CA-1 swap

[Butterfly1000]

Thanks for the interesting responses.

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[Gern Blansten]

If I were the program director, I would never agree to a resident trade. I would release the resident from their commitment and find a replacement on my own that met my program's high standards. You can't really expect your program to accept a random person you found on the internet as an acceptable candidate sight unseen. I would either finish the residency you committed to or obtain a release from that program and pursue a different program. With the competitiveness of the field, it may not be as easy as you think.

 

[ozzie20]

If I were the program director, I would never agree to a resident trade. I would release the resident from their commitment and find a replacement on my own that met my program's high standards. You can't really expect your program to accept a random person you found on the internet as an acceptable candidate sight unseen. I would either finish the residency you committed to or obtain a release from that program and pursue a different program. With the competitiveness of the field, it may not be as easy as you think.

A very one sided way of thinking. We are residents, not program directors. We want to work in places close to our families, not far away, doing someone else's bidding.

 

[ozzie20]

Hello
I currently have a CA-1 position for July 2008 in New Jersey, however I am looking to swap to something in Virginia, Maryland, DC area for family reasons. Let me know if your interested. And I'd appreciate if someone could explain exactly how to approach the swap with my program?
Thanks
Butterfly

?

 

[bubalus]

I'm with Gern on this one. If I were PD, I wouldn't agree to a swap. I'd have to be convinced that the incoming person was someone I would have taken in the match. I'd have that same approach to people coming in outside the match. I don't want to sound unsympathetic, but this is residency and only a few years. There's a lot you're just going to have to suck up and deal with. Once your done, you'll find you have much more geographic freedom. If the reasons are so compelling (my spouse was in a car accident and is a quad and needs an enormous amount of help), then consider contacting the program directly about coming in as a CA-1 after a year. If it's a matter of, "I miss my family," that's not quite so compelling to me. Of course, if you applied to those programs and didn't match there, then odds are against you coming in outside the match of through a swap. Perhaps you'll find a resident and a PD who are cool with a swap, but I wouldn't be. Good luck.

 

[Gern Blansten]

A very one sided way of thinking. We are residents, not program directors. We want to work in places close to our families, not far away, doing someone else's bidding.

Just because you want to do a trade does not mean that the PD has to accept the person you pick out as your replacement. As I stated, I would release the person that did not want to be at our program and find my own replacement. Somehow, I think our program can do better than a random person off an internet swap site that no one in our program knows anything about. One sided? Perhaps. But this person will be in our program 3-4 years and the PD should have a say in the matter.
I understand that you wish to live close to family. That is why you interview and go through the match. If it doesn't work out, you ask for a release and find a program more suitable to you. I just don't see a need for the residents to try and work out a swap. If they know someone, they could certainly suggest that person as a replacement.

 

[Heavenzangel]

to gern and all those who dont agree with switching, maybe you just dont understand the meaning of being with family but some people just get really screwed over in the match despite putting their hometown high. its too bad ur such an *** bc id never want to work with someone who doesnt understand that family means more than anything and to the person who got stuck in jersey, i feel sorry for you bc im in the same situation. I wish i could help but im in a worser state than you.

 

[Gern Blansten]

I think you misunderstood my point. Did you see where I said I would gladly release an unhappy resident and support them in their efforts to find another program? My point is that I would not want YOU to find your own replacement. I would have a vested interest in the quality of the candidate much moreso than you would. There are plenty of good candidates out there to be had and I would want to be the one choosing your replacement if you were unhappy and decided to leave. Family is hugely imporatnt and I respect that. That is not the issue in my point. I totally support residents being in a program they are happy in and I would not stand in the way of one leaving my program. I don't understand why me wanting to choose that person's replacement makes me such a bad person.
Best of luck in getting to the program of your choice.