Transitional Programs So Difficult to Land

[medsRus]

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Why are transitional programs so difficult to get into? Also, they seem to have so many unfilled spots each year...

 

[dragonfly99]

Ben Franklin,
I wasn't aware that many transitional spots don't fill every year...from what I know they almost all (or maybe all) fill. The transitional years tend to be hard to get because most of them are quite a bit easier than preliminary medicine or surgery years, and also they get to rotate through more different areas. The transitional years are usually filled by folks going in to fields like radiology and ophthalmology, who tend to be in the top of their medical school classes. This makes the competition fierce. Also, there aren't as many transitional year programs as there are medicine or surgery prelim programs, so there are just less spots available.

Surgical preliminary years, on the other hand, sometimes go unfilled. This is because it's very hard work and sometimes not that much learning.

 

[Long Dong]

Why are transitional programs so difficult to get into? Also, they seem to have so many unfilled spots each year...

I can tell you about my TY. 14 over night calls total, 4 months of electives that have regular bussiness hours and weekends off, 2 of those elecetives months can be research (some people did this from libary/home), radiology elective was called radioholiday home by 1 p.m.

 

[earmuff]

I can tell you about my TY. 14 over night calls total, 4 months of electives that have regular bussiness hours and weekends off, 2 of those elecetives months can be research (some people did this from libary/home), radiology elective was called radioholiday home by 1 p.m.

My prelim medicine year ~ 60 overnight calls (8 call months, 3 months q3); no such thing as a radioholiday; elective months were 6am-7pm, sometimes longer; no research month.

you get the idea...

 

[goodies]

I can tell you about my TY. 14 over night calls total, 4 months of electives that have regular bussiness hours and weekends off, 2 of those elecetives months can be research (some people did this from libary/home), radiology elective was called radioholiday home by 1 p.m.

WOW! which TY is that? harbor-ucla??

 

[dragonfly99]

My medicine intern year (categorical): 10.5 months of call Q3 and Q4 (one was Q6) with one day in seven off, 2 weeks vacation, no electives, 1 month outpatient clinic (7am-5pm or so) that had weekends off.

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

IM prelim here...

~ Only 14 overnight call nights (during your 2 months of ICU), otherwise q4 "on call" during ward months means you stay until 7pm, sign out to nightfloat, then go home..🙂

3 months of electives -- one could be "research" and another radioholiday (i.e. home by noon). Weekends off.

1 month of ER -- 1-9pm, weekends off.

Oh, and avg pt load is ~4-6 (with some very rare exceptions). You get $1000 for books/cell phone/PDA!

Best IM prelim on the East coast, hands down..🙂

 

[fun8stuff]

I can tell you about my TY. 14 over night calls total, 4 months of electives that have regular bussiness hours and weekends off, 2 of those elecetives months can be research (some people did this from libary/home), radiology elective was called radioholiday home by 1 p.m.

i've interviewed at 5 TYs so far this season and this seems to be about average of the ones i have seen. Some places have as many as 6 elective months, although i have not been to a place that allows 2 months of research... that would be awesome! i know of one ty program with no call and i know of ty programs where you get out by 12-1pm on a regular basis during medicine months. There is quite a range.... but in general, they are much less time intensive and you get a broader exposure than prelim years.

 

[Taurus]

The only thing I've regretted so far in this interview season is not applying to more TY programs initially, 14, when I should have applied to 30. At least I have 9 TY interviews in the bag and hoping and praying I get one of the sweet positions like Long Dong's.

 

[Law2Doc]

Why are transitional programs so difficult to get into? Also, they seem to have so many unfilled spots each year...

They are difficult to get into because they are cushy (compared to prelim years) and thus all the top students going into derm, rads, rad onc, optho snap them up. They actually don't have many (any?) unfilled spots each year -- you are confusing them with prelim years, which isn't the same thing at all.

 

[medsRus]

I see that there are IM prelim programs and transitions programs in the same hospital. Can I apply for both? Would I have separate interviews?

 

[Law2Doc]

I see that there are IM prelim programs and transitions programs in the same hospital. Can I apply for both? Would I have separate interviews?

You can apply for both, but usually the program will decide to interview you for one or the other.