Say you match at a program where research is "optional". Then it turns out that they want to force you into the lab because they need to balance out the class to make the numbers work. Can you leave and change to another program to finish residency?
What to do if forced into research
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Can you? Yes.
Is it that easy? No. You'll need LORs from your program and PD. Some programs will be more supportive than others, so if they get upset that you want to leave, this could become problematic. You'll also have to find an available categorical spot at your PGY level...which come up intermittently from now until June/July on short notice. If you are picky about where you want to live, your options may be even more limited. Best option is to plan for the lab, but actively look/plan for another spot in the mean time.
Also, if your contract goes until 6/30, you may find that you have to work at program A on the 30th, and start program B on the 1st....and have to make arrangements/vacation days to do required orientations prior to the 1st AND move to a new city... Every year the surg prelims had problems with this (although their contracts only went until like the 20th, inevitably some of them were required to report earlier for orientations and the like and my hospital would not let them out of their contracts early; they had to work something out with the new program if this was the case).
Is it that easy? No. You'll need LORs from your program and PD. Some programs will be more supportive than others, so if they get upset that you want to leave, this could become problematic. You'll also have to find an available categorical spot at your PGY level...which come up intermittently from now until June/July on short notice. If you are picky about where you want to live, your options may be even more limited. Best option is to plan for the lab, but actively look/plan for another spot in the mean time.
Also, if your contract goes until 6/30, you may find that you have to work at program A on the 30th, and start program B on the 1st....and have to make arrangements/vacation days to do required orientations prior to the 1st AND move to a new city... Every year the surg prelims had problems with this (although their contracts only went until like the 20th, inevitably some of them were required to report earlier for orientations and the like and my hospital would not let them out of their contracts early; they had to work something out with the new program if this was the case).
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When research is optional, you should always interpret that as optional for the program, not optional for you.
Also you have to realize how lame you'll sound if you ever say "I'm transferring because I don't want to research", assuming you decide to tell the truth.
Also you have to realize how lame you'll sound if you ever say "I'm transferring because I don't want to research", assuming you decide to tell the truth.
That really sucks. Why can't these places just be up front about this whole research thing.
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I don't know. There are many things that programs do that don't make sense to me. For example, why would they game the system to not go too far down the matchlist? Attendings at a few programs openly admitted this happens, so it's not just an urban myth.
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Absolutely true. At our "research is optional" program, we have multiple residents who were forced into an unwanted research year, and multiple others who wanted to do a research year but were forced to go straight through. All depends on the numbers, manpower requirements, and the number of residents a program is authorized to graduate each year.
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On another research note...
What are these years like? I have heard from some that they are cushy (relative to residency) and you can moonlight, thus making for a nice break in the middle of a killer GS residency.
As someone who is slightly older and does not really want to train for a decade, but is looking at some of the more academic east coast programs I am kind of curious what these research years (which are listed as being "optional) are all about.
What are these years like? I have heard from some that they are cushy (relative to residency) and you can moonlight, thus making for a nice break in the middle of a killer GS residency.
As someone who is slightly older and does not really want to train for a decade, but is looking at some of the more academic east coast programs I am kind of curious what these research years (which are listed as being "optional) are all about.
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It depends on a few things. Yourself (main factor), your PI, and type of research.
You can usually work as hard or as little as you want. The drawback of not working hard is that you might have spent two years with little output and that may be a red flag. Most people who do research have very flexible schedules but still end up working pretty hard because deep down they are goal driven people.
The other factor is your PI. Sometimes PIs can be hardasses, sometimes they will leave you alone to work at your own pace. Obviously if you have a micromanager who expects email replies within the hour, your life will be less free.
The type of research also factors into your lifestyle. Some don't do research at all and instead do public health school, business school, etc. You can do some research that is relatively comfy, such as clinical research, outcomes, etc. Some basic science projects will have you in the lab to take care of cell cultures or animal maintenance. Some projects with human patients can be bad... if you need to collect blood samples for appendicitis patients or something you might be on call 24/7 and need to come in during the middle of the night to consent someone for research.
So it varies a lot. I guess you can look at the past residents and see what type of things they published to get an idea of what they expect from you. If they are publishing in Nature and Science on a regular basis, you can expect your research time to be pretty busy. On the other hand if they are publishing case studies in throwaway journals you know you're gonna be chillin.
In my case I work fairly hard and have been fairly productive. My life is still about a million times better than during clinical years. I work about 50-60 hours a week, a lot of that just surfing the web. I have been able to get time off work almost anytime I want, as long as I plan somewhat in advance and schedule my research stuff around it. It has been a nice break for me, and I am really a lot less toxic than I was before entering the lab. I am however a bit jealous of my former co-interns who are now chiefs and applying for fellowship.
You can usually work as hard or as little as you want. The drawback of not working hard is that you might have spent two years with little output and that may be a red flag. Most people who do research have very flexible schedules but still end up working pretty hard because deep down they are goal driven people.
The other factor is your PI. Sometimes PIs can be hardasses, sometimes they will leave you alone to work at your own pace. Obviously if you have a micromanager who expects email replies within the hour, your life will be less free.
The type of research also factors into your lifestyle. Some don't do research at all and instead do public health school, business school, etc. You can do some research that is relatively comfy, such as clinical research, outcomes, etc. Some basic science projects will have you in the lab to take care of cell cultures or animal maintenance. Some projects with human patients can be bad... if you need to collect blood samples for appendicitis patients or something you might be on call 24/7 and need to come in during the middle of the night to consent someone for research.
So it varies a lot. I guess you can look at the past residents and see what type of things they published to get an idea of what they expect from you. If they are publishing in Nature and Science on a regular basis, you can expect your research time to be pretty busy. On the other hand if they are publishing case studies in throwaway journals you know you're gonna be chillin.
In my case I work fairly hard and have been fairly productive. My life is still about a million times better than during clinical years. I work about 50-60 hours a week, a lot of that just surfing the web. I have been able to get time off work almost anytime I want, as long as I plan somewhat in advance and schedule my research stuff around it. It has been a nice break for me, and I am really a lot less toxic than I was before entering the lab. I am however a bit jealous of my former co-interns who are now chiefs and applying for fellowship.
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Moonlight. Pay down loans. Sleep more. Enjoy life.
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Ditto. Plus it gives you a different clinical perspective to have done basic science research, thought about surgical disease on a molecular level, wrestled with miserable animal experiments, written manuscripts, critically reviewed manuscripts (when your PI inevitably passes his work off to you).
The other added bonus (for some of us) is the benefit of great mentorship. When you're in the lab you get to directly interact with attendings on a more personal level. Traveling to conferences, working on presentations, etc. It's not just running the list with an attending or have him/her take you through a case. There's a lot of mentorship that comes with being the resident responsible for your PI's research interests.
I was not thrilled about going into the lab...just wanted to get through residency and start my life before I was ready to retire. But now I'm very glad I had the chance to do research. Not a waste of time at all.
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