Help! I need a PGY-1 spot.

[PM&Radam]

I am in my last year of med school, matched for an advanced position in PM&R, but not a PGY-1 spot. I have been unable to secure a PGY-1 spot in the scramble and afterwards.

I have been pursuing options on find-a-resident and careermd.com, but no luck so far. My med school and the PM&R program have been helpful, but I feel like we have exhausted available options. I am now obviously worried about losing my spot. For now, all I can really see as an option is hoping someone backs out of a spot somewhere and something opens up before June.

I basically would go anywhere for anything for the PGY-1 year, but I draw the line at doing a surg prelim year (no way).

Also, in the worst case scenario, any ideas of what one could do for a year if I can't find something and need to wait a year?

I would appreciate any suggestions anyone has.

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[avendesora]

I basically would go anywhere for anything for the PGY-1 year, but I draw the line at doing a surg prelim year (no way).

It's funny how sometimes when there really is no other option unthinkable things suddenly become thinkable.

I'm sorry about your situation, that really sux. Have you thought about this, though -- would it be better to avoid the surgery year at the cost of not being able to do what you want for the rest of your life? I think pulling out of a specialty once you are matched is generally really frowned upon and I have heard it said that this is a good way to guarantee that you will never work in this specialty again. I tend to think in the long-term, though.

What is so bad about a surgery prelim? I realize that doing PMR you are probably not super type-A and surgery would be tough, but I feel like anyone can do anything for a year if it gets you where you want to go and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Anyway -- sorry about your situation. I'm sure something will work out for you.

 

[Apollyon]

A year of FP should suffice for your prelim. See if you can wangle that.

 

[edinOH]

A year of FP should suffice for your prelim. See if you can wangle that.

That is what I was going to say.

I know there are multiple FP positions out there. Take one of those for a year and then move on. Let your program know of your situation and find out if this would be alright with them. Your program probably wants you as much as you want a prelim spot. I'm sure they would be willing to work with you.

 

[WatchingWaiting]

That is what I was going to say.

I know there are multiple FP positions out there. Take one of those for a year and then move on. Let your program know of your situation and find out if this would be alright with them. Your program probably wants you as much as you want a prelim spot. I'm sure they would be willing to work with you.

Does a year of family practice really count as an intern year? I guess it should. Given that their unfilled rate was like 25% this year and 65% of those who matched were foreign, you should be able to get a slot somewhere. Have you looked at non-prestigious, crappy location, community programs?

 

[kinetic]

avendesora, I don't think there are any more Surgery preliminary spots left, so it's a moot point.

I think a year of IM would beat a year of FP, only because FP interns still have to do OB-GYN and Surgery blocks (which you may find distasteful). That's my suggestion.

PM&Radam, check your private messages.

 

[CambieMD]

You should be able to secure some kind of pgy-I position. There are a lot of programs out there that need a warm body. Look at the list of unfilled fp programs and start to contact pds. Market yourself correctly and you will find a position. You should also contact surgery programs. At this point you don't have the option of being picky. Obtain a fax machine and begin faxing information to programs. You will lose your pgy-II position if you do not secure a pgyy-I position. You have to look under ever stone out there. A friend of my wife was in a similar predicament. She sent packets to over 100 programs a received about 6 offers.

Good luck,

CambieMD

 

[Deleted member 17408]

I know of a so. california program that may need another PGY-1 - I'll let you know more next week. Please reply if anyone here is interested. Thanks.

 

[kinetic]

I think 'question' is a program director or something. 10 posts, all advertising a PGY-2 position in Loma Linda.

 

[doepug]

I don't know if it's still open, but Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore didn't fill all of their preliminary medicine spots. This would be a particularly good match for someone going into PM&R.

 

[PM&Radam]

any idea where I can find which FP programs still have openings? (other than going by the match data since most unfilled programs have since filled)

 

[Deleted member 17408]

I think my program may have a PGY-1 opening for this coming July, 2004 but I'll know more later this week.

 

[freelancewriter]

In addition to www.careermd.com and findaresident (both of which were already mentioned), AMA maintains a site. I didn't notice much for PG1 openings, but it's worth checking the site frequently:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/6920.html

Listings for both careermd and AMA are free to view and free to post. Question, if you are a PD, then these are both great sites to post your vacancies.

Findaresident lists 4 PG1 surgery openings and 2 PG2 FP openings: https://services.aamc.org/findaresident/Index.cfm?fuseaction=login.positions&CFID=113044&CFTOKEN

Of course, there's no guarantee that the info on findaresident is current, and there is a fee ($30 for active ERAS users, $75 for others) to get the contact info. That's not much $$, but I'd still be ticked if the supposed openings were actually filled.

 

[Loves_Chai]

Does anyone know why Good Samaritain in Baltimore didn't fill their prelim spots?

 

[beyond all hope]

A friend of mine from med school was in the same position, except he matched to Neuro.

He emailed almost 300 programs looking for a prelim spot. Got several interviews, and eventually matched at a better prelim spot that he had gotten interviews for through the match.

Many people do not advertise their openings. Just go for it.