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.
Sorry to hear about your struggles but there's a clearing ahead...
We had a resident transfer to a name brand program for PGY4. Pretty sure that's a rare occurrence but it's clearly possible. FWIW I'm pretty sure this individual burned all local bridges and tarnished his reputation as a result of his move (amongst other behaviors as I have heard from colleagues) however your situation sounds entirely different.
That said, PGY4 will fly by. Work on setting up your PGY4 off-site electives as soon as possible. Start searching for attending jobs in a location you're interested in. (No it's not too soon as a PGY3. N=1 but I locked an interview sometime in the spring of my PGY3 year and I still work at that job). IMO your energy is better spent setting up electives and landing an attending job over the next year plus vs the time and energy sink of hunting for that rare spot, interviewing, moving, joining a team where you could immediately be dubbed an outsider, etc.
I hope you're talking to your PD about this. They have strong incentives to keep their trainees happy to say the least. Again, just my n= 1 anecdote observing our residents but there seems to be a warehouse of grease on standby for the squeaky wheels (and I'm referring to situations must less serious than anything you're describing). You deserve a sit down with the PD.
Good luck to you!
We had a resident transfer to a name brand program for PGY4. Pretty sure that's a rare occurrence but it's clearly possible. FWIW I'm pretty sure this individual burned all local bridges and tarnished his reputation as a result of his move (amongst other behaviors as I have heard from colleagues) however your situation sounds entirely different.
That said, PGY4 will fly by. Work on setting up your PGY4 off-site electives as soon as possible. Start searching for attending jobs in a location you're interested in. (No it's not too soon as a PGY3. N=1 but I locked an interview sometime in the spring of my PGY3 year and I still work at that job). IMO your energy is better spent setting up electives and landing an attending job over the next year plus vs the time and energy sink of hunting for that rare spot, interviewing, moving, joining a team where you could immediately be dubbed an outsider, etc.
I hope you're talking to your PD about this. They have strong incentives to keep their trainees happy to say the least. Again, just my n= 1 anecdote observing our residents but there seems to be a warehouse of grease on standby for the squeaky wheels (and I'm referring to situations must less serious than anything you're describing). You deserve a sit down with the PD.
Good luck to you!
It is definitely possible but far from easy. You will need to reach out to specific programs now directly w/ their prog director. Programs only hunt for PGY4 transfers usually in situations where the program is call heavy PGY4 and too many people have gone off to CAP programs. It is not impossible but you have to set it up yourself.
If you get no luck your best bet is setting up a lot of PGY4 electives within your program and be as uninvolved as possible. PGY4 generally is not hard anywhere you go and can be pretty flexible. There is almost zero chance of being fired as a PGY4 so you can do lower than the bare minimum and skate through.
If you get no luck your best bet is setting up a lot of PGY4 electives within your program and be as uninvolved as possible. PGY4 generally is not hard anywhere you go and can be pretty flexible. There is almost zero chance of being fired as a PGY4 so you can do lower than the bare minimum and skate through.
