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Subject😀id I Match?
Date:3/16/2009 11:50:35 A.M. Eastern Daylight TimeFrom:[email protected]Subject😀id I Match?Date:3/16/2009 11:50:35 A.M. Eastern Daylight TimeFrom:[email protected]Reply To:To::BCC:Sent on:
Sent from the Internet

We're sorry, you did not match to any position.

Unfilled program information will be posted on the Match Site at /
on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at 12:00 Noon eastern time. It is a violation of the Match Participation Agreement to contact programs before that time. It also is a violation of the Match Participation Agreement to share the unfilled program book with anyone who did not register for the Match or who is otherwise ineligible.

After logging in with your AAMC ID and password, click on the Unfilled Programs button on the left menu bar. If you do not locate a residency position during the Scramble, consider "FindAResident", an on-line service that brings together programs with available positions with applicants seeking positions. Find out more about this service at www.aamc.org/students/findaresident

 

[whopper]

Sorry to hear this, though there are plenty of programs where scrambling is a possibility.

 

[anesthesiarocks]

Sorry to hear this, though there are plenty of programs where scrambling is a possibility.

bzzzt......for people like the op, there are a grand total of 11 categorial pgy-1 spots in the whole country....so no there arent "plenty"

 

[2tall]

bzzzt......for people like the op, there are a grand total of 11 categorial pgy-1 spots in the whole country....so no there arent "plenty"

How do you know? You are out of control.

 

[peppy]

I didn't match either.
My step 1 was 232. I had good LORs. I received 13 interviews and ranked 7 programs. I have to admit that I am shocked that I did not match. I never seriously thought that I would have trouble finding a spot so I didn't really plan out what to do now. 🙁
I am currently looking into scrambling into an osteopathic IM spot (since IM was my second choice specialty).

 

[anesthesiarocks]

How do you know? You are out of control.

ummm...because I saw the list 20 minutes ago. 4-5 people in our class didnt match and they have access to the # and geographical area(not the exact programs) of spots out there, and so pretty much everyone in our class whether they matched or not knows what the numbers are at this point. It's out....there are 10 unfilled anesthesiology positions, 13 em, 224 fm, 11 psych, 69 im(categorial), 30 path, 66 peds, etc.....

So yeah....I'm real "out of control" 🙂 Either that or Im psychic.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

man, my heart goes out to both of you. http://residency.wustl.edu/medadmin...261eb94f5488055786256f8f0074bbe5?OpenDocument

Some data on number of unfilled positions in past years.

I'd get in contact with your student affairs office so you're ready to go to war tommorrow.

Best wishes to all who didn't match and I hope scramble works out for you.

 

[anesthesiarocks]

I didn't match either.
My step 1 was 232. I had good LORs. I received 13 interviews and ranked 7 programs. I have to admit that I am shocked that I did not match. I never seriously thought that I would have trouble finding a spot so I didn't really plan out what to do now. 🙁
I am currently looking into scrambling into an osteopathic IM spot (since IM was my second choice specialty).

if you really want psych, go for it. 11 spots isn't many, but thats still 11 spots. Call both im and psych programs........

I matched(pretty sure into my #1 choice), but this is unquestionably going to go down as the most competitive psych year in the last decade and a half. I mean hell there are as many unfilled psych spots as anesthesiology slots, and anesthesiolgy has nearly 2x the spots....

 

[peppy]

The horrible thing is that since I never thought I wouldn't match, I didn't take the time to sit down and calmly think through what I really want to do at this point.

In the heat of the moment, it seems safer to try landing an FP, TRI, or IM spot that is guaranteed to be here in the area I want to live (and I know enough about the general rep of the programs that I think they'll be okay if not good training) rather than risking going to a last resort psych program that could be the double whammy of an undesirable location and a bad program.
Maybe I will end up regretting this decision, but right now I'm just freaking out over not having any job at all! What horrible luck for me that the one year psych is really competitive is the year I tried to get in! I feel lousy over all the time, money and effort I spent interviewing, and embarrassed over my false confidence that I would surely get at least one of my top 3 picks.
This really sucks. 🙁

 

[anesthesiarocks]

The horrible thing is that since I never thought I wouldn't match, I didn't take the time to sit down and calmly think through what I really want to do at this point.

