Switching to Gen Surg from ER possible?

[somedude98317]

Hi folks...

I know its not even one month into my ER intern year, but I realize that I've made a mistake in having chosen ER for my career. I salivate when the trauma guys take up the patient to the OR...i respect the trauma surgeons more than i do my own ER attendings...

I only chose ER thinking that I wanted a better "lifestyle" but I know now that not doing what you are passionate about is a worse lifestyle than any surgical residency could offer.

Can I change? How would I go about this change? I'm feeling quite depressed but want to get started early in this process of changing fields from ER to Surgery...I realize that it will be difficult in light of the funding issue. I have strong numbers and could get great letters from my former surgery clerkship attendings.

Someone please help.

Thanks

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[Blade28]

If you're sure about this (and you sound pretty sure), I'd talk to your Program Director and let him/her know about your intentions. Since it's still early, you potentially could still switch into a Prelim Surgery spot; alternatively, you could reapply for the Match next year. Unfortunately I don't think your intern year as an ER resident would count for a year of General Surgery residency.

 

[H_Caulfield]

Do it. You'll find a way. Even if you have to jump through a hundred hoops and spend an extra year, you'll be doing what you care about for the next couple of decades. Seriously; you'd better go for it.

Always nice to see people come to their senses and go against the lifestyle crowd.

 

[ESU_MD]

A mind is a terrible thing to waste

 

[toxic-megacolon]

Hi folks...

I know its not even one month into my ER intern year, but I realize that I've made a mistake in having chosen ER for my career. I salivate when the trauma guys take up the patient to the OR...i respect the trauma surgeons more than i do my own ER attendings...

I only chose ER thinking that I wanted a better "lifestyle" but I know now that not doing what you are passionate about is a worse lifestyle than any surgical residency could offer.

Can I change? How would I go about this change? I'm feeling quite depressed but want to get started early in this process of changing fields from ER to Surgery...I realize that it will be difficult in light of the funding issue. I have strong numbers and could get great letters from my former surgery clerkship attendings.

Someone please help.

Thanks

I changed from ER to Surgery. I initially compromised and went into ER for the exact same reason as you did. PM me if you want more details. -TMC

 

[somedude98317]

thanks for the words of encouragement everyone...

Hey TMC i sent you a PM asking about your story....hopefully you will get a free moment and respond...i know your busy so your time is much appreciated.

-somedude

 

[Fusion]

I say go for it, do what you love. The extra year spent in the ER (if it comes to that) will be great training all-around and will probably help you to become an even better surgeon, as they do obviously spend time in the ER with consults, etc. Best of luck.

 

[supercut]

We had a similar situation last year...an Anesthesia (!) intern switched into the surgery program very early in the year, he was simply give a prelim surgery spot.

 

[Castro Viejo]

Can I change? How would I go about this change? I'm feeling quite depressed but want to get started early in this process of changing fields from ER to Surgery...I realize that it will be difficult in light of the funding issue. I have strong numbers and could get great letters from my former surgery clerkship attendings.

Re-apply or go for the hundreds of thousands of open preliminary spots in General Surgery that are open right this very minute.

If you do re-apply, be sure to take the ABSITE (the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination) in January/February 2008, as the PDs will be looking for this.

Good luck and God Bless You for leaving the Dark Side.

 

[deleted109597]

Trade you.

 

[lura]

In some Massachusetts program, a categorical surgical resident just quit on day 10 of internship - so there's a free spot. I don't know which one it is and only today just heard this gossip from my program coordinator who was talking to her counterpart at the other program. There are not that many MA programs so it shouldn't be that hard to narrow it down.

In any event, worse case scenerio you could
1. continue with ER year and reapply next year
2. score a prelim PGY1 spot next yr somewhere and then pursue categorical spot
3. Make good friends with surgery dept at program you are currently at and try to do lots of electives if possilble in surgery and be explicit in your reasons

(a resident from another field at my program did #3 and this year is now a PGY1 categorical surgery resident)

 

[SkyDoc]

what is a prelim surgery spot? How does someone get one?

 

[lura]

Surgical residents are either "categorical" meaning they are accepted into a program for the set 5-6 yrs to complete a general surgery residency and their spot is secure, baring any academic or professional mishaps.

A "Preliminary" spot means you are only given a spot for one year with no guarantee for further training. Typically folks in ortho/neurosurg etc do a year of general surgery as an intern and they are "prelims" but folks who did not get accepted into a categorical spot also can opt to do a prelim yr at a program in the hopes of making a good impression and trying to get a categorical PGY2 spot there or elsewhere.

