question about changing specialty

[ZigPig]

Hello, hoping I can get some advice on here. I am currently in a transitional year program, and I am matched to an advanced program starting July 2014. However, I want to change my speciality to psychiatry. Ideally, I would want to start a PGY2 program starting in July 2014 in psychiatry, but I’d take whatever I would need. According to the match website, I would need to request a waiver by January 15, 2014: http://www.nrmp.org/policies/the-match-commitment/
I talked to someone who made a similar switch (neurology to psychiatry), but this was before the all-in situation for programs.

Some questions I have

• It seems that programs advertise PGY2 programs in the match: for example: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/pgy-2-position-in-psychiatry.1040771/ . It seems too late to join the match for July 2014 for a PGY2 spot, is this correct? I am curious if I am wrong because I am guessing that there are programs that also may be finding out about openings for PGY2 as of now, and it would also be too late for them to start posting it on the match.
• With the all-in situation for programs, do they have to advertise all PGY2 programs in the match? Or can they able to offer PGY1 programs in the match, and then offer PGY2 programs as they become available, outside of the match?
• How do I go about telling a program director (especially since I have not even started the program yet)
• It seems that the order I must go in is: obtain waiver to not continue onto my matched position> not have a job > cross my fingers that I can find a new position. Is that right, or is there a way to obtain a waiver after I secure a position, or even start communicating interest in positions before obtaining a waiver?

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[ZigPig]

since no one replied, i'll give answers for those who are curious

• It was not too late to join the match. I got my waiver a couple days ago, quickly joined ERAS, NRMP, and already have interviews scheduled
• From my understanding with all-in, programs must offer all positions through match, unless the start day is before February
• I told her by email. She was supportive.
• yep, my thought process is correct. I am currently jobless as of July, but I am confident I will match

Hope this is helpful for someone who will be going through this process in the future