Doing a Transitional Year prior to applying to Couples Match

[mtb702]

Just a quick question about couples matching into DR. I am a year ahead of my girlfriend and my current plan is to just take a gap year in-between year 3 and 4 so we can couples match but I was wondering if it is possible to just do my intern year somewhere and then couples match afterwards. Is that at all possible? I would imagine no because those technically R2 spots would already have been taken from the year prior but thought I'd just ask because it would be nice to not lose a year.

I don't know if this matters but 253 step 1. I'll probably be in the 260s for step 2. Will have a decent application.

Thank you.

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[Aurum]

It is possible, but the "physician only" spots are fewer and far between than the average radiology spot. Taking a year off and then couples matching would be the way to go to maximize your chances of being together.

 

[mtb702]

It is possible, but the "physician only" spots are fewer and far between than the average radiology spot. Taking a year off and then couples matching would be the way to go to maximize your chances of being together.

I was afraid that would be the answer. I guess I will just have to have a research year.

 

[dr seuss]

Depending on how competitive her specialty is and where you want to go, you could also consider just having her try to match where you go.

My wife did Ophthalmology - since they do early match we couldn't do couple's match, but we ended up matching at the same place. Another couple in our med school class had one doing Ophtho and they were able to match at the same place too.

With radiology training as long as it is, I wouldn't want to delay it another year.

 

[mtb702]

Depending on how competitive her specialty is and where you want to go, you could also consider just having her try to match where you go.

My wife did Ophthalmology - since they do early match we couldn't do couple's match, but we ended up matching at the same place. Another couple in our med school class had one doing Ophtho and they were able to match at the same place too.

With radiology training as long as it is, I wouldn't want to delay it another year.

She will do pediatrics and we want to end up in Denver for residency. She is a star so I know she will have her top choice as long as I don't hold her back

 

[Aurum]

Pediatrics is not competitive, and if she's a stellar applicant it may make sense for you to match first and for her to try to follow you if you do not want to defer training for a year.

 

[mtb702]

Pediatrics is not competitive, and if she's a stellar applicant it may make sense for you to match first and for her to try to follow you if you do not want to defer training for a year.

After speaking with our Radiology advisor I'm thinking this might be a good idea. I have a lot of time but I think the plan now is to have her put together a list of pediatric programs that she wants to go to and then just cross-match the radiology programs. Pretty much an unconfirmed couples match. I would do my pre-lim year here in town even if that means I would have to do prelim medicine instead of one of those sweet transitional years I have been hearing about so we wouldn't be away from each other during my first year. And if worse comes to worse try to transfer if she matches elsewhere.

Denver will probably be both our top choice. She already has an in there with a research program she was accepted to and I will be a strong applicant there as well and do an away in my 4th year.

Still time to think about it however.