PGY-1 , work a few years/BCPS, pgy-2?

[pharmacistUH]

HI everyone. I had a question for y'all. I'm doing a pgy-1 right now and I haven't decided if I want to do a pgy2. The hospital that I am at has opportunities for me to work on a floor/ER/icu after my residency and I was wondering if getting my BCPS/+ a few years of experience will make up for not doing a pgy-2? Also, if I ever decide to do a pgy-2 later, does having BCPS/experience help me get one or hinder me bc pgy-2's would want pgy-1's? And I understand the salary diff if I were to go back to do a pgy2. Thanks.

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[xiphoid2010]

HI everyone. I had a question for y'all. I'm doing a pgy-1 right now and I haven't decided if I want to do a pgy2. The hospital that I am at has opportunities for me to work on a floor/ER/icu after my residency and I was wondering if getting my BCPS/+ a few years of experience will make up for not doing a pgy-2? Also, if I ever decide to do a pgy-2 later, does having BCPS/experience help me get one or hinder me bc pgy-2's would want pgy-1's? And I understand the salary diff if I were to go back to do a pgy2. Thanks.

If they are willing to take you on a clinical position in the area you want to practice with just a PGY-1, you can skip the PGY-2. The point of doing a pgy-2 is to be able to land that specialty job, if you can get it without it and learn while getting paid full salary, jump at the chance before it goes away. You can take the board certifiation for that specialty, e.g critical care, with a PGY-1 plus 3 years work experience. Once you have that certification, you are as competitive as any pgy-2 person.

BCPS is a generalist certification, it won't make you a specialist. If you are in a specialty area, go for the specific board instead.

 

[pharmacistUH]

Ok, thanks! Also, I'm not sure which specialty board exams there are. Could someone refresh me as to which specialty exams are available? Thanks again, guys/gals. You think you have a career plan then someone comes along and rocks your world, haha.

 

[xiphoid2010]

Ok, thanks! Also, I'm not sure which specialty board exams there are. Could someone refresh me as to which specialty exams are available? Thanks again, guys/gals. You think you have a career plan then someone comes along and rocks your world, haha.

The official ones are listed here.
http://www.bpsweb.org/

Ambulatory care
Nutrition support
Nuclear
Oncology
Pharmacotherapy
Psych

There are also 2 "added qualifications", or sub-specialties, in cardiology and infectious disease, under pharmacotherapy.

Onc and psych job market is good right now. If you want to work for the VA, ambulatory care is golden at this moment.

All except one of the preceptors at my residency got their specialist job with just a PGY-1. Ah the good old days. Now a days, those are hard to come by with so many pgy-2s around.

 

[RxConfused]

If they are willing to take you on a clinical position in the area you want to practice with just a PGY-1, you can skip the PGY-2. The point of doing a pgy-2 is to be able to land that specialty job, if you can get it without it and learn while getting paid full salary, jump at the chance before it goes away. You can take the board certifiation for that specialty, e.g critical care, with a PGY-1 plus 3 years work experience. Once you have that certification, you are as competitive as any pgy-2 person.

BCPS is a generalist certification, it won't make you a specialist. If you are in a specialty area, go for the specific board instead.

Does critical care have board certification? Or are they heading in that direction?

 

[xiphoid2010]

Does critical care have board certification? Or are they heading in that direction?

Yeah that was my bad, remembered wrong. Critical care doesnt have a board certification yet, but they really should. It's funny how they have one for nutrition instead, lol.

 

[njac]

they just put together the task force for developing critical care and pediatrics exams. I would expect those in the next couple years.