In the heat of the moment, it seems like a better idea to try the safe approach of landing an FP, TRI, or IM spot that is guaranteed to be here in the area I want to live (and I know enough about the general rep of the programs that I think they'll be fine training) rather than risking going to a psych program that could be the double whammy of an undesirable location and a bad program.
Maybe I will end up regretting this decision, but right now I'm just freaking out over not having any job at all!
This really sucks. 🙁

one piece of advice- dont take an IM, ty spot, or fm spot with the intention of then trying to slide into a pgy-2 psych slot next year. probably wont happen, and you'll probably instead get a pgy-1 slot.

So unless you can actually tolerate a year of medicine(god I know I couldnt) or have absolutely no other skill set to make a semi-decent living over the next year, it's best to just do something non-medicine for a year and then apply *broadly* to enough low-tier psych programs to guarantee you match.

Because I sure as heck wouldnt want to be paid 42k or whatever to do a useless year of dreadful IM as an intern when I probably would have to start over as a pgy-1 in psych next year anyways....much better to just do something you can tolerate for a year and start as a pgy-1 in psych next year if you cant scramble into psych.

 

[whopper]

Hmm, sorry if I sounded a bit insensitive. Just for the past several years there's been plenty of unfilled spots. Didn't know this year would be so different. I'm wondering why that happened.

Still, good luck. I'm actually quite glad I'm past that phase in my life. Anything we can do on the forum to help let us know.

 

[peppy]

If I do go for IM, I'll plan on riding it out to the end. I liked psych a lot and I think I articulated my reasons for enjoying it well in my PS (not well enough I guess!), but I don't know if I love Psych so much that I want to go through the horrible ordeal of applying/interviewing (only to end up rejected!!!) ever again.

 

[Bluemirage]

WOW! That is very shocking! From reading your posts I was sure that you'll match...just did not know where you were going to match. Your stats are good enough to match in nearly every specialty except for the super competitive such as derm, ortho,PRS, ENT etc. That's totally messed up! I would like to wish you the best of luck in the scramble.

I didn't match either.
My step 1 was 232. I had good LORs. I received 13 interviews and ranked 7 programs. I have to admit that I am shocked that I did not match. I never seriously thought that I would have trouble finding a spot so I didn't really plan out what to do now. 🙁
I am currently looking into scrambling into an osteopathic IM spot (since IM was my second choice specialty).

 

[colleezfascia]

If I do go for IM, I'll plan on riding it out to the end. I liked psych a lot and I think I articulated my reasons for enjoying it well in my PS (not well enough I guess!), but I don't know if I love Psych so much that I want to go through the horrible ordeal of applying/interviewing (only to end up rejected!!!) ever again.

I'm sorry you didn't match...but remember, however you're feeling now is temporary--things happen for reasons, and in the end, it will all work out!

If I were in your position, I'd try like hell to scramble into one of those 11 spots (malignant programs notwithstanding). If that does not work out, then I would go FM! I mean, have you ever seen an unhappy Family Practitioner? If you find next year that you want to apply to some psych programs, then go for it....you may just end up being able to enter as a PGY-2...By going FM, what will you have gained? A TON of medical knowledge that will help you to shine as either as a FM PGY-2 or a Psych resident!

But my advice.....if not psych--FM! FM! FM! FM!

