Need Some Advice

[ayfucius]

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Hey all,

I'm a fourth year med student who just changed his mind to anesthesia (I know, great timing). I wanted to get some advice from veterans on what I should do next year. Here's my options:

1.) Do prelim medicine year at my home school (state school, ok anesthesia). Apply again next year for four year and CA1 spots.

2.) Do year of research or something like that and apply again.

3.) Stay unmatched for prelim year and just scramble into a spot this year. Keep in mind I am registered in eras but I don't have anesthesia LOR or personal statement yet (although I could work on that between now and March).

Are those CA1 spots really hard to get and when/how do I apply for those? Won't it be really hard to interview during an intern medicine year?

I'll also be doing another anesthesia rotation in April. And I have great dean's letter, As and Bs, 210-220 step 1, 220-230 step 2.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[coprolalia]

Take a categorical medicine spot and re-apply next year. This scenario happens all the time.

-copro

 

[ayfucius]

Take a categorical medicine spot and re-apply next year. This scenario happens all the time.

-copro

I thought about that, but I do categorical and drop out, won't look bad to anesthesia places I'm interviewing at?

 

[coprolalia]

I thought about that, but I do categorical and drop out, won't look bad to anesthesia places I'm interviewing at?

1) No.
2) Who cares?
3) This happens all the time.

-copro

 

[coprolalia]

Let me put it another way... What are you going to do if you don't get an anesthesia spot next year? If you are in a categorical medicine spot, you still have a place to be. Much better scenario than not having a place to be. Trust me.

-copro

 

[amyl]

i agree. happens all the time. i have met a few people on the interview trail applying for ca one positions after a year of medicine, surgery, etc. i don't think it is likely to scramble into anesthesiology. start medicine, give it a shot, do some anesthesiology and then tell them you want to make a change... lots of anesthesiology programs anticipate defectors from surgery or medicine.... good luck

 

[MandM06]

I was able to secure a CA-1 position for July 2008 after completing a prelim year. I also had a buddy of mine who left in the middle of his PGY-2 in gen surg to pursue an out-of-match position starting in January. My mistake (as I was told numerous times on the interview trail) was the time off between the end of my prelim year and the beginning of the CA-1 year. So whatever you do, make sure you're in some sort of residency program when you apply or be prepared to "explain" 🙂bullcrap🙂 what you're doing with your year off. It would be ideal if you were able to scramble into a categorical.

 

[bubalus]

Talk to the anesthesia PD at your school for more advice.