If I am accepted into a residency program that requires a transitional year program (i.e. derm), can this be set up so that it is in the same area? Is the match for the transitional year done after the rest of the match is complete? If not and I match for the transitional year in a city somewhere different than the residency, can I then drop that program and find one in the same city I will be doing the rest of my residency? I am hoping that if I do have to move to a different city after med school, I only have to move once. Thanks!
Probably belongs in the Resident forums but good info everyone.
The thing you want to do with your life is called
categorical. You'll see why the verbage gets a little more complicated in a second, just go with it for now.
The year you put your dues into before you do the thing you want is your intern year, also called
prelim or
transitional year. Prelims and transitionals are different in certain aspects, but for this discussion, let's just call them "the year before the thing you want."
So its residency time.
If you want to do a residency in something that is also a prelim program (like Peds, Medicine, Gen Surg, Psych) then you apply only
categorical. You get into the program, you do an intern year in that program, then you simply continue at the same place, in the same field. Easy. For this person, the difference between an intern year, a prelim year, and a transitional year is meaningless. You are a categorical, you start and finish your residency in the same hospital, in the same program, in the same field.
If, like many, you want to do a residency in something other than the cores (Ortho, optho, derm, anesthesia, neuro, pmnr, radiation oncology), you first have to do a
prelim year (which can also be a
transitional year) in one of the cores. The prelim year and the rest of the residency are essentially two separate matches. You do an intern year somewhere, then you go to your main residency for the duration.
SOME people get to do their prelim year at the same place they will do their residency. Others do it elsewhere. If you are doing Ortho at an awesome program, but the gen surg program is horrendously malignant, you wouldn't want to be beat on your intern year, so you go do your intern year somewhere else. "Intern year" here is "prelim" or "transitional." All synonymous. You could do your intern year in San Fran and then your Categorical Residency in New York.
BUT
when you match its basically a done deal. If you get into a dermatology program with an attached intern year in medicine, you do the intern year at that place and then derm there. If you get optho in philly and an intern year in nevada, that's what you do. You
do not get the opportunity to see where you matched categorical before choosing your prelim. You submit them at the same time, you receive notice of them at the same time (on match day).
Ok, here's where it gets complicated. Some residency positions lock you in to doing a prelim year at their institution and other residency positions don't. These two residency positions are BOTH present at the same residency. You obviously want the one where you AREN'T locked in, and can choose to do your prelim year anywhere.
"Prelim" year generally implies "im doing an intern year but I don't have a residency to go to and am reapplying this year"
"Transitional" year generally implies "im doing an intern year and then I'm going to do a real residency in something better than you are"
And for one final element of complication, you CAN change your prelim year. It comes at a great cost. You need to have a tremendous connection with the place you want to go instead. The place you leave will hate you, giving you a bad rap. If that place is your categorical spot, extra bad news. Generally, it isn't done because the bridges you burn aren't worth it, AND you can end up royaly screwed, but you CAN drop your prelim year to take another elsewhere.
