Taking time off between residency and fellowship

[iloveeyes]

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I've heard that in internal medicine, it is rather common for people to take one or two years off before entering fellowship. They spend the year earning money as a hospitalist or doing research to beef up their fellowship applications. I've never heard this done in ophthalmology and was wondering what are people's thoughts on this. Would it drastically lower your competitiveness as a fellowship applicant not to apply while still in residency? Or would taking time off actually increase your competitiveness?

 

[JBurns]

Would drastically lower your chances in my opinion.

 

[MR1]

Depends on the fellowship and if you are gunning for a top 20 place. If you are wanting to do glaucoma for example, it probably wouldn't hurt too much. If you are wanting ASOPRS or a top 20 retina, it will hurt.

 

[DiveMD]

I wouldn’t do it. I would either commit to a fellowship or do comprehensive. It might be difficult to go back to fellowship pay once you start making a better salary as comprehensive doc. Also, consider the potential surgical skill atrophy if you take time off to do something else.

 

[azzarah]

I think it depends on what you do that year....Certain activities will enhance your chances, others might make it harder.

 

[iloveeyes]

I think it depends on what you do that year....Certain activities will enhance your chances, others might make it harder.

I'm curious, which activities do you think would enhance?

 

[orbitsurgMD]

A related fellowship.