Switching Specialties Process

[PMRtoRads]

Hi everyone,

I am finishing up my transitional year and set to start as a advanced program this July that I matched into last year. This was my second choice of specialty unfortunately. A friend just contacted me saying his program has a vacancy this July for what was my preferred specialty. I really want to switch over, but reading all the NRMP rules I feel like there’s no way to legally do this without earning a violation for the program I would be going to. Does anyone have any ideas or experience with something like this?

I can always do my 45 days and resign as per the NRMP website to fulfill the match contract, but that seems worse then just letting my current program know now that I want out, so they can find someone too.

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[rokshana]

Hi everyone,

I am finishing up my transitional year and set to start as a advanced program this July that I matched into last year. This was my second choice of specialty unfortunately. A friend just contacted me saying his program has a vacancy this July for what was my preferred specialty. I really want to switch over, but reading all the NRMP rules I feel like there’s no way to legally do this without earning a violation for the program I would be going to. Does anyone have any ideas or experience with something like this?

I can always do my 45 days and resign as per the NRMP website to fulfill the match contract, but that seems worse then just letting my current program know now that I want out, so they can find someone too.

Since this is a specialty switch you can ask the nrmp for a waiver...but are you guaranteed the spot at the other place?

Bird in hand...

 

[PMRtoRads]

Since this is a specialty switch you can ask the nrmp for a waiver...but are you guaranteed the spot at the other place?

Bird in hand...

According to the NRMP website a specialty switch waiver is only granted up until December 15th prior to the year starting training, so I'm way past the deadline for that.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

According to the NRMP website a specialty switch waiver is only granted up until December 15th prior to the year starting training, so I'm way past the deadline for that.

You're stuck in your matched position at least a year, then. Also there is no guarantee that you would have gotten the other position and could have lost your current one...

 

[AdmiralChz]

Hi everyone,

I am finishing up my transitional year and set to start as a advanced program this July that I matched into last year. This was my second choice of specialty unfortunately. A friend just contacted me saying his program has a vacancy this July for what was my preferred specialty. I really want to switch over, but reading all the NRMP rules I feel like there’s no way to legally do this without earning a violation for the program I would be going to. Does anyone have any ideas or experience with something like this?

I can always do my 45 days and resign as per the NRMP website to fulfill the match contract, but that seems worse then just letting my current program know now that I want out, so they can find someone too.

Best case scenario - if you decide to switch and land the spot, you’ll almost certainly have a match violation. That’s not much of a problem unless you want to go through the NRMP again - if your specialty utilizes them for fellowships, you could have a major issue there. But if you aren’t planning on fellowship or even better they use a different process then it should be fine.

Tread lightly here, though. You need to make sure this is a real opening and not one already filled internally (which typically happens this late in the game). Otherwise you could end up in the worst of all cases - a match violation and no spot in July.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Best case scenario - if you decide to switch and land the spot, you’ll almost certainly have a match violation. That’s not much of a problem unless you want to go through the NRMP again - if your specialty utilizes them for fellowships, you could have a major issue there. But if you aren’t planning on fellowship or even better they use a different process then it should be fine.

Tread lightly here, though. You need to make sure this is a real opening and not one already filled internally (which typically happens this late in the game). Otherwise you could end up in the worst of all cases - a match violation and no spot in July.

Plus the program could get a match violation for taking a person like that...

 

[str8cashhomie]

If one were to switch out of anesthesia to IM after 1 year, would the CBY-1 year count towards the intern year in IM making it only 2 more years to finish the IM residency?

 

[rokshana]

If one were to switch out of anesthesia to IM after 1 year, would the CBY-1 year count towards the intern year in IM making it only 2 more years to finish the IM residency?

doubtful...you may get some credit for IM/ICU months, but not usually a full year.

 

[AdmiralChz]

If one were to switch out of anesthesia to IM after 1 year, would the CBY-1 year count towards the intern year in IM making it only 2 more years to finish the IM residency?

It depends on what you did during that year. If yours was like mine where the majority of it was surgery rotations then the answer is no - you wouldn’t really be able to transition to a supervising role of PGY-1s on wards without having requisite experience. That being said, there are IM-based intern years out there that might meet most check boxes.