Fast Track IM

[waterski232002]

Is there a fast track path through Internal Medicine for people who are already trained in another specialty? Is it true that you can do IM in 2 years and then go straight into subspecialty training???

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[augmel]

There is a fast track that is designed for people interested in academics. The idea is that they will need more than the usual years of fellowship research training so they cut off the last year of medicine to make it less painful. Most people who enter this track have PhDs or substantial research experience.

The ABIM is one of the stingiest boards at giving credit for other residencies. I think the maximum they allow is 6 months credit. There is a guy in my program who did a transitional year that was something like 9 or 10 months of medicine and he got ZERO credit and had to do his intern year over when he decided on medicine.

 

[gutonc]

As augmel says, the answer is no (sort of) and yes. In general, you can get up to 6 mos of credit for a non-IM program if you transfer into or re-match into an IM spot after doing part or all of another residency. Obviously, Path and Peds will give you no credit but Surgery and FM might get you 6 mos.

As for the Fast-track, yes, the ABIM Research Pathway is available for people interested in academic research careers. Calling it fast however is a misnomer. You do 2 years of IM (which of course speeds things up) but b/c you have to meet all those ABIM requirements in 2 years rather than 3, you end up w/ more call/inpt months each year than your colleagues (I have 9 this year while most of my co-interns have 6-8). The second issue is that the fellowship actually ends up making the whole process longer than a straight IM + Fellowship.

As an example, Hem/Onc requires 3 IM + 3 H/O for 6 years total. "Fast Track" requires 2 IM + 1.5 H/O clinical + 3 years research fellowship for a total of 6.5 years. Cards requires a full extra year if you do the research pathway.

So if you're looking for a quick way out, there really isn't one. But if you know you want a research and clinical career, the research pathway is a great way to go.

 

[waterski232002]

There is a fast track that is designed for people interested in academics. The idea is that they will need more than the usual years of fellowship research training so they cut off the last year of medicine to make it less painful. Most people who enter this track have PhDs or substantial research experience.

The ABIM is one of the stingiest boards at giving credit for other residencies. I think the maximum they allow is 6 months credit. There is a guy in my program who did a transitional year that was something like 9 or 10 months of medicine and he got ZERO credit and had to do his intern year over when he decided on medicine.

Does anyone know how much credit EM grads have gotten? I am considering doing IM after I finish my EM program.