going im to em...chances and pitfalls?

[Vash311]

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Hey guys, I'm currently an intern in an internal med program. Have done alot of re-evaluating of what I want to do with my career and found that I just can't fulfill my goals purely in internal medicine or its subspecialties. I cannot hold myself to any one of the subspecialties due to interest in all of them to a certain degree. I am thinking about re-entering the match for a em position that would begin after my im training is complete. I'm pretty young, have my loans handled well, single, and feel that the additional training would be equivalent (in years) to training in a IM sub-spec. fellowship anyway. What are your thoughts? Do programs frown on applicants like me? Am I not forseeing any true problems with this choice if I was to go through with it? Any input would be great, thanks!

 

[EctopicFetus]

One problem is funding. I dont know a ton about this but maybe BKN or one of the more senior people can talk about this. I know the feds give money for our training and i think they limit how much training time you get. as such this might be an issue. On the plus side i know people who have done this and some get 6 months or so of credit toward their training as you should do a bunch of ICu and have no need to do IM wards.

 

[mikecwru]

Hey guys, I'm currently an intern in an internal med program. Have done alot of re-evaluating of what I want to do with my career and found that I just can't fulfill my goals purely in internal medicine or its subspecialties. I cannot hold myself to any one of the subspecialties due to interest in all of them to a certain degree. I am thinking about re-entering the match for a em position that would begin after my im training is complete. I'm pretty young, have my loans handled well, single, and feel that the additional training would be equivalent (in years) to training in a IM sub-spec. fellowship anyway. What are your thoughts? Do programs frown on applicants like me? Am I not forseeing any true problems with this choice if I was to go through with it? Any input would be great, thanks!

No, we've taken several people that have made career switches. BKN would know more, but I believe funding issues are more relevant when you complete more of a residency, ie, do a FULL gen surgery residency, then switch into something else (3 years).

The only problem is, you're probably too late for this years match (although I would ask around) so you'll have 2 years under your belt, which begs the question, should you finish IM and do EM and be dual boarded in both. If you really HATE IM, probably not. If you just like EM more, it's at least a consideration.

mike

 

[Toohotinvegas33]

Like the post above me...see if some of those dual EM/IM programs will take you 2 years of IM under consideration for there 5 year program.

 

[GeneralVeers]

Hey guys, I'm currently an intern in an internal med program. Have done alot of re-evaluating of what I want to do with my career and found that I just can't fulfill my goals purely in internal medicine or its subspecialties. I cannot hold myself to any one of the subspecialties due to interest in all of them to a certain degree. I am thinking about re-entering the match for a em position that would begin after my im training is complete. I'm pretty young, have my loans handled well, single, and feel that the additional training would be equivalent (in years) to training in a IM sub-spec. fellowship anyway. What are your thoughts? Do programs frown on applicants like me? Am I not forseeing any true problems with this choice if I was to go through with it? Any input would be great, thanks!

Why do you want to do EM? Just because you're dissatisfied with IM is not reason enough. You should really want to do EM before you switch. I've seen what happens when people go into EM after doing other residencies because it's "easy" and a "short residency". They are often unhappy and regret their decision. My advice: If you're not going to do EM for the love of the specialty, go into something else.

 

[Dr.Evil1]

This guy sounds like he wants to complete a FULL IM residency then instead of doing subspeciality training in IM do a FULL EM residency.

I currently have a classmate in my residency class that did a full IM residency then a chief year and then matched into our EM program. So yes, it can be done. The problem for the program is that when you first enter into residency your program is given funding for the entire length of your residency. Once this number of years has been "used up" then there is no more funding from the ACGME (or some other magic place) for your residency training. It is OK if say you entered into a general surgery residency (5 years) then switched into EM residency after 1 year because as long as you bring your money with you (old programs decision) then you will still have funding for the rest of your training.

In your case you will not be bringing any funds with you into the EM program after you graduate from IM. This MAY cause a problem with SOME programs but by no means will blackball you from EM. If you are a good candidate and someone feels like you would fit into their program then you will be able to match. If you know where you want to go then you should start to form a relationship with those residencies now and see if they would be willing to take someone without funding. There are many people that are double boarded in EM and IM and many took the same route that you did to get there.

One thing to consider, though, is that you will be starting as an intern again after you finish your IM residency. This may take some getting used to.