 

[peppy]

I think at this stage of the game my main concern is geography above all else.
One consideration I have that most applicants don't is that I have a family member who is terminally ill and I don't really want to end up 2000 miles away from that person only to be in a program I don't like anyway.
This really is quite a blow to me and to my loved ones who were counting on me to get in SOMEWHERE, just a question of where.
All that work I put in, and what good did it do? Now I just have to be content with whatever last resort choice I can get. 🙁

 

[anesthesiarocks]

If I do go for IM, I'll plan on riding it out to the end. I liked psych a lot and I think I articulated my reasons for enjoying it well in my PS (not well enough I guess!), but I don't know if I love Psych so much that I want to go through the horrible ordeal of applying/interviewing (only to end up rejected!!!) ever again.

the question is how much more do you like psych than IM? If it's a virtual draw, just do IM. But keep in mind those 200+ IM slots open tommorrow are going to be at crap programs, just like the 11 psych slots open tommorrow. But a crappy IM program(in terms of work hours, teaching, malignancy, unhappiness, etc) is 1000000x worse than a crappy psych program(ie the lowest tier psych programs, especially if outside the ne, are often "family friendly" and laid back).............

If you make the decision to settle for an im spot, just be sure you actually want to do IM. Dont do it just to be "sure to match in something.

And keep in mind that even after these 11 psych slots go, between now and july1 there will be half a dozen or more that will open up for various reasons(ie someone who took ck late ends up failing, maybe someone dies, etc).........

 

[nancysinatra]

maybe someone dies, etc).........

maybe someone kills anesthesiarocks..........

 

[masterofmonkeys]

hey i've butted heads with AR too, but he's actually giving pretty good advice in this thread.

 

[peppy]

Yes, I do appreciate AR's advice here. You make a good point that a bad psych program might arguably be better than a bad IM program. I just wish I had more time to calmly think about my next step. My God, I can't believe my whole future is going to be decided like this. 🙁

 

[nancysinatra]

hey i've butted heads with AR too, but he's actually giving pretty good advice in this thread.

He was pretty heartless toward that first guy who didn't match! Plus what's with this "laid back" this and "laid back" that? Maybe some people are actually looking to do something other than sleep during their residency? 🙄

Ok, credit due though, some of the advice he's giving here is helpful. I was interested to see the number of open spots.

AR are there any open surgery spots? I was fortunate enough to match somewhere, but was wondering, is there a rule against applying for a second residency to fill up 80 more hours in my week? Then I could get double boarded! Crappy programs are ok!

Peppy--I'm so sorry about your having to go through the Scramble. But your hard work WILL pay off! And your family is lucky to have someone so devoted.

 

[colleezfascia]

He was pretty heartless toward that first guy who didn't match! Plus what's with this "laid back" this and "laid back" that? Maybe some people are actually looking to do something other than sleep during their residency? 🙄

Ok, credit due though, some of the advice he's giving here is helpful. I was interested to see the number of open spots.

AR are there any open surgery spots? I was fortunate enough to match somewhere, but was wondering, is there a rule against applying for a second residency to fill up 80 more hours in my week? Then I could get double boarded! Crappy programs are ok!

Peppy--I'm so sorry about your having to go through the Scramble. But your hard work WILL pay off! And your family is lucky to have someone so devoted.

The whole list of unfilled spots with region is available in the nrmp website under "my reports."

There are 5 categorical surgery spots open and 473 surgery prelim spots open...Go figure!

 

[anesthesiarocks]

hey i've butted heads with AR too, but he's actually giving pretty good advice in this thread.

bingo....I kid around sometimes, but I speak the truth here.

Let's face it- a year of IM as an intern(or hell even most transitionals depending on the program) for someone who really isn't loving IM *sucks*. It would really really really suck.

If you cant scramble into one of those slots, work for a year doing something else while you interview. Hell you're a college graduate in some field....so what if you're 26 and trying to get a job out of college instead of 22. The degree in medicine cant hurt....take a job doing whatever for 35-40k, work half the hours with 10% of the stress you would as an intern in a prelim medicine garbage year, and then take a different approach to make sure you match *somewhere* in psych next year.

The idea that someone would do a worthless transitional IM year at a malignant program(and you can bet it probably will be a malignant program) to include a lot of q4 nonsense in the ccu and icu and then get *nothing* out of it except either:

1) reapply for psych again, and probably get a pgy-1 slot
2) drudge ahead into a pgy2 medicine slot at a crappy program where the good fellowship options for people who are really into medicine(ie cards) are limited.....

is insane!!

