Switching residency

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[ThoracicGuy]

Hello fellow Sdners,

I will be vague with my description on purpose.
I am currently a second year resident in a rural GS program. I got in with average stats, 100% sure about the choice, because although i prefered integrated plastics, i did not have the stats. And sometimes you have to compromise.I thought being in the OR and operating was enough.

Now, I've realized that the bread and butter of the practice doesnt appeal to me, i dont get any joy doing choles, hernias, abcesses, perirectal work, varicose veins. We do a lot of colorectal work (elective oncology and emergent) i dont enjoy it.
Getting into a plastic fellowship is going to be impossible.
After the wear and tear of residency it gets though to think what is really important to me.

I can try to change to a surgical subspecialty, but it is unlikely i will get a spot.
A non surgical residency is a possibility, but i am so displaced from it that it seems daunting.
I am feeling a bit down right now.
I am currently taking a hiatus, because i am sure i need to change residency.
Thinking of not operating again leaves a hole in my heart, but keeping at it and doing these cases i dont enjoy is miserable.
Have any of you completely abandoned the practice of surgery to attend another specialty.

Are there any other fellowships than plastics that you like as well?

 

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[ThoracicGuy]

Hand, thoracic (without cardiac) and breast would interest me (although i dont have exposure to these fields). They are competitive and i fear that in the end i would still take general call duties.

I would expect your program would have a good breast experience. As for thoracic, that might vary. Hand is not something you're likely to get to practice alone and would likely have a bunch of general call to go with it. Breast may have general call associated with it unless you get hired somewhere that you are the breast guy. That would likely be academic type programs. General thoracic would be unlikely to have general call.

 

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[Winged Scapula]

I would expect your program would have a good breast experience. As for thoracic, that might vary. Hand is not something you're likely to get to practice alone and would likely have a bunch of general call to go with it. Breast may have general call associated with it unless you get hired somewhere that you are the breast guy. That would likely be academic type programs. General thoracic would be unlikely to have general call.

Agreed. Most rural programs would have a fair bit of Breast as part of the bread-and-butter day-to-day operative experience. I’m not sure why this isn’t the case for the OP.

It is my experience that most fellowship trained breast surgeons can ask for or find positions without general surgery call. Those that don’t are generally geographically limited and or are not experienced in negotiations.

I’m not convinced that the OP should leave surgery. The second year of a long residency makes it hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I too found myself struggling to enjoy the day-to-day work so I changed my mind set To see the residency as a means to an end rather than something I was thrilled about. There are millions of worker bees they go to their jobs every day without finding Nirvana. If you’re miserable and can’t face another day that’s a different story.

 

[deleted875186]

Thinking of not operating again leaves a hole in my heart, but keeping at it and doing these cases i dont enjoy is miserable.
Have any of you completely abandoned the practice of surgery to attend another specialty.

Sounds like you actually like surgery. You should put all your effort into your GS residency, and go for a sub specialty training. I agree with others that youreprobably getting very hung up on being disappointed early on in your training, when you might find more enjoyment later on in your training.

 

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