Advanced position gap year

[jan2019]

Just a question about timing.

I am currently a PGY-1 in a prelim medicine program, reapplying for R and Advanced positions. Ideally, the R positions would be great as I could continue without interruptions but there are far more advanced positions available. (Looking to reapply for Radiology) Assuming I match this year, I would have a full year off between Pgy1 and pgy2. What have people in similar positions done during the off year? I'm not looking to pay for a masters degree or volunteer research for year.

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[b52bomber]

Why would you have a year off if you matched into a Radiology PGY2 position?

 

[collegestud2013]

Just a question about timing.

I am currently a PGY-1 in a prelim medicine program, reapplying for R and Advanced positions. Ideally, the R positions would be great as I could continue without interruptions but there are far more advanced positions available. (Looking to reapply for Radiology) Assuming I match this year, I would have a full year off between Pgy1 and pgy2. What have people in similar positions done during the off year? I'm not looking to pay for a masters degree or volunteer research for year.

Most people do whatever clinical work they're comfortable with based on their PGY-1 training. If you're doing an IM prelim, most people may work in an urgent care center or do some type of primary care type work. Keep in mind that all of this requires passing Step 3 and getting a full medical license in the state you would like to practice. You also have to be in a geographic area that offers these positions to non board-certified physicians with only 1 year of post-graduate training (so such a position would be harder to find in more saturated markets). Your pay per hour at most of these places would be similar or slightly higher than a PA or NP.

The bigger question would be why you didn't match to radiology, and what you're doing to increase your chances of matching this time around. Radiology has been fairly competitive recently. Also, the job market, at least for DR, can be uncertain in the next 5-6 years given the rise of AI, foreign competition from outsourcing, and the rise of radiology mid-levels.