a transitional internship. I am hoping to match into a civilian EM program after my obligation is fulfilled. I will officially be done with the military in AUG 2016. My plan is to apply for a program beginning in the 2016 academic year, but I likely will be unable to start until the military cuts me loose in AUG 2016. Can anyone speak to the likelihood of a non-DoD affiliated program allowing me to start a couple of months late? This is actually fairly common in DoD residencies.

Another question: similar to MSIV audition rotations, will EM programs allow people like me to rotate at their program for a week or two at a time? My plan is to spend some vacation time with a few different programs and hopefully obtain some letters of recommendation.
Chance is pretty much zero. If you can't start on time, and you know it ahead of time, you're actually in explicit violation of the match agreement if you pursue the match this year.

Sometimes residents start a month or two late due to circumstances outside of their control, most commonly with things like delays with visa processing, but those are not planned.
 
Chance is pretty much zero. If you can't start on time, and you know it ahead of time, you're actually in explicit violation of the match agreement if you pursue the match this year.
This is the biggest issue with your plan I'm afraid.

Another question: similar to MSIV audition rotations, will EM programs allow people like me to rotate at their program for a week or two at a time? My plan is to spend some vacation time with a few different programs and hopefully obtain some letters of recommendation.
And this right here is problem #2. Unless you have current, active malpractice insurance, the best you'll be able to get is an observership position which is practically worthless I'm afraid. M4s are covered under their school's policy as are visiting residents. If your current position has insurance that will cover you somewhere else, you can do it, but not without it. Also, if you can do it, you're going to need at least a month at a time. Pulling a shift here or there or a week at a time isn't going to work for anybody.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Rarely, a program would be willing to wait. It would probably have to be an out-of-the-Match position. This will require a personal commitment and likely some kind of relationship with a PD. We have occasionally waited up to 3 months for an applicant with a visa problem and waited 2 months once for an applicant with a medical issue. Get to work on talking with people and presenting yourself as an asset.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
If you do pursue an out of the match position like IMPD states, be very careful. Unless it is a program with all spots outside of the match (generally very, very few programs) you will only be able to sign a contract with it after both the match and the SOAP are completed.
 
Programs are more tolerant of this if they've dealt with us before (as you say, it's common), lots of prior .mil folks out there in academic depts. look thru the bios of faculty at sites you like and contact the prior mil folks for advice.

Your service will open more doors than it closes. Is Aug your terminal leave or real departure date? You might be able to stack leave and go more or less on time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Thanks for the advice everyone. It seems possible.

Gastrapathy: Early August is when my ADSO is complete followed by four years of IRR. I'll have to look into the regs to see if there's a rule against me starting a new job while on terminal leave. Even if there is, it's probably worth asking my commander for permission to start working while on leave as long as there is not a penalty for doing so. Thanks for the tip about looking for prior .mil in academia, I actually found quite a few.

My next question to answer is if there is such a thing as short-term malpractice coverage. That might allow me to do a few work rotations rather than an observership, which sounds lame but is probably better than no exposure to a program. Does this kind of coverage exist?
 
Last edited:
Working on terminal leave is common. The length of your leave is at the COs discretion, so your current boss is unlikely to commit his relief to let you leave more than a couple weeks before your EAOS but you can ask.

It's not just malpractice. You also have to be privileged at the hospital to be able to touch patients. Doubt that will work (or really help much).
 
Ah yeah. Forgot about the whole privileging thing, not such a minor detail.

My unit of 900 or so has myself and a PA, so maybe the CO will be more likely to let me go a little early.

Thanks for your help!
 
Top