backup plans: TY vs. prelim IM?

[chef]

if you don't match into derm, would it make more sense to rank prelim IM higher than TY, so that you could theoretically stay there to finish your IM residency? (this is if you would considering doing IM)

if you only ranked TY programs, and don't match into derm, then you'd be without a job after your PGY-1 yr..

of course, i guess you could re-apply during your PGY-1. but i'm sure won't be easy.

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[cancerman51]

i'm pretty sure you can make your rank list so that if you match into derm, you pair it with a TY, but if you fail to match into derm you can match into medicine.

 

[Dral]

i'm pretty sure you can make your rank list so that if you match into derm, you pair it with a TY, but if you fail to match into derm you can match into medicine.

I believe this is correct. You place all your derm programs on your main list, and all your TY on your supplemental list, linking them to derm programs. You then rank your PY below your derm programs on your main list.

I haven't applied yet, but I believe that's how it works.

Generally speaking, not only would you be out of a job after the TY, but I think that if you reapply for derm, programs really would rather see a PY than a TY.

 

[dermRus]

As someone that has gone through the match process, you are both absolutely correct. You have two lists: a primary (main) list and a secondary (supplemental) list. The secondary list is your choices for a prelim or TY that is linked to a place on your primary list. Therefore your secondary list is used to try to match you into slot IF YOU MATCH AT THE SLOT ON YOUR PRIMARY POSITION.

My advice is to place TYs on your secondary list but don't use them on your primary list (unless you fully understand that they are looked down upon in comparison to prelims).

 

[cancerman51]

In our incoming class, i see no difference in performance in medical derm based on whether they did prelim or TY, but I can tell you that without a doubt the TY's a significantly ahead in surgical skills.

 

[dermRus]

Cancerman 51, I didn't say that I look down upon them. FYI, I'm in a TY and love it. Admissions committees will look at them as inferior to prelims...and I know this first hand from my interviews.

You should see my other post where I state that TYs give you better training in surgical procedures...so I agree with you.

I firmly believe that TY is actually better training if you want to learn about all parts of medicine.

But if you are going to use it as a backup plan, admissions committees tend to shoot from the hip and assume that TYs are "easy" compared to prelims (which can or cannot be true depending on the TY that you go to). This can affect the way they react to your application if you are a re-applicant...that's where I'm coming from in my previous post.

 

[Dermguy]

The day I matched into derm my PD called me and asked where I was doing my prelim. I matched into a medicine program, and he acted like he was relieved I was not doing a TY. They definitely believe TYs are inferior.

 

[sensitive skin]

I agree that PD's think TY are inferior to prelim years. However, IMHO I think this only makes a difference if you don't match to derm the first time.

So far I am loving my TY. Fewer floor months, more electives (ie, "vacation") = awesome. Anyway I just finished up a month of ER where I was the "go-to" person for suturing up lacerations...pretty much sewed every day, sometimes several times a day!

 

[Dermguy]

I agree that PD's think TY are inferior to prelim years. However, IMHO I think this only makes a difference if you don't match to derm the first time.

So far I am loving my TY. Fewer floor months, more electives (ie, "vacation") = awesome. Anyway I just finished up a month of ER where I was the "go-to" person for suturing up lacerations...pretty much sewed every day, sometimes several times a day!

Couldn't agree more that it doesn't matter after you match.

There are some very nice medicine years that sound impressive but are just as easy or easier than most TY years. I'm in one of those, and it's awesome. I'm home at 1 every day unless I'm on call. I get several hours of sleep every call, and I have a bunch of elective months--I'm doing them all in derm.

 

[asmallchild]

Couldn't agree more that it doesn't matter after you match.

There are some very nice medicine years that sound impressive but are just as easy or easier than most TY years. I'm in one of those, and it's awesome. I'm home at 1 every day unless I'm on call. I get several hours of sleep every call, and I have a bunch of elective months--I'm doing them all in derm.

Home at 1PM? During a prelim year? Where is this miracle program??

 

[sensitive skin]

Home at 1PM? During a prelim year? Where is this miracle program??

DITTO...where???

 

[Dermguy]

Are you guys being sarcastic? There are a few of them around. Obviously I don't want to disclose my exact location, but I'll just say that community prelim programs are typically much kinder than university-based prelims.