intern_for_life
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for everyone's help
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I started my intern year in IM after medical school but resigned before finishing the year to pursue pathology. I matched into pathology the following year and now am even more miserable and I want to do something with patients such as occupational medicine. I know these are major black marks now but is this still possible for someone like me? I am specifically wondering about the funding issues but also just curious what other advice people have to offer. I don't see a lot of information about occupational medicine and whether I can still apply for a Transitional Year for the next cycle after finishing 1 year in pathology and have a shot at clinical medicine the year after that.
No, unfortunately I resigned during my intern year of IM because I thought I liked pathology which was more objective. I didn't realize how much time I would be spending cutting organs during residency which is the majority of my day. I am having a bad reaction to formalin and it's giving me a cough and irritating my lungs to the point that I am having trouble speaking. I do like diagnosing and looking at slides which is what initially drew me towards it.What do you mean you resigned from IM, did you actually finish the intern year? You must've if you started path, which is typically starts at PGY2 (after some kind of PGY1, IM, TY, GS, whatever have you).
So you shouldn't have to repeat a PGY1 year if you already did one.
How far along are you in your path residency? What do you like about it? You must like something.
No, unfortunately I resigned during my intern year of IM because I thought I liked pathology which was more objective.
I agree with what you're saying. I made some poor choices and do regret the initial resignation from IM. I am just trying to figure out if I still have a chance to do something which I can enjoy and not lose my health over. I will finish pathology if that is my only option left now but I would really like some advice on whether I should pursue a transitional year and then apply to occupational medicine after that year. I don't know how hard it is to get into a TY or occupational medicine after basically resigning from 2 residencies. I regret my decisions.You wouldn't be 'switching'. You'd be resigning from your current training. Then you'd have to re-apply (probably too late this year) next year. OccMed still requires a formal internship of some sort, I think, so you'd have to a do a IM, TY, GS PGY1 year. BTW, OccMed isn't all that clinical (it's lots of administrative type medicine, some clinic, lots of work comp, etc). Know the belly of the beast before your jump in. That's probably the take home lesson here. It helps to know that you're allergic to formalin before going into path.
I agree with what you're saying. I made some poor choices and do regret the initial resignation from IM. I am just trying to figure out if I still have a chance to do something which I can enjoy and not lose my health over. I will finish pathology if that is my only option left now but I would really like some advice on whether I should pursue a transitional year and then apply to occupational medicine after that year. I don't know how hard it is to get into a TY or occupational medicine after basically resigning from 2 residencies. I regret my decisions.
Yeah, you might be right. I understand how wrong I am here. Just wondering if the funding would be an issue if I were to apply for the match this cycle for possibly TY spots. I'm not even considering residency programs anymore, I just want a shot at a TY and work my way up to occupation medicine.The safest option is to finish pathology and then do a second residency in something else if you find you really want something else. You may find by then that you are ok with path and find a job. If you finish path and go into something else, it gives that new program more confidence that you'll stick around rather than quitting when the grass looks greener on the other side.
Yeah, you might be right. I understand how wrong I am here. Just wondering if the funding would be an issue if I were to apply for the match this cycle for possibly TY spots. I'm not even considering residency programs anymore, I just want a shot at a TY and work my way up to occupation medicine.
FinishI agree with what you're saying. I made some poor choices and do regret the initial resignation from IM. I am just trying to figure out if I still have a chance to do something which I can enjoy and not lose my health over. I will finish pathology if that is my only option left now but I would really like some advice on whether I should pursue a transitional year and then apply to occupational medicine after that year. I don't know how hard it is to get into a TY or occupational medicine after basically resigning from 2 residencies. I regret my decisions.
Actually path is one of the few specialties that starts at pgy 1...no prelim year.What do you mean you resigned from IM, did you actually finish the intern year? You must've if you started path, which is typically starts at PGY2 (after some kind of PGY1, IM, TY, GS, whatever have you).
So you shouldn't have to repeat a PGY1 year if you already did one.
How far along are you in your path residency? What do you like about it? You must like something.
And how is anyone going to take you now interest in occupational medicine? This will be the third specialty you have decided was “right” for you...why would any program think you are going to stick this out too?No, unfortunately I resigned during my intern year of IM because I thought I liked pathology which was more objective. I didn't realize how much time I would be spending cutting organs during residency which is the majority of my day. I am having a bad reaction to formalin and it's giving me a cough and irritating my lungs to the point that I am having trouble speaking. I do like diagnosing and looking at slides which is what initially drew me towards it.
Pathology no longer requires the intern year that it used to so I am actually still in my first year of pathology which is technically useless for clinical medicine.
I am really interested in occupational medicine but afraid I might be too late to do a transitional year and apply again. I wouldn't mind doing that though if it was a possibility. Just curious if anybody else made a switch to occupational medicine and if it worked out for them.
How do I switch to CP only? Can I reapply for a 1st year CP only spot?Consider CP only, then transfusion medicine.