Do you really want to be admitting some 91 year old with urosepsis *all year* at 3am next year? do you really want to be involved in 3 hour rounds where people give you a headache day after day after day mentioning how you need to replace mag and phos on wards? God no.........

I think everyone in psych is shocked at the extremely limited number of unfilled slots.....it's time for those people who didnt match to suck it up and try to go out tommorrow and grab one of those unfilled spots by the balls....good luck.

 

[anesthesiarocks]

Yes, I do appreciate AR's advice here. You make a good point that a bad psych program might arguably be better than a bad IM program. I just wish I had more time to calmly think about my next step. My God, I can't believe my whole future is going to be decided like this. 🙁

to give you an example, two of the so called "bottom tier" psych programs in the southeast are east tennessee state and east carolina. Both have fairly light call schedules, are non-malignant, and the residents seem fairly happen there.

I dont know if they have one of the five spots in the south that didnt match or not, but they might.........

would I rather do a year working q10 call and ~50 hrs a week at a family friendly etsu psych program as an intern or a year working q4 call in a malignant IM program with an equally nothing reputation? Hmmmmm....tough call.....

 

[HCE]

But keep in mind those 200+ IM slots open tommorrow are going to be at crap programs, just like the 11 psych slots open tommorrow. ....And keep in mind that even after these 11 psych slots go, between now and july1 there will be half a dozen or more that will open up for various reasons(ie someone who took ck late ends up failing, maybe someone dies, etc).........

Slots that may be opened to the Scramble won't necessarily be crappy. Every year you see excellant programs that did not fill, usually because the Program didn't rank enough folks or otherwise screwed up.

Good advice on the additional spots that open up after the Scramble. I believe you were referring to the following, which does indeed indicate 11 spots nationally did not fill (plus one Psych/Family spot):

 

[anesthesiarocks]

He was pretty heartless toward that first guy who didn't match! Plus what's with this "laid back" this and "laid back" that? Maybe some people are actually looking to do something other than sleep during their residency? 🙄

Ok, credit due though, some of the advice he's giving here is helpful. I was interested to see the number of open spots.

AR are there any open surgery spots? I was fortunate enough to match somewhere, but was wondering, is there a rule against applying for a second residency to fill up 80 more hours in my week? Then I could get double boarded! Crappy programs are ok!

Peppy--I'm so sorry about your having to go through the Scramble. But your hard work WILL pay off! And your family is lucky to have someone so devoted.

I dont consider working 50hrs(more if you count didactics) a week as an intern and taking psych call every 8th or so night "sleeping". But the point is it's non-malignant, and it will eventually get you be/bc in psychiatry.

If someone wants to be a psychiatrist and didnt match, they need to be on the ball tommorrow targeting those programs. or they can sulk and match into a malignant IM program when they didnt even want to do IM in the first place.

either way, Im just trying to help

 

[abecedarian]

Peppy, sorry to hear about your situation. You're right that it's tough to decide with such a short time frame but you've got to move forward.

If it's Psych or bust, then don't bother scrambling into Prelim - Surgery. If IM is ok but a distant second, consider a TY, or Prelim or Categorical IM with this caveat - seek a program that is supportive (read: not malignant) so that if you're in, you can try to match for a PGY-2 in psychiatry next year (or a PGY-1 at worst)

You've mentioned that geography is a major concern - perhaps focus your scramble efforts only on programs in the area, that way you'll perhaps have some info from your dean's office regarding the program culture. Another possibility is to see if your home program (IM) can open up a prelim spot for you, the devil you know and all that. I know my home program has done that in the past (and may have to again) at the very least because they don't want to look bad in match statistics.

One other possibility may be to defer your graduation in the event you don't match in the scramble, remain a 4th student and pick up a research position, then reapply this fall. You'll have the benefit of applying as a current student, rather than a graduate, and you can take additional electives to round out your transcript. I know at my school this is a possibility but I don't know whether they still charge you tuition or it is pro-rated? But something to look into.

