switching to FM

[cali-ob]

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Hi,
I am an Ob/gyn intern who is hating my residency so far. I really loved peds, and I love Ob so I was thinking maybe FM would be more my speed....but I don't know. Has anyone on here switched from Ob to FM? Any advice on how to proceed if I decided to do it? Lastly could I get credit for my Ob and clinic time this year?

thanks in advance for any and all advice.

 

[iatrosB]

Hi,
I am an Ob/gyn intern who is hating my residency so far.


and I love Ob

Why switch? Hours? Program? What's up?

 

[cali-ob]

I don't like gyn surgery I'm discovering. I like office gynecology, but could do that as an FM right? I am discovering that I'm not really a "surgeon". I don't like being in the OR for long, at all, and I am probably the only intern who isn't dying to cut. I don't like my program, and some of my fellow residents have attitudes that leave much to be desired. I don't like the lifestyle, and want to have more time with my family when I finish.

 

[iatrosB]

I don't like gyn surgery I'm discovering. I like office gynecology, but could do that as an FM right? I am discovering that I'm not really a "surgeon". I don't like being in the OR for long, at all, and I am probably the only intern who isn't dying to cut. I don't like my program, and some of my fellow residents have attitudes that leave much to be desired. I don't like the lifestyle, and want to have more time with my family when I finish.

sounds like good reasons to me. Good luck in FM! 👍

 

[sophiejane]

Hi,
I am an Ob/gyn intern who is hating my residency so far. I really loved peds, and I love Ob so I was thinking maybe FM would be more my speed....but I don't know. Has anyone on here switched from Ob to FM? Any advice on how to proceed if I decided to do it? Lastly could I get credit for my Ob and clinic time this year?

thanks in advance for any and all advice.

First, I'm really sorry you've been disappointed in your choice of specialty and program. It's SO hard to make that decision as a 4th year medical student. We think we are choosing for the right reasons, but you never truly know until you are in there.

The other thing is, residency isn't life. Some people hate the residency but do fine and are satisfied with real world practice. But it does sound like OB might not be the best fit for you.

In my limited personal experience, you can do as much non-surgical gyn in FM as you can handle, including colpo, depending on the region and the competition. If you are female, they will come to you. If you are male, well...

Same thing with kids.

And you are right, the lifestyle is way more controllable. From what I've heard, some programs will accept some, but maybe not all of your intern year. I'm pretty sure they would accept your medicine and OB months, at the very least. Best thing would be to contact the programs in the region you are interested in directly.

Best of luck!

 

[Blade28]

How much gyn onc have you done in these first couple of months? That's not necessarily a big part of OB/GYN, is it?

I always felt you could make your practice much more OB-focused or office-gyn-focused.

 

[NuMD97]

Hi,
I am an Ob/gyn intern who is hating my residency so far. I really loved peds, and I love Ob so I was thinking maybe FM would be more my speed....but I don't know. Has anyone on here switched from Ob to FM? Any advice on how to proceed if I decided to do it? Lastly could I get credit for my Ob and clinic time this year?

thanks in advance for any and all advice.

I know someone who did the switch after 2-1/2 years of OB, so consider yourself lucky that you realized it sooner. The board in Kentucky and your new program has the discretion to give up to one year of credit for work done. In the case I mentioned, the resident switched within the same institution and received one full year's credit for the OB work done.

Good luck!

 

[ramonaquimby]

omg, OB to FM is an easy switch. there's a chick in my program now that made that switch - her intern year is 4 months shorter than the other interns, i believe.

i felt the same way you did (during 4th year med school), knowing that i loved women's health, loved office based gyn, loved ob, loved primary care, but only liked the OR.

fam med is proving to the perfect match (no pun intended). good luck. what part of the country are you in? i'm sure my program would be open to interviewing someone with your experience! 😉

 

[cali-ob]

I sent you a PM.

 

[not4rural]

I think that's great that you realized early on what you don't want to do. You will definetely get credit for your OB rotations. What regions are you looking for a new residency?

 

[cali-ob]

I'm looking in the NJ/PA/DE region...as that is where I am now, and would like to avoid another move. But I also applied to my school's two programs to add more programs to the list. Would prefer not to move (again) as I am married with two kids and everyone is finally all settled and happy here.
It's so nerve racking because although people would consider FM not "that competitive" you really never know year to year. Ob/Gyn turned out to be very competitive last year, and there was no way of knowing in advance. Things can change from year to year, so I don't want to take for granted that I'll get a spot.....just hoping.

And yes, I am glad that I realized early on that I need to make a change....so many people figure it out later, and either just stick with it because they think it's too late, or have to start all over again at a much later date. I'm not willing to have gone through all this crap just to be unhappy though. I could have gotten some unfulfilling, decent paying crappy job 5 years ago if that was the case.

 

[djsmooth]

Maybe we could switch...I am a pgy3 in FP that wants to do Ob. I've thought of doing rural FP, sports medicine, even preventive medicine. I've done a lot of ob in my program and am wanting more OR time that FP simply cannot satisfy (i.e. gyn surgery). I am applying now for the match this year into ob-gyn and looking forward to it. I found out that I don't like being the doctor for everyone...for me there is nowhere safe because you are on the hook for everyone. Chronic disease management is not my bag either; CAD, HTN, DM, etc, just aren't all that interesting to me. I used to feel bad about it, now I feel relieved that I can move on to something I am excited about. Hopefully the switch to FP will make you happier. It's difficult to make a decision in such a short period of time that will affect the remainder of your practice life. You've gotta do what you love to do because you will do it for a very long time.

 

[iatrosB]

I am applying now for the match this year into ob-gyn and looking forward to it. I found out that I don't like being the doctor for everyone...for me there is nowhere safe because you are on the hook for everyone.

Switching from FM to OB for LESS liability

That's a new one

 

[cali-ob]

wish we could switch....but you're a pgy3 and I'm only a pgy1. Good luck to you in the match this year.

 

[dukdukgoose]

Hi,
I am an Ob/gyn intern who is hating my residency so far. I really loved peds, and I love Ob so I was thinking maybe FM would be more my speed....but I don't know. Has anyone on here switched from Ob to FM? Any advice on how to proceed if I decided to do it? Lastly could I get credit for my Ob and clinic time this year?

thanks in advance for any and all advice.

I am a PGY2 in FM located in Chicago. Would you be open to a switch? I would not mind starting residency over for ObGyn.

 

[adamanteus]

That thread was from 2007.

 

[Ericslv]

I don't like gyn surgery I'm discovering. I like office gynecology, but could do that as an FM right? I am discovering that I'm not really a "surgeon". I don't like being in the OR for long, at all, and I am probably the only intern who isn't dying to cut. I don't like my program, and some of my fellow residents have attitudes that leave much to be desired. I don't like the lifestyle, and want to have more time with my family when I finish.

Stay in ob. When you finish residency learn how to do lipo (like many other ob/gyns) and do a ton of it. All cash. No insurance.
Then limit your practice to office gyn, hormones replacement and cosmetics.

Done.

 

[Mad Jack]

Stay in ob. When you finish residency learn how to do lipo (like many other ob/gyns) and do a ton of it. All cash. No insurance.
Then limit your practice to office gyn, hormones replacement and cosmetics.

Done.

Given that this was 2007, I'm assuming they figured out their path and are an attending by now.

 

[Ericslv]

Given that this was 2007, I'm assuming they figured out their path and are an attending by now.

Yeah, I didn't see that.

 

[witzelsucht]

For anyone who is curious, looks like OP successfully finished FM residency based on poast history, but hasn't been around in a few years, probably because she's so behind on charting. (its so lonely out here on the IV trail...)