If I'm applying to change specialties, will they notify my current program?

[doctorderp]

I'm a PGY-1 in a fallback specialty that I can do competently but is not at all what I'm passionate about. Unfortunately my circumstances from decisions made long ago without anyone to warn me what it would put me up against made my desired specialty unrealistic even with multiple pubs and still active research.
I have friends who are residents and attendings (not on residency committees though) in that surgical specialty who are encouraging me to apply again now that I have American clinical experience and attendings who've seen me in patient care and are willing to write me a recommendation.
What I want to ask, though, is will those programs contact my current program about my application? I feel strongly enough about this specialty to spend the money applying again and to be more than willing to start over if I get in but I'm more passionate about having gainful employment and what I'm afraid of is that my program will find out and fire me and if I don't get into the specialty I want well then tough s***. Would anyone advise for/against pre-emptively emailing programs about my intentions and asking they not notify my current program? Can the program take action against me before I even know if I'm leaving?

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[GoSpursGo]

There's basically no way that a program is going to seriously consider you without getting a letter from your current PD. Practically speaking there's no good way for you to "secretly" apply without your program finding out.

 

[rokshana]

I'm a PGY-1 in a fallback specialty that I can do competently but is not at all what I'm passionate about. Unfortunately my circumstances from decisions made long ago without anyone to warn me what it would put me up against made my desired specialty unrealistic even with multiple pubs and still active research.
I have friends who are residents and attendings (not on residency committees though) in that surgical specialty who are encouraging me to apply again now that I have American clinical experience and attendings who've seen me in patient care and are willing to write me a recommendation.
What I want to ask, though, is will those programs contact my current program about my application? I feel strongly enough about this specialty to spend the money applying again and to be more than willing to start over if I get in but I'm more passionate about having gainful employment and what I'm afraid of is that my program will find out and fire me and if I don't get into the specialty I want well then tough s***. Would anyone advise for/against pre-emptively emailing programs about my intentions and asking they not notify my current program? Can the program take action against me before I even know if I'm leaving?

You can’t secretly apply to the match again without your program knowing...any program is going to want a letter form your current PD...you are better off being upfront with your current program about wanting to change specialties...but understand that your current program will not hold your spot if you don’t match, so be very sure that you are competitive enough...a year later...to match In a more competitive field.

 

[doctorderp]

Thank you guys for the advice. If that's the way things work with switching specialties then I guess it just isn't worth the risk.

Thanks

 

[gutonc]

Thank you guys for the advice. If that's the way things work with switching specialties then I guess it just isn't worth the risk.

Thanks

I think you're missing something critical here. This is how JOBS work in the real world. If you have a job (which you do, you're a resident) and you want another job (as a resident), you're going to need to get a reference from your current employer, which is your PD right now. It's how the world works.

 

[mvenus929]

I think you're missing something critical here. This is how JOBS work in the real world. If you have a job (which you do, you're a resident) and you want another job (as a resident), you're going to need to get a reference from your current employer, which is your PD right now. It's how the world works.

I don't entirely disagree with you regarding the reference aspect.

But I do think that switching residencies is also different than switching jobs as an attending. I admit that I haven't been in this situation yet, but my impression is that when you're thinking about switching jobs as an attending, you can sometimes request that they not contact your references until you're reasonably sure the job is a good fit for you and they're moderately serious about hiring you. I'm also not convinced that there's as much 'pressure' in changing jobs as an attending. Certainly, it's possible you could go without a job, but if you're looking to change jobs simply because you want something else, then your current job probably won't fire you while you're looking, though you do have to give some amount of notice. It's just that in residency, there is a pressure to get someone to replace you in time to start in July when you don't find out until March, whereas attending positions typically have a little more lead time. The OP is concerned that they won't be renewed for a second year, and if they don't match, will be out of a job entirely, effectively ending their career in medicine. That's not how it works once you're an attending.

But maybe I'm way off the mark too.

 

[gutonc]

I don't entirely disagree with you regarding the reference aspect.

But I do think that switching residencies is also different than switching jobs as an attending. I admit that I haven't been in this situation yet, but my impression is that when you're thinking about switching jobs as an attending, you can sometimes request that they not contact your references until you're reasonably sure the job is a good fit for you and they're moderately serious about hiring you. I'm also not convinced that there's as much 'pressure' in changing jobs as an attending. Certainly, it's possible you could go without a job, but if you're looking to change jobs simply because you want something else, then your current job probably won't fire you while you're looking, though you do have to give some amount of notice. It's just that in residency, there is a pressure to get someone to replace you in time to start in July when you don't find out until March, whereas attending positions typically have a little more lead time. The OP is concerned that they won't be renewed for a second year, and if they don't match, will be out of a job entirely, effectively ending their career in medicine. That's not how it works once you're an attending.

But maybe I'm way off the mark too.

You're not wrong. I was just pointing out that, at some point, the PD is going to find out. And if they find out because some other PD calls them to ask WTH is going on, it's not going to work out well.

 

[doctorderp]

Wow I didn't expect more replies to come here. I appreciate all the advice and being shown that yeah this is the way the adults-having-adult-jobs-like-adults world works. I'll just have to make my peace with it.

Thanks again everyone. Genuinely