I have a few questions:
Once you get a pgy1 in prelim surgery, how do you get to PGY2?--is it difficult to do?
It can be. As surgery has become more popular, there is more competition for the PGY-2 positions (which are much fewer in number than PGY-1 Prelim positions).
What is the process of applying for those or are they hard to come by?
1. Check
www.apds.org for listing of open positions
2. Tell everyone you know you are looking for a position; sometimes you can hear about something before a position opens up
3. Ask your program coordinator or trusted faculty member to let you know if they hear of any openings
4. Work your arse off all year long and hope your current program offers you a position for next year
5. Apply through ERAS for a PGY-1 position for next year
6. Look on ERAS for PGY-2 positions (but most of these are not listed on ERAS but rather apds.org)
They are not necessarily hard to come by, given the approximate 20% attrition rate in surgery, but again, there are a lot of people looking for these positions.
what about PGY2 in other specialties?
Depends on what the specialty is and if they accept a Prelim Surgery year. Remember many will be Advanced Matches, so PGY-2 positions for 2009 will have been matched last year. But people do drop out, die, get fired, etc. so these would potentially open up. Otherwise, you could apply for a PGY-2 position starting in 2010 via the match. Anesthesia and Rads will accept PGY-1 in Surgery.
or is it just easier to start over again as a pgy1 and apply via eras?
Yes and No. Yes, because there are more positions available as a PGY-1. No because you will have used up 1 year of GME funding, some programs may see you as "used" goods and prefer a med student over someone repeating an intern year.
can you get a pgy2 via eras?
Sometimes.
or would you just get a PGY2 eventually if you wait long enough for a vacancy?
I'm not sure what you are asking here. Positions might open up but that doesn't mean you will be offered them. You should be looking now for a position next year. People will quit and programs will have openings at any time during this year.
and what do you do in-between, while waiting for a pgy2
Whatever you can do. There are some research positions open, fellowships which don't require more training (some may be listed on apds.org - a user here, did a colorectal "fellowship" before his intern year...Faebinder), do another Prelim year, etc.
...and lastly, what is the maximal wait to wait before giving up on trying for a pgy2?
Only you can answer that (and you should have a plan).