If you decide to enter the scramble, check with your dean's office where, when and what kind of help they will provide you with, then check on SDN for additional help. If you're going to do this, do it smart and go all out.

I know you'll do whatever is right for you and I wish you the best of luck. 👍

 

[notdeadyet]

For those who did not match (and my sincere, sincere condolences), is there any possibility of taking a year to do research at your medical school to improve your chances for next cycle? Or is the thinking that this might not be enough?

Scrambling is understandable, but I just can't imagine going into a completely separate field if there was a chance to delay residency a year and possibly do better then. Maybe I'm naive.

 

[peppy]

I don't know if setting up a research year is an option for me. I go to a DO school (MSUCOM), so the program is more clinical than research oriented to begin with and I don't know what they would have set up for me. I am also not sure what effect a research year would have on paying back my loans. Does anyone know anything about that?
Thanks a lot to all of those who have offered ideas and advice.
For me, the most heartbreaking part of this is the effect it has had on my family. My mom keeps asking if there was a mistake, if there's someone we can call who might be able to change this outcome. 🙁

 

[BobA]

Yes, I do appreciate AR's advice here. You make a good point that a bad psych program might arguably be better than a bad IM program. I just wish I had more time to calmly think about my next step. My God, I can't believe my whole future is going to be decided like this. 🙁

It's not your whole future.

Besides, there are many PGY-2 spots open every year - you just have to find them.

Finally, not all IM spots open are crap. Duke had 10 spots in the scramble last year!! There are many non-malignant community programs out there that don't fill.

It's just one year and you are going to be fine.

 

[peppy]

Thanks for the pep talk BobA. It does help.
I have gotten some bites from some osteopathic FP and IM programs who are willing to take a look at me even though my application is blatantly all about psychiatry, so at least now I feel like I have some options. I know the FP PD already and know he would likely be good to work with, and the IM program has some fellowship ties, so either one would be a decent option. The scariest thing of all is the idea of not finding anything and being stuck trying to pay back loans with no job (my bachelor degree is in Psychology, so not the most marketable to begin with, and the economy in Michigan is the worst in the nation, so getting a job outside of medicine for a year wouldn't be very realistic).

 

[anesthesiarocks]

It's not your whole future.

Besides, there are many PGY-2 spots open every year - you just have to find them.
.

bzzzt....I swear you studentdoctor.neters(attendings and students alike) dont bother to actually look at the numbers.

There were 6 available "advanced" spots open this year..... Most probably filled with people who didn't even want to do psych a year ago but matched at good im/surgery/(insert program here) program as pgy-1's and said "I hate this, screw it, Im doing psych".........

Telling someone who wants to do psych to do a prelim med year because they have a good shot to get a psych spot next year as a pgy-2 is bs. It's a flat out lie. Yes, they have a near 100% shot(if they apply broadly) to get a spot as a categorical pgy-1, but there just arent even advanced slots available for pgy-2's who did a prelim med or whatever year. Can it happen? Sure......but the numbers suggest it won't.

 

[anesthesiarocks]

Thanks for the pep talk BobA. It does help.
I have gotten some bites from some osteopathic FP and IM programs who are willing to take a look at me even though my application is blatantly all about psychiatry, so at least now I feel like I have some options. I know the FP PD already and know he would likely be good to work with, and the IM program has some fellowship ties, so either one would be a decent option. The scariest thing of all is the idea of not finding anything and being stuck trying to pay back loans with no job (my bachelor degree is in Psychology, so not the most marketable to begin with, and the economy in Michigan is the worst in the nation, so getting a job outside of medicine for a year wouldn't be very realistic).

of course you have gotten "some bites" from some osteopathic FP and IM programs....there are 250 or so open slots and many would kill for a pgy-1 who doesn't have a felony record and has passed step2 at this point and doesnt have visa issues......they dont care whether you want to do psych, neurosurgery, im, fm, peds, radiology, etc........you're a warm body who is american and has no red flags..........sheeeesh.

