question about matching in a certain city or re-applying

[vatootova]

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I am currently an MS1 and I have moved quite far away for medical school. For personal reasons I want (need) to go back to my home city for residency (I actually never should have left... I should have taken another year to apply and hope to get in there on the second time around, but its too late for that now 🙁).

So my first question is, if I do not match in my preffered city, can I just take a year off and re-apply? Secondly, what would be best to do in that year (research is the only thing I can think of)? Finally, because moving to this location is very important, I am curerntly thinking that I will rank a bunch of programs in different specialties in that city in the hopes that I will match to at least one (I am very split between a number of specialties anyways and could see myself doing any one). Would this look really bad in my application and basically gaurentee that I do not match to any of them because they will think that I am not dedicated to their field? Thanks in advance.

 

[Law2Doc]

Finally, because moving to this location is very important, I am curerntly thinking that I will rank a bunch of programs in different specialties in that city in the hopes that I will match to at least one (I am very split between a number of specialties anyways and could see myself doing any one). Would this look really bad in my application and basically gaurentee that I do not match to any of them because they will think that I am not dedicated to their field? Thanks in advance.

I'm not sure geography should be the single most important factor in deciding what career you will have for the next 45 or so years of your life. You will again be looking for a job after residency, so it's not like this is your last opportunity to get to where you want to be. Also bear in mind that things change over time and you may be in a much different mindset (and less homesick) in three years when you are applying. You may find that working in a specialty that you love is more important than where you live -- and not every place is going to be the same as the region you are attending med school. That being said, if you apply to multiple fields at the same hospital, it can probably hurt you because one specialty may assume you really want the other and vice versa. Nobody wants to be your backup. So you are almost better off just sticking with one, less competitive field. If your geographical target has many hospitals with residencies, then you are in good shape. If the field you want to go into is one in which there are only 1 or 2 programs, you probably need a new gameplan. Some schools tell their students that for other than the noncompetitive things, they want 10-12 interviews before they should have much confidence in landing a spot, so if the region you are applying to doesn't even have 10 programs, it may be a bad gameplan from the onset. As for spending a year preparing for the subsequent match, most people do research or other things that will enhance their ERAS application for the next year. Alternatively, you can try to scramble into some 1 year prelim or transitional program somewhere in the world and then reapply with some residency under your belt. But of course that would keep you away from home another year, and maybe even in a worse locale.

 

[Blade28]

Agree with the above.

What is it about your home city that makes it so desirable? Friends? Family? Significant other?

 

[vatootova]

Thanks for the advice. I am actually considering Family Medicine right now, so I am thinking I should have a decent shot at landing a spot in my home town. If I don't end up applying to multiple programs as backups, I thought I would at least apply to EM to have at least one backup (even though EM is more competative than FM). However, I would still risk not matching even in a less-competative feild as I would only be applying to a few programs. You are right though, things may change in the next 3 or 4 years.

To answer Blade's question, it is a combination of SO, family issues and friends (in that order) not to mention I want to live and practice there regardless of other factors... in all, another 3-5 years away for residency seems like too much at this point. Right now my priorities are not the same as when I decided to move across the country for med school.

 

[Blade28]

How many FP programs are in your home town? More than one, right?

 

[hippiedoc13]

As others have pointed out, residency applications are a few years away for you. Who knows what may change about your situation between now and then. That being said, your best bet right now--and really the ONLY thing you have any control over--is to do the absolute best you can in med school, so that you have as many options open to you as possible when the time comes for residency apps, no matter what you end up wanting at that point. So focus on doing well academically and trying to enjoy the experience of living in a new place for now.