Question about switching fields

[anbuitachi]

Lets say I'm interested in anesthesiology, apply, get in, and am in Intern year medicine. Then I find that i love medicine. Is it possible to continue with that, or do I have to repeat intern year if I switch from anesthesiology to IM?

[anesthesiology just an example, can be switched w/ anything w/ first year intern in medicine]

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[Carlin]

I know a person who matched into radiology, and then during his TY, he liked his medicine rotations so much that he talked to the IM program director at the same hospital and was able to slide right into the IM program as a PGY-2 the following year.

So, yes, definitely possible. It's going to be different on a case-by-case basis though, since it will depend on the availability of spots in the program you want to switch to (and that program's willingness to have you.)

 

[sprin001]

Ya, it can happen. I'm currently PGY-1 in IM and am switching to psychiatry. I had to reapply through match and the whole process but will start psych in July as PGY-2 on track.

 

[Raryn]

Lets say I'm interested in anesthesiology, apply, get in, and am in Intern year medicine. Then I find that i love medicine. Is it possible to continue with that, or do I have to repeat intern year if I switch from anesthesiology to IM?

[anesthesiology just an example, can be switched w/ anything w/ first year intern in medicine]

It's all up to whatever IM program you get in to. They can choose to give you no, partial, or full credit for your intern year. The only thing they're forbidden from doing is making you repeat a prelim year without a designated PGY2 spot.

 

[Killa Beez MD]

Wouldn't you be contractually obligated to the original PGY-2 spot (in this example, anesthesiology) you matched to for at least one year?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You can apply for a match waiver as long as you do so before Jan 15th. If you state a change of interest in fields, you will get the waiver.