Applying to residency again years later

[justanotherrandom]

I completed pgy1 (and half of pgy2) in a categorical residency several years ago and will be applying again in 2026 (different field).

Am I only capable of applying to R positions? Or can I also apply to PGY 1 and PGY 2 positions where available?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[gutonc]

You can apply to whatever you want. What PGY2s or advanced programs you can apply to will depend on what your intern year was in. It would be helpful to know what you did, what your plans are and what happened in the middle there to be able to better counsel you.

 

[justanotherrandom]

It was in a surgical subspecialty. Any more info and I may be identifying myself. Sorry to be so vague.

 

[LucidSplash]

Are you planning to reapply to the same sub-specialty or to a different sub or to Gen Surg or to a non-surgical specialty? That will also determine what you can apply to.

 

[justanotherrandom]

Are you planning to reapply to the same sub-specialty or to a different sub or to Gen Surg or to a non-surgical specialty? That will also determine what you can apply to.

Non-surgical specialty of any kind.

So I may have limitations on what R and Pgy2 positions I apply to based on my intern year specialty?

If I apply to pgy1 categorical, can it be any specialty without said limitation?

 

[Apollyon]

It was in a surgical subspecialty. Any more info and I may be identifying myself. Sorry to be so vague.

Oh ok?

 

[LucidSplash]

Non-surgical specialty of any kind.

So I may have limitations on what R and Pgy2 positions I apply to based on my intern year specialty?

If I apply to pgy1 categorical, can it be any specialty without said limitation?

IM, FM, EM will not accept a surgery PGY1 if applying for a PGY2 position. I think in the past some 4-year EM programs would on a case by case basis but unsure if that is still the case. There is a proposed change for all EM programs to be 4-year programs starting with the incoming residents in July 2027, but that is proposed not final. Unsure it passed if that would make a difference.

Anesthesia will accept surgery intern year. Psych will not. Not sure about OccMed.

Some of this depends on what surgical subspecialty.

You should be able to apply to any PGY1 position. However chances of getting any interviews with a long gap is going to depend heavily on the backstory here and even if it’s a great story it’s still going to be an uphill road. Can you at least tell us if this is more than 7 year gap? More than 5? Did you take all your steps?

 

[Starbuxian]

My understanding is that you would apply and enter PGY-1 in a different specialty.

If a related specialty to your previous one, you may be able to garner some credit but that would depend on the specialty, the program and the PD.
You likely would not be eligible to start as PGY-2 in a different specialty since your rotations largely may not overlap with those specialties.

Also bear in mind that you would only have the remaining ACGME funding (i.e. if your original specialty was 5 years' residency, you would have 3.5 years of funding left as you already used up 1.5 years). The program may be able to obtain funding if needed but this would depend upon the program leadership committee.

 

[justanotherrandom]

IM, FM, EM will not accept a surgery PGY1 if applying for a PGY2 position. I think in the past some 4-year EM programs would on a case by case basis but unsure if that is still the case. There is a proposed change for all EM programs to be 4-year programs starting with the incoming residents in July 2027, but that is proposed not final. Unsure it passed if that would make a difference.

Anesthesia will accept surgery intern year. Psych will not. Not sure about OccMed.

Some of this depends on what surgical subspecialty.

You should be able to apply to any PGY1 position. However chances of getting any interviews with a long gap is going to depend heavily on the backstory here and even if it’s a great story it’s still going to be an uphill road. Can you at least tell us if this is more than 7 year gap? More than 5? Did you take all your steps?

This is very helpful. Thank you!

I left residency in the middle of 2022.

Finished all USMLE.

 

[gutonc]

Non-surgical specialty of any kind.

So I may have limitations on what R and Pgy2 positions I apply to based on my intern year specialty?

If I apply to pgy1 categorical, can it be any specialty without said limitation?

You can go into many of the advanced non-surgical specialties with your surgery intern year (anesthesia, rads, PMR, rad onc, maybe derm), but not neuro.

You will get no credit for your surgery time in anything else (IM, FM, Peds, Psych, OB, path, EM) and will apply as an R1.

 

[justanotherrandom]

You can go into many of the advanced non-surgical specialties with your surgery intern year (anesthesia, rads, PMR, rad onc, maybe derm), but not neuro.

You will get no credit for your surgery time in anything else (IM, FM, Peds, Psych, OB, path, EM) and will apply as an R1.

Thank you!

Assuming a program and speciality has pgy1, pgy2, and/or R spots, is there any reason not to apply to them all (PGY1, pgy2, and R)? Aside from losing credit for my intern year but to maximize match potential.

Or is it bad form to shotgun and more advisable focus on the R and pgy2 slots.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Although you might qualify for some credit based on your prior training, some programs may be concerned about the (relatively) long gap and loss of skills. In addition, if you do start as a PGY-2, programs will expect you to perform at the PGY-2 level right out of the gate. Sometimes in a case like this it's safest to start again as a PGY-1 to build up your skill set.

Almost any program is going to want to know what happened to interrupt your training, and will want a letter from your prior PD/program explaining the circumstances. I understand your hesitancy in posting publically about it, but it's difficult to advise you with the vague details. Since you started in a surgical sub, we can assume you had a competitive initial residency application -- so that's a good thing. Much now depends upon the nature of how your training came to an end.

We do have a confidential forum here -- you could post there, exposure is much more limited to experts only, and nothing would ever be public.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Thank you!

Assuming a program and speciality has pgy1, pgy2, and/or R spots, is there any reason not to apply to them all (PGY1, pgy2, and R)? Aside from losing credit for my Intern year but to maximize match potential.

Or is it bad form to shotgun like that and more advisable to instead focus on the R and pgy2 slots.

In general, you can apply for all and the program will decide what they want to consider you for.