Applying to two different specialties for residency?

[Pewl]

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I've always wondered, when you apply to residencies do you only apply to one specialty? What if there is a location that is more important to you than the actual residency itself? Can you apply to one residency in one particular area, and a different type of residency elsewhere.

Lemme give you an example:
I'm very close with the radiation oncology department at ucla because I spent most of my time there in grad school. I would love to go there. I'm interested in oncology in general and radiation oncology is right up my alley after grad school, but if I don't get into one of my top choices for rad onc residency is it ok to apply to say... internal medicine residencies at the same time (with the hope of doing a medical oncology fellowship later on?)

 

[lord_jeebus]

You can do that.

I don't think it would be uncommon for someone applying to RadOnc to simultaneously apply to IM. It would be uncommon for someone to rank IM spots above RadOnc spots based on location.

 

[Pewl]

Can the places that I apply to for residency also see the other places that I'm applying to? I don't want one place to think "oh, he's applying to so many different areas so he must not be passionate about the ones he's applying to!"

Also, what are the chances of getting "stuck" as a general internist? How hard is it to get an oncology fellowship?

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Can the places that I apply to for residency also see the other places that I'm applying to? I don't want one place to think "oh, he's applying to so many different areas so he must not be passionate about the ones he's applying to!"

Also, what are the chances of getting "stuck" as a general internist? How hard is it to get an oncology fellowship?

Programs can't see your rank list. The only (unlikely) possibility is that word could get out on the "interview trail" that you were applying to two different specialties, but in something competitive like RadOnc I can't see how anyone would be suprised by that...

I think it's fairly common for people who apply to really competitive things to interview at/rank programs in other specialties. I know this happens in things like Plastics (applicant might rank 5 plastics programs and then 5 gen surg) and I imagine it's common in other fields.

 

[Blade28]

You can apply to as many different fields as you want. No one gets to see which programs you apply to. No one gets to see your rank list.

During interviews, many attendings WILL ask where else you've interviewed, however.

 

[AmoryBlaine]

You can apply to as many different fields as you want. No one gets to see which programs you apply to. No one gets to see your rank list.

During interviews, many attendings WILL ask where else you've interviewed, however.

Definitely true, although I would think that applying for more than 2 specialties would be almost unheard of. Match Day is supposed to be more about WHERE you're going rather than what sort of doc you're going to be....

 

[Pewl]

Definitely true, although I would think that applying for more than 2 specialties would be almost unheard of. Match Day is supposed to be more about WHERE you're going rather than what sort of doc you're going to be....

Two specialties is more than enough. I like onc in general, rad onc would be cool but medical onc would be sweet too. How tough is it to get an onc fellowship?

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Two specialties is more than enough. I like onc in general, rad onc would be cool but medical onc would be sweet too. How tough is it to get an onc fellowship?

Not really sure. I get the sense that most subspecialties of Medicine are pretty competetive. I also get the sense that people who want to do stuff usually get a spot (much like the Match).

 

[velo]

Yeah the biggest way to get into trouble there is if you're applying to two different programs at the same location. Then I think, if it comes up, you should be up front with them. Competitive specialties won't hold it against you, they understand that a lot of people do that.

What you don't want is to interview in IM one day, and then a few weeks later get seen by your IM interviewer walking down the hallway in your interview suit with the RadOnc guys, "Hey....what are you doing here?"

AWKward....

 

[Pewl]

Yeah the biggest way to get into trouble there is if you're applying to two different programs at the same location. Then I think, if it comes up, you should be up front with them. Competitive specialties won't hold it against you, they understand that a lot of people do that.

What you don't want is to interview in IM one day, and then a few weeks later get seen by your IM interviewer walking down the hallway in your interview suit with the RadOnc guys, "Hey....what are you doing here?"

AWKward....

Well, what if location is important to you though? I could see myself applying to IM and rad onc at one place. Would it really be that bad? =P

 

[Blade28]

Definitely true, although I would think that applying for more than 2 specialties would be almost unheard of. Match Day is supposed to be more about WHERE you're going rather than what sort of doc you're going to be....

Well, sometimes people apply to different intern years as a prelim, because they have a PGY-2 spot...e.g. prelim medicine, prelim surg, transitional year. Then some people also apply to IM as a backup for things like rads, gas, etc.

 

[deuist]

Two specialties is more than enough. I like onc in general, rad onc would be cool but medical onc would be sweet too. How tough is it to get an onc fellowship?

I could not find any detailed information from Careers in Medicine. The AAMC only states that there are 19 programs across the country for oncology.

 

[Pewl]

I could not find any detailed information from Careers in Medicine. The AAMC only states that there are 19 programs across the country for oncology.

Wow only 19 programs in the US for oncology? Could you list some of them?

 

[Pewl]

hmm

 

[pratik7]

I hear that while it is possible and has been done...it is very exhausting and difficult. You have to write 2 personal statements...fill out 2 applications and most importantly schedule 2 sets of interviews.

 

[Miami_med]

Wow only 19 programs in the US for oncology? Could you list some of them?

General Oncologists are not as common as Hematologist/Oncologists. There are over 120 of the combined programs. Look at Freida. There are atleast 3 in So. Cal.

 

[Sammich81]

What about applying to a surgical specialty and anesthesia? Anyone have any thoughts/experience with that?

I'm in the same boat...location is key for me.

 

[Pewl]

What's the main difference between general oncology and hematology/oncology? Which one is more specialized? Rather, which one is more competitive?

 

[Miami_med]

What's the main difference between general oncology and hematology/oncology? Which one is more specialized? Rather, which one is more competitive?

