How do you get out of a residency you matched in?

[twh34]

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I think I made a mistake in choosing my current residency and matched in Chicago. How do I get out of the program and not sabotage my career?
I will go to that program 2010 after my internship.

 

[McGillGrad]

I think I made a mistake in choosing my current residency and matched in Chicago. How do I get out of the program and not sabotage my career?
I will go to that program 2010 after my internship.

Your name is already on the website, so you have lost your anonymity.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

If you matched for a prelim year 2009-2010 and an advanced residency starting in 2010, you can resign your position anytime before January 15th without penalty. From the NRMP:

An applicant who matched to an advanced position also may request a waiver if the applicant has elected to change specialties, provided the waiver is requested no later than the January 15 prior to the start of training. The applicant must request the waiver in writing and must send the request to the NRMP with a copy to the program to which the applicant matched. The NRMP will investigate the waiver request to determine whether or not the waiver shall be granted.

Note that this would require that you've decided to change fields. You can't simply decide to change programs within the same field.

 

[daki]

If you matched for a prelim year 2009-2010 and an advanced residency starting in 2010, you can resign your position anytime before January 15th without penalty. From the NRMP:



Note that this would require that you've decided to change fields. You can't simply decide to change programs within the same field.

So if you decide to switch after Jan 15th, you have to show up to your advanced program for at least the first day, then resign? Is any letter to the NRMP still required at that point?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

So if you decide to switch after Jan 15th, you have to show up to your advanced program for at least the first day, then resign? Is any letter to the NRMP still required at that point?

If you show up for a day and then quit, it absolves you of any match violation. Your match simply requires that you show up for work day 1.

However, quitting on your first day of work would be considered unprofessional by most standards. As a highly skilled professional who has made a commitment to emplyment, you should give "reasonable notice". We can argue about how much time is reasonable, but I think that 2-3 months is fine.