Residency Years

[nmd2b]

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Hi,

Once you get accepted at a residency program, is it a given that you will be there for 3 to 4 years? Or do the program directors evaluate you each year before promoting you to next year? What is the criteria they look for? Are any exams involved? Is it very rare to not have your contract renewed? Or is it a given that once you get accepted somewhere, you are likely to stay there for 3 years?

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Originally posted by nmd2b
Hi,

Once you get accepted at a residency program, is it a given that you will be there for 3 to 4 years? Or do the program directors evaluate you each year before promoting you to next year? What is the criteria they look for? Are any exams involved? Is it very rare to not have your contract renewed? Or is it a given that once you get accepted somewhere, you are likely to stay there for 3 years?

At Iowa, your contract is renewed on an annual basis. It's rare to have a resident fired, but it does happen in circumstances where there is unprofessional conduct or dereliction of duty.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Most programs hire you on a year to year basis, contingent on your performance. It is generally uncommon to be fired, but by no means unheard of.

Different programs will have varying reasons for rehiring/firing a resident. Surgical residents take a yearly exam, the ABSITE - some programs may find reason to fire residents based on a pattern of low scores, but generally its a pattern of "misbehavior" or "misadventure" that gets someone fired. I assume the same to be true for all residency programs, regardless of field or length of program (ie, not all residency programs are 3 years in length).

 

[Apollyon]

Although you get evaluated year to year, it's felt that you'll be there for the balance of the training program, in that, in many fields, it's not easy to just drop someone else in, especially in later years. This is not a 'license to kill', but there is some security.

 

[grouptherapy]

it's difficult to get rid of a resident. kicking out a resident means lost revenue from the government and lost manpower.

 

[jamdo]

how difficult is it to switch programs if you need to do so once youve already matched to a program? Im a prelim PGY1 going into Neuro next year and havent even started that program yet until July. Dont necessarily want to switch programs, but may need to due to a possible relocation of my S.O.