Contemplating switching specialties

[koont]

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I am a current CA 1 in anesthesiology thinking about switching into Internal Medicine. I was deciding between medicine and anesthesia but in the end chose anesthesia. However, I did my prelim year in Internal Medicine and enjoyed it more than I expected. I am considering finishing my CA1 anesthesia and going back to finish internal medicine as a PGY2. My question is that since I already did intern year in medicine, can I still apply for the match or would I have to call programs to find out about open PGY2 spots in medicine. Lastly, how difficult will the switch? Thanks for your help.

 

[gutonc]

I am a current CA 1 in anesthesiology thinking about switching into Internal Medicine. I was deciding between medicine and anesthesia but in the end chose anesthesia. However, I did my prelim year in Internal Medicine and enjoyed it more than I expected. I am considering finishing my CA1 anesthesia and going back to finish internal medicine as a PGY2. My question is that since I already did intern year in medicine, can I still apply for the match or would I have to call programs to find out about open PGY2 spots in medicine. Lastly, how difficult will the switch? Thanks for your help.

You can either go through the match (and either repeat intern year or ask if they would consider you for an R2 spot...or a bit of both) or you can just cold call and try to find open R2 spots.

Your easiest chance is to call up your prelim PD (or the IM PD at your current hospital) and ask if they'd consider you for a spot.

But you should be reasonably competitive for this plan.

 

[somemaybedoc]

If you liked the place you did your prelim year and it was a good program I would talk to the PD there. Most likely you would be able to do just two more years and be done. Applying through the match is an option, but you are more likely to end up repeating your intern year, which I'd expect is incredibly frustrating when you are actually a PGY 2.

 

[koont]

Thank you for your suggestions. I am going to contact my prelim medicine program and see if they can accommodate me for next year.

 

[koont]

Thank you for your suggestions. I am going to contact my prelim IM program and see if they can accommodate me for next year.