Does anyone know of any programs that offer off-cycle pgy2 positions either late fall or january start date for next fall/winter 2012? I am currently finishing a residency which I am slightly offcycle for various non academic reasons and have had a hard time finding a program to consider me. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks so much.
psychiatry pgy2 positions offcycle
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There are probably fewer programs looking for PGY-2 off cycle, and you just have to keep your eyes open on the sites that you have mentioned. If you are looking for jan 2013 start dates, then you might have to wait a little later as most programs with off-cycle positions are filling positions after someone has left the program. There are many programs (yale, johns hopkins, stanford) that take more than one PGY-2s every year, but the application process starts in sept and they usually start July 1. Also, if you are keen to go a particular area, then you may want to contact the programs directly as many positions are not "advertised." Other things you can do is to contact the psych program at your medical school or the program at your current hospital.
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The University of Oklahoma usually takes a PGY-2 resident, don't know if they'll have a spot next year or not but may be worth calling.
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Out of curiosity, why are there a set of programs that always have PGY-2 spots opening up every year? How are they different from the majority of programs that don't don't have PGY-2 spots opening up every year?
I'd buy that they tend to be malignant programs that consistelty burn out residents every year or give them the boot, but I know a few that are solid programs. What gives?
I'd buy that they tend to be malignant programs that consistelty burn out residents every year or give them the boot, but I know a few that are solid programs. What gives?
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I think you have to distinguish between those programs that have additional spots at PGY-2 (University of Washington, Hopkins and Yale have 4-6 each year) and those which have openings to replace residents. In the former, the additional spots are for people who have seen the light and switching to psychiatry. UW and Hopkins are strong on medical psychiatry and thus particularly keen on residents who come with a strong medical background from intern year. I suspect part of it may be based on funding too (having money to train people for 3 years, and not 4). Columbia has 1 advanced spot which is a bit bizarre in that you apply 2 years in advance and do a prelim or transitional year and rhen enter as a PGY-2.
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I think Yale has those 4 PGY-2 spots also because for the residents who are there for 4 years, they do 3 months of research during the second year. So, I think having the 4 additional PGY-2 residents helps.
I thought it had more to do with allowing flexibility to account for the unknown number of residents that will leave early to fast-track into child.
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I know that for my program, the C/A fellowship is the reason. Our last several years we've had a HUGE interest in child, resulting in several residents fast-tracking to fellowship which leaves flex spots to replace the missing PGY-4s. I would definitely not assume malignancy, though I'm sure that is the case for some.
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Some programs just have turnover for no good reason. I wouldn't call my old program malignant, but there was a consistent loss of 1 or 2 residents a year. Typically 1/2 were people that decided they wanted to do IM, and the other half involved moving for "family reasons," d/t the somewhat geographic isolation of the location from other family members, and needing help with things like child care or to be close to a partner. You could read into that as a ranking issue, I suppose, on the part of the program to choose people who had "flags" like long distance relationships or limited local social support.
As for off-cycle spots, I'd contact individual programs you're interested in, let them know you're looking, and that you're willing to wait until something does open. Most programs prefer on-cycle because frankly it's a big pain in the ass to bring someone in in the middle of the year -- it slows everyone else down, and in some ways can burden the program more than not having someone fill that spot at all.
As for off-cycle spots, I'd contact individual programs you're interested in, let them know you're looking, and that you're willing to wait until something does open. Most programs prefer on-cycle because frankly it's a big pain in the ass to bring someone in in the middle of the year -- it slows everyone else down, and in some ways can burden the program more than not having someone fill that spot at all.
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from my experience, most of the 1-2 PGY 2 openings in programs are clustered in the Northeast/NY/PA programs. These programs come as a result largely because the year 1 resident was *asked* to submit a letter of regret stating that the resident will leave the program. This causes a PGY 2 opening, for which applicants (especially those who want to either relocate or changing specialties) can apply for. The NE programs, especially those in the NYC metro area and Philadelphia/outskirts Philli, are particularly known for accepting applications for PGY 2, as they generally are pyramidal programs.
There is a program I am aware of in NYC which tends to abruptly ask a resident every year to leave instantly around mid January
There is a program I am aware of in NYC which tends to abruptly ask a resident every year to leave instantly around mid January
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Competitiveness depends. UW and Stanford consistently have open PGY2 positions. Those tend to be harder to get into than, say, community programs. I don't anticipate that the transfer position would be any easier to obtain than a PGY1 position through the initial Match.
There is no way to transfer without taking a leap of faith. In general you need to provide a letter of recommendation from your current program director to accompany your transfer application, so at a minimum you need to notify your current program director of your intention to transfer out (i.e., before you are notified whether your application has been accepted or denied). And, in general, you interview for transfer positions in Oct-Dec but do not hear the result until Feb-Mar -- which is after your PGY2 contract needs to be resigned. (So you would have to decline your contract -- thereby setting into motion the machinery of your program director trying to find a replacement -- before you hear whether or not your application to transfer is successful.)
