Stuck in surgery

[billyjack7]

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So, now I'm finishing my pgy-2 year in a prestigious surgical subspecialty. I've been toughing it out since the end of my 'tern year and constantly telling myself it'll get better. But, over the last couple of months that little voice in my head saying "you made the wrong decision" is getting too loud to ignore anymore. For a variety of reasons I believe I am far better suited to radiology than to any kind of surgery and I want to make the switch. Problem is, I feel like I'm on an island here, and I really have no idea where to start. I really feel like my PD would take it as an insult if I were to try to talk to him about it and I'm afraid I might just get fired for something like that. I'm scared to death of being stuck without any source of income and having to apply to the match again trying to get into radiology. I was very competitive coming out of medical school but I don't really want to have to try to explain something like that to a prospective employer. Has anyone else on this forum switched from surgery or a surgery sub to rads? Any advice? Help please.

 

[partusa]

Just be a player, don't tell anything in your program, keep looking for a RAD spot, apply through ERAS and if you get the spot, just quit surgery. If radiology is what you really want, you will need to do whatever it takes to get it. This is what you are going to do the rest of your life, so, why are you thinking on your PD?
I think that it's though to get a RAD spot during and outside of the match, so good luck with that.
What surgical subspecialty are you doing?

 

[Taurus]

He's in plastics.

 

[partusa]

He's in plastics.

To do plastics you need 2 years of GS and start plastics as PGY-3, no?

 

[BenFelson]

In my residency program, we had an opthalmology resident, one orthopedic resident and one general surgeon. Also board certified neurosurgeon and pathologist. Many came from the same institution. Have you tried talking to the Radiology PD at your place? Things may come up, like having a resident decline or quit. You are a known option for them. Since you are in a competitive surgical subspecialty, that counts a lot.
Good luck.

 

[canjosh]

To do plastics you need 2 years of GS and start plastics as PGY-3, no?

If he's in an integrated plastics program, he matched into plastics as PGY-1.

 

[bronx43]

If you truly truly hate plastic surgery, then you should probably try to match rads. If you can stomach plastics, I would stick with it - it would be the financially smarter move.

 

[notinkansas]

Are you sure you hate plastics? Could it be the GS part you're hating? I'm just asking because I did GS at a place that also had integrated plastics. Most of the plastics residents were miserable until they got into the plastics portion.

That said, your first move is to go talk to the Rads PD at your institution. Plus any other programs in your same city or near enough to go easily on a post call day. It could be that you stay put for another year and start Rads in 2011.

I think you are wise to not want to go without income! Just realize that switching at this late date may prove to be very difficult to impossible. But nothing will happen without you first making inquiries.

At the institution I started my surgical training at, switches are often handled smoothly, outside the match. It is entirely possible that you could get a spot in the rads program, though I'd be prepared for there not to be an opening for this upcoming year.