Re-entry to residency after working as a GP...

[Timmythemic22]

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Hi All...

It's been a long time since I've been on here, so excuse me if I'm not posting in the correct area or am missing out on some SDN etiquette. I was hoping for some insight or guidance on my current predicament. Here's a quick summary.

-graduated allopathic US med school in 2011

-started gen surg residency categorical, was unhappy and finished out the year, but switched to peds at the same hospital

-had some personal issues during the peds year, but finished it out and took hiatus at the end of the year as a GP

-worked over a year as a GP doing locum tenens jobs, some urgent care and then some home health assessments (largely non-clinical)

-started doing international medical missions

So my plan is for reentry to residency in 2016 for family med. I've made a list of programs and am working on my personal statement but it's been so long since I've been in this process I'm largely clueless. Any initial direction you guys can provide would be incredible. I know I have some red flags but I also have great recommendations and a great deal of diverse experience that would suit me well in family med. My other big question is... is a physician re-entry program for me? Does it help make connections to get back in to residency or is it just for older physicians? Again, I apologize if this info is staring me in the face but I'm a little bit out of the game and would love the insight.

Tim

 

[smq123]

A few questions:

- Is the main reason that you are not trying to get back into your old peds program because you don't want to do peds any more? Are you still on good terms with your old program director?

- Are there location restrictions?

- If you left on good terms, what other red flags are you referring to?

 

[michaelrack]

any gaps in your practice as a physician since residency?

 

[Timmythemic22]

A few questions:

- Is the main reason that you are not trying to get back into your old peds program because you don't want to do peds any more? Are you still on good terms with your old program director?

- Are there location restrictions?

- If you left on good terms, what other red flags are you referring to?

Thank you for the response! I do not want to do Peds anymore. Since doing the missions and working with the elderly, I realize I want to expand my scope of practice. I have an ally in my former program director and converse with him regularly.

No location restrictions.

I mean red flags in my potential indecisiveness, and that I might be looked at as a flight risk by programs.

 

[Timmythemic22]

any gaps in your practice as a physician since residency?

Technically, the last 8 months or so would qualify as non-clinical even though I make clinical evaluations for the elderly patients I do home visits on...

 

[smq123]

Thank you for the response! I do not want to do Peds anymore. Since doing the missions and working with the elderly, I realize I want to expand my scope of practice. I have an ally in my former program director and converse with him regularly.

No location restrictions.

I mean red flags in my potential indecisiveness, and that I might be looked at as a flight risk by programs.

In family medicine, you might not be perceived as big a flight risk as you think. There are a lot of people in family medicine who were in other specialties before finally landing on family medicine. Your experience as a GP could easily be seen as a big plus.

Also, the fact that you are a) less than 5 years from graduation, and b) you have continued to have clinical experience will help. I don't think you'll need any special "physician re-entry" programs.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Re entry programs are definitely not for you. They are for people who have completed a residency, then take a long break and want to come back to clinical medicine

 

[Timmythemic22]

Thank you guys, this is a big help.

Ok, so that said, where should I be getting ready for ERAS? I have a tentative list of programs. I've tried reaching out to program directors but they say I really can't communicate with them outside of the traditional match methods. I'm working on my personal statement, I have my CV. Should I get books and start reviewing general family med principles?

I listen to med pod casts daily for current news/lit and reviewing basic medical topics
I've signed up for JAMA and am trying to keep up to date with articles and CME credits.
I'm doing another medical mission in July to Cambodia.

Where else should I be working on myself?

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Thank you guys, this is a big help.

Ok, so that said, where should I be getting ready for ERAS? I have a tentative list of programs. I've tried reaching out to program directors but they say I really can't communicate with them outside of the traditional match methods. I'm working on my personal statement, I have my CV. Should I get books and start reviewing general family med principles?

I listen to med pod casts daily for current news/lit and reviewing basic medical topics
I've signed up for JAMA and am trying to keep up to date with articles and CME credits.
I'm doing another medical mission in July to Cambodia.

