Second Residencies

[rs2006]

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Hi everyone

good evening. I hope all is well. I am a US Medical Grad and completed an IM residency at a top US residency program in '09. I have been considering applying for a second residency. Anyone else applying or applied for a second residency and has any advice? thanks in advance.

 

[hot sauce]

So a second residency, in a completely different field, not just a fellowship? I have met a handful of people that have done it so it is possible (but most are older so I don't know the current environment); I am sure you will have to address the why question often. I know one program director that told me he was skeptical of an applicant that had trained in another field. The applicant was perceived as fickle and the PD was concerned that he might not end up practicing in the field he was now applying for or might not finish residency (go back to being an attending in his original field).

It probably depends on how competitive the field you want is and how good of a reason you have for not wanting to practice IM after training in it for 3 years. You are going to need to convince them that you are passionate about the field you want to switch to. Obviously you must feel pretty strongly about it to consider another residency at residency pay and status. Status is another issue as people who have been an attending (FMG or AMG) can have difficulty adjusting to being a resident again.