Don't take the bait. Get that psych slot. They are out there....not as many as anyone thought, but it's still possible.

 

[anesthesiarocks]

For those who did not match (and my sincere, sincere condolences), is there any possibility of taking a year to do research at your medical school to improve your chances for next cycle? Or is the thinking that this might not be enough?
quote]

most of the people(assuming they are amg's who have passing board scores) who didnt match would match next year if they just applied very broadly.....

As I said before, I dont think the amg/img(or the board score averages) are going to be all that different this year. I think it's just a case of programs that typically dont fill a spot here and there ranking a ridiculously large number of people. A few of the people who didnt match in this forum would have probably gotten slots at those type of programs had they applied.....

 

[BobA]

bzzzt....I swear you studentdoctor.neters(attendings and students alike) dont bother to actually look at the numbers.

There were 6 available "advanced" spots open this year..... Most probably filled with people who didn't even want to do psych a year ago but matched at good im/surgery/(insert program here) program as pgy-1's and said "I hate this, screw it, Im doing psych".........

Telling someone who wants to do psych to do a prelim med year because they have a good shot to get a psych spot next year as a pgy-2 is bs. It's a flat out lie. Yes, they have a near 100% shot(if they apply broadly) to get a spot as a categorical pgy-1, but there just arent even advanced slots available for pgy-2's who did a prelim med or whatever year. Can it happen? Sure......but the numbers suggest it won't.

AR, I didn't mean to flatter you by assuming you understood that sometimes statistics don't tell the whole truth.

Many PGY-2 spots fill outside the match - and won't be in your stats table - you have to find them.

 

[Elfy]

one piece of advice- dont take an IM, ty spot, or fm spot with the intention of then trying to slide into a pgy-2 psych slot next year. probably wont happen, and you'll probably instead get a pgy-1 slot.

So unless you can actually tolerate a year of medicine(god I know I couldnt) or have absolutely no other skill set to make a semi-decent living over the next year, it's best to just do something non-medicine for a year and then apply *broadly* to enough low-tier psych programs to guarantee you match.

Because I sure as heck wouldnt want to be paid 42k or whatever to do a useless year of dreadful IM as an intern when I probably would have to start over as a pgy-1 in psych next year anyways....much better to just do something you can tolerate for a year and start as a pgy-1 in psych next year if you cant scramble into psych.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the PGY-1 year in psych programs pretty much consist of IM, except for a few weeks doing psych and neuro? I see how doing a transitional year as prelim could potentially hurt someone's chances of continuing into a psych program as a PGY-2, but a prelim year in IM?

 

[xlithiumx]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't the PGY-1 year in psych pretty much IM for the most part, except for a few weeks doing psych and neuro? I see how doing a transitional year as prelim could potentially hurt someone's chances of continuing into a psych program as a PGY-2, but IM?

You are forgiven because you are wrong. All of the programs at which I interviewed have 6 months of psych in the intern year, and then the other 6 months are split between IM/EM/Neuro. You would be 6 months short on psych and would likely have to extend your training if you do a TY or medicine prelim year.

 

[Elfy]

OK. Thanks. Back on track, so with a PGY-1 in IM you'd have to extend your training in psych for 6 mo IF you wanted to match into a PGY-2 spot in psych at most places. But if one offered to accept a PGY-1 spot in psych in next year's application cycle the issue wouldn't come up, correct?

PS - I am asking for myself as I plan to try for the first time in next year's application cycle (2010), not in order to fuel more controversy here.

 

[honsano]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the PGY-1 year in psych programs pretty much consist of IM, except for a few weeks doing psych and neuro? I see how doing a transitional year as prelim could potentially hurt someone's chances of continuing into a psych program as a PGY-2, but a prelim year in IM?

I don't want to say you're wrong, but of the 15 or so programs I have looked (mostly Illinois and Cali programs) at your first year is comprised of at most 4 months IM (inpatient) then like 2 mths mix of Neuro,Peds or EMED then 6 months Psych. Most programs actually have at least 2 months inpatient IM then a month IM outpatient, then the rest of that 6 mth period split between Peds, Neuro and EMED and then the 6 month block of psych seems to be pretty standard. At the very least you aren't basically an IM intern the whole time as you presumed.