Where else should I be working on myself?

I've never heard of rules that state you can't communicate with a PD at any time, much less outside the match... Keep trying program directors and you'll eventually find one that will give you at least a few minutes of time.

 

[Timmythemic22]

I've never heard of rules that state you can't communicate with a PD at any time, much less outside the match... Keep trying program directors and you'll eventually find one that will give you at least a few minutes of time.

Okay, I got it. Basically I was asking for some face time with them prior to the match season or to see if I could spend a day on the floors as an observer. Do you think this is feasible? Should I be asking anything else?

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Okay, I got it. Basically I was asking for some face time with them prior to the match season or to see if I could spend a day on the floors as an observer. Do you think this is feasible? Should I be asking anything else?

I would tell them your story and that you are trying to get back into training. Ask them their thoughts on your app and any help or criticism they may offer. A day on the floors as an observer isn't really that helpful. A face-to-face meeting would be nice, but I suspect most of these will be either email or phone meetings.

 

[Timmythemic22]

I would tell them your story and that you are trying to get back into training. Ask them their thoughts on your app and any help or criticism they may offer. A day on the floors as an observer isn't really that helpful. A face-to-face meeting would be nice, but I suspect most of these will be either email or phone meetings.

Got it. Well that's something to get me back on track in the meantime. Any thoughts on anything else I need to do to prepare for ERAS?

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Got it. Well that's something to get me back on track in the meantime. Any thoughts on anything else I need to do to prepare for ERAS?

You are in a unique situation compared to most applicants. Make sure your people that you have lined up for the LOR will write you good letters. You can't have anything but this. Make sure your prior PD is 100% behind you in this. If there is a national meeting for FM coming up, it might be a good idea to go it and meet people.

 

[Timmythemic22]

You are in a unique situation compared to most applicants. Make sure your people that you have lined up for the LOR will write you good letters. You can't have anything but this. Make sure your prior PD is 100% behind you in this. If there is a national meeting for FM coming up, it might be a good idea to go it and meet people.

Well, my PD from surgery is one of my biggest supporters and I believe my PD from peds has my back. I have other senior physicians that I've worked with in the last year, one that worked with me on a medical mission and another I'm going to ask that worked with me when I was an urgent care doc. Should I be including these with my original LOR from back in med school?

Also, I've been researching best places for family med (program-wise) and as mentioned before found 20+ programs that I think would be a good fit. Are there any resources you guys have that I should be looking at for family med programs?

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Well, my PD from surgery is one of my biggest supporters and I believe my PD from peds has my back. I have other senior physicians that I've worked with in the last year, one that worked with me on a medical mission and another I'm going to ask that worked with me when I was an urgent care doc. Should I be including these with my original LOR from back in med school?

Also, I've been researching best places for family med (program-wise) and as mentioned before found 20+ programs that I think would be a good fit. Are there any resources you guys have that I should be looking at for family med programs?

I'm not sure that your original LOR will hold much at this point. I would use the two PD's (especially if you believe they can write you a strong, supportive letter) and the urgent care guy. Old LORs you can use as maybe a fourth, but it probably wouldn't carry as much weight as the newer ones.

While there are 20+ programs you might have found, I would also look to apply to just about every low tier program out there. The further out from med school, the harder it will be. Put everything you can into this upcoming app.

 

[Timmythemic22]

I'm not sure that your original LOR will hold much at this point. I would use the two PD's (especially if you believe they can write you a strong, supportive letter) and the urgent care guy. Old LORs you can use as maybe a fourth, but it probably wouldn't carry as much weight as the newer ones.

While there are 20+ programs you might have found, I would also look to apply to just about every low tier program out there. The further out from med school, the harder it will be. Put everything you can into this upcoming app.

Thank you kindly. Where would one stratify 'low tier' outside of the top 50 or so programs that they list... just any community programs? Lesser known, smaller programs?

