What is transitional medicine? And do I need to buy scrubs?

[SalseraDoctora]

Okay, please pardon my ignorance, but on match lists I always see a bunch of people in transitional medicine. What is that?

Also scrubs: when will we need them? Other than for pjs should I buy some before my first year? Where do people get them?

Thanks!

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[QuantumMechanic]

Okay, please pardon my ignorance, but on match lists I always see a bunch of people in transitional medicine. What is that?

Also scrubs: when will we need them? Other than for pjs should I buy some before my first year? Where do people get them?

Thanks!

transitional years are almost like a repeat of 4th year of med school with more responsibility. you do a transitional year before you start a residency in certain specialties like radiology, ophth, radonc, derm, etc.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

Okay, please pardon my ignorance, but on match lists I always see a bunch of people in transitional medicine. What is that?

Also scrubs: when will we need them? Other than for pjs should I buy some before my first year? Where do people get them?

Thanks!

A transitional year involves somebody going into say radiology doing a year of general medical internship. That person will spend some time in medicine, some time in OB, some time in surgery, etc. After that they disappear into the radiology catacombs, never to be seen or heard from again.

A lot of people buy a couple of pairs of scrubs to wear in gross lab. Keeps the smell off your regular clothes. You can probably borrow some from the hospital. There's like a million online sites for scrubs, there's typically a scrub store located near major teaching hospitals, or check out the campus bookstore.

 

[NonTradMed]

I bought my scrubs at walmart. I wore mine to anatomy and that's it.

 

[Critical Mass]

A small thread on intern year:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=361466&

Get cheap scrubs for gross.

 

[SalseraDoctora]

Thanks! Good advice about the scrubs. So is transitional medicine for people who don't match in the specialties they really want? Or is it a deliberate extra year to do rotations for people who aren't sure yet what they want to specialize in?

Do you then have to re-apply for another residency?

 

[braluk]

Here is an excellent resource:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=353633

 

[DrBowtie]

Thanks! Good advice about the scrubs. So is transitional medicine for people who don't match in the specialties they really want? Or is it a deliberate extra year to do rotations for people who aren't sure yet what they want to specialize in?

Do you then have to re-apply for another residency?

For first year of residency, you can do a Prelim Medicine, Prelim Surgery, or a Transitional Year.

Most people do them prior to an advanced standing residency like Rads, Derm, Rad Onc where a prelim medicine or surgery year isn't required.

 

[SoCuteMD]

Thanks! Good advice about the scrubs. So is transitional medicine for people who don't match in the specialties they really want? Or is it a deliberate extra year to do rotations for people who aren't sure yet what they want to specialize in?

Do you then have to re-apply for another residency?

It's a "bridge" to residency in some specialties. The matches are separate, so it's possible to go unmatched in, say, ophthamology but to match into a transitional year. Typically the applicant would go on to the transitional year and apply again for ophthamology.

Most people who apply to a transitional year know what they want to do and are applying in that simultaneously.