Chances at changing during residency-Family Medicine to PM&R

[bryant1208]

I am currently in my PGY-1 year in Family Medicine. Throughout medical school, I had planned to complete a Sports Medicine fellowship after completing FM residency. My main interest is in MSK/Sports Med. I completed a rotation in PM&R right after match this past cycle and absolutely loved it. I really enjoyed the procedural side of the PM&R in particular (interventional spine, EMG, etc.). Over the summer, I shadowed under two additional PM&R physicians. There is no doubt I want to make the transition after my PGY-1 year. I have already talked with my current program director regarding the transition and she is supportive of this decision. How do I go about making this transition? I would love to find a PGY-2 spot in a program that would accept my PGY-1 in FM. If this is not possible, is it feasible to go back through the NRMP match and hope to match that way?

Some of my info:
- D.O.
- COMLEX Level 1 510-520, Level 2 570-580. No USMLE.
- 3 LOR from PM&R physician's that I have shadowed under.
- No red flags.

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[nynydoc]

Keep looking for openings. AAMC has a service for vacant residency spots. Worst-case scenario, finish FP and do sports. You may end up loving FP as you're only a few weeks into residency as a PGY1. If you leave your residency and apply for a PGY-2, there may be a chance that you wont match for possible funding issues etc but I have seen people get into PMR PGY2 during their intern year (an ideal situation for you is that a resident drops out from a program or doesn't complete their intern year).
I have colleagues who have finished FP and are doing 100% sports with an ortho group and are doing well for themselves. It is an uphill battle but Pain can also be done through FP. EMGs are a great addition but you may find yourself so busy in sports and office based procedures that you won't really need to do it. You also have plenty more job options after with FP- UC, hospitalist, outpatient primary, outpatient sports.

 

[VAthletics]

Agreed, and if you do switch then you might not match into sports. It is a lot harder to match coming from PM&R

 

[RM38]

I switched from Gen Surg into PM&R and did a pain fellowship. You should apply now to programs through the match and interview and keep your head up for any open spots that may become available. If programs know they can take you in as a PGY-2, they might be willing to offer you a spot without waiting a year if they know they are about to get additional funding or may have a spot opening. You can always keep doing FP and then go on to sports, but if you also enjoy the spine component of PM&R, you should switch because I don't believe most FP sports fellowships have the opportunity to learn spine procedures.