To all who didnt' match, I'm really sorry to hear that. I'm only a 3rd year but if psych is really what you want to do then attack those 11 spots. They are left open for a reason. Try your hardest to scramble in and see what happens. I kind of agree with AR though that doing IM may be a bit more brutal than necessary. I dunno, I'm just a third year but best of luck with your decision. I sincerely hope you end up getting what you want.

 

[dianamd]

Whatever about requirements.

I know of two "top" programs in the northeast that will take IM interns as PGY2s. Not sure if they change some requirements down the road, eg. adding neuro into the PGY4 year, or what, but it happens.

 

[Doc Samson]

Whatever about requirements.

I know of two "top" programs in the northeast that will take IM interns as PGY2s. Not sure if they change some requirements down the road, eg. adding neuro into the PGY4 year, or what, but it happens.

Someone who does an IM or TY year can fairly easily transition into psych as a PGY-2 (yes, most of these positions are outside of the match so not in the stats). No, training needn't be prolonged, but you'll have to surrender almost all of your elective time to make up requirements that your colleagues would've covered in PGY-1. My advice is ABSOLUTELY scramble for an IM or TY spot and keep your ear to the ground for open PGY-2 spots next year (SDN can be helpful with that).

As for not matching being a mistake - I've known a handful of very talented students who failed to match because they did not correctly certify their match list.

 

[peppy]

My advice is ABSOLUTELY scramble for an IM or TY spot and keep your ear to the ground for open PGY-2 spots next year (SDN can be helpful with that).

Thanks a lot for your input. Do you think that it matters if it is an allopathic TY or an osteopathic TRI? The spots in my preferred location are all osteopathic.

 

[colleezfascia]

Whatever about requirements.

I know of two "top" programs in the northeast that will take IM interns as PGY2s. Not sure if they change some requirements down the road, eg. adding neuro into the PGY4 year, or what, but it happens.

For what it's worth, I also met 2 residents during interviews at 2 different Northeast programs who had transferred in as PGY-2's, one from Medicine and the other from Surgery!

 

[NJWxMan]

Peppy,

I suggest calling all of the osteopathic psychiatry programs, especially Millcreek/LECOM. In the past, they had a tough time filling. It's still considered the Northeast. Also, I suggest calling as many DO Internship programs tomorrow prior to contacting the allopathic scrambles. The DO internship will likely NOT be malignant and could ultimately prepare you for the OPGY-2 spot. DO NOT slight the osteopathic programs at this point; they may be your best hope.

 

[sunlioness]

If IM is ok but a distant second, consider a TY, or Prelim or Categorical IM

I would think carefully before doing categorical IM. That locks your government funding in at three year's worth no matter what residency you end up completing. Any psych program who takes someone from a categorical IM program does so knowing that they're going to have to pay that resident's salary their PGY-4 year with no help from the feds.

 

[sunlioness]

You are forgiven because you are wrong. All of the programs at which I interviewed have 6 months of psych in the intern year, and then the other 6 months are split between IM/EM/Neuro. You would be 6 months short on psych and would likely have to extend your training if you do a TY or medicine prelim year.

I did it. Not intentionally . . . I matched into a categorical medicine program and then decided I hated it. What happened is I lost pretty much all of my elective time PGY-4. My "electives" on my transcript ended up being all my intern year stuff . . . the MICU elective, the CCU elective, the GI service elective . . . 🙄

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Thanks a lot for your input. Do you think that it matters if it is an allopathic TY or an osteopathic TRI? The spots in my preferred location are all osteopathic.

From what you've said before, location is very important to you--and I'm guessing your desire to be there will make you more attractive to a potential program. If your ultimate desire is clinical practice (either psych or IM/FP), it's not going to hurt you (especially in your geographic area) to stay osteopathic.

