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With the progressively increasing year rate of going unmatched, the soaring numbers of total applicants annually, and an unyielding still very-limited number of residency positions available under the constraint of shrinking federal GME funding (despite a call to increase physician numbers) - the prospect of finding a categorical position as an unmatched applicant is now kind of like winning American Idol as William Hung... except not as sexy and certainly less talented. Where am I getting at? It will take miracles to continue residency Even worse if you become a habitual unmatcher.
It's frightening to see my dreams and lifelong goals fade away, and that I will have to let them go, some may try to "keep it alive" by surrendering their soul to yet another prelim year, ultimately there is a daunting reality that will face every unmatched applicant whose had the carpet violently pulled underneath them- What Will I Do Next Year to Stay Alive and Afloat?
My reality is this: I have $250,000+ in loans to my name, and every month the sharks are circling. I have rent (which does not come cheap if you want to live near the hospital), credit card bills that compile interest and APR like if it were a sport, few skills outside of medicine (although I do say that my ability to tolerate and take BS is pretty impressive). Oh and I'm trying to keep this on the down low from my family because I cannot bear to see my aging family carry any more burden then they have already. Needless to say, the idea that I may be living on the corner of some street peddling for change with my dog is creeping in. So I'd like to open up a discussion on sharing practical experiences, ideas, stories with each other. Alot of these are rehashes of older posters but I think that it cant hurt to have another review
1) Locum Tenens/Moonlighting - only applicable to someone who scrambles or attains at least one year of postgraduate year training (state dependent), obtaining a medical state license (again state specific and also apparently easier if you do this at the same time as signing up for Step 3), medical malpractice insurance, and then finding a job with a contract that won't screw you, and will also most likely be in the middle of nowhere at somewhere understaffed. Urgent Care centers, ER moonlight, coverage for a service on weekends. You'll get paid variably from 50-100 bucks an hour. It's not bad for pay given that I was just making minimum wage, but no security, no stability, and may require some long distance driving.I think that the types of stuff you do will also likely determine where you can work. BC/BE is big factor. You may get lucky and land a job as a general practitioner but the climate of medicine is pretty hostile nowadays.
2) Physical examinations for the government for disability or anything else that requires the government or insurance companies to touch people. I don't think it requires even a state license but I'm not sure. Certainly you do not have to be BC/BE to do it. I hear its about 20 bucks a physical. Some ads out there boast $14,000/month but it would probably be only if you took "physical" liberally. Having said that there are some stories here and there on physicians who would do this on the side in addition to their regular jobs because it was relatively easy to do, needed a minimally adequate facility and paid well per hour if you were quick. Certainly something that could be combined with #1 on slow months.
3) Obtaining another science degree in hopes that more letters behind your = acceptance from the categorical Gods. Anyhow, leaving the clinical world, at least generally from what I heard, at any time without the safety net of a categorical contract is like being that overly confident astronaut cowboy who jumps too high and then floats away into the darkness to their demise while cussing and screaming. Kind of like how this might pan out.
4) Obtaining a non-science degreein hopes that it could land you a different, marginally similar career- Takes some cajones. MBA for the execs. I worked for a medical marketing agency few years back, and he and another Brosky from business school arrange events for pharmas to pitch their meds to European physicians staying in complimentary five star hotels at major European tourist destinations. Or MHA or other management degree in hopes of becoming an administrator at the hospital while praying that they don't ask to see your BE/BC status since clinical duty is required. Might be able to work in the pharmaceutical industry as well, legal or not. Good friend of mine graduated med school, opted to not match, went to engineering school afterwards, now oversees and develops components to artificial hearts, robots, etc.. Law/Politics are also possibilities but I rarely hear about it.
5) Consulting- What does this actually mean? I heard people were doing it, but I never came around to it. I hope its not something the cool truant MD's are doing that I'm oblivious to.
6) Investing- I actually started learning how to invest this year. Took 100-150 of my paycheck and put it into my trading account, trended some securities and made away with $800 after a few months. Learning to invest in stock options can pay off even more and help supplement income (of course you could lose it all as well). Classmate of mine who did not match, using this year for a masters degree had a knack for it and made well over $9000 in 8 months and paid off his credit card. Can't say it isn't worth a look if you're trying to earn an income.
7) As an unmatched MS4, options seem to be more limited. The MD would be title only and clinical jobs would be out of the question. There's the option of additional education, but it seems the consensus is to do anything CLINICAL so you can have some training under your belt.
8) Creative ventures- finding a niche that no one else, at least no other MD/DO has thought of or capitalized upon yet- running beleaguered LTACs, nursing homes, dialysis centers (in fact I know of two FP's whose income is comparable well paid subspecialists by running and managing several local nursing homes). I understand that given what specialty you land into, you could work with wound care. Going into TV worked well for some MDs out there. I know of one MD who work in the a few local public school systems making sure kids are healthy or getting vaccinated, and so forth now hired to manage an entire school district's health requirements and health
9) International opportunities- Red Cross, international relief. I have no experience with it but it sounds feasible.
