Switching Specialties (before I start) ??? Question for residents who have switched

[Blessed85]

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This is a question for all residents out there who has been able to switch their specialties. I am in a very odd predicament...

As a MS3, I decided I wanted to be a general surgeon. As MS4 approached, I arranged all of my audition rotations to be in general surgery and applied to the osteopathic match in gen surg. As the match approached, I had an unsettling feeling with my decision. I am a female and I want to be able to dedicate a significant amount of time to my future children and I felt that a general surgeons lifestyle would not be compatible with that. I pulled out of the match at the last moment and decided to take an osteopathic TRI.

When I started my TRI, I realized that I would not have insurance that would cover me for "audition rotations" as a resident. I stupidly decided in July that I would apply to a residency that would be comfortable choosing me as a candidate without me rotating there first. I figured that a majority of general surgeons residents that switch specialties end up switching to radiology, so (with minimal radiology exposure) I decided to put all of my eggs into a basket and push forward towards a radiology residency. In August I applied to thousands of dollars worth of allopathic radiology residencies. Of course applying to radiology poses some problems in my situation... nearly all radiology programs are advanced match, so applying to radiology meant that I would have 1 year off in between my intern year and the beginning of my radiology residency. But I was determined that the lifestyle would be worth it.

Throughout match season, I had several interviews and found a couple programs that seem to have a sincere interest in me. In the meantime.. I have rotated through radiology as a resident...and I hate it. I don't hate it a little bit..I hate it a lot. I am way too type A to handle radiology.

Tomorrow is February 1st. The match is in 25 days. What can I do? Do I match to radiology and spend my year off attempting to find another residency, then just hope the radiology program lets me out of my contract? Do I attempt to scramble for another TRI? Do I attempt to scramble for something such as internal medicine (and start my IM residency in July rather than waiting a year to begin radiology) and attempt to switch out of that?

I know that 2 TRI's will make me look indecisive, but I dont know what else to do. HELP.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Depends on what you want? Don't try to switch out of a second residency. you need to pick a residency choice and follow through. If you are starting a TRI then you have time to think about what you like and then go through the match during intern year to get a PGY2 spot somewhere in a specialty that will make you happy.

 

[Makati2008]

Depends on what you want? Don't try to switch out of a second residency. you need to pick a residency choice and follow through. If you are starting a TRI then you have time to think about what you like and then go through the match during intern year to get a PGY2 spot somewhere in a specialty that will make you happy.

How bad does it look that she is doing a second year? If it was me I would do radiology and attempt to do IR. EM is another field that I have seen surgical folks switch into and enjoy it but with the competitive nature of it your very behind the ball.....

 

[cabinbuilder]

Not sure in this day and age you can do two TRI's and get paid for that second time through? Seems like a waste of a year. I would not got into a residency that you absolutely hate because misery is a recipe for disaster.

 

[babdoc]

Cabin is right. Pick a specialty and stick with it. Residency is hard. We all have almost daily worries, second thoughts, minor breakdowns, etc. You might think long and hard in the next few weeks about what you want to do and try to scramble into a residency.

It stinks that we have to pick something we will typically spend our entire career doing. But that's how it is. I don't think there is one single specialty for each of us. There are things about several that we would enjoy. Go for one, handle the annoying stuff, and get really jazzed about what you enjoy.

 

[Path hall]

Would the TRI the OP is currently doing even fulfill the Acgme internship requirements? I thought they require an Acgme internship now for advance spots.

 

[JustPlainBill]

This is a question for all residents out there who has been able to switch their specialties. I am in a very odd predicament...

I know that 2 TRI's will make me look indecisive, but I dont know what else to do. HELP.

Did not switch residencies but was in a situation where I strongly investigated doing so and here are the "gotcha's" I found --

1) There's only certain amount of years paid for by CMS for each specialty -- for FM - 3 years, IM - 3 yers, Surgery - 5 years, OB/Gyn - 4years and so on....
2) If you switch, you still have to complete the requisite number of years and have to have the last 2 years (at least for FM) at the same residency
3) Now, if you switch at the end of PGY1 and seamlessly transition into your PGY2 in the same field but different program, you're ok in terms of gettin paid. If you wait until any time in PGY2, you will have to find a program that will pay for your last year out of their own funds since CMS will only pay for 3 years total -- and you have just added another year by switching in PGY2. Usually, this is a non-starter an you're stuck. You can find some new programs that are recruiting to fill their first PGY2/PGY3 class but that's like finding hen's teeth....which means you'll have to go into the match early in PGY1 if you're thinking of switching......
4) Switch specialty's altogether -- a bit more dicey and you may just have to chunk time served in your current program and you don't really know if you'll like the new field -- grass is not always greener -- and there's always the "Is there something wrong with this person that the program director is willing to easily let them go?" question.....

Watch yourself when picking residencies -- if you get any little hint of malignancy, do NOT go there, do NOT even rank it ---

 

[cbtk18]

Talk about hard to please