Looking for any external chief resident positions for next year :)

[Doctor_Strange]

I am a PGY-3 in Internal Medicine who applied to Cardiology this year and with only two interviews (including internal), the chances of matching are very low. I am looking at external chief resident positions and beyond searching on LinkedIn, I was told the only other way to learn about open spots is through cold-emailing programs. Was hoping a kind soul on here could provide me an leads privately.

I go to a university-affiliated community program, and our chiefs have already been selected. I am a D.O. resident, and citizen. With what I thought was an average application, I thought I could match into Cards this year, but clearly, my app was below-average.

Thanks for any leads and advice. Been a difficult few months, but I am committed to re-applying

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[rokshana]

I am a PGY-3 in Internal Medicine who applied to Cardiology this year and with only two interviews (including internal), the chances of matching are very low. I am looking at external chief resident positions and beyond searching on LinkedIn, I was told the only other way to learn about open spots is through cold-emailing programs. Was hoping a kind soul on here could provide me an leads privately.

I go to a university-affiliated community program, and our chiefs have already been selected. I am a D.O. resident, and citizen. With what I thought was an average application, I thought I could match into Cards this year, but clearly, my app was below-average.

Thanks for any leads and advice. Been a difficult few months, but I am committed to re-applying

Maybe consider doing a heart failure fellowship.
Average doesn’t cut it for cardiology…would look for more DO friendly programs next time.
You may want to also use this year in residency to get some cards research and posters presented to help boost your application and go to a meeting like ACC to make some connections.

 

[Doctor_Strange]

Maybe consider doing a heart failure fellowship.
Average doesn’t cut it for cardiology…would look for more DO friendly programs next time.
You may want to also use this year in residency to get some cards research and posters presented to help boost your application and go to a meeting like ACC to make some connections.

If I cannot obtain a Chief Year, then I will go for a heart failure fellowship but I believe a chief year will be more advantageous for my specific app. I applied broadly, to about 130 programs including DO-friendly places. I have a lot of publications, but only a few to ACC. Most case reports. Not many faculty do research at my institution.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

If I cannot obtain a Chief Year, then I will go for a heart failure fellowship but I believe a chief year will be more advantageous for my specific app. I applied broadly, to about 130 programs including DO-friendly places. I have a lot of publications, but only a few to ACC. Most case reports. Not many faculty do research at my institution.

Consider a cardio hospitalist position at programs that have solid agreements.

 

[Doctor_Strange]

I will. Right now, the issue is motivation. I feel pretty demoralized and honestly beaten down by this process which is so random and opaque. I am gonna try to get feedback on my application soon, but I do not know specifically what to improve on. My mentors told me I would match if I applied broadly which I thought I did.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I will. Right now, the issue is motivation. I feel pretty demoralized and honestly beaten down by this process which is so random and opaque. I am gonna try to get feedback on my application soon, but I do not know specifically what to improve on. My mentors told me I would match if I applied broadly which I thought I did.

Cardiology, GI, and PCCM are honestly tough places to be. They're tough for MDs to make it. And pretty painfully tough for DOs. I mean 50-55% match rates speak for themselves.

 

[collegestud2013]

I am a PGY-3 in Internal Medicine who applied to Cardiology this year and with only two interviews (including internal), the chances of matching are very low. I am looking at external chief resident positions and beyond searching on LinkedIn, I was told the only other way to learn about open spots is through cold-emailing programs. Was hoping a kind soul on here could provide me an leads privately.

I go to a university-affiliated community program, and our chiefs have already been selected. I am a D.O. resident, and citizen. With what I thought was an average application, I thought I could match into Cards this year, but clearly, my app was below-average.

Thanks for any leads and advice. Been a difficult few months, but I am committed to re-applying

Not sure how late it is in the game in terms of cardiology fellowship programs giving out interviews, but getting only 2 invites out of 130s apps sounds like there may be a red flag on your app. Would see if someone at your home program can advise on what that may be, as depending on what it is it may or may not be a fixable issue if you reapply. Some things in your app that will affect your chances of matching, like being a DO grad, the reputation of your IM residency program, and your USMLE or COMLEX scores, cannot be changed at this point.

Chief positions usually only help with matching at their respective in-house programs, so for the most part it would only be helpful if that program has its own in-house cardiology fellowship and you're okay staying there. Not to mention that you're basically a glorified secretary for a year so your clinical skills might atrophy a bit.

