Catagorical PGY 1 somewhere else ?

[ConfusedMD2009]

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Hi here is my issue, my first choice program is a catagorical RADS one. This will force me to spend a year away from my family which is not ideal. Despite this my wife has agreed to it b/c we are both very commited to the region of the country and the program. Is it at all possiable to do a PGY-1 year somehwere else if you match into a Catagorical program ? I think I know the answer to this question but I just wanted to toss it out to see if anyone hade done it before. My interview at said program is comming up soon so maybe I will bring this up to the PD during interview day, what do you all think.

Thanks

 

[Terpskins99]

No offense, but if you're planning to enter a categorical program you're going to be spending 5 years (not just 1) at that site anyhow, so whats the difference?

Anyway... the answer is almost certainly no. The PGY-1 year for categorical programs are usually specifically tailored for that training site. They want you to complete your internship there for a reason.

 

[Neuronix]

They want you to complete your internship there for a reason.

My uninformed impression is that this is because their internship is so malignant that locking the Rads and other specialties into an internship year there is the only way to get qualified interns to abuse. Is this wrong?

As a collary, I realize that's not the case for places like UNM with the new integrated program.

 

[Terpskins99]

My uninformed impression is that this is because their internship is so malignant that locking the Rads and other specialties into an internship year there is the only way to get qualified interns to abuse. Is this wrong?

As a collary, I realize that's not the case for places like UNM with the new integrated program.

Well, I've seen two programs that have internships incorporated with their radiology residency. Neither internship was malignant (they were both equivalent to transitional years). At one of the internships, the final three months were all radiology "electives".

The rationale the program director gave me was that prior residents had recommended making the program categorical to make for a slightly smoother transition to residency (because you'd be comfortable with their PACS/patient medical info program, get to know a lot of the inpatient hospitalists/surgeons... etc).

 

[Neuronix]

Ah, that is fair 🙂 Could you name names on which programs those were? Feel free to PM me if you prefer.

 

[ConfusedMD2009]

well believe it or not the PD told me I could do my PGY 1 year at another program if I got a spot outside the match. Wow I didn't see that comming, but it definately helps, awesome.

 

[ConfusedMD2009]

No offense, but if you're planning to enter a categorical program you're going to be spending 5 years (not just 1) at that site anyhow, so whats the difference?

Anyway... the answer is almost certainly no. The PGY-1 year for categorical programs are usually specifically tailored for that training site. They want you to complete your internship there for a reason.

I am married, my wife will still have her PGY 4 year to do during my PGY 1 so that is the conflict.