Is a Family Med program easier to match into than Transitional Year?

[TOXOSIS]

I hear that if I'm applying to transitional year programs, I'm competing with dermatologists, radiology, PMR and some other competitive specialities that require the TY (at least for DO). I'm 95% certain I want to do FP but I wouldn't mind doin a TY to think about it. But, it would look pretty bad to apply to the TY AND FP spots at the same hospitals - so I need to choose. My priority is to be in California - so should I just apply FP and hope that 5% doubt doesn't surface? Is the TY even true that I'd be competing with the "smarter kids"? Any advice from those who have been through the grind is appreciated, thanks

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[lord_jeebus]

I'm not even sure you could count a TY towards a FM residency...maybe a few months

 

[RTrain]

And yes, it is much easier to match into FM than TY. FM is one of the least competitive specialties, TY is quite tough. You'd be competing with people going into radiology, ophtho, anesthesia, derm, who don't want to do a (more demanding) medicine prelim year.

 

[dragonfly99]

yes. transitional year would be MUCH harder to get. Transitional year in Cali I'd think would be BRUTAL to get.

I'm with you on the making decisions thing. I actually think it would be good if everyone graduating from med school had to (or got to) do a transitional year, particularly if they wanted to. It could be weighted more to surgery for those interested in surgery, outpatient med for those trying to pick between peds and fp and IM, etc. Unfortunately the residency system is set as much for the needs of hospitals as for trainees/residents.

Haven't you talked with people at your med school about your indecision? They should be able to give you tips about transitional year programs that might have taken grads from your school in the past.

I agree w/poster above who said that you won't be able to count most of your transitional year toward your fp residency. For example, you won't have your own outpatient clinic as a transitional year intern, which you would if you were doing family practice. You'd kind of be shooting yourself in the foot because you'll end up having to do an extra year of residency (or close to it) since I think the only months that woudl count would be thinks like ER, maybe psych or neuro, etc. You'd end up having to negotiate with whatever fp residency you matched into later about which months from the previous year you could count...

 

[Winged Scapula]

TY much more competitive, especially in California.

You may get very little credit for the year, so consider it a wash.

If you only have "5% doubt", then I'd say that's pretty good...many people have much much more. Go for FP.

 

[TOXOSIS]

Would the first year of FP residency fulfill the osteopathic requirement for licensure in California? I didn't know the first years differ so much between TY / FP! Good advice, thanks!

 

[lowbudget]

If you only have "5% doubt", then I'd say that's pretty good...many people have much much more. Go for FP.

"95% sure" is good enough for clinical trials... just my opinion.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Transition year in cali? Have fun going up against some of the most competitive applicants in the match.

 

[TOXOSIS]

The reason I am wondering is because the intern I worked with at an Osteopathic hospital that I rotated through scrambled there and she sure was not the brightest person... Maybe it's different in the D.O. world?

 

[Winged Scapula]

The reason I am wondering is because the intern I worked with at an Osteopathic hospital that I rotated through scrambled there and she sure was not the brightest person... Maybe it's different in the D.O. world?

Two observations make it difficult to assess:

- some of the brightest people (on exams) are the slowest or worst clinically stereotypically

- she "scrambled" which means that the position didn't fill in the match, nor did she. Many scramble positions are either not worth having, or the candidates for the positions might not be the most competitive (ie, her competition for the position might not have been that tough).

Look, anything is possible. No one is going to honestly tell you that its impossible to get a TY in California. Its just that its tough for everyone given the location and typical competition for TY.

 

[gutonc]

Wait a minute...are you (the OP) asking about a transitional year or an osteopathic traditional rotating internship? If the former, then all of the above advice holds. If you're asking about a TRI (which is different than a TY) then it's a completely different story.

A TY is open to allo and osteo grads and tend to attract folks applying to the very competitive advanced specialties.

The TRI is open only to osteo grads and is "required" if you want to be licensed in those 5 (I think) states that still like to pretend there's a difference between osteo and allo practice. The TRI, in general, is nowhere near as competitive as TY spots.

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

Wait a minute...are you (the OP) asking about a transitional year or an osteopathic traditional rotating internship? If the former, then all of the above advice holds. If you're asking about a TRI (which is different than a TY) then it's a completely different story.

A TY is open to allo and osteo grads and tend to attract folks applying to the very competitive advanced specialties.

The TRI is open only to osteo grads and is "required" if you want to be licensed in those 5 (I think) states that still like to pretend there's a difference between osteo and allo practice. The TRI, in general, is nowhere near as competitive as TY spots.

Thank you.

It annoys me (somewhat) when I see DO students talk about a osteopathic traditional rotating internships yet say "I'm doing a transitional year." If I know them well enough, I always correct them. (I'm a word nazi) Although, historically, the allopathic internship used to be called a "rotating internship."

Anyways, the osteopathic TRI is almost always VERY easy to land. There are plenty of spots open, esp if you don't mind living in boring states like Michigan, Ohio, etc.

The allopathic TY is a whole different beast. Unless you're sporting a 250+ USMLE Step 1 score, I'd recommend you not limit yourself to Cali TY's. As other posters stated, they're very competitive. Oh, and make sure you apply to Arrowhead Regional although it's not the cushiest. Tons of DOs there.

Do a search on TY programs in the ophtho forum. There is a running list of the best ones. G'luck!

 

[Winged Scapula]

Thanks for the lesson in the misuse of the term "transitional year". I know the difference between TY and a Rotating Internship but didn't realize that some DOs may use the terms interchangeably.

 

[TOXOSIS]

Thank you for the information and corrections! I had NO idea they were different. So how do I find out which programs are "traditional rotating internships" vs "Transitional Year" ? On the osteopathic opportunities website, it just has them listed as "internship" vs. "residency". When I go to one of the five california hospital's websites, it says they offer a "transitional internship residency". Not sure what to make of that since it is neither of the two... hmmm

 

[gutonc]

Thank you for the information and corrections! I had NO idea they were different. So how do I find out which programs are "traditional rotating internships" vs "Transitional Year" ? On the osteopathic opportunities website, it just has them listed as "internship" vs. "residency". When I go to one of the five california hospital's websites, it says they offer a "transitional internship residency". Not sure what to make of that since it is neither of the two... hmmm

If it's a DO only program (which it sounds like the ones you're talking about are) it's a TRI. If it's on FRIEDA, it's a TY.

 

[TOXOSIS]

<p>

If it's a DO only program (which it sounds like the ones you're talking about are) it's a TRI. If it's on FRIEDA, it's a TY.

</p>
<p> But the osteopathic derm, PMR,etc also require the 1 year internship, so I guess you'd still be applying to the same programs as them, but in a TRI if that's the case.</p>
I talked to one of the programs and they said TY and TRI are the same thing ... they're osteopathic. I wonder what these are as hard to get into.