I am looking at applying to a Transitional year program, I am an IMG and I would like to know what options there are for me, if I manage to enter this type of residency.
Transitional year
- Thread starter berdugo75
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Are you considering a specialty which requires a Transitional Year or a Prelim year?
Don't apply for a Transitional year (TY) with the idea that you can decide what to do later:
1) TY are very competitive, chances are you might have difficulty getting one
2) Some may require that you have your PGY-2 lined up - ie, they are typically for people doing Advanced Match, and you apply for the TY and the advanced specialty at the same time.
3) Not all specialties will accept a TY as fulfilling the intern year requirements (eg, at most you might get credit for a month or two you spend on that service).
If you are an IMG who hopes to match into anything, Prelim Medicine and Surgery are easier to get into than a TY.
Here is a thread that might interest you.
Don't apply for a Transitional year (TY) with the idea that you can decide what to do later:
1) TY are very competitive, chances are you might have difficulty getting one
2) Some may require that you have your PGY-2 lined up - ie, they are typically for people doing Advanced Match, and you apply for the TY and the advanced specialty at the same time.
3) Not all specialties will accept a TY as fulfilling the intern year requirements (eg, at most you might get credit for a month or two you spend on that service).
If you are an IMG who hopes to match into anything, Prelim Medicine and Surgery are easier to get into than a TY.
Here is a thread that might interest you.
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If you are still uncertain about what you want to do, you should probably do a medicine prelim year, or just bite the bullet and decide on something to do (IM, fp, nuclear medicine, pathology, etc.). Agree w/above comment.
Prelim surgery years are often a dead end, particularly if you are a foreign grad, and you'll be so tired and busy you won't have any time to interview for PGY2 spots. You probably won't if you do IM prelim either, but you'll have a better chance. IM prelim also "counts" for more other specialties as a prelim year - surgery you can basically only use for surgical subspecialties (that you'll probably not get as a foreign grad) radiology or anesthesia (also hard to get for IMG's). IM you can use for neurology, internal med, anesthesia, possibly PM and R, 3 months toward psych intern year, probably some credits toward ER or OB residency, and on and on.
I personally feel like there should be TY spots available for people still deciding on a specialty, but our system isn't designed like that. The DO's used to do rotating internships, which is probably a great idea. The system is set up to produce doctors, not necessarily educate us (trainees) to the max or help us pick the specialty that will make US most happy. It's kind of unfortunate but true.
Prelim surgery years are often a dead end, particularly if you are a foreign grad, and you'll be so tired and busy you won't have any time to interview for PGY2 spots. You probably won't if you do IM prelim either, but you'll have a better chance. IM prelim also "counts" for more other specialties as a prelim year - surgery you can basically only use for surgical subspecialties (that you'll probably not get as a foreign grad) radiology or anesthesia (also hard to get for IMG's). IM you can use for neurology, internal med, anesthesia, possibly PM and R, 3 months toward psych intern year, probably some credits toward ER or OB residency, and on and on.
I personally feel like there should be TY spots available for people still deciding on a specialty, but our system isn't designed like that. The DO's used to do rotating internships, which is probably a great idea. The system is set up to produce doctors, not necessarily educate us (trainees) to the max or help us pick the specialty that will make US most happy. It's kind of unfortunate but true.
