Does anyone ever skip 4th year and go straight into FM?

[carlosc1dbz]

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I was reading up that 4th year is very chill, and you mostly do electives for fun and interview. Is there anyway to skip that and just go straight into residency at your home institution after 3rd year? It just seems to me that it would be better for people that want to go straight into Family Medicine at their home institution, instead of just chillin and relaxing for a whole year?

 

[lowbudget]

I was reading up that 4th year is very chill, and you mostly do electives for fun and interview. Is there anyway to skip that and just go straight into residency at your home institution after 3rd year? It just seems to me that it would be better for people that want to go straight into Family Medicine at their home institution, instead of just chillin and relaxing for a whole year?

Yes, you can. There are accelerated/integrated programs out there that combines 4th year med school with intern year. It's tough on you, both as a student functioning at the level of an intern, and as an intern missing out on all things student-y. If that's what you're looking for, go for it. It would shorten your med school by 1 year with associated loans as well.

Personally, I wouldn't do it; because life is a journey and so is medical school and I would've missed out on so much frickin' fun I had in med school, especially my 4th year when it was a frickin' blast with memories to share with lifelong friends I made in med school until we all die.

I don't know where to find a list of these programs, but they're out there. I'm sure you can Google it. But here's a sample of one I found for you:
http://www.chmfamilymedicine.msu.edu/students/tip_program.htm

 

[cabinbuilder]

LECOM has a 3 + 3 family medicine set up with Hamot hospital in Erie. YOu would not have a choice of residency but you would be done a year earlier. They take out all the vacation so you get everything done in 3 yrs. Last I heard they took 6 students on that track.

 

[lowbudget]

http://www.fcm.missouri.edu/Residency/ResidentsIntegrated.aspx
http://www.stfm.org/fmhub/fm2009/July/Erika476.pdf

 

[digitlnoize]

I was reading up that 4th year is very chill, and you mostly do electives for fun and interview. Is there anyway to skip that and just go straight into residency at your home institution after 3rd year? It just seems to me that it would be better for people that want to go straight into Family Medicine at their home institution, instead of just chillin and relaxing for a whole year?

Erie does have this program, but I wouldn't do it. Med school is hard, and with any vacation at all, I think I'd go insane.

I know that people on SDN talk big talk about how they "slacked" their 4th year, and didn't "do anything." Keep in mind that they mean, "I didn't do anything compared to how hard I've been working these last 3 years."

Most people use the start of 4th year to do "audition" electives at places you'd like to do residency. The rest of 4th year is spent taking electives that you think might help you in your chosen specialty. Get a head start, so to speak. For example, if you're doing FM, you might think about an extra OB rotation, or Infectious Disease, or Cardiology, or...you get the idea...

 

[drwatson]

I think this is an exceedingly bad idea for a number of reasons. First off, Family Medicine should be held to the same standards as all other residencies. If you can't start Neurosurgery "early" why should you be able to do the same with Family Medicine?

But, more importantly, a mentor told me that 4th year is a time to rediscover why you got into medicine in the first place. You will need that time to pause/reflect/recharge before residency. And yes, no matter what residency you choose it will be very difficult. Take the time for yourself and enjoy 4th year; I think it will make you a better doctor and a better person.

 

[Stella Maris]

I am in LECOM's 3 year primary care pathway, and there are no restrictions on where we can do our residency, as long as it is FM, IM or peds. There are hoops to jump through, and like any new program it is working out its kinks, but skipping 4th year is possible. We do, however, have some 2nd year rotations now that we've finished the basic sciences. Check out LECOM's website for details.