Prelim year

[GuessWho]

Do you have to do a prelim year (for those programs that require it) in medicine only?? I've only seen one program, where one guy did a prelim in peds, and maybe one transitional year. Does it matter? Because I'd definately want to do one in Peds or transitional before medicine--but don't want that to hold me back, or make me less competitive in any way.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Apollyon]

You can do a prelim year in IM, general surgery, peds, and Ob/Gyn. I don't know if there are "actual" FM prelim years, but the first year of FM can count as one. There is also the transitional year.

The best gig is the transitional year, because you're essentially repeating 4th year, but you're getting paid for it. Generally, the worst is the prelim surgery year, because you're treated like the "red headed stepchild". There's some overlap, though - there are some prelim surgery programs that are more beneficient than some of the prelim IM (or Ob/Gyn) programs.

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

I am part of a 2,3,4 program and am currently doing my intern year as a 'transitional year'.

I think many different 'years' can count as that first year... for new grads with no residency previous, the typical is IM, Surgery, or a Transitional Year. If you had a few yeas of FM or OB, etc etc under your belt, I think chances are the program would sign off on that and allow you to be a PGY2. I know of at least one person in our program now who did a couple years of FM 10 years back, and just started as a PGY 2 to become BE/BC in EM (hes worked in the ED all those years).

The transitional year is the most highly sought after. For a few reasons I think; one you have no clinic duties and usually no didactic duties. The call is typically much less, and you really get to see/do much more of the other fields. I spend 3 months in ICUs, a few months in peds, a month in OB, cards, trauma, ortho, 2 in the ED, and anes. As someone said, much like 4th year repeated. The downside, I belong to really nobody and if I have a problem I do not really have someone to go to. I am at the same institution as my EM program, but I do not belong to them so techincally I am not theres until next year...but obviously they are helpful to guide me.

Internal Medicine is probably second, although probably 10 months or so of call and lots of floor scut work... you will obviously learn tons. You would probably have an afternoon clinic and the typical daily IM conferences/didactics.

Surgery, most people are not fond of because of the call and given the nature of the specilaty, you are more apt to be treated un-fair give your step child status. Not always the case, and we are generalizing here. Although, some may prefer surgery to get away from the countless hours rounding and prim/properness sometimes dealt with in IM.


If you have any particular questions, please fell free to PM me.