failing to match and reapplying after transitional year?

[rkidmike]

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Hello,

I'm a 3rd year student who's trying to figure out what I'm going to do. I've been thinking about taking a year off for research after this year because I'm considering competitive fields, namely optho and derm, and I haven't done any research during medical school. However, I read on an anonymous online forum (not studentdoctor) about a derm resident who didn't match into derm during his 4th year. He did match into a transitional year, and apparently he reapplied and matched into derm during his transitional year.

I had never heard of this before: If you only match into a transitional year during 4th year, can you reapply to a specialty during a transitional year? If this is true, wouldn't a reasonable strategy for someone like me who hasn't done any research be to see if I can match straight out of medical school, meanwhile do research during 4th year, and reapply during a transitional year if I didn't match? Or would this be something that programs would frown upon? I'm not totally against doing an entire year of research, but I'm not thrilled about it either. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Hello,
I had never heard of this before: If you only match into a transitional year during 4th year, can you reapply to a specialty during a transitional year?

Of course. There is nothing stopping you from reentering the match if you didn't match the first time around, or finding a position outside of the match (because you will now be considered an independent candidate). However, you must understand that most of these are "advanced" matches where you are applying for a position for 2 years down the line. So, unless you find an open PGY-2 position to start right after your PGY-1, the vast majority of positions will require you to take a year off between intern year and starting your specialty training.

If this is true, wouldn't a reasonable strategy for someone like me who hasn't done any research be to see if I can match straight out of medical school, meanwhile do research during 4th year, and reapply during a transitional year if I didn't match? Or would this be something that programs would frown upon? I'm not totally against doing an entire year of research, but I'm not thrilled about it either. Thanks for your advice.

I'm not quite following you. If you are asking whether or not you should do research during your "gap" year should you not match and have an open year between PGY-1 and 2, then yes...that is fine. Some choose to do another Prelim or TY to stay on the wards, but you'll need to spend some time trying to figure out why you didn't match and then a reasonable plan to rectify that as much as possible.

When applying for a competitive specialty, its always a good idea to have a Plan B. I'm not sure why you think programs would frown upon doing a year of research...as long as its "part of the plan", its fine if you have to resort to it if you don't match.

 

[TRAMD]

I also know someone who did a prelim year and then matched into Derm the second time around. The only downside is that you have a year of nothing between PGY-1 and PGY-2.

 

[Long Dong]

I also know someone who did a prelim year and then matched into Derm the second time around. The only downside is that you have a year of nothing between PGY-1 and PGY-2.

Yeah, it is my understanding that your odds a better if you reapply after/during a prelim year not a tranitional year. And if you don't match while applying as an intern the prelim medicine year well look better for you if you decide to do derm research fellowship.