Internship or not to Internship...?

[Mr H]

Ok so I graduated medical school this past may (2009) and am currently getting an MPH before starting residency. I am applying for residency now, but my academic history (board scores) have caused me problems throughout medical school. Currently I have three interviews lined up for a residency position, but have not heard from over half of the programs that I applied to. As a back up plan I applied for internship (transitional year) positions as well, and just went on my first interview for one of the programs yesterday.

While there, I began to really see the value of doing a transitional year, especially given my academic record and the fact that by the time I will start post graduate training, I will have been out of medicine for a year.

What is the consensus out there? Should I continue with pursing residency interviews or should I concentrate on transitional year training, and the pursue residency for 2011? Will there be any added benefit to my application that residency programs will see if I do the transitional year? Will there be anything taken from it, especially if I pursue the residency match, don't match, and then scramble for a transitional year spot?

Any and all comments welcomed!!

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[Quizzical]

Your situation is a bit confusing as it is unclear what you want.

What is your career goal? That should dictate whether you do a TY year or something else. For example, if your goal is IM, then do a prelim med year. Some programs will NOT accept a TY year as an intern year and you end up having to repeat your PGY1 year.

and FYI, TY years tend to be more competitive than other prelim programs as you have your crazy candidates like derm/rads applying to those. However, TY progs do vary.

And how the heck does board scores "[cause] problems throughout medical school?" Something doesn't sound right about that. Plenty of piss poor board scorers do pleasantly well in med school.