Unmatched American MD looking for advice

[NotAProgDirector]

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I don't believe that this is legal. This has been discussed on SDN before, and I believe that the consensus is that legitimate residency programs cannot have unpaid house staff. @NotAProgDirector might have more insight, though.

"Legal" is complicated. It's an ACGME mandate that residents be paid, and although the ACGME doesn't get involved with housestaff pay scales they would certainly not be happy if they were paid some token salary like $1. So for offical ACGME accredited positions, no.

Could hospitals create a non-ACGME accredited spot that pays some minimal salary to do a job? Sure -- it's a job, has nothing to do with GME. So it would be possible for a hospital to create such positions, have these folks work in the clinical setting, then determine whom to match based upon performance. Since they wouldn't be residents, hospitals couldn't use the Medicare billing rules for residents although they could be basically like scribes. Most places won't do this because its complicated, and most HR offices won't be happy with arrangements like this. But it is possible.

others would know better than me as to current rules. decades ago i was a house officer in a gen surgery program but they gave me room and board and 100 bucks a month.

Those were the days...

 

[MetaWP]

Hello everyone,

Just want to express my profound gratitude for all the advice and support in this thread. Was hoping to return the favor by providing a quick update for the curious.

I couldn't find gainful employment anywhere and ended up moving home to my parents house last summer, where I got a$14/hr job asking for signatures in parking lots as part of a ballot proposition. That job was enough to buy me a nice house in my parents town through the VA loan program. Eventually landed a $25/hr job in healthcare operations, where I've been working from home due to the pandemic. I'm actually surprisingly comfortable financially right now, though I feel awkward around my family/friends because everyone always wants to know what tf happened with my career and I don't ever know what to say.

I'd still love to go to residency but it just seems so farfetched at this point, and I can't imagine going through the Match again any time in the near future. I think I could have a comfortable career in healthcare operations, but I also have my GI bill and could get a masters, JD, PhD, or certifications for working in computers/technology. Current problem is deciding what I actually want to learn! I have a lot more free time than I ever did in college/medical school/military, so I'm trying to focus on my physical/mental/spiritual health, finding some hobbies, and otherwise just moving on and living life.

Thanks again for everyone here, you helped me through a pretty tough time 🙂

 

[teddy_tu]

Hello everyone,

Just want to express my profound gratitude for all the advice and support in this thread. Was hoping to return the favor by providing a quick update for the curious.

I couldn't find gainful employment anywhere and ended up moving home to my parents house last summer, where I got a$14/hr job asking for signatures in parking lots as part of a ballot proposition. That job was enough to buy me a nice house in my parents town through the VA loan program. Eventually landed a $25/hr job in healthcare operations, where I've been working from home due to the pandemic. I'm actually surprisingly comfortable financially right now, though I feel awkward around my family/friends because everyone always wants to know what tf happened with my career and I don't ever know what to say.

I'd still love to go to residency but it just seems so farfetched at this point, and I can't imagine going through the Match again any time in the near future. I think I could have a comfortable career in healthcare operations, but I also have my GI bill and could get a masters, JD, PhD, or certifications for working in computers/technology. Current problem is deciding what I actually want to learn! I have a lot more free time than I ever did in college/medical school/military, so I'm trying to focus on my physical/mental/spiritual health, finding some hobbies, and otherwise just moving on and living life.

Thanks again for everyone here, you helped me through a pretty tough time 🙂

Hope things get better for you.

 

[Franzd'Epinay]

I think I could have a comfortable career in healthcare operations, but I also have my GI bill and could get a masters, JD, PhD, or certifications for working in computers/technology. Current problem is deciding what I actually want to learn!

A degree in computer science or information technology could be a pathway to clinical/healthcare informatics. They would also be versatile for non-healthcare jobs.

You could also get an MHA or MBA if you want to go up the non-clinical healthcare ladder.