Yup, another unhappy fellow thread...

[Hadjinicolaou]

Hello all, I wanted to post my current situation and get some thoughts on it... I am currently a fresh new fellow in a competitive specialty but not in a competitive program... The problem with my program is that there are no patients... Hospital is apparently having some issues and not filling their beds... There also seem to be some problems with the program itself as 2 faculty members have left in the last 2 months including the chair - since I am new, I do not know much about it but seems fishy... I am scared ****less I won't be well prepared since I won't see any patients; services average 1-2 admits per week...

I am torn between quitting after my first year and re applying and starting fresh but I am also scared this would look bad on my application and won't match into any program and won't be able to practice the subspecialty (which I love)...

What should I do? Should I suck it up, do the 3 years and hope to be prepared for the real world? Or should I quit after first year and re apply knowing there is a possibility I won't match? Help!!!

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[PlutoBoy]

Hello all, I wanted to post my current situation and get some thoughts on it... I am currently a fresh new fellow in a competitive specialty but not in a competitive program... The problem with my program is that there are no patients... Hospital is apparently having some issues and not filling their beds... There also seem to be some problems with the program itself as 2 faculty members have left in the last 2 months including the chair - since I am new, I do not know much about it but seems fishy... I am scared ****less I won't be well prepared since I won't see any patients; services average 1-2 admits per week...

I am torn between quitting after my first year and re applying and starting fresh but I am also scared this would look bad on my application and won't match into any program and won't be able to practice the subspecialty (which I love)...

What should I do? Should I suck it up, do the 3 years and hope to be prepared for the real world? Or should I quit after first year and re apply knowing there is a possibility I won't match? Help!!!

Don't quit. Try to transfer to another program!

 

[Daodejing]

This sounds awful. Don't know how much this will help in the interim, but can't the glaring deficiencies of the program be reported to your subspecialty's governing college/organizational body?

 

[hermionegranger]

Don't quit. Try to transfer to another program!

How does one transfer to another program? Another unhappy brand new fellow here...

 

[PlutoBoy]

How does one transfer to another program? Another unhappy brand new fellow here...

You have a shot at transferring if there is an open spot in another program or if you can swap your spot with somebody else. For example, someone would rather finish training at your institution (geographical concerns being a common reason why people would swap) and you are open to filling his spot at his program.

The AMA has a pretty comprehensive list of open positions. You may want to start there:

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/abo...rk-environment/find-residency-fellowship.page

SDN has a subforum for these kind of issues where people post open positions or offers to swap. It's worth checking it out at least:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/internship-residency-and-fellowship-positions.290/

And above all, good luck!

 

[Crayola227]

SDN SEARCH FUNCTION

 

[jdh71]

1-2 admits per week isn't enough.

I think I'd look for an opening. But also ask about what is going on with the people higher up. If they have a plan or remedy in place then maybe give it a few more months. I'd also be looking for local moonlighting or locum work and getting credentialed during this time. Once you have a way to feed yourself and pay the rent you have decision leverage. If you are then not seeing any improvements, leave, work the moonlighting or locums job. I'd keep your own documentation about it all. It wouldn't look bad to me on a new application if you left because of little to no training in a specialty you want to be good at. It will also make sense and explain the training "holes" on applications plus this way there will also be no holes in employment. You'll still have references.

 

[Hadjinicolaou]

Thank you all for your responses! I am so torn about this... I think about it before I go to bed, when I wake up, all day, everyday... I am so tired of feeling so hopeless in a moment of my life where I should be so happy...

I have looked into open spots but there are none for my specialty, not for any of the 3 years... I have decided that no matter what I will stay for the entire year. I will decide in December whether I stay or I go after the first year is up and that would give ample notice to my PD to find a new person for the next academic year. I will cover all the calls I'm assigned to do so there is minimal disruption for the other fellows. I will work very hard and try to see as many patients and learn as much as possible during this year.

If I decide to leave, I hope my current PD is honest to other programs about who I am and my work ethic and I don't destroy all my chances of matching again in this specialty...

I would love to hear some opinions on my plan, it seems like the best option for the future. Thanks again!

 

[James ij]

why not use the time to study for your boards, work on your research

 

[jdh71]

Thank you all for your responses! I am so torn about this... I think about it before I go to bed, when I wake up, all day, everyday... I am so tired of feeling so hopeless in a moment of my life where I should be so happy...

I have looked into open spots but there are none for my specialty, not for any of the 3 years... I have decided that no matter what I will stay for the entire year. I will decide in December whether I stay or I go after the first year is up and that would give ample notice to my PD to find a new person for the next academic year. I will cover all the calls I'm assigned to do so there is minimal disruption for the other fellows. I will work very hard and try to see as many patients and learn as much as possible during this year.

If I decide to leave, I hope my current PD is honest to other programs about who I am and my work ethic and I don't destroy all my chances of matching again in this specialty...

I would love to hear some opinions on my plan, it seems like the best option for the future. Thanks again!

Seems very reasonable.

 

[Gastrapathy]

If you quit, you should do so with the knowledge that you may never get to come back. However, for most competitive fellowships, there are a fair number of add-on fellowships that one can do to buff your skills. Can you go somewhere else for an F4 year and see some patients?