Applying to Multiple Specialties in Same Area/Hospital?

[backsideattack1]

Because this is not a typical occurrence and not many people have asked about this in the past, I wanted to see what people think, preferably from current residents/fellows/attendings. I was recently accepted to the same schools as my fiancee and ultimately, our goal is to also stay together during residency/fellowship/life if this is possible. I have my own specific ambitions, but at the end of the day, I think it would make it easier on us to be as close as possible. Is it taboo to apply to different specialties at the same location or hospital? I obviously do not know what I want to specialize in, but I prefer medical oncology, so therefore IM, at the moment (I know this is difficult for DOs to get into, but that's a separate story) because I spent a great deal of time observing it and a summer long internship at MSKCC. Anyway, is it looked down upon to apply based on location?

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[darklabel]

Because this is not a typical occurrence and not many people have asked about this in the past, I wanted to see what people think, preferably from current residents/fellows/attendings. I was recently accepted to the same schools as my fiancee and ultimately, our goal is to also stay together during residency/fellowship/life if this is possible. I have my own specific ambitions, but at the end of the day, I think it would make it easier on us to be as close as possible. Is it taboo to apply to different specialties at the same location or hospital? I obviously do not know what I want to specialize in, but I prefer medical oncology, so therefore IM, at the moment (I know this is difficult for DOs to get into, but that's a separate story) because I spent a great deal of time observing it and a summer long internship at MSKCC. Anyway, is it looked down upon to apply based on location?

Who told you IM was difficult for DOs?

 

[backsideattack1]

Who told you IM was difficult for DOs?

Not IM, heme/onc. I was just painting a picture for where I wanted to go and why. I would apply IM for residency and then heme/onc later, but all of this based on location and IM would even change if necessary to be in the right location. I obviously do not know exactly what I want to specialize in since I have not gone through rotations and I do not want to be the typical pre-med that states what they want before the first day of medical school.

 

[darklabel]

Not IM, heme/onc

Ahh, well I don't know much about subspecialties as I am a Pre-Med also

I am interested in applying to multiple Residencies also (such as FM and IM) in case you don't match to your #1 but don't want to be left unmatched....

 

[backsideattack1]

Ahh, well I don't know much about subspecialties as I am a Pre-Med also

I am interested in applying to multiple Residencies also (such as FM and IM) in case you don't match to your #1 but don't want to be left unmatched....

Right, so I am wondering if doing this is considered taboo

 

[DrWily]

Right, so I am wondering if doing this is considered taboo

Just backend hearsay from me, but yes. If the PDs found out you were applying to two different specialties in the same hospital, they would probably blacklist you from both.

 

[backsideattack1]

Just backend hearsay from me, but yes. If the PDs found out you were applying to two different specialties in the same hospital, they would probably blacklist you from both.

What about simply applying to different specialties?

 

[Instatewaiter]

Because this is not a typical occurrence and not many people have asked about this in the past, I wanted to see what people think, preferably from current residents/fellows/attendings. I was recently accepted to the same schools as my fiancee and ultimately, our goal is to also stay together during residency/fellowship/life if this is possible. I have my own specific ambitions, but at the end of the day, I think it would make it easier on us to be as close as possible. Is it taboo to apply to different specialties at the same location or hospital? I obviously do not know what I want to specialize in, but I prefer medical oncology, so therefore IM, at the moment (I know this is difficult for DOs to get into, but that's a separate story) because I spent a great deal of time observing it and a summer long internship at MSKCC. Anyway, is it looked down upon to apply based on location?

IM is not terribly competitive. If you are a solid applicant, a mid-tier academic program is within reach. Heme-onc is a competitive fellowship but if you do well in residency and again go to a relatively strong program, you should be just fine with getting a fellowship.

For the match, you and your significant other will do the couples match where you all interview and make your rank list so that you all match together (at least in the same city/geographic area). So apply to places with a lot of hospitals (phili, DC, chicago, etc)

Just backend hearsay from me, but yes. If the PDs found out you were applying to two different specialties in the same hospital, they would probably blacklist you from both.

I don't think you'd get black listed but it does raise suspicion that you don't really want to enter that specialty. No one likes to be second fiddle.

 

[backsideattack1]

IM is not terribly competitive. If you are a solid applicant, a mid-tier academic program is within reach. Heme-onc is a competitive fellowship but if you do well in residency and again go to a relatively strong program, you should be just fine with getting a fellowship.

For the match, you and your significant other will do the couples match where you all interview and make your rank list so that you all match together (at least in the same city/geographic area). So apply to places with a lot of hospitals (phili, DC, chicago, etc)

Thanks, I am assuming there is no such thing as an actual couples match, just simply multiple applications to locations with a high density of hospitals within a small distance. I know that there are plenty of DO friendly hospitals where I want to be, but the majority of hospitals are also very well known top-tier programs so that will be somewhat difficult. Thank you for the response though.

 

[cliquesh]

Thanks, I am assuming there is no such thing as an actual couples match, just simply multiple applications to locations with a high density of hospitals within a small distance. I know that there are plenty of DO friendly hospitals where I want to be, but the majority of hospitals are also very well known top-tier programs so that will be somewhat difficult. Thank you for the response though.

There's a couples match. You can read about here http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/special_part/us_seniors/couples.html

 

[Mehd School]

Came to post about couple's match, but cliquesh beat me to it. Your situation isn't unique, and the couple's match has been around for a long while.

I'm hoping to be in the same position as you next year. Congrats.

 

[HalfListic]

IM is not terribly competitive. If you are a solid applicant, a mid-tier academic program is within reach. Heme-onc is a competitive fellowship but if you do well in residency and again go to a relatively strong program, you should be just fine with getting a fellowship.

For the match, you and your significant other will do the couples match where you all interview and make your rank list so that you all match together (at least in the same city/geographic area). So apply to places with a lot of hospitals (phili, DC, chicago, etc)



I don't think you'd get black listed but it does raise suspicion that you don't really want to enter that specialty. No one likes to be second fiddle.

great info, thanks

Came to post about couple's match, but cliquesh beat me to it. Your situation isn't unique, and the couple's match has been around for a long while.

I'm hoping to be in the same position as you next year. Congrats.

well then, good luck to you, sir!

 

[group_theory]

You might not be blacklisted for applying to multiple programs but your spot on the rank list will be lower if the programs found out (compare to where you would normally be on the rank list if you didn't apply to multiple programs)

I've seen this during rank list meetings where we discuss candidates and where they should rank (and when we found out that the applicant has applied to another residency program at our institution, or another type of residency at another institution, we usually move the applicant down our list, and on a few occasions, decided not to rank that applicant)

 

[backsideattack1]

You might not be blacklisted for applying to multiple programs but your spot on the rank list will be lower if the programs found out (compare to where you would normally be on the rank list if you didn't apply to multiple programs)

I've seen this during rank list meetings where we discuss candidates and where they should rank (and when we found out that the applicant has applied to another residency program at our institution, or another type of residency at another institution, we usually move the applicant down our list, and on a few occasions, decided not to rank that applicant)

thanks for the response. I don't think I will apply for a different specialty since IM is common and fair, in terms of competition. I just wanted to see where I stand in regards to applying based on location and that couples match is a significant help, I never imagined there would be something like that.