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Unhappy with match
- Thread starter Gambler 101
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That was fast.
Basically, by ranking the program, all you said is that you would rather start residency there than be completely unmatched. By the match agreement, that is all you are required to do: start residency, and work for 45 days. You could walk away August 15 without any trouble from the NRMP (you might be breaking your contract with your program, but that has nothing to do with the NRMP). You are then welcome to apply for anything you want the following year.
Regardless though, what makes you think you'll be more competitive next year than you were this year? If I were you, I'd take a step back, realize that I've matched into something that will let me become a board certified attending, and put my nose to the grindstone and work through the next 3 years.
Basically, by ranking the program, all you said is that you would rather start residency there than be completely unmatched. By the match agreement, that is all you are required to do: start residency, and work for 45 days. You could walk away August 15 without any trouble from the NRMP (you might be breaking your contract with your program, but that has nothing to do with the NRMP). You are then welcome to apply for anything you want the following year.
Regardless though, what makes you think you'll be more competitive next year than you were this year? If I were you, I'd take a step back, realize that I've matched into something that will let me become a board certified attending, and put my nose to the grindstone and work through the next 3 years.
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You matched at you lowest ranked program...which is in IM of all programs. I'm willing to wager that you can't do better. You are free to re-apply...but I certainly wouldn't burn any bridges.
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You matched IM and are now talking about EM, neurology, and psychiatry.
What speciality were you actually aiming for? If it was IM, stick with what you have. Its 3 years and at the end you can be a board certified internist.
If your original plan was EM, neurology, or psychiatry, feel free to look at positions in those fields for the next match cycle. This is only if IM was originally a back-up. Don't change fields just because you are not thrilled with where you matched.
Keep in mind that if you did not rank this program, you may not have matched at all. Would that have been preferable?
What speciality were you actually aiming for? If it was IM, stick with what you have. Its 3 years and at the end you can be a board certified internist.
If your original plan was EM, neurology, or psychiatry, feel free to look at positions in those fields for the next match cycle. This is only if IM was originally a back-up. Don't change fields just because you are not thrilled with where you matched.
Keep in mind that if you did not rank this program, you may not have matched at all. Would that have been preferable?
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Try to go into your intern year with a good attitude. It is far preferable to not having matched at all, and you never know - you may like the program/specialty better than you think.
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Psych is tough to get into as a PGY-2 these days. Not crazy tough, but tough- most programs want to start you at the bottom or not at all.
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Go into your PGY-1 with a good attitude. There are lots of threads here on SDN about how people are all "Oh Woe Is Me" about matching to their 12th rank, followed by a post several months later about how happy they are, and how their "dream" program on their rank list was actually a turkey. If you do end up disliking IM, then you can switch to psych, and sometimes get 6 months of credit as a psych internship includes 6 months of IM (one of my interns a few years ago did that). If you like IM and not the program, you could consider a switch of programs at the PGY-2 level. Or, you could re-enter the match next year. You have lots of options. A negative attitude may seriously impact those options.
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well 1st you shouldn't have ranked a place you didn't want to go to and would rather SOAP...
next you should go over to the SOAP 2017 thread and read it...or offer to switch places...
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I get that I should be "happy I matched," but I actually hate medicine. I applied because my advisor told me to apply as a back up. Now I'm stuck in a specialty that I hate (I'd deal with the city if it was a different specialty). It sucks to not match, but it also sucks to be stuck doing something you hate. I shouldn't have listened to the advisor.
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Congrats on matching. I'm pretty sure that if you did not match, you would be telling yourself how you wish you had applied to IM. There are so many who did not match and wish they had your spot.
Be happy and complete PGY1, if still feel medicine is not for you, don't sign a PGY2 contract and try to match into something else. You're also all over the place, Neuro, EM, Psych... do you know what you want to do?
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Be happy and complete PGY1, if still feel medicine is not for you, don't sign a PGY2 contract and try to match into something else. You're also all over the place, Neuro, EM, Psych... do you know what you want to do?
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Looks to me like your advisor was right
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I've actually decided to complete the first year and try again for EM. If it doesn't work and I lose my position, I'm comfortable with that. I don't have any loans and being happy means more to me than working a job that I hate for the rest of my life (fellowships aren't guaranteed). Thanks for explaining how the contract works.
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If you're an AMG, fellowships are pretty damn likely
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So what do you think you can do that can make your application better for EM the next time around? Programs didn't think you were too competitive this time. You don't want to go in with a negative attitude or you'll never get an EM spot. They would want a letter from your PD to ever consider you...
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I applied late in the cycle without an away rotation. I think I can apply on time, rotate through the ED in my new hospital to get an additional letter, work hard and make my PD happy, and hope for the best. I'm also going to take a hard look at Pulm/ccm and see if there's anyway I might enjoy it more than EM.
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Hope is a four letter word that shouldn't be used in the medical education process.
Stop hoping for the holes in the 15 layers of Swiss cheese to line up letting you fall into the lap of another specialty.
Make the best of what you have. Own what has happened. This is not your adviser's fault. Like it was said above, they gave you good advice.
Stop hoping for the holes in the 15 layers of Swiss cheese to line up letting you fall into the lap of another specialty.
Make the best of what you have. Own what has happened. This is not your adviser's fault. Like it was said above, they gave you good advice.
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Just wanted to post an update. Happy to say I’ve managed to transfer into a different specialty and I’m happier than I ever thought possible. Here’s to keeping the hope alive!
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Glad it worked out for you. Mind posting a bit more about how it all happened, so someone in the future can learn from your experience?
D
deleted859535
Definitely post with a little more detail. Rare that someone updates their own thread with a 16-month bump, especially under the circumstances.
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I took the summer to relax and try to come to terms with my new position. I worked really hard during residency, and I kept in touch with my medical school and asked my letter writers to save my letters. I took step 3 very early and did well. I’m not sure if it helped. I then had a very honest conversation with my PD about reapplying and he graciously introduced me to the PD of the specialty that I was reapplying for. I worked on non call days with those attendings and got additional letters. I entered the match and took my vacation month in the winter divided into two week blocks in November and again in January. I managed to interview at 8 places and ranked them all. It was a lot of hard work and I really lucked out with my PD. I’m glad I was honest and upfront about it.
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