medical school transfers and residency

[eyes]

I posted this on another site but got no response. Here is my situation: I will be entering the second year at an LCME accredited school in the US. For personal reasons (husband/wife/fiance), I plan on transfering to another medical school for my third and fourth years.

If I manage to transfer, how would this affect my residency application (especially to a more competitive specialty like ophthalmology)? I spoke with a residency director as well as my school's counselor/advisor about this plan and they had differing opinions. One said the transfer should not be an issue if I had good grades, USMLEs, recs. The other said programs might view this transfer as foolish and would wonder whether I would stay at their program (or transfer to another program - ie, just like I "had done for med school"). Any comments?

Also, I was wondering about some other issues. What happens to my Dean's letter -do I just get two of them? What happens to AOA eligibility - although it is difficult to say, I think I have a good shot (I don't mean to sound arrogrant, but I am just extrapolating from my first year) at senior AOA at my present school. Do honors transfer from school to school? I doubt it.
Would my present school attempt to hinder my residency application?

Finally, if you know of any transfer stories, I would love to hear them. Thank you.

Anonymous MS

ps) I apologize, but I would prefer to remain anonymous for now.

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[tonem]

A lot of what you're asking is really dependent on the schools with which you're involved. The same is true for residency programs...some will understand your predicament and some will not. After you weigh your options, you have to decide what is important for you and go with that. With that said...unless you already have an in somewhere it is EXTREMELY difficult to transfer. In the year before I looked into it, only 5 students (one was president of AMSA)transferred. AMSA's New Physician magazine did an article on trasferring two years ago...see if you can find a copy. From my experience the schools I was trying to transfer to either flat out didn't accept transfers or they only accepted transfers if you were married to a current student, resident, or faculty member. Of course if you have an in (ie: you know someone very influential at the school you want to go to)it's a whole other story (I think thats how the AMSA prez pulled it off). Anyway, I hope you have better luck than I did. On the other side of the coin...I'm still very happy where I'm at now so....

 

[nyskindr]

At most schools the fourth year is mostly elective and if you have a lot of flexibility as to where electives can be arranged.It may not be worth the risk of losing AOA and other potential honors to transfer for only one year. However if you truly have clearly compelling personal reasons for switching I dont think it will held against you.