Army Transitional Year- Now what?

[HPSPregret1000]

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Some questions
1) Are transitional years viewed as more competitive or less competitive when they re-apply for residency? Assuming step 3 is done and similar to step 1 and 2, no additional research done, just performance as an intern on top of what was available when they first evaluated you the first time around.

2) Are all residencies still available for re-application?

3) Are there spots at the PGY2 level in some of the programs (derm, optho, anesth, rads, etc) that aren't already taken by preselects? How many usually? Know of anyone who matched this way?

4) If you don't match after re-application do transitionals have first access to unfilled programs or ability to change their minds before 4th years start getting matched?

5) If left with nothing lined up for PGY2 then a GMO awaits in June? What are the options for a person doing a GMO? Navy has flight, tropical, dive medicine. Is Army just flight and in a helicopter capacity only? Do these extend someone's commitment?

Feelings
Utter rejection
Can the Army do math? ~300 actual residency spots, ~384 applicants that may not include transitional years and told that deferments are not an option. With the military drawing down troop levels and budgets being decreased I wish I could buy myself out of my contract.

 

[Slevin]

Can the Army do math? ~300 actual residency spots, ~384 applicants that may not include transitional years and told that deferments are not an option.

I can't answer the rest of your questions but according to the GME office there were 376 spots for 386 applicants this year with Peds and IM being the only two specialities that didn't fill. I'm assuming when they did the math that they included the transitional years who were reapplying this year. If you don't want a transitional year you can always apply to fill one of the pads/IM spots.

Good luck in what you decide

 

[colbgw02]

Some questions
1) Are transitional years viewed as more competitive or less competitive when they re-apply for residency? Assuming step 3 is done and similar to step 1 and 2, no additional research done, just performance as an intern on top of what was available when they first evaluated you the first time around.

Neither, really. Find a way to do rotations in your desired field early in the year. Make a good impression and try to get a letter.

2) Are all residencies still available for re-application?

Yes, but depending on the requirements of the RRC for that specialty, you may be required to repeat all or some of your internship.

3) Are there spots at the PGY2 level in some of the programs (derm, optho, anesth, rads, etc) that aren't already taken by preselects? How many usually? Know of anyone who matched this way?

Yes, but the number is unpredictable. I know many residents that matched in this manner.

4) If you don't match after re-application do transitionals have first access to unfilled programs or ability to change their minds before 4th years start getting matched?

The matches are concurrent, and - what's more - you're not in the same applicant pool as the medical students. Their distribution isn't germaine to your match results. If you're considering "scrambling" into unfilled military positions, then that would mean switching specialties because presumably the PDs from your specialty didn't select you for a reason. IMHO, not only is that a bad idea for long-term career satisfaction, but the PDs from your "new" specialty probably won't be too keen on taking someone who is only scrambling into their program.

5) If left with nothing lined up for PGY2 then a GMO awaits in June? What are the options for a person doing a GMO? Navy has flight, tropical, dive medicine. Is Army just flight and in a helicopter capacity only? Do these extend someone's commitment?

GMO is July, to be exact. I can't tell you much about all of the options. Whether or not it extends your commitment is largely determined by if you ultimately do an Army residency, in which case the answer is almost certainly "yes".

Feelings
Utter rejection
Can the Army do math? ~300 actual residency spots, ~384 applicants that may not include transitional years and told that deferments are not an option. With the military drawing down troop levels and budgets being decreased I wish I could buy myself out of my contract.

Responses in bold. Good luck.

 

[HPSPregret1000]

If you look at the GME slideshow on MODS and just add up the number of residency spots for each specialty it just barely breaks 300 last time I counted. Then it lists transitional at 16 or 20 making total about 320, with 386 applicants and one year notice the military opened a bunch of transitional slots I am assuming to hit the 376 mark.