Ranking Advanced with no prelims

[Nivens]

Hi everyone, question. I'm an AMG with a solid app (Steps 250+, 1st quartile, etc etc), applying for both categorical and advanced positions in Anesthesiology. Problem is, I didn't interview at enough prelims (really just my home program, and the thought of being here for another year makes me nauseated). In your opinions, is it crazy to, say, rank my top program categorical at #1, and then my top program advanced #2 WITHOUT any prelims linked, with the intention of SOAPing into a surgical prelim somewhere else? I really liked general surgery and very nearly went that route, so the notion of doing a year on surgical services doesn't bother me (he says, 4 months before internship...).

Thanks!

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[gutonc]

It's crazy, because you'll probably wind up in a total s***show of a surgical prelim, but you'll probably be OK in the end.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Hi everyone, question. I'm an AMG with a solid app (Steps 250+, 1st quartile, etc etc), applying for both categorical and advanced positions in Anesthesiology. Problem is, I didn't interview at enough prelims (really just my home program, and the thought of being here for another year makes me nauseated). In your opinions, is it crazy to, say, rank my top program categorical at #1, and then my top program advanced #2 WITHOUT any prelims linked, with the intention of SOAPing into a surgical prelim somewhere else? I really liked general surgery and very nearly went that route, so the notion of doing a year on surgical services doesn't bother me (he says, 4 months before internship...).

Thanks!

I always had to respect the anesthesia residents that did a intern year in surgery when they could have done some cush transitional year somewhere. Plus we were able to build a relationship with them that lasted throughout residency. Perhaps you could call/email the surgery programs at the places that you are ranking for anesthesia and see if you could be included on their rank list for prelim spots.

Otherwise you might get stuck in a bad place. Would that be worse than staying at your home institution for one year?

 

[theshellyb]

^^ The above is worth a shot. My friend applying in radiology unexpectedly liked a place that her fiancee liked too, and she called and asked if she could have a prelim interview and they did one over the phone for her so she didn't have to travel back.

However, that was back in December. Now you have... 2 business days. Still, the worst they can say is no, right?

 

[Law2Doc]

Hi everyone, question. I'm an AMG with a solid app (Steps 250+, 1st quartile, etc etc), applying for both categorical and advanced positions in Anesthesiology. Problem is, I didn't interview at enough prelims (really just my home program, and the thought of being here for another year makes me nauseated). In your opinions, is it crazy to, say, rank my top program categorical at #1, and then my top program advanced #2 WITHOUT any prelims linked, with the intention of SOAPing into a surgical prelim somewhere else? I really liked general surgery and very nearly went that route, so the notion of doing a year on surgical services doesn't bother me (he says, 4 months before internship...).

Thanks!

Your approach was actually not so uncommon a number of years back -- I know a few people who only worried about their advanced path and just scrambled into whatever prelim they could find. In retrospect it was pretty foolish and they could have had a Much better/cushier intern year, but it didn't ultimately hurt them.

 

[j4pac]

What other choice do you really have if you match advanced without an internship?

 

[Raryn]

What other choice do you really have if you match advanced without an internship?

I hear Walmart recently raised their wages.