PGY1 reapplying for another PGY1 program

[atethesun]

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Is it possible? Should I contact my home school?
Do I need to tell my current program director now?

I just don't want to not match and loose my PGY2 spot for my current program next year.
Should I get new LORs from attendings I've worked with or should I re-use my old files? I just don't want people to find out just yet.

I've gone through two months of hell at my current program where one of the senior attendings would badmouth me right in front of other students and ask me to do extra shifts even though several other attendings think I was doing fine. It has become more and more stressful to go to work for me and this is definitely not the program I thought it was when I ranked it.

Most importantly, my girlfriend (soon to be fiancee) decided to stay at the city where I want to re-match at and this long distance relationship is really tough.

I simply just want to leave my current program, rematch and start over.....


Is this common? I notice quite a few people are thinking about reapplying here on this forum.

 

[cowme]

the match is over. You are where you are. You can try contacting programs for openings, or looking on residentswap.com for people who would switch with you. But there is no re-applying like you did in med school.

I would advise not telling ANYONE in your program until you find an opening; if you can't transfer, you risk really f-ing up the rest of your residency

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You really have three choices: Try to match again this year, try to find a spot outside the match, or stay where you are. Neither choice is perfect, all involve some risk / problems. Much depends on whether you're looking for a change of fields, or a change of programs in the same field.

1. Try to match again

Matching again clearly gives you the most options. You could apply for any field, except for your current field. Very few programs will take you as a PGY-1 if you've already completed a PGY-1 in that field. You would jump through the same hoops as last year -- register with ERAS, upload letters, apply to programs, interview, rank, and match.

Problems: You will not be able to hide this from your current program. A letter from your current PD will be absolutely critical. Getting the time to interview at a bunch of programs will be difficult. You might find that your treatment at your program gets worse as faculty learn that you don't want to be there. And, the match is in March. Many programs require that you sign a PGY-2 contract long before then. if so, you'll have to choose to either stay in the match and take your chances, or keep your PGY-2 spot and forget the match.

2. Find a spot outside the match

This is what you need to do if you want a spot in the same field. In that case, you'll be looking for a PGY-2 (or maybe even a PGY-1 to start somewhere in the middle of this year) in the same field, just in a different program. You can also look for an off cycle position in a new field, as long as you start training before Feb 1. There is no central place that lists spots like this, so you'll be on your own contacting programs to find spots. The fact that your GF is in a specific location and unlikely to move makes it "easier" for you, since you would focus on the programs geographically located near her.

Again, you will need to tell your program about this. However, some programs are likely to be willing to talk to you about it first, and only contact your PD once it's clear that there is a spot, and that you'd be reasonably competitive for it.

Problems: Many programs will have no open spots, so your options may be much more limited. Starting in a new program at the PGY-2 level can be complicated, since you don't know the "system".

3. Staying where you are.

Clearly the "easiest" solution, but can be painful. With the types of evaluations you're describing, you do need to worry that you could get terminated, or non-renewed, because of them (impossible for me to say, depends on how serious these issues are).