 

[futuredo32]

Sorry to those who didn't match. I didn't match either. 🙁

For Peppy, depending on your geographic restrictions, like someone else said earlier, maybe one of the osteo psych programs would still have an opening? If you do opt to go the FP or IM route, Mt.Clemens Regional Medical Center had openings for both after the DO match. I briefly considered FP and the PD there was really understanding about my interest in both fields. The FP PD at Mt.Clemens is absolutely awesome as are the residents. I don't really know the IM people there too much, but the hospital overall is such a friendly and great place to work, so maybe that'd be an option for you if you choose this route and your other hospital doesn't work out?

I was prepared not to match this year and I asked in advance if MSU will help with the match next year (they will), so that helps a teeny bit. You can get a forebearance or deferment on your student loans if you end up sitting out this year as long as you haven't maxed out your student loans that weren't inschool deferment types.

I'm hoping that this year was just a fluke in terms of competitiveness and not a sign of how things will be next year. 🙁🙁🙁🙁

 

[cleareyedguy]

Sheesh. Lots of irritability on this thread.

I'm surprised by there only being 11 slots. This seems way lower than usual.

If I were you, I'd try to get one of those 11 slots. if none is a geographic and personal fit, then I'd aim for an IM slot. It might be tough if your application screams psychiatry; in that case, I'd be honest and tell them that you were debating between psych and medicine and are now v interested in medicine training. If asked, I'd unapologetically say that you might reapply for psych but that your intention is to really unpack your bags in a medicine program--if you like it will probably stick it out, but even if you don't, you're geared up to learn a lot of medicine. ie, the training director is also worried--unfilled spots hurt his/her rep, and s/he is now having to work with an applicant s/he hasn't had a chance to see in person, so your job is to reassure with your maturity, resilience, and enthusiasm.

Oh, and if you do a medicine or transitional year, there will be quite a few pgy 2 slots. There always are, and they are generally outside the match.

As for research, that's only helpful if programs didn't take you b/c of a lack of research. If there were clinical or interviewing red flags, research won't help, and it also won't help if you hate the idea of research. There's also no match for reserrch, so you'd have to figure out something on your own, and that's no guarantee. On the other hand, it could have been bad luck, and a year of research would give you more free time to be with family and a chance to apply more broadly and in a year that is less packed wth applicants. Nevertheless, unless I had a passion for research (or a desire to get an MPH), I'd aim for an internship.

Good luck with it.

 

[peppy]

I appreciate the tip about Mt Clemens, futuredo32. Have you decided what your game plan is going to be yet?

 

[futuredo32]

I appreciate the tip about Mt Clemens, futuredo32. Have you decided what your game plan is going to be yet?

Like you, I have a unique situation also. I have a totally awesome Grandma who is going to be 93 in April. She broke both of her hips since I started med school and has some dementia and needs someone with her 24/7. I have family members who help me to take care of her and I use some of my student loans to hire home health aides when I'm doing a rotation and my relatives can't help, but I need to be living in the area to help take care of her. So, moving out of the area isn't an option for me. I have had past deferments and forebearances and reconsolidated my loans and I'm trying to figure out if I can get another forebearance. The FAFSA people weren't too helpful. Being that my Grandma isn't getting any younger or healthier, if I can sit out the year without defaulting on my loans, that's what I'm going to do. I would have gladly started a PGY-1 year in a psych residency, but I don't think I want to sacrifice any precious time that I could have with my Grandma to do an intern year. If I don't have any time left on my deferments or forebearances, I guess I'll do an intern year and hope for better luck next year? 😕

I know that I don't want to do FP(don't like OB and don't really enjoy physically ill kids). I like IM, but like FP, it's just too broad for me and I just like psych so much better. There was no close second choice for me. If there were, I would go for the second choice. Not matching just sucks and I didn't match twice this year (once in the DO match and once in the MD match). I don't want to not match again, but there's really nothing else I like that much.

I had heard kinda early that a lot of people from MSUCOM were applying for psych this year. I've only heard of one person from MSUCOM interested in psych for next year. Have you heard anything?