Switching to Anesthesiology

[zebranostripes]

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What are my chances as a current OBGYN intern applying to anesthesiology this upcoming application cycle (2020-2021). Would be applying to CA1 positions. I am a USMG, step 1 22x, step 2CK 24x, passed CS on 1st attempt, plan to take step 3 prior to application due date.

 

[DrZzZz]

I'll let others comment on your chances, but I don't believe your OBGYN intern year will count towards your anesthesia residency, so your plan to apply for a CA-1 position is misguided. You'll have to do a medicine prelim, surgical prelim, or TY.

 

[MikeMerk-MtS]

I'll let others comment on your chances, but I don't believe your OBGYN intern year will count towards your anesthesia residency, so your plan to apply for a CA-1 position is misguided. You'll have to do a medicine prelim, surgical prelim, or TY.

Agreed.

The specialty you're coming from doesn't necessarily matters to PDs, but (1) your reason for leaving that specialty, (2) your current PD and Chair's recommendation and (3) some assurance that you will not switch programs again will be much more important. Your scores (assuming no red flags elsewhere in your application) are fine.

 

[deleted171991]

I'll let others comment on your chances, but I don't believe your OBGYN intern year will count towards your anesthesia residency, so your plan to apply for a CA-1 position is misguided. You'll have to do a medicine prelim, surgical prelim, or TY.

You've read my mind, but I was waiting for smarter people to chime in.

From the horse's mouth, page 11:

http://www.theaba.org/PDFs/BOI/2020-Policy-Book

"The clinical base year must include at least six months of clinical rotations during which the resident has responsibility for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with a variety of medical and surgical problems, of which at most one month may involve the administration of anesthesia and one month of pain medicine. Acceptable clinical base experiences include training in internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery or any of their subspecialties, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, family medicine or any combination of these as approved for residents by the directors of their training programs in anesthesiology. The clinical base year should also include rotations in critical care and emergency medicine, with at least one month, but no more than two months, devoted to each. Other rotations completing the 12 months of broad education should be relevant to the practice of anesthesiology."

 

[kidthor]

I know someone who switched from obgyn (their intern year counted per that criteria), and ultimately became an OB anesthesiologist.

I’d say your chances to switch are good. But why not do obgyn residency and then do REI or MIS or pelvic floor?

 

[zebranostripes]

I know someone who switched from obgyn (their intern year counted per that criteria), and ultimately became an OB anesthesiologist.

I’d say your chances to switch are good. But why not do obgyn residency and then do REI or MIS or pelvic floor?

Definitely something that I considered! Initially I was set on pursuing a fellowship after residency, either in MIS, REI, or PAGs. I no longer can see myself in any of these fields as the passion is not there anymore. Still have immense respect for the field and of course if the switch doesn’t work out I’d finish my obgyn residency.

 

[Beeftenderloin]

What are my chances as a current OBGYN intern applying to anesthesiology this upcoming application cycle (2020-2021). Would be applying to CA1 positions. I am a USMG, step 1 22x, step 2CK 24x, passed CS on 1st attempt, plan to take step 3 prior to application due date.

What are my chances as a current OBGYN intern applying to anesthesiology this upcoming application cycle (2020-2021). Would be applying to CA1 positions. I am a USMG, step 1 22x, step 2CK 24x, passed CS on 1st attempt, plan to take step 3 prior to application due date.

Your plan is not misguided. I see a lot of people are saying your OB/gyne intern year won’t count but they’re just saying that because they haven’t seen it before. I know someone who did this. (You may be a little behind in terms of medical knowledge but you can catch up with extra reading). This person hated OB as an intern. Left the program. Got involved in some anesthesia research in the interim and re-applied and matched to a CA1 spot. The only requirements for intern year are you need to have 1 month ICU and 1 month emergency medicine and even those aren’t hard/fast rules. I’ve seen people who did surgical prelim years that met neither of those requirement and they just made them up as CA1/2s.

The bigger problem you will face is convincing PDs that you are committed to anesthesia and you won’t leave them too. Try to do some shadowing in the mean time. Contact your medical school and see if they can help with that. Also get involved in some anesthesia related research if you can find it. Again, see if your med school can help here. Otherwise try cold emailing research directors at academic programs. Good luck!

 

[zebranostripes]

Your plan is not misguided. I see a lot of people are saying your OB/gyne intern year won’t count but they’re just saying that because they haven’t seen it before. I know someone who did this. (You may be a little behind in terms of medical knowledge but you can catch up with extra reading). This person hated OB as an intern. Left the program. Got involved in some anesthesia research in the interim and re-applied and matched to a CA1 spot. The only requirements for intern year are you need to have 1 month ICU and 1 month emergency medicine and even those aren’t hard/fast rules. I’ve seen people who did surgical prelim years that met neither of those requirement and they just made them up as CA1/2s.

The bigger problem you will face is convincing PDs that you are committed to anesthesia and you won’t leave them too. Try to do some shadowing in the mean time. Contact your medical school and see if they can help with that. Also get involved in some anesthesia related research if you can find it. Again, see if your med school can help here. Otherwise try cold emailing research directors at academic programs. Good luck!

Yep, technically since my obgyn intern year at my program includes a 1 month EM elective, the only requirement I would not have would be 1 month of ICU. Nice to hear that everything worked out for that person! I’ll definitely look into some anesthesia research if I decide not to reapply this cycle.