Transitional Year Programs by Easiness (Ranking most Chill Programs) 2020

[oldsmokey]

Hi,

If you're anything like me you may be going into a specialty that requires a separate preliminary program. If you end up deciding on a transitional year, you made the right choice because that the easiest route to your desired advanced specialty (as opposed to surgery or medicine).

Here is a pdf file of places that I personally interviewed at for a transitional year spot based on their hours, ward requirements, food stipends, etc. This list consists of most of the Florida transitional year programs and a few other ones in the south.

I wanted to provide this list so people don't end up needing to do an additional 15 prelim interviews on top of their advanced specialty interviews. Thankfully I got my top choice prelim and I hope this list helps you find yours.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions!

Thanks

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[Modstopizdy]

Good idea. Unfortunately this thread is almost certainly going to be flooded by self important schoolmarms criticizing you for being lazy and invoking the possibility of patient deaths at some indeterminate time in the future due to some half-baked slippery slope fallacies. In other words, medstudentsplaining.

 

[oldsmokey]

Good idea. Unfortunately this thread is almost certainly going to be flooded by self important schoolmarms criticizing you for being lazy and invoking the possibility of patient deaths at some indeterminate time in the future due to some half-baked slippery slope fallacies. In other words, medstudentsplaining.

I'm sure that's a possibility but the reason I wanted to post this is due to lack of resources on transitional year programs. I was kind of disappointed that there is almost no current information on TY programs, which could lead to a lot of unnecessary travel expenses and over-applying. The goal is to make the year as tolerable as possible. I would argue that the extra free time in a more relaxed program gives you a chance to analyze your decisions and actually focus on patient care rather than getting bogged down being a note jockey in a surgery prelimb just doing scut work. Hoping people will take a look at it that way

 

[msu2493]

This. We need more of this.

 

[bobjonesbob]

Spartanburg, SC was the chillest place I encountered. Riverside Regional Medical Center and MUSC Transitional year were also good.

 

[odyssey2]

You’re doing God’s work

 

[Chlorini]

Look at the number of electives! That's the easiest way to tell if a TY is "chill" or not. I actually attend one of the TYs on the list he provided above . Also, I will add that not all of the HCA TYs are the same. I interviewed at 4 and there are some major differences.

Some other things to consider:

Do they pay for Step 3/UWorld?
Do they pay for licensing/fingerprints?
Do you get a phone? (I got a free Iphone 11)
Do you get a meal stipend? My hospital doesn't pay for food (they just have random snacks and coffee). However, I was given $900 in cash instead.

In general, all TYs require 4 months of IM. Can't get out of it. The rest of the stuff CAN be changed. 6 months of electives is the MAX you can get via ACGME.

In general I am VERY happy with my TY and experience I'm getting (very hands on!) It's worth moving for!

 

[collegestud2013]

Hi,

If you're anything like me you may be going into a specialty that requires a separate preliminary program. If you end up deciding on a transitional year, you made the right choice because that the easiest route to your desired advanced specialty (as opposed to surgery or medicine).

Thanks

That's not the point of a Prelim or TY year. Having a "cush" Prelim or TY year with too much elective time means you will learn nearly nothing in preparation for your advanced specialty. Prelim and TY programs are aware of this and will see right through this on interview day and not rank anyone who just wants to be there to have a chill year. What they want is someone who can they can effectively provide as much free labor as possible for the year, and work as hard as as possible is also how you will be prepared for your advanced specialty. Thus, I highly recommend going to a Surgery prelim or one of the prelim programs in the New York City area since they will train you the best.

 

[LunaOri]

Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield Massachusetts has a very pleasant transitional year program (not sure if you have to choose between IM and surgery transitional program, or if it's the same). The residents who come to us after that transitional year seem to be well prepared.

 

[slowthai]

Thus, I highly recommend going to a Surgery prelim or one of the prelim programs in the New York City area since they will train you the best.

This is lovely.

