Options during Preliminary Surgery Year.

[Sarcoidosis]

I wanted to get an Idea about what a Preliminary Surgery Resident can apply for during the year outside the match.
For example...

PGY2 positions that happen to open up by chance outside the match...???

Ortho
Urology
Neurosurg
Derm
Anesthesiology
Radiology
Neurology
Otlaryngology
..... Please add more here....
??? are the above, a possibility (I understand that they are all competitive, but still do they consider Preliminary Surgery Interns)

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[ESU_MD]

There are all kinds of possibilities- basically anything you already mentioned is possible, also you can even repeat your intern year to become a categorical resident in surgery, medicine, etc..

Alot of it has to do with being in the right place, at the right time. or being around the right people- getting lucky to hear about a job through hearsay etc..

I have seen the process of filling advanced positions- it is usually because someone quit, got sick, fired etc.. the program directors are not very picky at all and will often hire the first reasonable candidate that expresses interest.

you just have to keep your ears open and network as much as possible.

 

[Sarcoidosis]

There are all kinds of possibilities- basically anything you already mentioned is possible, also you can even repeat your intern year to become a categorical resident in surgery, medicine, etc..

Alot of it has to do with being in the right place, at the right time. or being around the right people- getting lucky to hear about a job through hearsay etc..

I have seen the process of filling advanced positions- it is usually because someone quit, got sick, fired etc.. the program directors are not very picky at all and will often hire the first reasonable candidate that expresses interest.

you just have to keep your ears open and network as much as possible.

thanks, how do I network without seeming like I am networking only because I want a general surgery position. I am not good at networking... even on the scramble day I hesitated to ask my referees to make calls.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

You're eligible for every advanced program except for neurology.

Start by sending your CV to programs in a specialty of interest (be honest about your chances)-- esp programs that have gone unmatched in the past few years. Let them know about your interest in their program, should a spot open up. Watch findaresident like a hawk-- though bear in mind that many other people are in your same boat, and switching into a categorical surgery or subspecialty residency is very difficult.

 

[doc39]

has anyone completed prelim surgery and then gone on to neurology....perhaps has any surg programs worked with their interns to fulfill the qualifications to start neuro????

thanks bunches for any input

 

[Winged Scapula]

has anyone completed prelim surgery and then gone on to neurology....perhaps has any surg programs worked with their interns to fulfill the qualifications to start neuro????

thanks bunches for any input

I thought you were required to do either a Prelim Medicine or TY for Neurology, not a Prelim Surgery year.

Frankly, even if it were an option, I cannot see anyone going into Neurology considering a Prelim Surgery year.

 

[doc39]

yes, in normal situations programs want you to do prelim med or transitional yer prior to neuro.
reason why i inquired with the forum in regards to doing prelim surg before neuro, bc they are much easier to come across than prelim med. (i matched advanced w no prelim).
and so i've heard of programs adjusting their yr a bit for the intern to be eligable for neuro afterwords.
therefore, i was wondering if anyone out here has had such experience....

i don realize its a stretch, but no harm in asking for others opinions

thanks bunches

 

[WentForitandWon]

I went for a very competetive subspecialty and didn't get it during the year I graduated so I found a prelim general surgery spot. I was very lucky to get a great spot at an awesome program.

The options that are open to you during a prelim surgery year are

1) match into the program as a categorical resident (during the following year match) either repeating intern year or taking a PGY-2 spot if someone quits or is fired.
2) Match at another program as a PGY1
3) change specialties and get a PGY 1 spot
4) pic up a PGY-2 spot at another program that has an opening
5) do a prelim PGY-2 year with the hope that there will be a mismatch in people coming and going into the lab and you can step into a PGY-3 spot.
6) Give up your dream of doing medicine and become a tango instructor. . . dance your way to a lucrative career on reality TV.

In any case, you MUST repeat the Match this is absolutely required. Though it should be a given that your best chance to match is at the program you are doing your prelim year. You have ample opportunity to bust your ass like you have never before and let people know from day one that you want to stay there. Then, it is important to be the most amazing prelim they have ever seen. You should also schedule meetings with the program director, chair, and any other influential attending who might speak on your behalf and let them know you are interested in staying.

All of that beside, be aware that programs CANNOT give you any kind of promises that are in any way binding in terms of a position in the coming year. The advice I got from the program director was to enter the match and take it seriously because no promises can be made.

I followed his advice and got an rare offer in the specialty I originally applied for at a program I had interviewed at in the previous year and ranked them higher than my prelim program. I was completely convinced I would be staying at the program where I was doing my prelim year (all of the rumors I had heard were positive about that happening from attending, senior residents, etc) and I was blown away that I matched in the competitive residency that I applied and interviewed for.

It was a happy though unexpected result. My advice to everyone is to bust your ass and learn as much as you can during your prelim year. You also need to come to terms with the very real likelihood that you will be repeating your intern year if you get a categorical spot. Lastly, be proud of what you accomplish and what you have learned. You will have a huge leg up on the medical students you interview with. Interviewing when you are a prelim is a completely different experience, definitely much less stressful.

Best of luck!

 

[jackm11]

Thank you for your response. It definitely puts repeating this entire Match process into a more positive perspective for me. The thought of doing it all over again has been haunting me but after reading your thread I appear more optimistic. Thanks again.

 

[voicesinmyhead]

Sorry for bumping this thread up.

Had a question to ask.

For eg: if i join for prelim surgery year starting June 2014, would i be able to apply for the 2015 match anyway or does joining a prelim year automatically mean that I shall lose two years, since I can only apply after completing the year in June 2015 for the 2016 match?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Sorry for bumping this thread up.

Had a question to ask.

For eg: if i join for prelim surgery year starting June 2014, would i be able to apply for the 2015 match anyway or does joining a prelim year automatically mean that I shall lose two years, since I can only apply after completing the year in June 2015 for the 2016 match?

You can apply for the 2015 match and don't need to lose a year; just bear in mind that your LORs etc will need to come from your faculty who will only have known you for a few months, so you'll need to be impressive from the start.

 

[dxyz]

You can apply for the 2015 match and don't need to lose a year; just bear in mind that your LORs etc will need to come from your faculty who will only have known you for a few months, so you'll need to be impressive from the start.

Hey everyone! If I match at a prelminary position in match 2015 without getting any advanced position and I start my prelim year in 2015, is it possible to apply for radiology advanced position in match 2016 and start radiology residency in June 2016 without wasting a year?

 

[thedrjojo]

Hey everyone! If I match at a prelminary position in match 2015 without getting any advanced position and I start my prelim year in 2015, is it possible to apply for radiology advanced position in match 2016 and start radiology residency in June 2016 without wasting a year?

Not thru the match. You will match to start June 2017. You would have to find an open spot from a program and hope to get in if you don't want to lose the year

 

[ACSurgeon]

Di

Hey everyone! If I match at a prelminary position in match 2015 without getting any advanced position and I start my prelim year in 2015, is it possible to apply for radiology advanced position in match 2016 and start radiology residency in June 2016 without wasting a year?

did you try to soap into a radiolog program for the following year?