FM to GS/ENT

[Luv2Cut]

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Hello. I apprecite these forums and having been reading for some time now (kudos to Dr. Cox for her many comments). If there are any experienced surgeons out there or PDs please respond. Please bear with me as I've not been able to find the answer to my question anywhere. Here it goes.

I am a board certified FM doc having graduated from DO school and done an allopathic FM residency which I finished 4 years ago. I have always planned on doing a GS or ENT residency(this I decided as an MS3) and have now completed a 4 year payback to the PHS. During med school and residency I did surgical and surgical subspecialty electives. Even now in my practice my "specialty" is an emphasis on ENT issues and skin lesion excisions. I work in a 5 provider outpatient clinic and all of the other docs refer to me for surgical excision of lesions or skin biopsies. So, I'm not fresh out of med school, and I feel that I have some experience under my belt. In fact, when I have had med students in my practice it becomes kind of a mini-surgical rotation because I teach them to do biopsies and lesion excisions with proper closure and I would venture to say they get to do more sewing than some GS rotations. I digress...

I plan to apply to a DO program for residency and I am wondering how the 1st year of residency works. Will I be given credit for the surgery rotations that I have done during FM residency? For example, at my medical school's institution ENT program, the ENT intern does 6 months of a rotating internship (IM 2 mo., OB, ER, peds, elective), then 6 months of GS. They then start the ENT curriculum. So, I'm not sure if I'm applying to a PGY-2 position or a PGY-1 position. I mean, I've already done 9 months of a ENT/GS PGY1 curriculum. I have tried speaking with the PD at my medical school/institution, but cant seem to pin him down. For one thing, asking this assumes that I am the newly anointed resident that has been selected, so this seems pretentious. I've also talked to the DME office and the coordinator of the GME programs for the hospital says to me, "Well, its really better if the ENT program takes a MS-4 every year anyway. It would just mess things up." I've also talked to another program that I am familiar with at a nearby institution and the GME coordinator only says, "Well, you will just have to apply and see what happens."

This seems like a gray area. Any ideas?

Luv2Cut

 

[Winged Scapula]

I venture that the reason you haven't gotten a straight answer is that these things tend to be decided on a case by case basis. Despite your current work environment and quasi-surgical practice, your medical school and residency experiences were several years ago and will likely not be counted.

Here are the requirements for the AOA Board of ENT (http://theabr.org/DR_IMG.htm) to be board eligible (most residency programs will not take someone who cannot be board eligible):

The candidate must have satisfactorily completed a one (1) year AOA-approved traditional rotating internship. In otolaryngology/facial plastic surgery, when applicable, a one (1) year specialty track internship (which includes general surgery) is acceptable.

The candidate must have satisfactorily completed an AOA-approved residency training program in one of the specialties under the jurisdiction of this Board after the required year of internship. The training program must encompass all aspects of the particular specialty include adequate training in the basic medical sciences, with emphasis on the osteopathic principles as related to the specialty. The required number of years of residency training in each specialty are as follows:

Otolaryngology, Otolaryngology/Facial Plastic Surgery: a minimum of three (3) years of AOA-approved residency training in the particular specialty(s) if training was begun prior to July 1, 1986. A period of four (4) years of AOA-approved residency training in the particular specialty(s) if training was begun on or after July 1, 1986. After 1986, following a one (1) year AOA-approved internship, one (1) year of general surgery is required prior to the four (4) year residency (exception, refer back to Item #4).

I would therefore venture that you are probably not eligible for a PGY-2 position and would need to apply for the first year spots. You may be given credit for "time served" off of your residency but it would have to be approved by the Board and the program, hence the reason I suspect no one can give you a straight answer.

 

[DrDre311]

PM TheThroat or resxn.

 

[Winged Scapula]

BTW, don't talk to coordinators. They generally just give you the standard answer. You need to talk to PDs to get a real feel for what you might be eligible for and offered.

 

[Luv2Cut]

Thanks WS

That makes perfect sense. I've already done the rotating internship part of my training. But I was driving to work to day and was thinking if I didn't get credit for the surgery rotations I've done in my FM residency training then what do I care? Even if I have to do a whole year of GS before ENT or just decided to do GS residency I would not protest. More training can never hurt.

I will press forward, thanks for the input and response.

L2C

 

[Winged Scapula]

Thanks WS

That makes perfect sense. I've already done the rotating internship part of my training. But I was driving to work to day and was thinking if I didn't get credit for the surgery rotations I've done in my FM residency training then what do I care? Even if I have to do a whole year of GS before ENT or just decided to do GS residency I would not protest. More training can never hurt.

I will press forward, thanks for the input and response.

L2C

I think that a fabulous way to think about it. Perhaps you will be lucky and find that you can get some credit for "time served" but you are willing to press forward to meet your goals even if you don't.

Best of luck to you...

 

[Luv2Cut]

Thanks WS.

L2C