Transitional Year in less than 12 months?

[ocdoc]

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I'm a DO student that's starting residency later than usual, like in September due to academic issues. I thought what if I apply for a transitional year which can let me start late and finish in 9 months then start my residency. Is this feasible?

 

[Dejavu]

I probably don't know of what I speak since I am not involved in our residency programs, but I thought that the national powers-that-be require a certain number of months of residency to graduate, and I don't think the individual programs can over-ride this dictum.

However, I repeat, that I don't know (much of anything, for a fact) for sure.

 

[thesauce]

You'd basically be asking a program to give you 3 months of vacation---that's not going to happen. Also, TYs are competitive. You're already facing an uphill battle as a DO. Now add to that your stipulations of a late start and shorter training along with your "academic issues" and you're going to have a heck of a time.

 

[Sama83]

I think your best bet would be to speak to these powers that be (ACGME) and ask them what the minimal months of required internship are.

If, lets say, the minimum 9 months, then your next order of duty would be to locate a program that has a vacancy and try to get in.

I know for a certain fact that there are programs who would be quite happy to have an American medical graduate fill in an unexpected vacancy even if it means he got away with 3 months of "vacation".

From their end, they just salvaged their resident schedule and dont have to reorganize and restructure..

Call and ask them specifically

 

[gutonc]

You'd basically be asking a program to give you 3 months of vacation---that's not going to happen. Also, TYs are competitive. You're already facing an uphill battle as a DO. Now add to that your stipulations of a late start and shorter training along with your "academic issues" and you're going to have a heck of a time.

But the OP is a DO and is likely referring to a Osteopathic TRI. According the AOA match statistics, it is the least competitive of the osteo spots (>50% available after the Match). So the likelihood of getting a spot approaches 100%.

The likelihood of getting one to let you do it in 9 months OTOH approaches 0%.

 

[ShyRem]

It was my understanding that the AOA only allows a MAXIMUM of 21 days off a year. 3 months is not possible. The TRI consists of 9 months of core rotations and 3 months of electives. These are electives, not optional months. You still need to fulfill the 12 months required to fulfill the requirements of the TRI.

 

[EM2BE]

Depends on what your plans are. If you are doing the traditional / transitional year to have a job while waiting to start residency and do not want any credit for the time spent, you can do 9 months. This can occur only if you scramble in to the position so you don't incur a match violation so that you can apply and attend your residency. You will also likely be creating burned bridges, so I wouldn't do it where you want to stay (in the same hospital or area). I know someone that did something similar, but was almost across the country for residency (not planned that way, not 9 mos, but didn't care what happened because he was moving and the year wasn't going to be counted for anything). You will likely be breaking a contract within the hospital. Read it carefully.

 

[thesauce]

But the OP is a DO and is likely referring to a Osteopathic TRI. According the AOA match statistics, it is the least competitive of the osteo spots (>50% available after the Match). So the likelihood of getting a spot approaches 100%.

The likelihood of getting one to let you do it in 9 months OTOH approaches 0%.

Well that makes more sense. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Taurus]

Ain't gonna happen.

If you had that much academic trouble, you probably will have a very hard time finding a transitional year which is very competitive.

Regardless what internship you do, your best bet is to communicate to your future residency program that you will be late. Starting in September should be fine. You start late, you graduate late.

 

[colbgw02]

You will also likely be creating burned bridges

Cosmic.

 

[Law2Doc]

... Starting in September should be fine. You start late, you graduate late.

This is definitely the way it works in allo residencies. Have seen plenty of people end up on "off schedules" due to late starts, maternity leave etc, and in each case they still had to make up the difference at the end.

 

[gutonc]

This is definitely the way it works in allo residencies. Have seen plenty of people end up on "off schedules" due to late starts, maternity leave etc, and in each case they still had to make up the difference at the end.

Right. But the problem will be finding an advanced/categorical program that will let you start late.

IIRC, technically, to participate in the Match, you need to be able to start on 7/1. If you're doing a required prelim year prior to an advanced program, you wouldn't be eligible for the Match.

OTOH, if you're just doing the TRI to have a job and a paycheck, there's nothing (other than an intern's schedule) to keep you from applying for and matching into a categorical residency while doing a TRI. If you match, you walk into your PDs office on Thursday, give your 10-14 weeks notice and away you go.

At this point , it might be helpful if the OP came back and commented on these ideas and how they relate to his/her plans.

 

[DOtoCanada]

I'm a DO student that's starting residency later than usual, like in September due to academic issues. I thought what if I apply for a transitional year which can let me start late and finish in 9 months then start my residency. Is this feasible?

I often do a week long vacation in 5 days. Once, when I turned 24, I tried really hard and was able to turn 25 in only 46 weeks.

Sorry. I'm not trying to be an a** but the title of your post should answer your question. Can you complete twelve month-long rotations in 9 months? Unless you can create a temporal vortex like they do on Star Trek, no. No you cannot. There are programs that let you start late and end late as stated above, but you have to put in the time.

 

[FutureDO2016]

This is definitely the way it works in allo residencies. Have seen plenty of people end up on "off schedules" due to late starts, maternity leave etc, and in each case they still had to make up the difference at the end.

Will any residency program take me if I finish rotations in August and cannot start residency until September 1st?

I know some residents get pregnant and take some months off and finish residency a few months after their peers but this is someone starting later due to finishing 4th year rotations later due to extra time spent studying to retake/pass Level 1. I had no choice as it was the school's policy to mandate time off to pass, which I did. Will I be able get residency? It's kind of scary going through medical school and then not ending up with a residency program and essentially having a useless DO degree since you can't practice🙁 I feel like I spent the last 8 years of my life after high school working towards this goal and now don't know what will happen.

 

[gutonc]

Will any residency program take me if I finish rotations in August and cannot start residency until September 1st?

I know some residents get pregnant and take some months off and finish residency a few months after their peers but this is someone starting later due to finishing 4th year rotations later due to extra time spent studying to retake/pass Level 1. I had no choice as it was the school's policy to mandate time off to pass, which I did. Will I be able get residency? It's kind of scary going through medical school and then not ending up with a residency program and essentially having a useless DO degree since you can't practice🙁 I feel like I spent the last 8 years of my life after high school working towards this goal and now don't know what will happen.

If you are not available to start on 7/1, you are not Match eligible this year.