There are usually more prelim spots then categorical. In some programs the residents are treated differently by faculty/attendings as they don't feel they have a vested interest in the prelims who won't be around whereas they'll be working with categoricals for years.

 

[no1uno]

i'm in a position similar to the OP, though it took me a little longer (four weeks) to figure out that i should've chosen gen surg instead of EM. i'd like to try to switch now instead of waiting to complete EM1.

who should i ask for help in the process of switching from EM to gen surg: my current EM program director, my med school dean, my med school surgery chairman, or someone else?

also how can i find out which general surgery programs might have open spots?

your thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[somedude98317]

Hey there...

Well just wanted to let you know that its a lot more complicated than I had anticipated not to say that it is impossible. But there are several hoops you need to jump thru in order to get this going.

A word of caution, be absolutely sure this is what you want and that you aren't just going thru a phase because your shifts are boring or they suck or you just feel absolutely clueless as to what you are doing...

Because the first step involved getting permission from your current PD to explore these options for switching and contacting other PD's from surgery programs. In addition if the PD is cool she/he will may be able to hook you up with some interested programs etc...

But the biggest obstacle I have encountered thus far is the FUNDING issue. As an ER resident we were given 3 years of funding thats it. And your first year has been eaten already so that leaves you with 2 years of funding. Not too appealing to many programs when they can get someone with 4-5 years of funding. Eating the cost of 1 year is one thing, but 2-3 years? Not so much.

PM me if you have any other questions or concerns.

-sd

 

[Chandler]

Hi folks...

I know its not even one month into my ER intern year, but I realize that I've made a mistake in having chosen ER for my career. I salivate when the trauma guys take up the patient to the OR...i respect the trauma surgeons more than i do my own ER attendings...

I only chose ER thinking that I wanted a better "lifestyle" but I know now that not doing what you are passionate about is a worse lifestyle than any surgical residency could offer.

Can I change? How would I go about this change? I'm feeling quite depressed but want to get started early in this process of changing fields from ER to Surgery...I realize that it will be difficult in light of the funding issue. I have strong numbers and could get great letters from my former surgery clerkship attendings.

Someone please help.

Thanks

Surgery requires a greater commitment than any other specialty in medicine. You really have to dig deep inside and find true reasons to go into surgery. You mentioned that you like the fact that the trauma guys come in and take the patient up stairs into the OR. Great. But that is NOT enough. Be mature about this and think deeply. If you go into surgery you will be the hardest working resident in the hospital. Bar none. Are you really willing to trade the glory of swooping in on a patient to kiss your freedom good bye?

If I was a surgery PD I would be very skeptical. You changed your mind in ER after one month. Who is to say you will not change your mind in Surgery when you have to work much, much harder? Before doing anything drastic why not use one of your electives to do a surgery month?

Bottomline: After deep thinking if you are really serious about this. You have to let you ED PD know as soon as possible. You are taking up a spot so it is your job to give someone else an opportunity to take your spot early. After that, I would recommend going to the surgery PD to find a prelim surgery spot. If you are willing to move anywhere in the country you will DEFINITELY be able to get a prelim surgery spot this year.

 

[somedude98317]

hey chandler...

thanks for voicing your concern about my committment towards surgery and whether i'm making the right choice about making the switch...

my reasons for making the switch go beyond my thinking "its cool" that the surgeons take the patient to the OR... i was trying to iterate is that i would like to have greater role than just stablization of the patient...i'm not satisfied with just stablization and would like more to do with definitive care...

but thanks for your perspective...

-somedude

p.s. not as many open PGY1 spots as you make it sound...if you know of any please share it would be greatly appreciated...thanks...

 

[Blade28]

I just read in a previous thread of yours ( http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=4423712#post4423712 ) that you were thinking about surgery back in November, before the Match...whatever happened back then? Did you look at Prelim/Categorical spots then?

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

chill out man. I don't think Chandler was calling you lazy. He/She just wanted to make sure you had really thought through this. I think it was wise advice that it sounds like you have already heeded. Appreciate that they were trying to help you and make sure you have your bases covered and don't be a jerk about it.

 

[somedude98317]

chill out man. I don't think Chandler was calling you lazy. He/She just wanted to make sure you had really thought through this. I think it was wise advice that it sounds like you have already heeded. Appreciate that they were trying to help you and make sure you have your bases covered and don't be a jerk about it.

I realize that attempting to communicate on a message board allows people to misunderstand what they are trying to say...its just the nature of a message board. i didn't think chandler was calling me lazy eventhough i realize in looking back at what i wrote it comes off that way and yeah i apologize for that chandler if you are reading this....

like i mentioned in my prior post thanks for the advise...

peace