swapping ortho for rads

[zimmer]

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I am currently a PGY-1 at a competitive NYC ortho program. I went into orthopedics for the wrong reasons and now I wish I could re-do things. If I could do it all over again I would go into radiology however i feel that it is too late now. I am not going to redo intern year but are there any other options for me? I spoke to my medical schools rads chairman and he just told me my only option was to reapply next year bc its too late now, then I would have to take a year off and possible re-do intern year. I have a family to support and that is not an option. I hear about some people doing a "swap" like rads for ortho. Is that even possible? Any feedback would be appreciated. I am a long time SDN member but due to the sensitive nature of this topic i changed usernames. Thank you

 

[LuckyST]

zimmer,

I do not think that a swap like that is possible; at least, I have never heard of anyone doing such a thing. Even if you could find someone to switch with you, I still don't see how it could work out (you would have to get both programs to agree, and the person switching would have to do a surgery intern year).

My question for you is this- why would you have to re-do the intern year? I would be surprised if your ortho intern year didn't fulfill all of the requirements for intern years for those going into rads.

I think you have some options, but you need to find someone knowledgeable to help. Here are some things that I would do first:

-find out if your PGY-1 year is sufficient for rads- if not, find out what requirements it is missing (e.g. a month in the ICU, whatever)

-you could search for rads programs with openings for PGY-2s- there may be a few programs out there with incoming residents who dropped out for whatever reason, and who would be looking to fill this empty slot. However, I really don't know where you would find this information

-would you consider a DIRECT (IR) residency program? I have heard of residents from surgery switching into direct IR programs

I think the key is to find someone in Radiology who can help you with all of this. If not your med school PD, then someone from your medical school Rads faculty, or someone at your current institution.

Also, you should post this over at AuntMinnie. There are a ton more rads people over there who can probably give you more insight into what to do.

Good luck 🙂

 

[zimmer]

Thank you very much for the response. I just registered over at auntminnie now for some more feedback

 

[werewethere]

Just posted on AM:
http://www.auntminnie.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=276283

 

[Apollyon]

When I was a resident, there was a guy that did his first year of ortho (which was actually GS with 3 months of ortho) and his wife said, "No dice". He then was able to slide right into an R1/PGY2 spot at the same hospital.

 

[The Dark Knight]

I am currently a PGY-1 at a competitive NYC ortho program. I went into orthopedics for the wrong reasons and now I wish I could re-do things. If I could do it all over again I would go into radiology however i feel that it is too late now. I am not going to redo intern year but are there any other options for me? I spoke to my medical schools rads chairman and he just told me my only option was to reapply next year bc its too late now, then I would have to take a year off and possible re-do intern year. I have a family to support and that is not an option. I hear about some people doing a "swap" like rads for ortho. Is that even possible? Any feedback would be appreciated. I am a long time SDN member but due to the sensitive nature of this topic i changed usernames. Thank you

Question. How the hell did you confuse a career that involves physically intense procedures, direct interaction with patients, drilling, sawing, SURGERY, and a pretty good dose of ortho medicine with a field like radiology?

The only similarities are that both can see bones. Radiologist see bones on most films and ortho sees bones because well thats their job.

And their other similiarity is that both fields will allow you to GO on a crazy shopping spree at J. Crew and Banana Republic so you don't look stupid on your Yacht on the weekends.

 

[MossPoh]

Question. How the hell did you confuse a career that involves physically intense procedures, direct interaction with patients, drilling, sawing, SURGERY, and a pretty good dose of ortho medicine with a field like radiology?

The only similarities are that both can see bones. Radiologist see bones on most films and ortho sees bones because well thats their job.

And their other similiarity is that both fields will allow you to GO on a crazy shopping spree at J. Crew and Banana Republic so you don't look stupid on your Yacht on the weekends.

People can be interested in more than 1 thing in life, especially when it involves minimal exposure. I've known more than a couple of radiologists who were between rads and ortho. It isn't that difficult to overestimate how much you enjoy surgery based on a great rotation during medical school.

 

[fun8stuff]

And their other similiarity is that both fields will allow you to GO on a crazy shopping spree at J. Crew and Banana Republic so you don't look stupid on your Yacht on the weekends.

not really completely true with ortho, as you will be spending those weekends in the OR.... but your wife will be able to enjoy the J.crew and BR clothes on her yacht