transitional year or rotating year

[24858]

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I am a third year student and am ignorant of the whole intern year.
If you apply to say Dartmouth that has the four year program vs Yale with only the three year program (PY2-4), does Dartmouth offer the choice between a medical, surgical, or transitional pgy1 position? Or do most programs only have a medical or surgical intern year for those people that apply to the programs.
I would really like to get a transitional year and wanted to know basically if those are offered when you apply to the four year programs, do they go to the best applicants in that get into the four year programs? Can you apply to a four year program and also apply to a transitional year program and if you get both take the four year program offer as well as the transitional year offer?
As you can see I am confused about the process, can someone fill me in on how it all works?

 

[C.P.]

Categorical vs advanced programs.

Categorical programs work like this: 4 years, the first is an intern year, but whether it's surgical, prelim, or transitional, is dependent on the program. Some offer special "anesthesia" prelim years, some offer both a transitional and prelim year (which you rank one over the other), others offer only one of the two (most of them are medicine prelim years).

Advanced programs: you're on your own, but don't forget to ask if they offer a prelim year. Many advanced programs offer prelim years, but you simply have to apply to them separately.

Years down the road (I'm thinking five to ten), it'll mostly be categorical with a special "anesthesia" prelim year that involves around six months of ICU time.
Nothing for us to sweat about though.

 

[UTSouthwestern]

Not quite. Most programs are gearing up toward the new requirements and as such, you guys may see the changes as the test subjects.

 

[Creamfly]

Just curious as to what kind of changes?

 

[C.P.]

word in the halls is that they'd like new anesthesiologists to have 8 months of ICU under their belt by the end of their CA-1 year.
Considering there's usually 2 months of ICU in the CA-1 year already, the structure I've heard mentioned is for 6 months of ICU during the prelim year.
It's going to miss me, since I"m in my intern year right now, but I'd personally prefer it. Great training opportunity.
As long as they throw in a year's supply of antacids for the stress ulcers from six months of Q3 call.
Although that might change too since there would be so many more people working in the ICU.
Anyway, it's all speculation on my part from different people in academia I've talked with over the past year that report what they've heard at meetings and the such.

If it's true, I think it'll definitely affect the application process. While for some, anesthesia is looked at as a "lifestyle" choice, I've got to wonder how the thought of six months of ICU might deter some people.

I've no opinion one way or the other.

 

[VentdependenT]

No matter how painful it seems you'll be well served to cram in at least two ICU months during your tranny year. Nothing is worse than showing up your first day completely ignorant on critically ill patients care in the OR.

However I am LOVING my radiology month.

 

[j_sde]

the change in curriculum is true. i heard directly from dr. miller as well as few other academic profs bout it. i'm not sure if the 6 months of icu call is what their gonna do, but they are going to change the prelim year into something more anesthesia/icu concentrated vs. med/surg.

 

[Lonestar]

well, if you must know at my program we are already doing 4 months of ICU in our transitional year. On the other hand, they took out gen surg and ob-gyn rotations. Either way your life will suck. Call was Q6 for MICU and Q4 for CCU. I have another month of SICU (Q4) and MICU left. I will never exceed the 80 hour work week in any of these rotations.