Anyhow thought that this might be helpful to those have gone unmatched for the first or second or third time, or someone who decided later that medicine or their current career is not for them. Maybe someone can share how they were able to able to legally leverage the government to ease up on loan repayment, or how to file an effective tax return.
It's frightening to see my dreams and lifelong goals fade away, and that I will have to let them go, some may try to "keep it alive" by surrendering their soul to yet another prelim year, ultimately there is a daunting reality that will face every unmatched applicant whose had the carpet violently pulled underneath them- What Will I Do Next Year to Stay Alive and Afloat?
My reality is this: I have $250,000+ in loans to my name, and every month the sharks are circling. I have rent (which does not come cheap if you want to live near the hospital), credit card bills that compile interest and APR like if it were a sport, few skills outside of medicine (although I do say that my ability to tolerate and take BS is pretty impressive). Oh and I'm trying to keep this on the down low from my family because I cannot bear to see my aging family carry any more burden then they have already. Needless to say, the idea that I may be living on the corner of some street peddling for change with my dog is creeping in. So I'd like to open up a discussion on sharing practical experiences, ideas, stories with each other. Alot of these are rehashes of older posters but I think that it cant hurt to have another review
1) Locum Tenens/Moonlighting - only applicable to someone who scrambles or attains at least one year of postgraduate year training (state dependent), obtaining a medical state license (again state specific and also apparently easier if you do this at the same time as signing up for Step 3), medical malpractice insurance, and then finding a job with a contract that won't screw you, and will also most likely be in the middle of nowhere at somewhere understaffed. Urgent Care centers, ER moonlight, coverage for a service on weekends. You'll get paid variably from 50-100 bucks an hour. It's not bad for pay given that I was just making minimum wage, but no security, no stability, and may require some long distance driving.I think that the types of stuff you do will also likely determine where you can work. BC/BE is big factor. You may get lucky and land a job as a general practitioner but the climate of medicine is pretty hostile nowadays.
2) Physical examinations for the government for disability or anything else that requires the government or insurance companies to touch people. I don't think it requires even a state license but I'm not sure. Certainly you do not have to be BC/BE to do it. I hear its about 20 bucks a physical. Some ads out there boast $14,000/month but it would probably be only if you took "physical" liberally. Having said that there are some stories here and there on physicians who would do this on the side in addition to their regular jobs because it was relatively easy to do, needed a minimally adequate facility and paid well per hour if you were quick. Certainly something that could be combined with #1 on slow months.
3) Obtaining another science degree in hopes that more letters behind your = acceptance from the categorical Gods. Anyhow, leaving the clinical world, at least generally from what I heard, at any time without the safety net of a categorical contract is like being that overly confident astronaut cowboy who jumps too high and then floats away into the darkness to their demise while cussing and screaming. Kind of like how this might pan out.
4) Obtaining a non-science degreein hopes that it could land you a different, marginally similar career- Takes some cajones. MBA for the execs. I worked for a medical marketing agency few years back, and he and another Brosky from business school arrange events for pharmas to pitch their meds to European physicians staying in complimentary five star hotels at major European tourist destinations. Or MHA or other management degree in hopes of becoming an administrator at the hospital while praying that they don't ask to see your BE/BC status since clinical duty is required. Might be able to work in the pharmaceutical industry as well, legal or not. Good friend of mine graduated med school, opted to not match, went to engineering school afterwards, now oversees and develops components to artificial hearts, robots, etc.. Law/Politics are also possibilities but I rarely hear about it.
5) Consulting- What does this actually mean? I heard people were doing it, but I never came around to it. I hope its not something the cool truant MD's are doing that I'm oblivious to.
6) Investing- I actually started learning how to invest this year. Took 100-150 of my paycheck and put it into my trading account, trended some securities and made away with $800 after a few months. Learning to invest in stock options can pay off even more and help supplement income (of course you could lose it all as well). Classmate of mine who did not match, using this year for a masters degree had a knack for it and made well over $9000 in 8 months and paid off his credit card. Can't say it isn't worth a look if you're trying to earn an income.
7) As an unmatched MS4, options seem to be more limited. The MD would be title only and clinical jobs would be out of the question. There's the option of additional education, but it seems the consensus is to do anything CLINICAL so you can have some training under your belt.
8) Creative ventures- finding a niche that no one else, at least no other MD/DO has thought of or capitalized upon yet- running beleaguered LTACs, nursing homes, dialysis centers (in fact I know of two FP's whose income is comparable well paid subspecialists by running and managing several local nursing homes). I understand that given what specialty you land into, you could work with wound care. Going into TV worked well for some MDs out there. I know of one MD who work in the a few local public school systems making sure kids are healthy or getting vaccinated, and so forth now hired to manage an entire school district's health requirements and health
9) International opportunities- Red Cross, international relief. I have no experience with it but it sounds feasible.
Anyhow thought that this might be helpful to those have gone unmatched for the first or second or third time, or someone who decided later that medicine or their current career is not for them. Maybe someone can share how they were able to able to legally leverage the government to ease up on loan repayment, or how to file an effective tax return.
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