choosing advanced over categorical?

[gasthrowaway]

---

Members do not see this ad.

How common is it for people to rank adv over categorical when ranking the same program? Are there any negative consequences of something like this? Do you guys think the categorical or advanced positions are more competitive at programs?

Its always been a dream of my wife and I to live in NYC before we have children. I'm not competitive enough (DO) for the big 4 in NYC, and I couldnt justify ranking something like st. josephs over UAB. Ive started to accumulate a few internship invites up in NYC, and was thinking about the possibility of ranking advanced positions at the top of my list (such as CCF, UAB, rush, GW) with the hopes of matching to one of my NYC internships.

Is this an idiotic idea? Do you foresee an problems?

 

[Stellar Clouds]

Programs typically have the same rank list for advanced and categorical. Don't try and game the system. Just rank in your order of preference.

 

[gasthrowaway]

Programs typically have the same rank list for advanced and categorical. Don't try and game the system. Just rank in your order of preference.

not trying to game any system. i guess Im asking what spots are more competitive, adv or cat? and what would I lose matching adv vs cat, such as a year of developing camaraderie with my eventual anesthesia class, getting more aquatinted with the hospital... etc..

 

[tooshay]

I chose to do a transitional year at the same place where I went to medical school, for family reasons, before going to an advanced position at another institution. Most programs don't care, and don't ask, which spot you are ranking in which order. As previously mentioned, most programs submit the same list for both categorical and advanced.

There are certainly a few disadvantages to doing an internship outside of the hospital where you are doing your anesthesia residency. You will be learning a new computer system, new hospital system, possibly a new city, while some of your peers will simply be continuing comfortably along. CA1 year is bumpy in many ways, and this can add to an already stressful experience. That being said, after a few months most residents make the transition smoothly.

Historically, programs fill their categorical spots higher than their advanced spots, so I suppose that categorical spots are more competitive. That being said, in any given year for any given program, this could change....

Hope this helps!

 

[Stellar Clouds]

not trying to game any system. i guess Im asking what spots are more competitive, adv or cat? and what would I lose matching adv vs cat, such as a year of developing camaraderie with my eventual anesthesia class, getting more aquatinted with the hospital... etc..

Sorry I misread your post. I think a lot of people tend to put the categorical and advanced spots consecutively on their rank list, so it would be really difficult to say that one type is more competitive over the other.

I'm a categorical intern, so I can definitely tell you the perks of that: hanging out with your fellow interns and upper level residents, meeting the surgery interns/residents/faculty who you will be working with later in the ORs, working with your own anesthesia faculty on ICU and anesthesia months, not having to move twice (or finding time to move after intern year...possibly wasting a week of vacation to do so), learning the hospital(s) and EMR(s), and at my program, all of the interns have an intro to anesthesia course as their last rotation of the year.

 

[digitox]

Sorry to hijack thread. Is it acceptable to interview at the hospital that only has categorical spots for preliminary medicine? Will it be awkward if they see you around again interviewing for medicine and you already had anesthesia interview?

Thanks

 

[partydoc]

Sorry to hijack thread. Is it acceptable to interview at the hospital that only has categorical spots for preliminary medicine? Will it be awkward if they see you around again interviewing for medicine and you already had anesthesia interview?

Thanks

Noone cares. They realize you are applying for advanced positions as well and need to do a prelim year.

 

[foodle]

Sorry to hijack thread. Is it acceptable to interview at the hospital that only has categorical spots for preliminary medicine? Will it be awkward if they see you around again interviewing for medicine and you already had anesthesia interview?

Doubtful you'd run into the same people, but even if you did, it's not a big deal. They know you're interviewing with other programs (some of which may be advanced). If anything they may take it as a good sign that you have no objections to their location. Wouldn't worry about this at all.

 

[foodle]

How common is it for people to rank adv over categorical when ranking the same program? Are there any negative consequences of something like this? Do you guys think the categorical or advanced positions are more competitive at programs?

Don't see any issues with this. Lots of people do this. Some want to stay at their home institution for prelim year or go to some other specific place (to be with SO, hometown, whatever).

I think most people rank categorical before advanced (less moving around, get used to a place before starting CA-1, etc.), so usually you see the more competitive candidates land categorical programs. But that's not a significant trend, and plenty of places just offer advanced programs.

Overall the basic rank list advice holds: rank in order of true preference and pray to the Stable Marriage Algorithm gods.

 

[digitox]

Good to know. Thanks for the response I appreciate it.

 

[Mac or Miller]

What is more important, that you prelim in NYC? Or get the best gas training at a place which may have only categorical slots?

My advice is to rank in the order of the best anesthesia training you can find and then tag your NYC prelims to the advanced places unless your dream of being an NYC intern overrides that.

There is really no plus or minus to how you rank. You will match at your highest rank available to you in the algorithm.

Good luck...NYC is about the last place I'd want to do an intern year, especially if I had to move there for just one year and license in multiple states.