Definitely an unprecedented and unfortunate scenario-HELP!!

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Rony

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Congrats to all who matched...

I'm in a dilemma and can't decide what to do, primarily because I don't have enough information..

I am a 2005 med school graduated who matched at a west coast General Surgery (categorical) program for 2005-2006. Due to a series of unexpected and unfortunate family circumstances, I had to resign and leave that program in February 2006 and head back to my home state and institution and at the time, the only thing I could do was a PGY-1 Internal Medicine year.

As a result of a personality conflict with one attending, I was terminated last week from the IM program. I believe it was wrongful...I am not unwilling to discuss the reasons but in the interest of your time I'll cut to the chase...What are my options now if I want to stay close geographically? I thought the best scenario is a scramble into a PGY-2 IM position if available and making up the remaining time or a PGY-1 IM position and finishing early in the PGY-3 year. Alternatively a prelim surgery at my home institution (there is no prelim medicine here). Will I get credit for my half-done IM internship (or even my surgery internship).

My plans are a Pulmonary/Critical Care fellowship.
Any input appreciated!!! Thank you all very much!!

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I'm no expert, but as far as I'm aware, all boards are very strict about how much time you spend in Residency. So you're likely to have to start over as PGY-1, both in IM and Surg.
Rather than wondering about getting credit for your two half internships, I think that it's much more important to focus on your application. Honestly, dropping out of one program and being terminated from another is a major red flag for anybody.
 
If you feel that the only reason for your termination was a personality conflict, then I would seriously consider legal advice and possibly, action. This is going to skim you off the pile from almost every program that you consider.

Do you have any advocates who can make calls on your behalf?
 
Please check with your GME and/or an attorney knowledge in medical contracts...a program cannot terminate you without just cause. This means putting you on probation, coming up with a plan to correct your "deficiencies", etc. However, programs are pretty smart about this stuff and I'm sure that the evaluations will not say anything about "personality differences" but rather some trumped up charges on mistakes that every intern and junior resident make, but they need to protect themselves. Anyway, have some legal advice if you have not already.

While technically it is true that if you decide to pursue a Surgical career, you will get credit for your partial internship and if you decide to pursue a Medical career, you will get credit for your partial IM residency. This may be difficult to do and its probably easiest to try and get a PGY-1 position and start from scratch, getting credit for any IM time during Surgery (usually minimal although SICU time can count) and your IM residency. Of course, you should try and find a PGY2 position as well - there are on-line sources like findaresident.com and careermd.com which have open positions listed.

best of luck...
 
Something you might run into:
Medicare will only afford a certain number of years of training to your home program. AFter this number, they stop paying for you. I believe there is trouble that develops when you don't run conitguosly. For example, you will be a PGY-3 by medicare standards and in your pgy-1 year if things don't work out well. If the govt is willing to pay you FOR 4 or 5 years of medicine in total, you're going to run into trouble when you get towards the end.
 
Something you might run into:
Medicare will only afford a certain number of years of training to your home program. AFter this number, they stop paying for you. I believe there is trouble that develops when you don't run conitguosly. For example, you will be a PGY-3 by medicare standards and in your pgy-1 year if things don't work out well. If the govt is willing to pay you FOR 4 or 5 years of medicine in total, you're going to run into trouble when you get towards the end.


You are capped at seven years. In the past this has generally not been enforced but Congress has instructed Medicare to crack down.

Each situation is different; I wouldn't go by what any one person says.
 
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