 

[redsox93]

That's not the point of a Prelim or TY year. Having a "cush" Prelim or TY year with too much elective time means you will learn nearly nothing in preparation for your advanced specialty. Prelim and TY programs are aware of this and will see right through this on interview day and not rank anyone who just wants to be there to have a chill year. What they want is someone who can they can effectively provide as much free labor as possible for the year, and work as hard as as possible is also how you will be prepared for your advanced specialty. Thus, I highly recommend going to a Surgery prelim or one of the prelim programs in the New York City area since they will train you the best.

This might be the worst advice i've ever seen on here haha

 

[Chlorini]

That's not the point of a Prelim or TY year. Having a "cush" Prelim or TY year with too much elective time means you will learn nearly nothing in preparation for your advanced specialty. Prelim and TY programs are aware of this and will see right through this on interview day and not rank anyone who just wants to be there to have a chill year. What they want is someone who can they can effectively provide as much free labor as possible for the year, and work as hard as as possible is also how you will be prepared for your advanced specialty. Thus, I highly recommend going to a Surgery prelim or one of the prelim programs in the New York City area since they will train you the best.

LOL. No. I am getting the perfect balance of time off and practical experience. I am not a note jockey at my institution. Because I’m at a community program, I often work one-on-one with an attending. I’m putting in my own US- guided lines. I’m doing all of my own procedures. I have way more autonomy than I ever would at a major academic center. I am spending my free time studying for Step 3 and for the specialty I’m entering.


There is a benefit in doing a prelim surgery year if you can find one that actually lets you go to the OR— I was unsuccessful in finding that. I get to rotate through vascular and orthopedic surgery as a TY so as far as I see it I’m getting the best of both worlds.

 

[redsox93]

Look at the number of electives! That's the easiest way to tell if a TY is "chill" or not. I actually attend one of the TYs on the list he provided above . Also, I will add that not all of the HCA TYs are the same. I interviewed at 4 and there are some major differences.

Some other things to consider:

Do they pay for Step 3/UWorld?
Do they pay for licensing/fingerprints?
Do you get a phone? (I got a free Iphone 11)
Do you get a meal stipend? My hospital doesn't pay for food (they just have random snacks and coffee). However, I was given $900 in cash instead.

In general, all TYs require 4 months of IM. Can't get out of it. The rest of the stuff CAN be changed. 6 months of electives is the MAX you can get via ACGME.

In general I am VERY happy with my TY and experience I'm getting (very hands on!) It's worth moving for!

What program is that iPhone 11 at though

 

[Chlorini]

What program is that iPhone 11 at though

A good one

 

[Doctor_anonymous]

Thank you so much. I haven't been able to find much info on the Transitional Years in Florida and having your document that outlines a few of them helps me. I'm interested in the Orlando, Osceola Regional Medical Center TY. If you or anyone else has more info on it, I would appreciate it.

 

[oldsmokey]

Look at the number of electives! That's the easiest way to tell if a TY is "chill" or not. I actually attend one of the TYs on the list he provided above . Also, I will add that not all of the HCA TYs are the same. I interviewed at 4 and there are some major differences.

Some other things to consider:

Do they pay for Step 3/UWorld?
Do they pay for licensing/fingerprints?
Do you get a phone? (I got a free Iphone 11)
Do you get a meal stipend? My hospital doesn't pay for food (they just have random snacks and coffee). However, I was given $900 in cash instead.

In general, all TYs require 4 months of IM. Can't get out of it. The rest of the stuff CAN be changed. 6 months of electives is the MAX you can get via ACGME.

In general I am VERY happy with my TY and experience I'm getting (very hands on!) It's worth moving for!

Actually my program only has two months of wards, 1 month of night float (Brandon) so you can avoid the 4 of wards 😂

 

[oldsmokey]

Thank you so much. I haven't been able to find much info on the Transitional Years in Florida and having your document that outlines a few of them helps me. I'm interested in the Orlando, Osceola Regional Medical Center TY. If you or anyone else has more info on it, I would appreciate it.

Keep me posted if you need more info I’ve been to all of them!