As others have suggested one-year non-ACGME fellowships that are related to cardiology like heart failure, cardiac imaging, preventative cardiology are probably the better way to go to boost your app than doing a chief year.

Of course the problem with both of those the above options is you would be losing out on a year's worth of attending salary (and replacing with a resident/fellowship salary; though if able to, some moonlighting part time will partially offset this). A fulltime cardiology-oriented hospitalist position at an academic institution would probably the way to go in terms of improving your app, making connections, and while minimizing the financial impact of needing an extra year.

If you're going for cardiology over general IM mainly for financial reasons, keep in mind that once you account for the extra training time (in your case it seems like it will take 4 years longer if you don't get in this cycle), long hours worked by cardiologists, and taxes at physician income levels, general cardiology won't likely come out ahead of just doing IM/FM hospitalist with some extra shifts.

 

[Doctor_Strange]

Not sure how late it is in the game in terms of cardiology fellowship programs giving out interviews, but getting only 2 invites out of 130s apps sounds like there may be a red flag on your app. Would see if someone at your home program can advise on what that may be, as depending on what it is it may or may not be a fixable issue if you reapply. Some things in your app that will affect your chances of matching, like being a DO grad, the reputation of your IM residency program, and your USMLE or COMLEX scores, cannot be changed at this point.

Chief positions usually only help with matching at their respective in-house programs, so for the most part it would only be helpful if that program has its own in-house cardiology fellowship and you're okay staying there. Not to mention that you're basically a glorified secretary for a year so your clinical skills might atrophy a bit.

As others have suggested one-year non-ACGME fellowships that are related to cardiology like heart failure, cardiac imaging, preventative cardiology are probably the better way to go to boost your app than doing a chief year.

Of course the problem with both of those the above options is you would be losing out on a year's worth of attending salary (and replacing with a resident/fellowship salary; though if able to, some moonlighting part time will partially offset this). A fulltime cardiology-oriented hospitalist position at an academic institution would probably the way to go in terms of improving your app, making connections, and while minimizing the financial impact of needing an extra year.

If you're going for cardiology over general IM mainly for financial reasons, keep in mind that once you account for the extra training time (in your case it seems like it will take 4 years longer if you don't get in this cycle), long hours worked by cardiologists, and taxes at physician income levels, general cardiology won't likely come out ahead of just doing IM/FM hospitalist with some extra shifts.

I've wondered about some potential red flag in my app. My USMLE scores Step 1/2 were 243/237, and I took Level 3 with a score in the 500s. Taking Step 3 was not needed per my research and various inquiries. Otherwise, I train at a university-affliated community program. The only conceivable explanation is threefold: a) it's super competitive and despite my research, my application is simply below average, b) I have an exceptionally bright co-resident who applied to similar places and unlikely programs would interview us both, or c) there's something in my LORs. I have thought a lot about my LORs but the ones I asked I just don't see them saying anything bad. They may not be overly effusive e.g. this is the smartest resident ever, but I don't see them maligning me.

The only reason I'd pursue a chief year is simply for optics and that it does look good in general. I'm sure it varies for everyone.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I've wondered about some potential red flag in my app. My USMLE scores Step 1/2 were 243/237, and I took Level 3 with a score in the 500s. Taking Step 3 was not needed per my research and various inquiries. Otherwise, I train at a university-affliated community program. The only conceivable explanation is threefold: a) it's super competitive and despite my research, my application is simply below average, b) I have an exceptionally bright co-resident who applied to similar places and unlikely programs would interview us both, or c) there's something in my LORs. I have thought a lot about my LORs but the ones I asked I just don't see them saying anything bad. They may not be overly effusive e.g. this is the smartest resident ever, but I don't see them maligning me.

The only reason I'd pursue a chief year is simply for optics and that it does look good in general. I'm sure it varies for everyone.

Sometime there is no logic or sense to it.

 

[Doctor_Strange]

Sometime there is no logic or sense to it.

Well, the process is random and not necessarily based on meritocracy. That's just part of life. Yeah, I feel crappy, but also I am committed to improving my app. I am extremely privileged and fortunate to not have any student loans whatsoever, so while it would be nice to jump on a locums or hospitalist gig, I do not think I would be happy long term.