reapplying after matching last year

[hereiam12]

Hey guys

I matched into family medicine. I am going to be reapplying this year for PGY-1 pediatrics. As I was filling out the ERAS application, I had to fill information about my current residency. I dont want to tell my current program that I am applying again. If I ever tell em, they will simply kick me out. So I want to know, what are the chances of peds programs contacting my current PD?
thanks!

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[Law2Doc]

... So I want to know, what are the chances of peds programs contacting my current PD?
thanks!

I'd say the chances are 99.9%.

 

[Arthrocity]

I'd say the chances are 99.9%.

I doubt this. There are lots of people who reapply and while some are requested if they can speak with the current PD, most programs don't just simply go ahead and contact other programs. Sort of like a job, there is normally a formal process of inquiring whether it's ok or more normally, a request for a current letter. Programs dont go around contacting other programs.

 

[mcl]

I doubt this. There are lots of people who reapply and while some are requested if they can speak with the current PD, most programs don't just simply go ahead and contact other programs. Sort of like a job, there is normally a formal process of inquiring whether it's ok or more normally, a request for a current letter. Programs dont go around contacting other programs.

Programs don't want to take on another program's problems and often will try some due-diligence detective work to determine whether the applicant simply had a change of heart or whether the reason behind the switch involves personality or performance issues. I generally expect to see a PD letter if an applicant has already matched to a residency, and have been known to ask the applicant to send one if the selection committee was ready to review the application but the PD letter was not provided among the LORs. Perhaps other programs have other policies.

 

[Arthrocity]

Programs don't want to take on another program's problems and often will try some due-diligence detective work to determine whether the applicant simply had a change of heart or whether the reason behind the switch involves personality or performance issues. I generally expect to see a PD letter if an applicant has already matched to a residency, and have been known to ask the applicant to send one if the selection committee was ready to review the application but the PD letter was not provided among the LORs. Perhaps other programs have other policies.

Are you a PD? I never understand what "school admin" means. I know a number of people who have switched into other residency programs without letters from their PDs. Second, this early on in the game, it's practically impossible to know if a resident is good or bad 2 months into the year, in Sept. when people reapply through ERAS. Like I said, some programs will ask for a current PD letter, but many will not. And a PD at this point will likely have very little to say since it's only about 2 months or less that a resident has been in the program.

 

[Doctor Bob]

Hey guys

I matched into family medicine. I am going to be reapplying this year for PGY-1 pediatrics. As I was filling out the ERAS application, I had to fill information about my current residency. I dont want to tell my current program that I am applying again. If I ever tell em, they will simply kick me out. So I want to know, what are the chances of peds programs contacting my current PD?
thanks!

There are a few potential courses here...

1) You don't tell ERAS that you're in a residency right now; but then when you go to interview you have to account for what you've been doing with the "time off" since med school. When you go to apply for a new training license or update your NPI (sometimes your program does this for you) they may find out about your previous training. At that point, lying on your application will void your contract and you'll be out of a job. You may not get found out, but if at any time during your training it is discovered that you were in a previous residency and didn't disclose it, that's the kind of academic dishonesty that will get you fired.

2) You do tell ERAS that you're in a residency right now; the vast majority of places will want a current PD letter stating that (at least) you're in good academic standing. Not having that will raise eyebrows and will likely generate at least a phone call to your program. That's not the way your current PD wants to find out about your intent to leave.

3) You do tell ERAS that you're in a residency right now; you apply to a place that doesn't care about a letter of good standing from your current PD. Consider the kind of work environment of a place that doesn't care where their residents come from so long as they have enough warm bodies to fill the schedule.

 

[Law2Doc]

I doubt this. There are lots of people who reapply and while some are requested if they can speak with the current PD, most programs don't just simply go ahead and contact other programs. Sort of like a job, there is normally a formal process of inquiring whether it's ok or more normally, a request for a current letter. Programs dont go around contacting other programs.

Just calling it like I see it. The PDs I have known would never take a resident from another program without talking to the current PD. Nobody wants to be accused of poaching, and nobody wants to take on somebody's problem child. It is probably the very rare case where a program takes on a new resident without researching the circumstances by at least making a phone call, and generally not the kind of place you want to end up at, because they don't even care what kind of baggage an applicant is coming with (#3 of the prior poster's post). The better programs absolutely DO go around contacting other programs, often extensively, before taking on another's resident, because it's important to the residency to know what they are getting.

 

[mcl]

Are you a PD? I never understand what "school admin" means. I know a number of people who have switched into other residency programs without letters from their PDs. Second, this early on in the game, it's practically impossible to know if a resident is good or bad 2 months into the year, in Sept. when people reapply through ERAS. Like I said, some programs will ask for a current PD letter, but many will not. And a PD at this point will likely have very little to say since it's only about 2 months or less that a resident has been in the program.

"School Admin" usually indicates someone who is not a physician but who is involved with graduate medical education. I'm a residency coordinator with 17 years of experience in the position and am familiar with the requirements associated with accepting transfer residents. At the very least, programs need a letter of good standing/competency in order to accept a resident from a different program, even if it's a different specialty, and even if the resident isn't getting credit for the prior experience. I even had to have a letter for a resident we took who had completed a residency in another specialty.

Personally, I'd rather get that letter as a LOR with the ERAS application rather than match with the person and hope the previous PD is amenable. You are correct that not every program is that careful, and I'm glad it worked out for the people you know. But anyone reapplying for residency through ERAS should be aware that a call to their current PD is distinctly possible, if not likely, if a letter of support isn't provided.

 

[HalladayWeekend]

Do you need a letter from the PD even if it is a prelim year you are currently in?

 

[Law2Doc]

Do you need a letter from the PD even if it is a prelim year you are currently in?

Unless there's a reason you can't get one, generally yes.

 

[Arthrocity]

Do you need a letter from the PD even if it is a prelim year you are currently in?

Depends. I applied after my prelim because I took some time off. Some programs asked for one, some did not. Program I matched at did not. Some high end programs I applied to also did not, while others did.

It really depends. I interviewed at Stanford, and no letter was asked. I interviewed at Yale and a letter was requested. So I would say it varies. I would imagine though that there is no harm in getting a prelim PD letter since I assume you are completing the prelim year so it's not like you are leaving it.

 

[HalladayWeekend]

Does this count for the four LOR's though? Can you just e-mail it separately?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Yes, it counts.

No, you should not email it.