 

[Chlorini]

Actually my program only has two months of wards, 1 month of night float (Brandon) so you can avoid the 4 of wards 😂

Don't y'all have ICU required though? I count that as "worse" than wards haha. But Brandon is definitely a good TY! Didn't like that ICU requirement though...

 

[Neopolymath]

Don't y'all have ICU required though? I count that as "worse" than wards haha. But Brandon is definitely a good TY! Didn't like that ICU requirement though...

At least ICU is educational and more procedural even if just a bit more hours. I would rather do that than wards.

 

[Chlorini]

At least ICU is educational and more procedural even if just a bit more hours. I would rather do that than wards.

Yeah, that's just personal preference. I was just commenting to avoid confusion. Yes, you may not have to do 4 months of inpatient medicine wards, but you usually have to do 4 months of inpatient something (can be ICU, gen surg, etc). But if OP found a TY that only requires 8 weeks of inpatient rotations than that is truly the "most chill" program haha.


For anyone curious:
AGME's requirements are listed at link below, but in general from the PDF:

There must be at least 24 weeks of fundamental clinical skills (FCS) rotations in the primary specialties of emergency medicine, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology

There must be at least eight weeks of rotations involving care of inpatients in general medicine, general pediatrics, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, or family medicine

At least four weeks (140 hours) must be in emergency medicine

There must be at least 140 hours of documented experience in ambulatory care in family medicine, primary care internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, or pediatrics

https://www.acgme.org/Portals/0/PFAssets/ProgramRequirements/999_TransitionalYear_2020.pdf?ver=2020-06-29-164050-813

 

[oldsmokey]

Yeah, that's just personal preference. I was just commenting to avoid confusion. Yes, you may not have to do 4 months of inpatient medicine wards, but you usually have to do 4 months of inpatient something (can be ICU, gen surg, etc). But if OP found a TY that only requires 8 weeks of inpatient rotations than that is truly the "most chill" program haha.


For anyone curious:
AGME's requirements are listed at link below, but in general from the PDF:

There must be at least 24 weeks of fundamental clinical skills (FCS) rotations in the primary specialties of emergency medicine, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology

There must be at least eight weeks of rotations involving care of inpatients in general medicine, general pediatrics, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, or family medicine

At least four weeks (140 hours) must be in emergency medicine

There must be at least 140 hours of documented experience in ambulatory care in family medicine, primary care internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, or pediatrics

https://www.acgme.org/Portals/0/PFAssets/ProgramRequirements/999_TransitionalYear_2020.pdf?ver=2020-06-29-164050-813

Exactly, we have inpatient peds as well which is super great. You actually split the days with an EM resident. But I was just clarifying Brandon regional has 2 months of required inpatient medicine floors (day float)

 

[oldsmokey]

Don't y'all have ICU required though? I count that as "worse" than wards haha. But Brandon is definitely a good TY! Didn't like that ICU requirement though...

Yep, we have icu and it’s 6 12s definitely work, most other TY programs have an icu requirement though. Only one out of the 13 programs I interviewed did not.

 

[oldsmokey]

That's not the point of a Prelim or TY year. Having a "cush" Prelim or TY year with too much elective time means you will learn nearly nothing in preparation for your advanced specialty. Prelim and TY programs are aware of this and will see right through this on interview day and not rank anyone who just wants to be there to have a chill year. What they want is someone who can they can effectively provide as much free labor as possible for the year, and work as hard as as possible is also how you will be prepared for your advanced specialty. Thus, I highly recommend going to a Surgery prelim or one of the prelim programs in the New York City area since they will train you the best.

See right through this? I mean I matched at my first choice program..No issues with working hard when I’m on, but I’m not going to go out of my way to do scut work that has no relevience to becoming better in my advanced speciality. I’m sure a program will be happy to take you as a note jockey buddy. Personally, I’m doing well, so I’d recommend your advice be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[Chlorini]

Yep, we have icu and it’s 6 12s definitely work, most other TY programs have an icu requirement though. Only one out of the 13 programs I interviewed did not.

Mine doesn't! However, my program requires it if you are going into anesthesia. I'm going into rads. This was not stressed during my interview day; I had to ask about it.