Any IMGs successfully switch specialties while in PGY-1?

[manisyk]

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Hello!

I am an IMG and I just matched into a residency. The program is really nice and the people are amazing, however I'm having second thoughts about the nature of the work. Although I feel i may be good at it, I am now starting to feel I won't be comfortable doing it for the rest of my career.

I was wondering if any IMG's had switched in the past, and advice would be wonderful.

Till now, what i've gathered is : 1) Start my intern year with an extremely positive attitude
2) If i still feel the same way in a few months time, in September have an honest and transparent talk with my PD about the switch.
3) Get an LOR from the PD, apply through NRMP again.
4) Complete my intern year, giving most interviews in Nov/Dec
5) Do no sign the contract for the second year.

I'm a strong candidate (at least that's what people tell me?) and am slightly confident that I will get a few calls atleast. I know this is an extremely drastic train of thought, but I certainly can't be the first, right?

 

[Law2Doc]

Kind of depends what you mean by IMG ( a top grad from England or Germany vs an island or smaller nation grad). But I suspect you are looking at things wrong. Most IMGs won't get US residencies. Best to play out the hand rather than risk being the guy who killed the bird in the hand. Once you are boarded in something you can change course without risk. US grads can jump ship and land on their feet. IMGs who jump ship often end up in a bad situation.

 

[manisyk]

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I'm looking for ANYone who's been in a similar situation.

 

[Law2Doc]

What part of the globe did you do med school in? A US IMG is not something going for you for matching in most cases...

 

[manisyk]

South Asia.

 

[Law2Doc]

South Asia.

Stay put.

 

[Winged Scapula]

South Asia.

So that means India or Pakistan.

IMHO the only two "prestigious" medical schools there are AIIMS and Aga Khan, at least in terms of common US faculty perception. Even then, you are 2 (soon to be 3 years) out from graduation and a US citizen who traveled abroad for their medical education (as opposed to a native South Asian who trained in their own home country) and possibly with a medication education from a school that few in the US are very familiar (if at all) with. The US tends to be egocentric; there are very few medical institutions outside of our country that physicians have heard of.

The question becomes: would you be so miserable in your new residency specialty that you would prefer being unemployed over finishing it? If the answer is yes, then feel free to look around. Otherwise, as others have said you are in the best position right now to complete residency and work as a physician in the US.

Yes, others have done it but what you may have failed to realize is that those doors are rapidly closing; there are lots more US graduates filling the pipes who may seem to be a better option for residency than you, especially if you quit this one. Why would another program take a chance on you?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

There's no easy, right answer.

Your plan above is fine. Go into your internship with an open mind, see what happens. If you're really unhappy, then consider the match again next year.

You haven't mentioned what field you've matched into, nor what you're considering. Advice would be influenced knowing this.

One problem you run into with your plan is that the match is mid March, and your program will likely want to refill your position long before then. So, if you apply in the match and get some interviews, you'll need to decide whether to go for the match and give up your spot, or give up the match and keep your spot. There is some chance you could give up your spot and then not match -- that would be a mess.

 

[psych72]

There's no easy, right answer.

Your plan above is fine. Go into your internship with an open mind, see what happens. If you're really unhappy, then consider the match again next year.

You haven't mentioned what field you've matched into, nor what you're considering. Advice would be influenced knowing this.

One problem you run into with your plan is that the match is mid March, and your program will likely want to refill your position long before then. So, if you apply in the match and get some interviews, you'll need to decide whether to go for the match and give up your spot, or give up the match and keep your spot. There is some chance you could give up your spot and then not match -- that would be a mess.

Regarding entering the match while in intern year, do you think OP will get time to go to interviews, etc.? When you're an intern vacation time is limited (like in my program, I can only take it in 1 week blocks).

 

[manisyk]

I'm sure we get 2 weeks of vacation time, which I've scheduled in the winter.

 

[LOTR]

what field are you trying to switch into? is it competitive?

 

[manisyk]

Trying from FM to IM