%IP vs. %OP during FM residency

[MedSchoolFool]

I'm an M3 and the more I go through this year the more I feel sure that FM is the right choice for me. Now, I will confess that I do not particularly enjoy the IP hospital environment. So this brings me to ask a few questions: How much of FM residency is OP vs. IP? Is it possible to do a residency that is entirely OP, such as community programs?

I've looked into a few different FM programs and was astonished to see how much of the time was spent working in a hospital rotating through the different IP services instead of OP clinics. On paper it looks like repeating M3 for an extra 3 years....not something I would feel so thrilled about at this point. Please tell me it's not like that.

Yes. I do understand how important IP management is as far as understanding pathology and developing treatment plans...so I hope noone will feel the need to instruct me on the merits of IP because I do get it...but I'm just wondering if an alternative exists and what exactly I should expect from FM residency just as far as IP vs. OP management is concerned. Thank y'all.

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[VA Hopeful Dr]

I'm an M3 and the more I go through this year the more I feel sure that FM is the right choice for me. Now, I will confess that I do not particularly enjoy the IP hospital environment. So this brings me to ask a few questions: How much of FM residency is OP vs. IP? Is it possible to do a residency that is entirely OP, such as community programs?

I've looked into a few different FM programs and was astonished to see how much of the time was spent working in a hospital rotating through the different IP services instead of OP clinics. On paper it looks like repeating M3 for an extra 3 years....not something I would feel so thrilled about at this point. Please tell me it's not like that.

Yes. I do understand how important IP management is as far as understanding pathology and developing treatment plans...so I hope noone will feel the need to instruct me on the merits of IP because I do get it...but I'm just wondering if an alternative exists and what exactly I should expect from FM residency just as far as IP vs. OP management is concerned. Thank y'all.

Search different residency program websites, they'll all tell you the curriculum. Many even specify IP/OP per rotation, though its not usually needed.

My experience from interviewing: opposed places tend to have more inpatient. At my school, FPs on surgery handle floor work and take the same call as the surgery residents. Same with cardiology and peds. In unoppposed programs, surgery is with a private surgeon and not one place I went had any call during that month (and rarely if ever weekends). Peds requires inpatient experience so no escaping that.

 

[MedSchoolFool]

Thank you for pointing out the difference between opposed vs. non-opposed programs. That is exactly the type of advice I need, & I will certainly take a look at these places first. Too bad about Peds, but I sort of figured there would be no getting out of IP altogether.

I should clarify something, though. It's not that I don't like working with the patient's in the hospital, but I don't like working with the doctors & nurses in the hospital. I'm sure it might not be difficult to imagine why that is, especially since I'm an M3. Just looking for someplace where malignant personalities are not the norm....I know I'm dreaming, though.