Should i start residency?

[g1p3e4]

Hi,

I matched in FM. I've since realized i do not want to do FM. My question is: should i start with my program, contact the program director and let him know i may leave after my intern year. I have above average board scores and am a AMG.

I'm asking because i figure i will be more competitive if i preserve my medicare funding. Funding is 3 years for FM. My new specialty will likely be 4 years.

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[Law2Doc]

Hi,

I matched in FM. I've since realized i do not want to do FM. My question is: should i start with my program, contact the program director and let him know i may leave after my intern year. I have above average board scores and am a AMG.

I'm asking because i figure i will be more competitive if i preserve my medicare funding. Funding is 3 years for FM. My new specialty will likely be 4 years.

You will not be "more competitive" if you are a match violator, sorry. Your funding locked in when you matched.

 

[g1p3e4]

Are you sure? I was under the impression that if you get a NRMP waiver then you are no longer matched. I'm not thinking of violating the match. I think the hospital would possibly understand my situation.

 

[mcl]

Are you sure? I was under the impression that if you get a NRMP waiver then you are no longer matched. I'm not thinking of violating the match. I think the hospital would possibly understand my situation.

I don't think you can count on an "I chose the wrong specialty" waiver from the NRMP. My guess is that you'll have to show up and stay for 45 days in order to fulfill your Match obligation. After that, you'll have to decide whether or not to stay for the full Intern year. If you decide to stay, you'll then have to decide when and how to tell your PD that you intend to re-enter the Match so that you can arrange time away for interviews. If you decide not to stay for Intern year, you'll have to find something appropriate and meaningful to do with your time so that there isn't a gap on your CV.

 

[g1p3e4]

Thanks, i appreciate your advice very much.

 

[45408]

1. Yes, you should.
2. If you don't, you'll have to start paying your student loans in 6 months.
3. What else are you going to do in the mean time?
4. What if you don't match into something else? A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. You might not get into anything else.

 

[g1p3e4]

I just dont wanna leave the program in a bad position. I figure it would be easier for them to find a PGY-1 now, then to have to find a PGY-2 next year.

 

[Chakrabs]

Complete your intern year. No reason not to, as there's a possibility that it can count in your next residency if you choose to switch. You can switch into internal medicine or something and just complete two years. Last thing you want to do is commit a match violation and end up with no residency at all.

 

[Law2Doc]

I just dont wanna leave the program in a bad position. I figure it would be easier for them to find a PGY-1 now, then to have to find a PGY-2 next year.

Your logic might have been true before the match but once that has passed, they are either stuck taking someone who couldn't find something else or waiting until much later in the cycle when somebody competitive decides to jump ship. The pool of equivalently qualified people (AMG with average boards) is simply not the same now so they probably would wait until next year in any event.

 

[g1p3e4]

thanks, i feel less bad about the situation now, and more hopeful about the future.

 

[Law2Doc]

thanks, i feel less bad about the situation now, and more hopeful about the future.

I have no clue why you would -- we pretty much told you you were stuck doing at least some of your FM intern year and stuck on the funding issues.

 

[g1p3e4]

I have no clue why you would -- we pretty much told you you were stuck doing at least some of your FM intern year and stuck on the funding issues.

If i must i'll complete my residency, and then re-apply. The glass is half full.

 

[Law2Doc]

If i must i'll complete my residency, and then re-apply. The glass is half full.

A half full glass is only good if you like what it's half full with.

 

[g1p3e4]

Jameson 18 year.

 

[dragonfly99]

I'm not sure I totally agree with the advice on here. Have you talked with the career placement office and/or dean of students at your med school? That would probably be pretty safe, especially if it's not the same place you are doing your fm internship. I am curious what advice they would give in this situation. If you are planning to do something like neurology or psych or anesthesia, it's possible you could get some credit for the intern year, and perhaps you could then try to match into your chosen specialty as a PGY2 (or get a PGY2 spot outside of the Match if it's something like neurology or psych). This is kind of a complicated situation. I wouldn't say anything to your fm program until you know for sure what you are going to do. If you want to do something like pathology, I don't think the fm year would help you much anyway, and doing a year of research or something might be better.

 

[peppy]

I think you're right that it depends on the specialty that you want to switch to. I know for a fact that if a person from family med wants to switch to Psych the first year of FM counts for internship and you can slide right into a PGY-2 spot for Psych. Not sure how Neuro would handle this situation though. My suspicion is that they would probably give you credit for some rotations but not the whole year.