Is it ok to apply to more than one program if you are applying to a competitive specialty (like Rad/Derm and apply to IM categorical) at the same institution? I am kind of tied to a certain geographical area, so I was thinking of applying to more than one program at the same school. Any advice on this would be great!!
When is it ok to apply to more than one program?
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There are about 634 posts on this very same topic; I suggest using the Search Function.
But if its too much trouble to do so, yes you can apply to multiple programs at the same institution. There are no rules against it. Whether or not you get "caught" by the specific programs is entirely a different story.
But if its too much trouble to do so, yes you can apply to multiple programs at the same institution. There are no rules against it. Whether or not you get "caught" by the specific programs is entirely a different story.
I should re-phrase my question: when do residency directors feel it's justified that a student is applying to more than one specialty? And how is it viewed if you apply to a prelim year (for Rads/Derm) AND a categorical residency in IM at the same place?
I can't speak for residency directors. It seems to me that it would set off more red flags if you were to apply to radiology and derm and opthalmology (etc) than if you were to apply for one competitive specialty and a primary care field. If applying for both prelim and categorical IM at the same place, you pretty much have to lay your cards on the table and hope they aren't offended at being your backup. If this is at your home institution, I would try to feel some people out about this before actually doing it. Again, it's not against the rules, but could possibly blow up in your face.
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I'd be willing to state that most PDs would recommend their own students applying for competitive specialties have a back-up plan. However, that doesn't mean that if they are the PD of the "back-up" specialty they feel its justified or will be pleased to have you.
Clearly almost everyone applying for uber competitive specialties does it. But applying for both the Prelim and Categorical positions at the same program when the reason for the Prelim is to get into another specialty would seem tricky to me. How are you going to hide that you actually prefer to be a radiologist or dermatologist rather than an internist? Unless I was desparate as a PD why would I consider your application for Categorical position when I knew you'd probably bail the minute a Rad/Derm position became available?
I don't think you can play your cards that boldly my friend.
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If your home program/institution is some huge academic hospital, they may not care much if you apply to IM as a backup. We had people do that out of my class and our IM program didn't care that much...they had 60 IM interns and were used to occasionally gaining or added a resident in PGY2 or PGY 3 levels, and they had a lot of people coming in and out doing research years, etc. and had a big hospitalist service too to help cover the IM admissions. They also liked students from our school >> a lot of other med schools and so sometimes they would just take someone into IM even knowing it was the person's backup (for one thing, a lot of times the person would just end up staying for all 3 years of IM). But this was only for people who had done well in med school, well on the IM clerkship, etc. Most programs would care, though. I think it's a lot smarter to apply to separate hospital(s) for categorical IM and not tell them you are also applying derm or rads, etc.
Better yet, if you are a pretty competitive applicant, just apply to a lot of IM prelim years, to make sure you get one, and then if you don't get derm or rads, do a research year(s) after your intern year to try to make your application more competitive.
Better yet, if you are a pretty competitive applicant, just apply to a lot of IM prelim years, to make sure you get one, and then if you don't get derm or rads, do a research year(s) after your intern year to try to make your application more competitive.