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Thank you kindly. Where would one stratify 'low tier' outside of the top 50 or so programs that they list... just any community programs? Lesser known, smaller programs?

Any place rural, takes alot of IMG/FMG residents, community programs, etc. You want to cast a wide net. More like 100-200 programs. You can always try to talk to the PD of your med school's FM program and see if they are willing to give you any advice and help you to target programs. If you have a good relationship with them, of course.

 

[Timmythemic22]

Any place rural, takes alot of IMG/FMG residents, community programs, etc. You want to cast a wide net. More like 100-200 programs. You can always try to talk to the PD of your med school's FM program and see if they are willing to give you any advice and help you to target programs. If you have a good relationship with them, of course.

Ha, I know with my odd background, it might seem as if I've burned some bridges but I've actually maintained pretty great relationships with past programs. So, you are right, I will reach out to the family med people.

 

[Timmythemic22]

Also, what do you think about this event for networking?

http://www.aafp.org/events/national-conference.html

 

[smq123]

Also, what do you think about this event for networking?

http://www.aafp.org/events/national-conference.html

That's probably not a bad idea. The benefit is that you could also ask if anyone had a PGY-2 spot that they would consider you for.

If you apply broadly, I think that you will probably match somewhere. You're an AMG without a lot of red flags and if you have 2 PDs to vouch for you, that helps. You'll be fine.

 

[Timmythemic22]

That's probably not a bad idea. The benefit is that you could also ask if anyone had a PGY-2 spot that they would consider you for.

If you apply broadly, I think that you will probably match somewhere. You're an AMG without a lot of red flags and if you have 2 PDs to vouch for you, that helps. You'll be fine.

Absolutely. I will be looking into that one. I am going to be expanding my program application breadth. I contacted my FP PD at my former med school for advice. Are there any other things I'm overlooking?

 

[smq123]

Absolutely. I will be looking into that one. I am going to be expanding my program application breadth. I contacted my FP PD at my former med school for advice. Are there any other things I'm overlooking?

The only other thing that I would encourage is spending a lot of time crafting your personal statement, and preparing interview answers. Most family med program directors that I know are fairly easy going, but almost all are wary of people looking to change into the specialty. For a long time, family med had a reputation for being a specialty of last resort for people who could not match into anything else, and there is always the fear that people are switching into FM because they think it is easy and non-challenging. I do not think that you will have any problems with this, as a) your former program directors can vouch for you, and b) your career path has been skewing towards primary care, but making sure that your personal statement is very clear on your dedication to the field will settle any lingering doubts. Feel free to send it to me to read it, if you like.

 

[Timmythemic22]

The only other thing that I would encourage is spending a lot of time crafting your personal statement, and preparing interview answers. Most family med program directors that I know are fairly easy going, but almost all are wary of people looking to change into the specialty. For a long time, family med had a reputation for being a specialty of last resort for people who could not match into anything else, and there is always the fear that people are switching into FM because they think it is easy and non-challenging. I do not think that you will have any problems with this, as a) your former program directors can vouch for you, and b) your career path has been skewing towards primary care, but making sure that your personal statement is very clear on your dedication to the field will settle any lingering doubts. Feel free to send it to me to read it, if you like.

I will indeed send it once more concrete. I guess the next big thing is... where do I go for a refresher for the whole match process? It was all so simple in med school as the student affairs department spelled it all out. I've been reaching out to my former institution but have yet to get a response. Obviously the website is where to learn, but any knowledge of websites that break down the match process into steps, something a bit more facile? I'm running around like crazy these days and the time to research is not quite what it should be.

 

[Dral]

If I was a PD you would have one thing to prove to me: assure me you are not going to peace out a third time.

Prove that in a solid way and you're good.

 

[Timmythemic22]

If I was a PD you would have one thing to prove to me: assure me you are not going to peace out a third time.

Prove that in a solid way and you're good.

That will be my thesis as it were. I think I'm building up a strong case but am still working on it. I do appreciate the insight.