Deferring residency?

[mh82ai3]

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So after a long and circuitous journey through MS3, I've decided to go into ENT. Yes I've thought about going into everything and anything including medicine, surgery, anesthesia, radiology and now I'm thinking very hard about switching into ENT. I have several classmates going into ENT and I've only heard good things about it from them and also from ENT residents I've met.

The problem is that I have not shown any interest in ENT until now, almost August of my MS4 yr. I guess I'm far from one of those people who start their first year with research and all that stuff. I don't really know anyone at my home department. I have yet to do an ENT AI, but I'm pretty certain I'll like it. I have good enough board scores and grades but I feel that my lack of research interest and tardiness in getting into the field will hurt my match chances. I think I can probably match somewhere this year but it might not be at a place I really love or in Bumblef**k Iowa... no offense Iowa, it's just a phrase.

Anyway, I'm thinking of taking a year off and deferring residency to do research and get to know some faculty either at my home hospital or somewhere else and applying for the match next year and be able to go to a place I truly like. I'm not really in a rush to start residency (I'll be 25 when I graduate med school) and a year doing research will most likely be good for me.

Is that a reasonable plan? I've heard a good number of people go that path. I think it's totally doable and I'm really leaning towards it. Do you guys have any experience with my situation? Any input will be great.

thanks

 

[Leforte]

It is still early, especially now that OTO is in the regular match. You can easily get involved in a clinical project if you become proactive now. As far as waiting a year - that's up to you. Ask yourself if you really want to do research for a year, if so, then do it. If not, then apply and see what happens.

You also mention that you feel you're good enough to match this year, albeit not in the place you'll "love" - I can tell you from my interviewing experiences, there are many gems out there that may not be as well known. Also, the places that may be better physicially (ie CA, FL, etc), may not be as strong clinically. It's all a compromise.

As for research, everyone (in general) does something, but we recognize that unless you got a PhD, the exposure is usually limited. Once you get to the interview, people are considered equal - and we weigh heavily on personal interaction (at least that is how it is at my program). There are many instances where people looked great on paper and didn't match.

Taking a year off is no guarantee that you'll get an interview at your place of interest, much less match. Nearly every program provides an excellent clinical experience - although outliers do exist, you'll get a feel for these from your residents and faculty. Considering the competitiveness of our field, my personal opinion is one is lucky to get a position, much less be picky, but that's me. Sure some program are stonger in otology, or plastics, or laryngology, etc but all will train you well for private and if you are interested in academics, you'll most likely do a fellowship anyway.

Personally, I'd apply this year and see what happens. If you don't match, cross that bridge when it comes.

Leforte

 

[nosugrefneb]

Seems like it'd be better to drop what you're doing, start the year off now if that's what you're interested in doing, and finish 4th year when you come back. Not sure whether your school would accommodate that, but there are about 15 people in my class doing this, although most made a clean break between 3rd-4th year. This way, you'd likely avoid any concerns that you've been away from clinical medicine for such a long time if in fact there are any.

 

[mh82ai3]

So please don't get me wrong. I don't think matching in any program would be a walk in the park in a the field is so competitive with a very limited number of positions every year. I guess what I meant to say was this. Let's say I try to match this year with some sort of clinical research project thrown together at the last minute and say I have a 51% chance of matching. Now compare that to taking a year off doing solid projects and getting to know the faculty at my school who writes awesome letters for me and I end up with 75% chance of matching. The second scenario seems much better. I know the interviews are very crucial and your personality and things like that are taken into account but from this year to the next that stuff should remain the same. Now, the question is that I don't know if doing all that stuff will improve my chances that much. Maybe I should just go for it since I have 4 solid months until interview season anyway.

In any case your inputs have been great. Thanks.

 

[TheThroat]

Just do the Oto rotation first! I know a guy who was dead-set on going into oto, but did the rotation and then changed to ER medicine. His loss, of course 🙂. Other than that, my advice is to try to get some research under your belt before the application gets in the mail. Agree completely with Leforte re: the match being pretty much a crap-shoot and there being a good number of programs that will get you good training.