applying to IM and EM at same residency program? how will that look?

[spacemanspiff]

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Hey guys,

I'm straddling between going into EM and IM and I do not want to do a combined specialty. How will this look if I'm applying to the same programs but under EM and IM? Will this be conveyed as having a lesser degree of interest to the PDs, especially when I'm applying to both at the same location? Location is important to me b/c I am trying to move back to SoCal. Thanks!

 

[iatrosB]

Hey guys,

I'm straddling between going into EM and IM and I do not want to do a combined specialty. How will this look if I'm applying to the same programs but under EM and IM? Will this be conveyed as having a lesser degree of interest to the PDs, especially when I'm applying to both at the same location? Location is important to me b/c I am trying to move back to SoCal. Thanks!

You can't decide? They are very different fields. I fear you will be un-happy in one of them if you really liked the other one. Good luck

 

[kungfufishing]

I posted on the EM forum too, but as I posted over there I completely agree with the above. Pick the one you like. Aside from that, were I faculty in either specialty I would question your interest.

 

[tkim]

Hey guys,

I'm straddling between going into EM and IM and I do not want to do a combined specialty. How will this look if I'm applying to the same programs but under EM and IM? Will this be conveyed as having a lesser degree of interest to the PDs, especially when I'm applying to both at the same location? Location is important to me b/c I am trying to move back to SoCal. Thanks!

If the PD's of both programs talk to each other, you are screwed.

 

[CJamblooze]

Hey guys,

I'm straddling between going into EM and IM and I do not want to do a combined specialty. How will this look if I'm applying to the same programs but under EM and IM? Will this be conveyed as having a lesser degree of interest to the PDs, especially when I'm applying to both at the same location? Location is important to me b/c I am trying to move back to SoCal. Thanks!

Word. I would DEFINITELY decide before you apply. There are a handful of EM/IM combined programs. Otherwise, you will be shooting yourself in the foot by applying to both!

 

[reallyanon]

I would say that you shouldn't apply to the same programs. But when you think about great EM programs and great IM programs, the lists might not overlap much. In california, it seems like Highland and Harbor are the real EM big dogs while you could apply to stanford, ucla, usc, cedars, ucsf, etc. I think if possible you should avoid applying to the same hospital but people do this all the time that are applying in competitive surgical fields like urology (who also apply in GS). Why not apply to all the medicine programs that don't have attached EM programs you want to go to and just take it from there? I also highly doubt that the programs talk. I double applied in two different fields went through the pain and the expense of getting 2XLOR, personal statements, etc. I then scheduled my interviews in a way that would allow me to go on both but after going on a couple of interviews in both fields, the choice was clear and I withdrew from one. this is NOT the recommended approach, but that being said I got a ton of overlaping interviews and as far as I can tell, no one is the wiser. I bet the choice will become clear somewhere in the process before feb 21st when you have to submit your rank list. don't rush yourself into a choice and get a good advisor that really supports your career goals rather than pushing you into one field or another. I know of two people that have switched in these two fields after starting residency again not recommended but possible

 

[ntmed]

How will this look if I'm applying to the same programs but under EM and IM?

When I applied to residency, I also considered EM and IM. And I also interviewed for EM and IM residencies at the same programs.

At those programs with both residencies, I was upfront with the PDs as to my interest in both areas. (For programs with only one or the other residency, I said nothing.) As a result, I don't think I received any discrimintation. In then end, I opted for IM and ranked those programs higher in the match.

Of course, the best option is to decide on a single residency. But not all of us can do this until late in the process. If you can't either, it might help to be honest. Talk to a trusted advisor at your medical school. They should be able to help you with this.