Hi everyone, I'm currently a PGY3 psych resident exploring the possibility of transferring to another program to complete my PGY4 beginning July, 2027, preferably in a liberal state/town. I am in good academic and professional standing, and have passed all my COMLEX exams (I am DO). I am currently living in a red state and have been experiencing lots of discrimination, racism, and homophobia as a gay Latino physician, which is now affecting my well-being. I am just wondering if anyone here knows of any PGY-4 vacancies/open spots that might become available next year (especially after residents leave to do child fellowship) and willing to take a PGY4 transfer. At this stage, I'm simply exploring whether a transfer may be feasible before formally initiating discussions with my current program leadership. Please let me know! Thank you 🙂
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PGY4 transfer
Started by gjr428
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I think it's possible? My reading of ABPN requirements seems to allow it if you have 2 years of training in one place. Quick check of postings definitely doesn't show any available, however. I get how it seems logical that a PD would want to backfill residents lost to child fellowship, but that loss is actually built in to programmatic planning. Further, PGY-4's are essentially near free attending labor. As a transfer, you wouldn't be the most ideal quasi attending because you aren't familiar with the whole setup like all other PGY-4's. You'll actually be a bit of a training drain instead. It's not quite a net negative, but nothing like a regular PGY-4. Are your issues more inside or outside your program? Are you in your own therapy processing any of it?
It is exceedingly rare for programs to take PGY-4 residents because they have no need. PGY-4 year psych residents don't provide much value at most programs. You might be better fasttracking into child psych. you can also look into non-ACGME fellowships like public psychiatry or women's mental health that would allow you go join as a PGY-4. the NIMH accepts PGY-4s for research residency years. Some programs like yale have "chief resident" positions sometimes that they fill with external candidates. The only time programs fill spots when people fasttrack into CAP residency is when so many leave their call pool is too small. Otherwise fasttracking does not create vacancies.