These are two seperate boards. So, there are some hematologists, some oncologists, and some hematologist/oncologists. A hematologist oncologist is "specialized" in both. Therefore, a hematologist/oncologist can practice either hematology or oncology or a combination of the two (Most common). If you double board (And there are more programs to double board from), you can definitely practice as a medical oncologist.

All of that being said, wait until you have some med school under your belt before you commit. I did oncology research in undergrad. I wanted to be an oncologist when I started school, and less than one semester had me turned 180 degrees to Emergency Medicine. I don't have enough patience to be an oncologist. Keep an open mind.

 

[Pewl]

These are two seperate boards. So, there are some hematologists, some oncologists, and some hematologist/oncologists. A hematologist oncologist is "specialized" in both. Therefore, a hematologist/oncologist can practice either hematology or oncology or a combination of the two (Most common). If you double board (And there are more programs to double board from), you can definitely practice as a medical oncologist.

All of that being said, wait until you have some med school under your belt before you commit. I did oncology research in undergrad. I wanted to be an oncologist when I started school, and less than one semester had me turned 180 degrees to Emergency Medicine. I don't have enough patience to be an oncologist. Keep an open mind.

Intriguing. Does anyone ever 'double-board' rad onc and med onc? =P

 

[sdnetrocks]

Intriguing. Does anyone ever 'double-board' rad onc and med onc? =P

Wait, you're forgetting peds onc, surg onc, and gyn onc...

 

[Pewl]

Wait, you're forgetting peds onc, surg onc, and gyn onc...

So do you double-board those too?

 

[vtucci]

What about applying to a surgical specialty and anesthesia? Anyone have any thoughts/experience with that?

I'm in the same boat...location is key for me.

Usually you apply for general surgery and then do a fellowship for the specialties. There are exceptions to this like plastics.

It is definitely doable but as other posters have suggested-- be upfront if location is key. Also, work you butt off from day 1 of medical school and make connections in these programs if at all possible. I have heard of people applying for surgery and emergency medicine (wanting trauma surg following general).

 

[Pewl]

Are people able to reapply to a residency during their internship year if they didn't get into it when they first matched during 4th year?

 

[mojojojo]

Wait, you're forgetting peds onc, surg onc, and gyn onc...

These are all fellowships you do after the respective residencies. You don't apply for them directly out of med school.

I just met a gyn onc. It's a 3 year fellowship after the 4 year gyn residency. Very surgically focused.

 

[Miami_med]

Intriguing. Does anyone ever 'double-board' rad onc and med onc? =P

You'd have to be nuts. There are no combined programs (They do totally different things), so that would be 5 years of Rad Onc, 3 years of IM, and atleast 2 years of oncology. You'd be dead before you started practice. Hematology/Oncology are both medical specialties. There is a lot of overlap in conditions and treatment. A radiation oncologist is essentially an extremely well read technician. The Rad Onc guy usues radiation to kill cancer cells. The med onc guy uses chemo, infusions, etc... They often work together, but they are basically never the same guy.

 

[njbmd]

Are people able to reapply to a residency during their internship year if they didn't get into it when they first matched during 4th year?

Hi there,
If you matched into a preliminary year (medicine, surgery, transitional) and did not match into a PGY-2 position, then you could go back into the match (do another Prelim PGY-1 year and the PGY-2) or attempt to find a PGY-2 position outside of the match (does happen but rare).

When you apply to most anesthesia programs, Rad-Onc programs, Dermatology, Optho, Neurosurgery, ENT, Orthopedic Surgery, Neurology and Radiology, you actually apply to the PGY-2 position and the preliminary PGY-1 position.

If you matched into a categorical positon (meaning that once you start residency, you are expected to finish residency there), you might have some problems if you went to your PD and said that you wanted to go back into the Match because you didn't get into your first choice.

Bottom line: Don't apply to categorical positions (medicine or surgery) if you are not interested in completing the residency. If you are unsure of what you want, then a non-designated preliminary position (medicine or surgery) might make sense so that you can make up your mind. Do realize that you will have to repeat your PGY-1 year if you enter the match (as a preliminary PGY-1) and match in a catergorical residency. 😱

Try to do some elective early in your fourth year in specialties that you want to explore if you are undecided.

njbmd 🙂

 

[Pewl]

Hi there,
If you matched into a preliminary year (medicine, surgery, transitional) and did not match into a PGY-2 position, then you could go back into the match (do another Prelim PGY-1 year and the PGY-2) or attempt to find a PGY-2 position outside of the match (does happen but rare).

When you apply to most anesthesia programs, Rad-Onc programs, Dermatology, Optho, Neurosurgery, ENT, Orthopedic Surgery, Neurology and Radiology, you actually apply to the PGY-2 position and the preliminary PGY-1 position.

If you matched into a categorical positon (meaning that once you start residency, you are expected to finish residency there), you might have some problems if you went to your PD and said that you wanted to go back into the Match because you didn't get into your first choice.

Bottom line: Don't apply to categorical positions (medicine or surgery) if you are not interested in completing the residency. If you are unsure of what you want, then a non-designated preliminary position (medicine or surgery) might make sense so that you can make up your mind. Do realize that you will have to repeat your PGY-1 year if you enter the match (as a preliminary PGY-1) and match in a catergorical residency. 😱

Try to do some elective early in your fourth year in specialties that you want to explore if you are undecided.

njbmd 🙂

I would never dream of like matching into a surgery or rad onc residency and opting out. What I was thinking about was more along the lines of... say I didn't get into anesthesia or rad onc and I really wanted to. Can you like apply to internal medicine for PGY-1 and then apply for anesthesia or rad onc again while you're doing your internal med PGY-1? If you did that and got in would you have to do PGY-1 all over again or can you start PGY-2 (the residency) right away?