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- Apr 4, 2007
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See below sent to me by PM. I think this is best for aPD to answer.
I am interested in applying to family medicine residency programs and I have been away from medicine for a while. I completed my intern year in a different specialty. In retrospect, I think it was a poor fit from the start between the particular program and me. After intern year, I transferred to a program closer to family/friends. To make a long story short I ultimately decided to reevaluate my commitment to a residency in that particular discipline.
During the time away, I have taught on a few different levels from dyslexic students to adjunct college and graduate courses. I am currently tutoring. I have done volunteer work at an indigent care clinic when time/finances have allowed it. Most of this work was office assistance due to my not having a license or malpractice insurance. I am now ready to restart residency and I am now more committed and focused than ever on this goal.
I have recently taken Step 3, but have to apply for initial licensure. I have had the time to reevaluate my commitment to medicine and most importantly to myself. I have worked too hard towards my goals to be thwarted by adversity, malignant programs, or hostile individuals. I have matured a lot in this time. Unfortunately, these are unquantifiable things. It seems like it would be much easier to have completed some treatment program where I have now been declared okay. The truth is there is no big back store. I have not been treated for any chemical dependency, psychiatric condition, and have not had to deal with the criminal justice system. I am not trying to make light of any of these situations, but after reading many of the questions posted here that simply was not my situation. I fear that I will appear to simply lack dedication and discipline.
I feel that I am one major red flag. My questions involve how to broach the topic of my past residency programs and how to address the issue of the time gap between being in the residency program, taking Step 3, and now my reapplying to residency programs in a different specialty. I do understand that the information will need to be disclosed in any application or personal statement.
A friend suggested that directly contacting programs might be a better option for someone like me rather than attempting to go through the match. On paper, I may not appear to be a strong candidate or may appear to be a risk. It was suggested that I consider visiting programs that I am interested in and meet with the program director and/or resident adviser. I am currently planning to attend conferences as a way of meeting individuals from various programs in order to get my name out there. When should I go into details about the past when meeting someone face to face? Any advice, suggestions, or insight that any of you have to offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your time.
I am interested in applying to family medicine residency programs and I have been away from medicine for a while. I completed my intern year in a different specialty. In retrospect, I think it was a poor fit from the start between the particular program and me. After intern year, I transferred to a program closer to family/friends. To make a long story short I ultimately decided to reevaluate my commitment to a residency in that particular discipline.
During the time away, I have taught on a few different levels from dyslexic students to adjunct college and graduate courses. I am currently tutoring. I have done volunteer work at an indigent care clinic when time/finances have allowed it. Most of this work was office assistance due to my not having a license or malpractice insurance. I am now ready to restart residency and I am now more committed and focused than ever on this goal.
I have recently taken Step 3, but have to apply for initial licensure. I have had the time to reevaluate my commitment to medicine and most importantly to myself. I have worked too hard towards my goals to be thwarted by adversity, malignant programs, or hostile individuals. I have matured a lot in this time. Unfortunately, these are unquantifiable things. It seems like it would be much easier to have completed some treatment program where I have now been declared okay. The truth is there is no big back store. I have not been treated for any chemical dependency, psychiatric condition, and have not had to deal with the criminal justice system. I am not trying to make light of any of these situations, but after reading many of the questions posted here that simply was not my situation. I fear that I will appear to simply lack dedication and discipline.
I feel that I am one major red flag. My questions involve how to broach the topic of my past residency programs and how to address the issue of the time gap between being in the residency program, taking Step 3, and now my reapplying to residency programs in a different specialty. I do understand that the information will need to be disclosed in any application or personal statement.
A friend suggested that directly contacting programs might be a better option for someone like me rather than attempting to go through the match. On paper, I may not appear to be a strong candidate or may appear to be a risk. It was suggested that I consider visiting programs that I am interested in and meet with the program director and/or resident adviser. I am currently planning to attend conferences as a way of meeting individuals from various programs in order to get my name out there. When should I go into details about the past when meeting someone face to face? Any advice, suggestions, or insight that any of you have to offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your time.