IM Residency?

[Outlanding]

I don't understand the whole IM residency route. If one can't match straight into the residency one wants, one can go through a IM residency and match into something else after completing it? Will that be considered 2 residencies or a residency and a fellowship? How does it work? For example, if one can't match into a surgical residency, does one have to do an IM residency first then try to get into the surgical residency later?

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[bashwell]

I don't understand the whole IM residency route. If one can't match straight into the residency one wants, one can go through a IM residency and match into something else after completing it? Will that be considered 2 residencies or a residency and a fellowship? How does it work? For example, if one can't match into a surgical residency, does one have to do an IM residency first then try to get into the surgical residency later?

IM has its own subspecialties (e.g. cardiology, gastroenterology), just like general surgery has its own subspecialties (e.g. vascular, pediatric). You aren't forced to continue into the subspecialties after you've completed residency.

If you are board certified in general IM, I suppose you could theoretically complete another residency in general surgery as long as you can find a program that will consider you. If you completed both, then you would be board eligible/certified in both general IM and general surgery.

If you're an average allopathic med student, geographically flexible, and have no red flags, you really should not have a problem matching into general surgery in the first place.

However, if for some reason you can't get into general surgery, and that's what you really want, it'd probably be better to try and match into prelim surgery and trying to get in that route rather than doing an entire other residency in something you potentially don't even like enough to consider as your first choice (e.g. IM).

If you are aiming for a competitive surgical specialty like urology or plastics, then it'd make more sense to complete a general surgery residency first, not an IM residency. It'll still be very competitive to get in, and absolutely no guarantees you would, but at least it'd make a lot more sense to the PD and you'd have a lot more relevant (surgical) experience if you completed general surgery rather than IM if you're interested in a competitive surgical specialty like urology or plastics.

 

[TBV]

You do an IM residency only if you want to do IM or one of IM's sub specialties: GI, cards, heme/onc, endocrine, allergy immunology, rheumatology, pulm/crit. If you cannot get into a surgical field that you want to do, usually people take a year off for research or do a surgical pre-liminary year and try matching again depending on the field and your specific circumstances.

And to clear up confusion typically IM's subspecialties are completed as fellowships

 

[deleted158872]

Say, if after I finish a fellowship and can't find a job in the location I want, can I fall back on being an IM doctor?

 

[Dral]

Of course. You will get rusty with your fellowship gained knowledge/skills though.

 

[bashwell]

Over on the cardiology forum, wasn't there even a cardiologist considering hospitalist work or something like that?

 

[GadRads]

Over on the cardiology forum, wasn't there even a cardiologist considering hospitalist work or something like that?

Yeah I saw that. It seems cardio will be less competitive in the upcoming years.

 

[deleted158872]

Can one finish IM residency, work as an IM doctor for a few years, then go back applying for a Cardio fellowship? How difficult is it?

 

[StraightOuttaBrooklyn]

Yeah I saw that. It seems cardio will be less competitive in the upcoming years.

Would you please consider elaborating on this? I'm very interested in cardio and the prospect of it becoming less competitive is very appealing to me....but it sounds too good to be true..

 

[chipwhitley]

Can one finish IM residency, work as an IM doctor for a few years, then go back applying for a Cardio fellowship? How difficult is it?

Yes, people do this. I'm not sure how difficult it is.

 

[Psai]

Can one finish IM residency, work as an IM doctor for a few years, then go back applying for a Cardio fellowship? How difficult is it?

No idea but I do know a guy who worked as a hospitalist for a bit before going back to do specialty training. He was planning to do it but wanted to get rid of his student loan debt first. So it's possible

 

[GadRads]

Would you please consider elaborating on this? I'm very interested in cardio and the prospect of it becoming less competitive is very appealing to me....but it sounds too good to be true..

Wrong person to talk to ... just rumors I have heard. But I have recently seen IMGs match into cardio fellowship.

 

[the argus]

Wrong person to talk to ... just rumors I have heard. But I have recently seen IMGs match into cardio fellowship.

IMGs make up a significant percentage of matches in even the most competitive IM subspecialties. This is nothing new.

% of Cardio matches that are IMGs: 2014 38.6%, 2013 41.2%, 2012 40.4%, 2011 36.7%, 2010 33%, 2009 33.6%, 2008 32.9%
% GI matches that are IMGs: 2014 30.1%, 2013 29.7%, 2012 27.7%, 2011 26%, 2010 27%, 2009 26.5%, 2008 26.4%

 

[deleted158872]

IMGs make up a significant percentage of matches in even the most competitive IM subspecialties. This is nothing new.

% of Cardio matches that are IMGs: 2014 38.6%, 2013 41.2%, 2012 40.4%, 2011 36.7%, 2010 33%, 2009 33.6%, 2008 32.9%
% GI matches that are IMGs: 2014 30.1%, 2013 29.7%, 2012 27.7%, 2011 26%, 2010 27%, 2009 26.5%, 2008 26.4%

US-IMG fresh out of med school, or FMGs that are already attendings in their countries?

 

[the argus]

US-IMG fresh out of med school, or FMGs that are already attendings in their countries?

This is fellowship so no one is fresh out of medical school, everyone is coming from residency.

I would assume how you perform during residency is much more important to fellowship programs than if you were an attending in another country.