Change REsidency program after 1.5 mon

[Imagination]

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hello everyone,

To begin with , I am here for some guidanc and advice please go through my story and help me ..anyone who knows anything regarding the same

I applied to many IM program 2008match, My scores are excellent 99, 97, 90 but i applied really late in december so I didnt get many interviews and I took suggstion of my uncle whos a physician as well and applied FP and got one IV there and also got matched here...

To tell you the truth i dont like FP and i am not liking it here, the place the program and mostly this specialty..

I made a mistake of putting in my ROL and should have scrambled or applied next year I know for sure that I want IM and specialise in IN Oncology..

after the match I talked to THE PD at this program that I dont want to join they appllied for waiver which was denied and so i ahd to sign the contract for 1 year and now i feel i am wasting my time here...Everyday I come to work and i feel i dont belong here but theres no doubt I love medicine..rounding on patients, ER , calls, ilike all that but this specialty is just NOT ME and the PROGRAM is just not right...the things said about the program at IV are not the same...Am i stuck here?? i need to get out of here and apply for next year or i heard there are websites to look for this years PGY1 unfilled spots...should i try for that and take TRanfer..I am willing to tranfer to IM anyday..everyday here at this program is like a big burden and responsility that i need to take beacuse of my mistake. ALso I am on H1B visa so i am scared to leave the program but for sure i dont want to do FP.

My question is should i talk to PD and i guess they have list of unfilled IM position where i Can transfer ?? or wait for on year and start residency again from pgy1 in 2009??

thanks

 

[dragonfly99]

First of all, don't panic. You got in to a PGY 1 residency spot so that says something good about you (given you needed a visa, etc. - residency programs don't take just anyone who is an IMG). I don't recommend quitting your residency program. Stay there and prove that you can be a good intern, that you are good at practicing medicine in the US, that you will stick with what you started (at least for this 1 year).

I don't think I would talk with your program director about this now. Instead, I would start thinking about what you need to do to switch to internal medicine next year. For one thing, to have a couple of good letters of recommendation would help you. I don't know what your schedule is this year, but if you are rotating on the medicine wards and/or MICU, try to get a good evaluation and try to talk with the attending there about your interest in internal medicine. I would do it in a low key way...don't go up and say, "Hey, I want to quit this program and switch to internal medicine because I hate family practice!". The medicine attendings probably all talk to your program director so you don't want this to get back to him right now.

You should start getting your ERAS application/computer application done right now, so that you can apply in September, October or November. Usually early November is OK but I don't know if it matters/helps to apply early if you are an IMG. Try to find some residency programs that take IMG's, and hopefully ones that also have an oncology fellowship (so you could stay there to do oncology, or at least meet oncologists who can help you get a fellowship somewhere else and/or give you career advice while you are a resident there).

You could also sign up for FindaResident (AAMC service where people post open residency and fellowship spots). You will see that periodically there are open internal medicine spots. However, you might do better just going through the match...

I would not quit your current position, because hey, it's a job, and it's an internship, and if you DO end up switching to internal medicine, you will probably end up being able to use some of your months from this year (like if you do medicine ward months, an ER month, or a neurology month, an outpatient clinic month, etc.). That way maybe you could do less than a whole repeat year of internship. I had a friend who switched from OB/Gyn to Internal med and he ended up getting to count several of his OB/Gyn intern months toward his internal medicine residency.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Your best bet is to apply again in the match. This will give you the best chance of getting a spot. Plus, if someone interviews you and they have an open spot available, they might offer it to you. You will need to speak to your PD soon, as a letter from your PD would be helpful. Plus, if you apply, and another PD calls your PD and says "Hey, how's that Imagination resident doing, 'cause he's interested in coming to IM" and that's the first your PD has heard of it, well, that could be less than ideal.

 

[Winged Scapula]

All of the above advice about staying and looking for a IM position is good but I think his PD ALREADY KNOWS...after all, the OP said he had second thoughts and the PD applied to NRMP to get a waiver to let him out of his contract, which was denied.

So, while I wouldn't recommend not updating the PD that you are still uphappy it doesn't have to be a big secret, since it would appear that he already knows.