Yes. I agree with all of you. I made some really poor decisions because I never could figure out what I would be best fit for. I get what most of you are saying. I am looking for any options left other than me coughing through work everyday but if that’s all I can do now then so be it. My mistake was not sticking out IM and I am aware of that. Any other input would be much appreciated. Sometimes I learn new things after it’s too late so I’m trying to cover all bases. There’s always a possibility some other resident went through something similar to me and can share their experience.
ask your PD if you can just do CP...I know someone that was able to do that and finished a year earlier.How do I switch to CP only? Can I reapply for a 1st year CP only spot?
Yes. I agree with all of you. I made some really poor decisions because I never could figure out what I would be best fit for. I get what most of you are saying. I am looking for any options left other than me coughing through work everyday but if that’s all I can do now then so be it. My mistake was not sticking out IM and I am aware of that. Any other input would be much appreciated. Sometimes I learn new things after it’s too late so I’m trying to cover all bases.
Assuming you are in an AP/CP residency, tell them you have a formalin intolerance and ask to drop AP and remain CP only. This is going to limit job prospects significantly so it really only makes sense if you are ok with transfusion medicine. The other CP fields are largely PhD driven, and heme/molecular are really best served by having AP training. If you are AP only, you will need to reapply.How do I switch to CP only? Can I reapply for a 1st year CP only spot?
Great advice, so do you think I should just apply for the TY spots for this cycle and figure out if occupational medicine is a fit for me? Or do you think I lost my chances to get another shot at TY year?I agree with a lot of the other posters. Since OP has left one program before completion and is considering leaving a 2nd program, this would worry me if I was a program director.
Do a rotation (if possible) or shadow an occupational Med physician. Occ med has a wide array of duties. Some do corporate/administrative, others clinical (physicals, work site evals, IME's, work injury eval/treatment...).
I disagree with the above comment saying "There’s a reason nobody wants to do it!" Every speciality has pros/cons but I actually enjoy working in Occupational Medicine (lifestyle is great with no call, no nights, no weekends). OP must find what aspects of medicine they enjoy doing before leaving current residency.
Either way, to apply to occ med you need to have completed formal residency training or at least have completed a pgy one year.
Good grief! Do you just want to keep repeating being an intern over and over?Great advice, so do you think I should just apply for the TY spots for this cycle and figure out if occupational medicine is a fit for me? Or do you think I lost my chances to get another shot at TY year?
And how is anyone going to take you now interest in occupational medicine? This will be the third specialty you have decided was “right” for you...why would any program think you are going to stick this out too?
Finish path residency and then if you want to, look into occupational medicine...or do a path fellowship that is more what you like...cyto path...transfusion medicine,etc.
Some states only require a year of residency, but you would be a crappy doctor. Not good for patientsJust out of curiosity, does anyone know if a pathology intern year count if I were to apply to preventive medicine after 1st year. I understand everyone is saying I should finish pathology but I’m just researching all options. I am also curious if I finish my pathology intern year (which has no clinical medicine), if I would technically be a licensed physician and can possibly practice clinical medicine in an urgent care or something down the road?
For how all over the place you are, it makes me think for a second you're trolling us or something. lol.
No, I wish I was trolling. Just looking for a restart tbh so I get a year to figure something out while learning something.Since it's not a true intern year (as in prelim, TY, or first year of a clinical categorical program), I'm not sure it would count for either the preventive medicine intern year or to be able to do clinical practice.
I know hindsight is 20/20, but unless you really had an overwhelming reason to leave, you would have really done yourself a favor by finishing out your 1st year of IM when you were there.
My opinion is that if you stay in path, to finish out both AP and CP. Jobs are tough enough to find in path, you don't want to limit yourself imo...unless you are following a position you already know is available to you when you finish. I think people who are laser focused on CP from the start can do it (CP only) since they seem to have their end game career objectives in mind going in. You don't strike me as laser focused about your career, so again, if I were you, I'd probably do both AP and CP.
For how all over the place you are, it makes me think for a second you're trolling us or something. lol.
Anyway, good luck in moving forward. I'm sure you'll end up with something fulfilling.
No
No, I wish I was trolling. Just looking for a restart tbh so I get a year to figure something out while learning something.
There is no such thing. No TY is going to take you, especially without a plan going forward. And the funding issues mentioned in your first post are going to make finding a catagorical spot more and more difficult as your training progresses.Just looking for a restart tbh so I get a year to figure something out while learning something.
Doubtful, as most programs require a year of clinical medicine and some require that a certain number of months be in primary care fields. You'll be expected to do clinic competently at many programs from day 1, which you simply don't have the training to do at this point.Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if a pathology intern year count if I were to apply to preventive medicine after 1st year. I understand everyone is saying I should finish pathology but I’m just researching all options. I am also curious if I finish my pathology intern year (which has no clinical medicine), if I would technically be a licensed physician and can possibly practice clinical medicine in an urgent care or something down the road?