"Noncompelling" reason for program switch

[Scotttothesmith]

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There are a lot of threads that address switching residency programs to switch states for a compelling reason (family, illness).

What if your program is nothing like you thought it would be and it is a very, very bad fit but you still feel the career choice of pathology is a great fit? I really see myself being unhappy at my current program and I don't think that would be true at all programs.

Other than the fact that my partner is still looking for a job and there are many jobs a couple of hours from my program that would be more on the order of 30-60 minutes from another program, I don't have a compelling reason other than that mentioned above to use to switch out of the program (although there are things lacking from the program that I am already missing, like access to teaching medical students).

Obviously if my partner ends up getting a job several hours away, I will be in a different situation and will be looking to switch programs so we can be in the same place but if not will I have any leg to stand on if I still want to switch programs?

 

[yaah]

People sometimes switch because they don't like programs. If a program is a bad fit it is still a compelling reason since it's enough to make you transfer. The problem with reasons like that is that you have to be sure they are specifically related to the program and not to the field in general. Have you experienced other programs and you know they are going to be better? Most programs, to pick the example you listed, do not generally have tons of med student teaching from the level of the resident. Sometimes you help out in what passes for M2 labs (M2 labs are rapidly disappearing in favor of online/virtual labs), and sometimes you have contact when they rotate through your department, but that is usually the extent.

 

[KCShaw]

It definitely happens. Every year a few programs get a rough reputation because one or more people dropped out or transferred; some seem to have this problem annually. The difficulty with not having a newly developed family/"compelling" reason is that it's considerably more uncomfortable to try to get your current program director to help you find a new program. Most of those reasons actually are "compelling," obviously at least one is to you, but might not be one your current program will appreciate. Let's face it, there are a lot of reasons to want to switch programs -- some programs are just not that good, some are obscenely busy or seem mean spirited, sometimes there are personality issues, sometimes the location drives you nuts, etc. I definitely agree you need to be very confident that it's a program/location specific problem and not a specialty specific problem.

That said, there are a few ways to try to go about it. One is to strike out on your own and look for a new program. You have to be honest with these programs about why you're looking to transfer. You also have to realize that at some point they will almost certainly speak with your current program director -- so, you need to be prepared to either give them a heads up, or hope it doesn't go over too poorly that they get surprised in such a way. You might be surprised that they understand. Or it might be very awkward. It will probably be a burned bridge, though one you can burn cordially and professionally -- but it's better than hating the next few years or fizzling out on a specialty you otherwise enjoy.