What exactly is a preliminary surgical residency?

[premed8888]

What exactly are preliminary surgical residencies? I know there is a difference between a preliminary program for specialties that require a year on the surgical service and others that stand alone. What is the point of them, when does someone do one and what are the options following one? Thanks!

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[Pons Asinorum]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=313343

 

[Law2Doc]

What exactly are preliminary surgical residencies? I know there is a difference between a preliminary program for specialties that require a year on the surgical service and others that stand alone. What is the point of them, when does someone do one and what are the options following one? Thanks!

Prelim programs are single year internships that tend to be of use for two reasons: (1) people who have gotten into PGY2 advanced programs and need to complete an intern year, and (2) people who didn't get what they wanted in terms of categorical programs and want to basically audition for a job or enter the match again with a year of employment under their belt.

Most advanced program folks would prefer transitional year or prelim medicine paths because they tend to be easier than surgery in terms of hours, but prelim surgery might make sense for folks bound toward quasi surgical paths such as optho or IR.

In general, prelim surgery for people without things lined up or not having been close to getting something categorical can be dead end paths.

Hope this clarifies.

 

[premed8888]

Prelim programs are single year internships that tend to be of use for two reasons: (1) people who have gotten into PGY2 advanced programs and need to complete an intern year, and (2) people who didn't get what they wanted in terms of categorical programs and want to basically audition for a job or enter the match again with a year of employment under their belt.

Most advanced program folks would prefer transitional year or prelim medicine paths because they tend to be easier than surgery in terms of hours, but prelim surgery might make sense for folks bound toward quasi surgical paths such as optho or IR.

In general, prelim surgery for people without things lined up or not having been close to getting something categorical can be dead end paths.

Hope this clarifies.

Yeah it helps, thank you.

 

[futureczar]

Prelim programs are single year internships that tend to be of use for two reasons: (1) people who have gotten into PGY2 advanced programs and need to complete an intern year, and (2) people who didn't get what they wanted in terms of categorical programs and want to basically audition for a job or enter the match again with a year of employment under their belt.

Most advanced program folks would prefer transitional year or prelim medicine paths because they tend to be easier than surgery in terms of hours, but prelim surgery might make sense for folks bound toward quasi surgical paths such as optho or IR.

In general, prelim surgery for people without things lined up or not having been close to getting something categorical can be dead end paths.

Hope this clarifies.

Just as a clarification, I was under the impression that doing a prelim at a big name hospital has a high chance of eventually turning into a categorical position (either at the same hospital or another hospital due to the connections that the PD may have). Is this correct?

 

[Law2Doc]

Just as a clarification, I was under the impression that doing a prelim at a big name hospital has a high chance of eventually turning into a categorical position (either at the same hospital or another hospital due to the connections that the PD may have). Is this correct?

In my experience you probably work more closely with the attendings at the smaller community places (fewer fellows) and so if they like you they are more likely to go to bat for you and keep you on. Bigger programs may have more residents, which increases your odds of someone leaving unexpectedly and opening a spot though. But regardless, turning a prelim spot to a categorical spot is going to be a longshot. Expect to have to enter the match again if you do a prelim because you didn't get anything else.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Just as a clarification, I was under the impression that doing a prelim at a big name hospital has a high chance of eventually turning into a categorical position (either at the same hospital or another hospital due to the connections that the PD may have). Is this correct?

No.

It has A chance but I don't think anyone would call it a high chance.

 

[mimelim]

Just as a clarification, I was under the impression that doing a prelim at a big name hospital has a high chance of eventually turning into a categorical position (either at the same hospital or another hospital due to the connections that the PD may have). Is this correct?

In my limited experience the opposite is true. Categorical positions at big name hospitals are extremely competitive and thus are less available to people who didn't make it in the first time around. The prelims tend to be treated more as cheap, temporary labor than their counterparts at smaller programs. Certainly not universally true, but a trend that I noticed.

 

[premed8888]

I cannot imagine going through medical school, doing a preliminary year in who knows what, and then not being able to get a categorical position - That would be appalling!

 

[mimelim]

I cannot imagine going through medical school, doing a preliminary year in who knows what, and then not being able to get a categorical position - That would be appalling!

Very VERY scary. You are seen as damaged goods if you didn't match the first time around. I know several people with 240+ step 1s that didn't match their second time around. Also, 6/6 Caribbean residents that I know all had to do prelims after medical school and attempt to get into a program their second year. Gotta think ahead, apply broad, apply smart and of course work your ass off.

 

[premed8888]

Very VERY scary. You are seen as damaged goods if you didn't match the first time around. I know several people with 240+ step 1s that didn't match their second time around. Also, 6/6 Caribbean residents that I know all had to do prelims after medical school and attempt to get into a program their second year. Gotta think ahead, apply broad, apply smart and of course work your ass off.

Were they trying to match in difficult specialties? If you tell me they wanted to match in family medicine or internal medicine, I may very well faint lol.

 

[mimelim]

Were they trying to match in difficult specialties? If you tell me they wanted to match in family medicine or internal medicine, I may very well faint lol.

The 240+ both wanted to do surgery. The Caribbean students wanted to do a mix of stuff. Painful =/.