I have yet to start my IM residency ... I had a baby and had arranged an off-cycle start date. Last year I had a really difficult time deciding between IM and OB and ended up picking IM for a variety of reasons, including thinking it would give me a better lifestyle and allow for more flexibility given a due date in July! However, I am convinced I am headed into the wrong specialty and that I made a decision with my head and not my heart. OB/gyn was what I came into medical school wanting to do. I have always loved women's health and it came easy to me. It was my highest clerkship grade. But now I have no idea how to right my mistake. I didn't do an AI in ob/gyn last year, so I am worried about letters of recommendation. I also don't know who to approach first in terms of my current PD or the ob/gyn department. I am thinking I might just have to wait until the 2013 match unless i can get a position before then outside the match. I also don't know how competitive I would be at programs given that I would be kind of an untraditional applicant. I am AOA, graduated magna cum laude, step 1 240+, step 2 260+. Any ideas / advice would be greatly appreciated!!
IM to OB/Gyn
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If you went through the NRMP, then you have to honor your contract. You should the NRMP to see what the consequences are. I would talk to the OBGYN PD at your institution and get their advice, or even meet with the Chair of the Dept. You are AOA and have very high USMLE scores. I am sure that you would be a very competitive candidate. Good luck with your decision.
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Start here and ask the question to these programs c vacancies
http://www.acog.org/departments/dept_notice.cfm?recno=1&bulletin=122
I would switch mid year why lose a year,
http://www.acog.org/departments/dept_notice.cfm?recno=1&bulletin=122
I would switch mid year why lose a year,
Global Disrobal
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1. I would speak with your current PD. Honesty is the best policy and it'll make the process infinitely easier on you. Besides, your current faculty will be able to provide you LORs.
2. I would move forward with your current residency as 1) you may change your mind and like it after all, 2) you can often get primary care credit for months on IM when you transfer to an OBGYN residency, and 3) as stated above, you will honor your contract, get LORs (if necessary), and maintain your practice of medicine
3. I would definitely check out the CREOG clearing house (link provided by Diane) and contact those programs. This might be more worthwhile later this year as your months in IM may allow you transfer into a PGY-2 year for OB with some extra months (3-4) at the end of residency.
4. If option 3 is not possible, then I'd enter the match for OB and follow the usual process. Your academic credentials alone will land you a residency. Don't sweat the LORs too much, as in your case LORs documenting your work ethic, personality, fund of knowledge (from your current faculty) will suffice moreso than OB faculty from medical school.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
2. I would move forward with your current residency as 1) you may change your mind and like it after all, 2) you can often get primary care credit for months on IM when you transfer to an OBGYN residency, and 3) as stated above, you will honor your contract, get LORs (if necessary), and maintain your practice of medicine
3. I would definitely check out the CREOG clearing house (link provided by Diane) and contact those programs. This might be more worthwhile later this year as your months in IM may allow you transfer into a PGY-2 year for OB with some extra months (3-4) at the end of residency.
4. If option 3 is not possible, then I'd enter the match for OB and follow the usual process. Your academic credentials alone will land you a residency. Don't sweat the LORs too much, as in your case LORs documenting your work ethic, personality, fund of knowledge (from your current faculty) will suffice moreso than OB faculty from medical school.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Thanks for the responses. I feel like I am stuck in IM for this year ... assuming I still want to switch, at what point is it reasonable to talk to my PD and should I do this before approaching the ob/gyn department? I just don't know in what order I need to handle things. I feel completely overwhelmed and stuck in IM. Would I need to go back and do some kind of rotation to get letters, since I didn't do an AI during 4th year?
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If you are planning on switching to OBGYN for 2012, then you need to talk to your current PD now, especially if you are planning on going through the match. I agree with Global Disrobal, honesty is the best policy. Your current PD can write a letter for you which can help. Just make sure that this is what you want to do. You will also have to convince the programs that you are applying to that you realized too late that you made a mistake, and that OBGYN is really where you want to be. No one wants to take a chance on someone they feel cannot make up their mind. Like I mentioned earlier, I would still go and talk to the OBGYN PD at your institution and get their advice. See if they have openings or could possibly keep you in mind for next year, since you are already there. I would not quit mid-year, that does not look good.
What are the GME funding issues with switching specialties? I am thinking I will have to complete one year in IM then possibly enter the match next year ... I may go talk to the PD at my home institution to see what the process would be
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When I did my obgyn residency (at one of the best programs in the northeast), one of my co-interns left at the end of her first year to switch into medicine. The program then took a family practice resident as a PGY-2. I think he had at least done one year of FP at that point. He just had to make up a few months of labor floor at the end of his residency. So switching into obgyn is totally doable. I have learned from personal experience that if a program wants you, the funding issue can be overcome.
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Thanks for the replies ... I just want to know that there might be some programs out there who would work with me to overcome the funding issue. It is just really hard to make a career decision in such a short amount of time during fourth year. I guess in retrospect I should have taken a year off to decide rather than dealing with all this hassle. I just want to hear from others that the sword is doable.
I wanted to bump this thread as I am in a similar situation as the OP. I was looking at the CREOG clearing house website, and see that they all PGY2 spots require that applicants complete 12 months at an ACGME OBGYN program. Is this a new policy or will most programs make exceptions?
Also, how many PGY1 spots open up during the year bc of attrition? Are we talking like 10, or 50, or 100?
Attrition Rates Between Residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Other Clinical Specialties, 2000–2009
This publication (I can't post links) states that around 190 residents leave their program, with the majority of that coming from PGY1 and 2. But it doesn't state (at least from my interpretation) whether the attrition is more likely to happen during PGY1 or 2. My former obgyn pd at my med school said that a lot of positions open up during the first 6 months. But I don't know what does that mean in terms of ball park numbers.
Any insight would help. Thanks.
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I have seen people transfer from surgery and only have to do an extra couple of months. Depends on the way the schedule/curriculum is structured.
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