Seeking advice on leaving a residency program

[Ph7water]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi everyone,

First of all, I thank you for reading my thread on this forum. I wanted to gather all other people's insights and thoughts before I make a final decision.
I am currently attending a residency program (A) as a first-year. I graduated from dental school in 2020.
While I was attending dental school, I was interested in specialties A, B, and C. However, my combined personal experiences (research and clinical) with specialty A led me to be in this field.
It is completely my fault that I have not seriously looked into which specialty I am putting my foot down. Probably I may have observed and seen the gist of specialty A before I actually started attending the program.
Now as a first-year, the more I learn more about this field, the less it gets attractive to me. Rather than being more enthusiastic to learn about the specialty, I get more concerned with my future picturing myself pursuing this for the rest of my life. It is not like I completely cannot stand it, but I am not enjoying it to be honest. This is making me work as a bare minimum so that my attendings or co-residents don't make fun of me. Maybe they have been. Who knows.
I have never been a quitter in my life. I was extremely happy in dental school. Making dentures was not my favorite, but I have never had a second thought in dentistry.
This is my very first time that I am regretting my decision. It has been months since I have been in SDN to get to know and compare other specialties (B and C) of my interest in the past.

Having said that, here are my questions:
1. Should I just tough it out and finish the program? (There are more than 2 years left for me to be done with it.)
2. Would it be realistic to leave the program, work as a GP, and consider applying to specialty B or C AFTER my thorough research and shadow in other fields? (I got matched to my rank 1 school program among 6 so I guess it would be okay to assume that I have some mediocre stat?) I am fine with working as a GP.
3. How bad will it look if I try to apply to a different specialty with a history of quitting one? Or should I even never mention it on the application or during an interview?
4. How financially feasible is it if I apply to different specialty programs? I am in my early 30's, no family, my projected debt after quitting the current program would be somewhere ~350k.

I know our lives are series of making choices. I might regret my decision on leaving this program down the road. But, I am not just happy with my life at all.
There are a couple of friends in town who can help me get a job if I decide to leave the program. Or I might just take some break from school while I think about my future.
I will take any advice, criticism, or insight on this matter. You might think I am crazy. Any kind of comments would be helpful to me.
Thank you for your replies in advance.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Would it be realistic to leave the program, work as a GP, and consider applying to specialty B or C AFTER my thorough research and shadow in other fields?

You will be seen as a liability if you leave this program to apply to another specialty. Be prepared to stay a GP if you leave.

Big Hoss

 

[Ph7water]

You will be seen as a liability if you leave this program to apply to another specialty. Be prepared to stay a GP if you leave.

Big Hoss

I am also aware of that. Thank you.

 

[UncleJoesVeneers]

I am also aware of that. Thank you.

Interviewed for endo this summer with people who left other specialties (e.g. pedo, perio) after a year or so. It made them more competitive applicants. Some program directors are even dual trained in multiple specialties. But yes, if you quit a residency then you're basically going to be stuck as a GP for a while. So you either finish the residency and apply to more specialty training, or you quit and be a GP for several years before considering jumping back into a specialty.

I would probably suggest seeking professional advice. I've personally never gone to therapy but this seems like a good time to speak to someone.

 

[Ph7water]

Interviewed for endo this summer with people who left other specialties (e.g. pedo, perio) after a year or so. It made them more competitive applicants. Some program directors are even dual trained in multiple specialties. But yes, if you quit a residency then you're basically going to be stuck as a GP for a while. So you either finish the residency and apply to more specialty training, or you quit and be a GP for several years before considering jumping back into a specialty.

I would probably suggest seeking professional advice. I've personally never gone to therapy but this seems like a good time to speak to someone.

Thank you for your input. I really appreciate it.

 

[PerioDont]

Hi everyone,

First of all, I thank you for reading my thread on this forum. I wanted to gather all other people's insights and thoughts before I make a final decision.
I am currently attending a residency program (A) as a first-year. I graduated from dental school in 2020.
While I was attending dental school, I was interested in specialties A, B, and C. However, my combined personal experiences (research and clinical) with specialty A led me to be in this field.
It is completely my fault that I have not seriously looked into which specialty I am putting my foot down. Probably I may have observed and seen the gist of specialty A before I actually started attending the program.
Now as a first-year, the more I learn more about this field, the less it gets attractive to me. Rather than being more enthusiastic to learn about the specialty, I get more concerned with my future picturing myself pursuing this for the rest of my life. It is not like I completely cannot stand it, but I am not enjoying it to be honest. This is making me work as a bare minimum so that my attendings or co-residents don't make fun of me. Maybe they have been. Who knows.
I have never been a quitter in my life. I was extremely happy in dental school. Making dentures was not my favorite, but I have never had a second thought in dentistry.
This is my very first time that I am regretting my decision. It has been months since I have been in SDN to get to know and compare other specialties (B and C) of my interest in the past.

Having said that, here are my questions:
1. Should I just tough it out and finish the program? (There are more than 2 years left for me to be done with it.)
2. Would it be realistic to leave the program, work as a GP, and consider applying to specialty B or C AFTER my thorough research and shadow in other fields? (I got matched to my rank 1 school program among 6 so I guess it would be okay to assume that I have some mediocre stat?) I am fine with working as a GP.
3. How bad will it look if I try to apply to a different specialty with a history of quitting one? Or should I even never mention it on the application or during an interview?
4. How financially feasible is it if I apply to different specialty programs? I am in my early 30's, no family, my projected debt after quitting the current program would be somewhere ~350k.

