Help! Unsure about my residency decision!

[thehittmann74]

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I'm an allopathic med student who has applied to internal medicine. However, i'm starting to question my decision and was wondering if anyone has had any experience or known anyone who changed their mind at the last minute? I debated all year about surgery (urololgy, orthopedics, or ENT) vs. medicine and eventually decided to do medicine. However, now I'm thinking that I made a mistake. Anyone have any advice as to how difficult it is to reapply for a different residency as a categorical intern? Or if I should sit out a year (since I have not applied for a preliminary spot anywhere) and reapply next year? My biggest problem is how I would be able to apply for a sub-specialty surgical field as an intern in medicine (i.e. how would i get LORs, etc.).

Current stats:
Top 1/3 of class at average state school (not AOA)
USMLE Step 1: 230+ (Step 2 pending)
Research: 3 publications, 2 abstracts at international conferences
3rd year grades: Honors in Surgery, Medicine, Psych, FP, OB/GYN; High Pass in Pediatrics

 

[pintsized]

you know, its not too late if you want to apply for something else too - if you dont mind paying some extra bucks, feel free to apply to a different field too.

 

[thehittmann74]

you know, its not too late if you want to apply for something else too - if you dont mind paying some extra bucks, feel free to apply to a different field too.

how late is too late to apply, do you think? i have not done a sub-i in any surgery-related fields during my 4th year (all medicine) and it would be difficult to get LORs except from those that i worked with during my clerkship. i'm worried that i would not be able to get as good a residency as i possibly could by throwing something together so late right now vs. applying next year.

 

[neilc]

maybe apply to some transitional year programs? that way you won't be sitting out a year, you would be able to experience both fields as an intern, and you can work on your app a bit if you need to.