How to change residency to gas

[Jimmy LaRoux]

I will be starting EM this July but I've recently had a change of mind and want to do gas instead. How do I move into gas without losing a year? If there is anything on the web that spells out how this is done I cannot find it. Please help!

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[Test Boy]

I don't think your EM intern year would count for the prelim year. However, I'm not 100% sure of this so you should find out. If you don't want to lose a year, then you might have to opt out of your EM residency now and try to scramble into a medicine or surgery prelim year starting this July. Then you should start contacting a bunch of anesthesia programs and see if there's any 2005 openings. There's always people who decide to drop out so there's always a chance.

 

[Jimmy LaRoux]

actually i've known people who have gone from em to gas -- so i know it's at least theoretically possible. how likely it is i don't know. could someone who knows how, please let me know!

 

[dbiddy808]

I'm doing a similar thing. I decided at the end of my intern year (internal medicine) that I wanted to do anesthesia. I emailed the programs asking about open spots and a few had openings. I emailed my CV to a couple, but nothing ever came of it. I had to go through the match. I'll end up "losing" two years, but I'll get an internal medicine board cert out of it.

And your intern year will count.

What I'd do is start emailing programs asking about openings. I'd start with the ones that didn't fill in the match. Some programs intentionally leave spots open for people such as yourself (I'm assuming you are pretty well qualified if you matched into Emergency Medicine).

Good luck.

 

[Jimmy LaRoux]

So . . . you're saying MY *EM* intern year will count? Also what is your advice in how to deal with my EM PD and my future colleagues when I announce I'm leaving? And is their some 'clearinghouse' for these slots that gas programs 'leave open?' for 'people like me?' And do you have to interview (in person) for these spots?

 

[UTSouthwestern]

Both of you will be able to transfer into most programs next year. We have taken both EM and IM residents without loss of any time.

That may change in 3-4 years as the ABA changes the requirements for pain management and SICU such that you will have to have had a significant number of both as an intern in a categorical year.

Back to the original point, both of you should match and I would encourage both of you to at least apply to Southwestern as we have had great experiences with EM and IM transfers and our program looks very favorably on both fields for possible transfer candidates.

Good luck.

 

[dbiddy808]

I did match at U.Miami, which was my top choice.

Despite being a caribbean grad I got interviews at most of the places I applied, and got very positive feedback about my prior medicine training.

As far as dealing with your PD, I'm not sure what to tell you. Since I was unable to get a spot for July of this year, and since I am going to be finishing my medicine residency it wasn't really an issue for me. I'd say just be honest.

 

[Jimmy LaRoux]

So OK I can use my EM intern year as the CBY for gas, that's good to hear . . . but do I apply through ERAS to get a spot for 2005? or do I just call the various PD's around the country to see if I can transfer into their program? how does this work?

 

[pickaname]

I would seriously consider not doing your EM-1 year, and doing a prelim, IM or TY year, why suffer through a whole year of something you don't like. Maybe you could find an open spot in your hometown. Then again, if you are not 100% sure, then stay with EM, that way you will know for sure either way whether EM is for you or not. There is no central listing service for Anesthesia spots, you just have to start calling around, or sending out emails to program directors
Good Luck!

 

[UTSouthwestern]

Jimmy, you can go either way, but most of the CA-1 spots for the year you want to enter (i.e. right after your EM-1 year) have to be applied for individually. I honestly think you have a better chance of getting into the program of your choice if you do this in any case.

Most people do both: Contact the individual programs and apply through the match for advanced positions (but with the latter, you may have a year off to wait through).

 

[BassDominator]

This a bit anecdotal but....

A friend of mine, currently a CA2, went from internal medicine to anesthesia without losing any time. The internal medicine program wasn't thrilled, but in the end, they'd rather have him leave than stay there unhappy. They even offered to help him get a spot in their anesthesia department, but it was a geographic issue. Having done an anesthesia elective in med school, he called up the program director and got an anesthesia spot at his alma mater.

I have to say my friend is infinitely happier. His only regret is that he had to settle for a second tier anesthesia program. Being AOA with a nearly perfect board score, he could have matched anywhere he wanted. So, you might have to lower your standards a little.... or you might get lucky, too. Even the best anesthesia programs go unfilled or have people leave.

Best of luck!

 

[UTSouthwestern]

I wish your friend had applied here. Like I've said before, we've had great success with transfers from IM, EM, and surgery and he would have definitely gotten high consideration. I myself am an IM transfer so I speak from experience.

 

[gaslady]

I think most programs would accept the first year of EM. I'm in a trans year and my year is very similar to that of my colleagues in their first year of EM here. I would do both to keep your options open : try to get a spot by contacting individual programs and if you don't have one by the end of the summer start applying through ERAS.

 

[WalterSobchak]

My program recently had a CA-1 position open up for July. Contact me for more info.