I know our lives are series of making choices. I might regret my decision on leaving this program down the road. But, I am not just happy with my life at all.
There are a couple of friends in town who can help me get a job if I decide to leave the program. Or I might just take some break from school while I think about my future.
I will take any advice, criticism, or insight on this matter. You might think I am crazy. Any kind of comments would be helpful to me.
Thank you for your replies in advance.

Can I ask if you are not enjoying the steep learning curve at the beginning of any new thing/program or the actual specialty? Did you move to a new city and have trouble with adjusting with covid etc?

I would lean towards sticking it out, you worked hard and started this journey. almost any specialty you can still practice as a GP and focus your practice on that specialty. going through the application cycle etc again would not be fun even if you got in.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

And residency does not necessarily equate with life on the outside. Might we all enquire which specialty you’re in? My vote is to grind it out.*

*Unless it is going to add dramatically to whatever educational debt you have. That is the real wild card here.

Big Hoss

 

[PerioDont]

And residency does not necessarily equate with life on the outside. Might we all enquirer which specialty you’re in? My vote is to grind it out.*

*Unless it is going to add dramatically to whatever educational debt you have. That is the real wild card here.

Big Hoss

great point. I've met many residents that were very stressed out and hating life.

While I will find out in a few months, my understand is that's part of residency in many instances. having to do busywork, paperwork, setting up ops sometimes, calling pts etc. Or maybe your attendings suck, or co-residents. That can make life horrible, but again has little to do with your actual specialty.

 

[Ph7water]

Can I ask if you are not enjoying the steep learning curve at the beginning of any new thing/program or the actual specialty? Did you move to a new city and have trouble with adjusting with covid etc?

I would lean towards sticking it out, you worked hard and started this journey. almost any specialty you can still practice as a GP and focus your practice on that specialty. going through the application cycle etc again would not be fun even if you got in.

Moved to a different state and city. Went through some personal losses. My co-residents and attendings are nice, and they are fine.

Probably I got burned out from continuous educations at schools. Or changes of circumstances around my life with this pandemic thing are making me depressed.

Nonetheless, my thought process is that if I really like the field, I would be happy with any kind of paperwork, admin stuff, research, or reading papers. It is not the case for me, unfortunately.

Thank you for your input!

 

[Ph7water]

And residency does not necessarily equate with life on the outside. Might we all enquirer which specialty you’re in? My vote is to grind it out.*

*Unless it is going to add dramatically to whatever educational debt you have. That is the real wild card here.

Big Hoss

Realistically my student loan debt would be ~530k at the end. I'd rather not mention my specialty since I don't want to irritate others who are in the field.

Thank you for your reply again!

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Realistically my student loan debt would be ~530k at the end. I'd rather not mention my specialty since I don't want to irritate others who are in the field.

Thank you for your reply again!

Is the specialty you’d like to apply to one that typically pays a stipend? Or would you incur further debt?

Big Hoss

 

[futuredebt]

Hi Ph7water,

sorry to hear about your struggles. Does your program allow you to moonlight? I assume your energy may be low from school if you're already feeling down on your program but it might be a nice way to 1) realize you're right, you'd rather be doing something else and working as a GP or pursue specialty B/C or 2) you're completely wrong, being a GP is not what you thought and neither were the other specialties. you now have a new found respect for your program and decision

I'd stick it out myself but would strongly consider kicking the tires elsewhere too. If you're convinced you'd rather pursue specialty B or C go ahead and apply while you're still in this program. I know 2 people who left an OMFS residency and went into something else without a gap year. I also know someone who applied to ortho during the second year of their pedo residency and immediately got in. I'm sure their stats were great and all 3 got into their second specialty of choice and more importantly were at peace with their decision.

 

[Ph7water]

Is the specialty you’d like to apply to one that typically pays a stipend? Or would you incur further debt?

Big Hoss

Thank you for your prompt replies.

For specialty B and C, you have to pay tuition. Probably for B, you would see more programs that pay a stipend than C.

 

[Ph7water]

Hi Ph7water,

sorry to hear about your struggles. Does your program allow you to moonlight? I assume your energy may be low from school if you're already feeling down on your program but it might be a nice way to 1) realize you're right, you'd rather be doing something else and working as a GP or pursue specialty B/C or 2) you're completely wrong, being a GP is not what you thought and neither were the other specialties. you now have a new found respect for your program and decision

I'd stick it out myself but would strongly consider kicking the tires elsewhere too. If you're convinced you'd rather pursue specialty B or C go ahead and apply while you're still in this program. I know 2 people who left an OMFS residency and went into something else without a gap year. I also know someone who applied to ortho during the second year of their pedo residency and immediately got in. I'm sure their stats were great and all 3 got into their second specialty of choice and more importantly were at peace with their decision.

Hello futuredebt,

I think you are right. My school allows us to moonlight. One of my buddies told me that I might want to moonlight as a GP, and see whether I like the working environment.

I was thinking about applying to different specialties after this one as well. I am just worried about the loss of time (probably the same or more if I leave the program) as well as incurring debt since I am already in my early 30's.

Thank you for your input.