What to do - IM to Psych

[tomthumb88]

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So i'm 6-7 mths into my PGY-1 year in IM and i finally came to the conclusion that i made a wrong choice. I've always been interested in psych, but couldn't choose it, bc/ I felt like I was closing the door on trad. medicine. Now I know it's what I was meant to do. What i'm asking is, at this point, what should my next step be. I'm too late to enter the match now, but can I maybe get an unfilled spot after the match (if there are such). Or should I just bite the bullet and take a year off to reapply and have the best shot at a good place. I'm an FMG with Step 1 220 and step 2 208. Any advice, I would reallly appreciate it. thank you.

 

[hallam]

http://www.residentswap.org/how_it_works.php

 

[Doc Samson]

So i'm 6-7 mths into my PGY-1 year in IM and i finally came to the conclusion that i made a wrong choice. I've always been interested in psych, but couldn't choose it, bc/ I felt like I was closing the door on trad. medicine. Now I know it's what I was meant to do. What i'm asking is, at this point, what should my next step be. I'm too late to enter the match now, but can I maybe get an unfilled spot after the match (if there are such). Or should I just bite the bullet and take a year off to reapply and have the best shot at a good place. I'm an FMG with Step 1 220 and step 2 208. Any advice, I would reallly appreciate it. thank you.

Call programs looking for open PGY-2 slots. You shouldn't have to repeat PGY-1.

 

[tomthumb88]

thanks for the replys guys. I would love to get into a pgy2 spot, but is that possible. I thought psych programs had their own pgy1 and u couldn't just substitute a medicine year.

 

[psychattending]

thanks for the replys guys. I would love to get into a pgy2 spot, but is that possible. I thought psych programs had their own pgy1 and u couldn't just substitute a medicine year.

You are allowed to do a PGY1 year and then go into psych. If you have a psych program at your institution, think about talking to the psych PD there about how to go about transferring into psych. I would also recommend talking with your current PD so that he/she knows what is going on. That person will be able to smooth the transition.

 

[atsai3]

thanks for the replys guys. I would love to get into a pgy2 spot, but is that possible. I thought psych programs had their own pgy1 and u couldn't just substitute a medicine year.

Psych programs do have their own PGY1 year. A medicine PGY1 year has some overlap, but it is incomplete. If you complete a medicine PGY1 year, then you will likely satisfy the 6 months of inpatient medicine/neuro required of psych PGY1's. If you transfer into a psych program, then you work it out with the program director to create a customized schedule for you so you can 'catch up' on psych rotations. This basically entails you doing the PGY1 inpatient psych rotations during your PGY2 year, and doing some of the PGY2 inpatient psych rotations during your PGY2 year.

-AT.

 

[atsai3]

I would also recommend talking with your current PD so that he/she knows what is going on. That person will be able to smooth the transition.

You definitely need to involve your own program director. There is no way around this, because ultimately you will need a letter of recommendation (or at least a letter of good standing) from your PD.

Beyond this minimal notification, it would be a good thing to tell your program director early. You should do this because you effectively leave your co-residents in the lurch by leaving your program, and your program director needs to fill your vacated spot with another resident.

-AT.