PGY-1 and beyond

[tmesis]

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I've more or less read through Iserson's but still have a few questions concerning PGY-1 and beyond.

What are the various possibilities for one's PGY-1 year? I know that some people have to find a separate match for their PGY-1 'intern' year in addition to the residency of their specialty, but I'm curious about the differences among PGY-1 programs. I've seen terms like categorical and preliminary PGY-1. Is there any difference between the two in terms of one's education content?

Secondly, I had always thought that radiology residency lasts 4 years total. After reading Iserson's and auntminnie, it seems that it's 4 years AFTER PGY-1, for a total of 5 years in graduate training. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jim Picotte]

Yep radiology is 5 years total. When you enter a categorical residency you pretty much know you'll be there the whole time. Three years in the case of internal medicine. For the preliminary medicine, surgery and transitional years it's only one year and then you'll have to find yourself another residency after that.

PGY-1 just means post graduate year 1.

There are pretty much only prelim surgery, prelim medicine and transitional year that are only one year. Your responsibilites are generally the same as a categorical resident who is in their first year. For prelim medicine it's pretty much the first year of medicine and the same for prelim surgery. Transitional year is a bit different in that it usually (depending on the program) affords more electives. We had 6 elective months in my transitional year so you could take say anesthesia for a month, pathology for a month, dermatology for a month, any of the medicine or surgical subspecialties for a month, radiology, OB/GYN, Pediatrics, etc. It's not as focused as a prelim medicine or surgery year.

For spots like anesthesia, ophthalmology, radiology, dermatology, PM&R people usually match to both a prelim/transitional year and Advanced (PGY-2) year at the same time going through the match.

 

[SweetMD]

Just adding some thoughts:


At most places there are differences between the cat. intern and the prelim intern : for example in surgery, if they already know you'll be going to radiology next year, you 'll spend less time in the OR and more on the floor. Or in medicine: you'll have one ICU month less. These are just examples. You 'll be checking that out more closely when you apply.