Questions about choosing a residency

[okokok]

How important is the specific residency you choose vs the effort you put into taking the initiative to learn?

If you don't have the opportunity to learn many procedures during residency, do you have that opportunity beyond residency? I'm not sure if there are workshops or trainings that practicing physicians attend to learn new skills?

My medical school's family med residency offers a $25,000 "award" (cash that you can use for loans, living expenses, etc) to students who apply for the program and are chosen. However, it's an early-decision type of thing. You don't apply to any other residencies or go on any interviews. You find out if you've won a spot the summer between 3rd and 4th year.

I rotated through the program during my family med clerkship and loved it. I thought everyone was great, super nice, and I felt very comfortable around them. I don't think I knew enough to be able to judge the quality of resident education. My spouse is in favor of me applying to this program because we like the location and because of the money. I have to stay in this general region of the state anyway for family reasons, but there are about 5 other family med programs that would work location-wise. Even though I liked my home program, I'm wondering if it's unwise to commit before interviewing anywhere else.

I am interested in learning as many procedures as possible, and I'm not sure how strong my home program is in that regard yet. If the current residents say the answer is not very strong, is that a reason to pass the money/program up?

I'd really appreciate any opinions.

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[SansaStarkMD]

If it's really that great of an opportunity they wouldn't have to buy applicants. A friend of mine attended a radiology fellowship that paid absolutely nothing for one year. Now he makes bank. That opportunity was worth it.

 

[okokok]

If it's really that great of an opportunity they wouldn't have to buy applicants. A friend of mine attended a radiology fellowship that paid absolutely nothing for one year. Now he makes bank. That opportunity was worth it.

I see your point, but it's more of a scholarship that one or two applicants out of a pool of applicants receive, not something they offer every incoming resident to entice them. Just trying to clarify that it's more an award than a buying off. The reason it's early decision is because you're involved in the resident clinic every other week throughout 4th year.

I know no one can make this decision for me, but was hoping for some opinions from people who have interviewed at different residencies and have an idea of how different or not different they are.

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[SLC]

I kinda feel like you make your own way a lot in residency. There are a few programs out there that advertise being very procedure heavy, things like primary C-sections, C-scopes; I even interviewed at a place where some residents were getting some training in lap-chole's and lap-appy's. I always wondered about those places though. I mean; it'd be cool to learn some of that stuff more, but that training probably has to come at the expense of something else right? Either bread and butter FM training, or perhaps your free time; either way, I decided against it.

So I'm at a more well-rounded program. I have ample opportunities to learn the usual FM procedures, and have the ability to go after some other stuff if I'm really interested. It works out well in the end.

 

[fireflygirl]

Residency is what you make it. I was 4.5 months shy of graduating when I got sick and had to take FMLA and I had settled upon a job by that point, but I am in a great community hospital and got a ton of training in somethings and not enough in another. You aren't going to find a perfect program out there so figure out what procedures you want to do, and then whatever program you end up in, make the best out of it. For example, we don't have a strong OB component to our FM program but the chief before I came really wanted to do OB. So she talked to the OB residency at our program and was able to spend more than the required 8 weeks with them. Instead, she spoke with the director and got specific opportunities that were just for her so that other OBs couldn't take that opportunity away from her. She also knew that she wanted to work in a rural setting so she used her elective time wisely. She also was able to do a longitudinal program to help her achieve her goals after residency. If you want to do more suturing, moonlight in urgent care or an ER. There will be time for you to gain the skills you need to do whatever it is you want to do after residency, but you just have to set it up and have a little bit of support from your program.

However, you need to go to a program that isn't going to mind you pursuing whatever it is that you want. If you have little elective time or you get the feeling that they aren't too cool with you doing other things, then that might not be the program for you. Talk to the current residents, see if they have an attending that has specialized herself in whatever it is that you are interested in. We have two attendings that do a ton of procedures in our program and there is plenty of opportunity for our residents to work with them. They also serve as advisors for students that want to incorporate more procedures in their practice. Make sure the program you want to go to has at least one person already practicing the way you envision yourself practicing or is supportive and open to you doing what is that you want.