Sticky situation

[Strength&Speed]

Ok fellas. Lets assume a guy applied to both ENT and medicine coming out of med school. Decided to drop ENT at the last minute because he was convinced he wanted the knowledge of general medicine first. Now completed, he wants to return to ENT just because its so damn cool, and frankly, thinks the practice of medicine sucks. The knowledge is cool, the practice sucks. Whereas in ENT you are dealing with cool stuff...head and neck...and practice of it is similarly cool. yes, he wishes he realizes this before...but even so, you probably couldnt have talked him out of it at the time.

stats. #1 board score in class in step 1. step 2 not as good. step 3, who cares. med school grades...pretty good.

what would you recommend. doing a prelim year now (outside match) and reapplying next year? or try to find a categorical surgery this year and reapplying? (i don't think this is necessary, but just asking to make sure). Research in the meantime?

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[Leforte]

Talk to your local ENT chairman. I've seen 1 person do a year of medicine then get a ENT residency - had to spend 2 years in the lab. I've seen another in a prelim surgery spot that got an open PGY2 position, with no wait time (due to an opening in a program that was allowed to increase resident #'s). Lots of places are starting to add residents- I think there was ~250 when I applied a few years ago and there maybe close to 270 per year now (don't quote me). When a program increases there numbers, they often will look for a PGY2, and someone who is either in or completed a prelim/categorical surgery internship goes to the head of line. Unfortunately, anyway you look at it, you'd be repeating internship.

As far as becoming competitive - I really don't know. If it is what you really want to do - go for it. Your local ENT department chairman can give you insight into what they think after going through your file/talking with the Medicine chairman/residency director. We've had rotating residents (usually plastics) who have been great and if they decided to switch, I am sure our chairman would have found a place for them.

Taking 2 years in the lab for a maybe match though - a big gamble.

Best of luck.

Leforte

 

[Strength&Speed]

....

 

[Strength&Speed]

Well, thinking about applying to the match this year. Let's assume one did apply to ent as a fourth year, and interviewed at a few places, including Duke and UTSW. would you mention this in your app, so you sound more legitimate, and not some joker who did a less competitive specialty because they couldnt into anything else and is disgruntled? I just want to establish the fact i was and still should be a good candidate....
oh, and not matching was not the reason for not getting in...withdrew from Sfmatch. not that not matching would be an embarrassment in ent, though.

 

[Strength&Speed]

Talk to your local ENT chairman. I've seen 1 person do a year of medicine then get a ENT residency - had to spend 2 years in the lab. I've seen another in a prelim surgery spot that got an open PGY2 position, with no wait time (due to an opening in a program that was allowed to increase resident #'s). Lots of places are starting to add residents- I think there was ~250 when I applied a few years ago and there maybe close to 270 per year now (don't quote me). When a program increases there numbers, they often will look for a PGY2, and someone who is either in or completed a prelim/categorical surgery internship goes to the head of line. Unfortunately, anyway you look at it, you'd be repeating internship.

As far as becoming competitive - I really don't know. If it is what you really want to do - go for it. Your local ENT department chairman can give you insight into what they think after going through your file/talking with the Medicine chairman/residency director. We've had rotating residents (usually plastics) who have been great and if they decided to switch, I am sure our chairman would have found a place for them.

Taking 2 years in the lab for a maybe match though - a big gamble.

Best of luck.

Leforte

Leforte, if you are still around....so....what do you think....would you suggest a guy try to snake a surgery or transitional year now? i want people to know i'm interested, and perhaps this would speak loud and clear. And Im chomping at the bit. No man should be forced into 2 yrs of research. that would torture my soul.

 

[TheThroat]

Leforte, if you are still around....so....what do you think....would you suggest a guy try to snake a surgery or transitional year now? i want people to know i'm interested, and perhaps this would speak loud and clear. And Im chomping at the bit. No man should be forced into 2 yrs of research. that would torture my soul.

Life is full of tough decisions. I would try to get into a surgical or transitional year. You sound qualified enough to slide over to a program looking for a PGY-2 at that time, or reapply into the oto match during that year as well.

 

[Strength&Speed]

Life is full of tough decisions. I would try to get into a surgical or transitional year. You sound qualified enough to slide over to a program looking for a PGY-2 at that time, or reapply into the oto match during that year as well.

FYI, a PD from a top 10 institution told me that a transitional or surgical year wouldnt count for squat...and would probably necessitate a new intern year.

 

[DrDre311]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheThroat
Life is full of tough decisions. I would try to get into a surgical or transitional year. You sound qualified enough to slide over to a program looking for a PGY-2 at that time, or reapply into the oto match during that year as well.


FYI, a PD from a top 10 institution told me that a transitional or surgical year wouldnt count for squat...and would probably necessitate a new intern year.

Someone sliding over to a PGY-2 spot would necessitate an open PGY-2 spot (i.e. someone quitting). No way to predict this. If an ENT program has someone quit--which happens, albeit less frequently than GS--they'll look for the most qualified applicant to fill the spot. There's no way to predict whether or not a successful re-applicant would have to repeat intern year.

 

[Strength&Speed]

Someone sliding over to a PGY-2 spot would necessitate an open PGY-2 spot (i.e. someone quitting). No way to predict this. If an ENT program has someone quit--which happens, albeit less frequently than GS--they'll look for the most qualified applicant to fill the spot. There's no way to predict whether or not a successful re-applicant would have to repeat intern year.

Jenny says hi

 

[TheThroat]

FYI, a PD from a top 10 institution told me that a transitional or surgical year wouldnt count for squat...and would probably necessitate a new intern year.

At my institution, we had an R1 quit and wanted to fill the R2 spot, thus needed an applicant who had already finished an R1 year.

So, we brought someone over who had done a transitional year somewhere else. On the face of it, I usually would agree that doing a trans year is a desperate move, but there have been times that it has been helpful to an applicant.