Advice on approaching PD about switching

[surgwife]

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Obgyn intern here, hoping to switch to EM. I am absolutely 100% sure that I want to switch. My question is, what is the best way to approach my PD? I am terrified that it will be held against me for the remainder of the year. I feel caught in a catch-22: apply on sept 1 to maximize my chances of landing interviews but ticking off my program by already wanting to switch out vs. bringing it up later in my residency and missing potential interviews but not ticking off my program/ PD. I would love advice on approaching my PD- timing, what to say, etc. I have heard time and time again that you need a good eval from your PD to have a chance on transferring. Does anyone have first hand experience with how to go about this process? I would love to hear from aProgramdirector, are you out there?!

Thanks.

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

I am not a program director; I was a chief resident for the prior year and am now out of academics...

I think the best sound advice to you is to setup a meeting with your PD and be open and honest from the start. Most people who are PDs have a good head on their shoulders and will understand that things/people change. Be honest about why you changed your mind and what your plans are going forward. If they have a been a PD for any period of time, you will not have been the first person to go to them with that story. They also will know its much easier to support you leaving, then keeping you as an unhappy resident and having to 'deal' with all that entails for 4 years...


I have yet to hear of an upset PD over a resident making plans to leave; I have heard upset PDs that learn about it the day before the resident is jumping ship; or simply hear rumors about it... Don't leave them in the dark; they can be your biggest advocate during these times.

 

[koc123]

I think almost every obgyn program has had an intern leave during or after his or her first year. I was trained at a top ob program and one of my co-intern left after her first year. She honestly told them that ob wasn't for her and she wanted to be in the same city as her then boyfriend. (I think she got an "outside the match" spot where her boyfriend was doing an IM residency. ) My program director did not have a problem at all with it. Everyone was very supportive and respectful of her decision. It is better to be honest and open with your program director early on. I am sure he or she would rather have a resident who is actually excited about being in the specialty. Of course, every program director is different, so use your judgment.

 

[mlw03]

i disagree with the given advice, and think your concerns are legit. while i wouldn't advocate lying, i don't think you should advertise your intention to leave this early. you're basically asking the program to keep you around and paying you even though you're taking the training they're providing and going into another area of medicine. i think you could most definitely be treated differently by your colleagues because of this, both both faculty and other residents. i base these comments on personal experience. that said, don't be a jerk and hike it until 2 days before leaving. waiting until october is a decent compromise i think because the program will want to fill your spot with a decent candidate if at all possible considering the scheduling implications of a resident leaving.

 

[cowme]

i disagree with the given advice, and think your concerns are legit. while i wouldn't advocate lying, i don't think you should advertise your intention to leave this early. you're basically asking the program to keep you around and paying you even though you're taking the training they're providing and going into another area of medicine. i think you could most definitely be treated differently by your colleagues because of this, both both faculty and other residents. i base these comments on personal experience. that said, don't be a jerk and hike it until 2 days before leaving. waiting until october is a decent compromise i think because the program will want to fill your spot with a decent candidate if at all possible considering the scheduling implications of a resident leaving.

If the OP is 100%, absolutely certain that the switch to ED is inevitable, now is definitely the time to do it. If the PD approves, the OP can apply for ED during this application cycle (which opens up in 2 weeks). If its put off until March, the OP will have to hope to land a random opening, and have much less control over the situation.

 

[atsai3]

Obgyn intern here, hoping to switch to EM. I am absolutely 100% sure that I want to switch. My question is, what is the best way to approach my PD? I am terrified that it will be held against me for the remainder of the year. I feel caught in a catch-22: apply on sept 1 to maximize my chances of landing interviews but ticking off my program by already wanting to switch out vs. bringing it up later in my residency and missing potential interviews but not ticking off my program/ PD. I would love advice on approaching my PD- timing, what to say, etc. I have heard time and time again that you need a good eval from your PD to have a chance on transferring. Does anyone have first hand experience with how to go about this process? I would love to hear from aProgramdirector, are you out there?!

Thanks.

Now may be a little too early, but you will definitely need to inform your program director before you have a guaranteed spot at another program. There is no way around it. In order to swing from tree to tree, you have to let go of one branch before grabbing on to the next one, even if it is scary.

At a minimum you will need a letter of good standing ("bob has completed all requirements to date and no disciplinary actions are pending"), but it would be nice (and beneficial to your transfer application) if you could get a LOR ("we're sorry to see bob go. He will be an asset to your program"). Either way you need to let your PD know.

Aside from what is logistically required, giving your PD a heads up is a good thing to do because it allows your PD to begin looking for a replacement (otherwise your co residents will be picking up the slack). When you have the first convo, nothing has to be definite ("I'm thinking about looking around for a transfer opening... if I applied would you support it? I wanted to give you enough of a heads up so that you have enough time to recruit a replacement in the event that I successfully transfer").

Transfer process discussed in detail in previous threads here and here.