Backup Residency Dilemma

[caspercyf7]

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Yo

I'm currently applying to ortho programs and using up all my audition dates in that field. That being said, ortho is a very competitive program and so should I have backups? Its just very odd to be having to go on interviews for let's say general surgery or family medicine, etc and telling them that I have done ZERO audition rotations in that field. Does anyone have any insight/recommendations/advice/warnings for this whole backup thing?

 

[Doctor Bob]

Yo

I'm currently applying to ortho programs and using up all my audition dates in that field. That being said, ortho is a very competitive program and so should I have backups? Its just very odd to be having to go on interviews for let's say general surgery or family medicine, etc and telling them that I have done ZERO audition rotations in that field. Does anyone have any insight/recommendations/advice/warnings for this whole backup thing?

Yo

If ortho is what you want to do, and you would be miserable doing anything else, then your backup applications should go to transitional year programs so you can work on your application packet and re-apply rather than getting stuck into a field you could see yourself settling for but wouldn't really want to do long term. Save the backup applications to family medicine for the second go around.

Word to your mother.

 

[Rollo]

They will definitely see through and know that you're applying to them as backups because they will see on your transcript all these ortho electives and 0 electives in the field you're applying.

I doubt you'd even get interviews at backup places.

Don't have a backup residency. Have a backup plan like TRI or research year. But not another residency. I mean, come on general surgery and ortho are completely different fields....only thing they have in common is waking up at ungodly hours and blitzkreig morning rounds.

 

[peppy]

I agree with the idea of applying to some internships....try to figure out which TRIs, medicine and surgical prelim years might fit best with your back up plan goals. Then if things don't work out with ortho you'll still be able to have some control over where you end up instead of hoping that you find something decent in the SOAP/scramble.

 

[Dissected]

only thing they have in common is waking up at ungodly hours and blitzkreig morning rounds.

Blitzkrieg rounds are the best kind of rounds.

 

[JimT30]

They will definitely see through and know that you're applying to them as backups because they will see on your transcript all these ortho electives and 0 electives in the field you're applying.

I doubt you'd even get interviews at backup places.

Don't have a backup residency. Have a backup plan like TRI or research year. But not another residency. I mean, come on general surgery and ortho are completely different fields....only thing they have in common is waking up at ungodly hours and blitzkreig morning rounds.

I disagree with this. I applied to a backup last year and received many top tier interviews in my backup which was still in a pretty competitive field. I even received some prematch offers. Just have a good reason why you switched from ortho (yes it will be a lie) but they will know from your application that you considered something else and will ask about it.

 

[sanjivtdot]

Im having the same problem and was wondering if you had any suggestions on how to justify that on your PS for a back up like FM