apply for 2 specialties- wrong?

[ally]

Hi!
I was planning to apply for IM and Rads but I've heard something that scared me a litlte. Is it possible for the PDs to know what you applied to or even what you ranked before they send their list? I know they know after... Can anybody help with this information?

Thanks.
Ally

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[doc05]

it's ok to apply to 2 (or even 3) specialties. Radiology is an awesome field, but very competitive, so many applicants do just what you are doing.

 

[Winged Scapula]

PDs will not know how you rank programs. And as noted above, in fields considered competitive it is not only understood but almost expected that you have a Plan B in case you don't match. If this includes taking a Categorical IM position, then so be it...PDs will recognize this and they may ask you what you'll do if you don't match.

 

[ally]

Thanks a lot!
Yes, my chances for Rads are pretty slim but I have to try. A good IM program will do if I can get a nice fellowship like GI, Allergy...I don't know how to tell the people writing my LORs that I might apply for both.
Ally

 

[doc05]

Thanks a lot!
I don't know how to tell the people writing my LORs that I might apply for both.
Ally

you may need to get separate letters for each type of program.

 

[amdap]

Just think about what you're going to say at each interview. In other words, I wouldn't tell your IM interviewers that you have always dreamed of a career in IM.

Good luck

 

[beyond all hope]

I know a lot of people who applied for two specialties because the one they wanted was competative, and most of them ended up getting their second choice. If you're set a one specialty you should go for it 100%. If you lose a year and have to do research and reapply, that's way better than training in a specialty that you're not excited about.

Apply to zillions of programs, go to all your interviews, and get what you want. Anything else is selling yourself short.

If you're not 100% dedicated to one specialty, than applying to 2 or more is fine.

My humble opinion

 

[hk2005]

I totally agree with Beyond. If your heart is set on rads, go for it. I think it's a huge gamble to apply to 2 specialties. How would you organize your rank list? What if you could have gotten a less "desirable" rads spot but you ended up in an IM spot. Would you be happy with that? You'd never really know what could have happened if you don't go for it. I also know a couple of people who applied in two fields and ended up in the second choice. It just seems dangerous to try to game the system when you're talking about your career.

 

[ally]

You are right!
My problem is that I am restricted to NY metro area for family reasons. I am sure that I would do better in rads than in anything else but I would probably be OK with something like GI, maybe cardio. I am an FMG and although I have good scores and publications I am not sure that I will ever get rads. I have spent quite a few years in research and I would rather start my clinical training now. We'll see how it goes but the ranking list will be very difficult to put together (if any radio program calls me for an interview).

Ally

 

[Harrie]

I don't exactly agree with all of this. I think that if you would be happy doing either radiology or internal medicine, than you should apply to both. You can avoid the problem brought up by hk2005 by ranking all of your radiology programs first and then all of your IM programs. Remember, the ranking system is designed to benefit you as the applicant. In this situation, not applying to IM would just be plain stupid.
On the other hand, if you really want to do radiology and would not be happy in IM, then applying to IM would be stupid. When applying to two specialties, just like when you are applying to only one specialty, you should only apply to and rank programs that you are prepared to attend.

 

[dochuffman]

If you have to apply to rads and a prelim program separately then what happens if you match in the prelim but not rads. You have to rank the prelim programs higher than internal med incase you match rads. How do you get around this? Or do programs only except you to prelim if you matched to rads, anesthesia, etc?

 

[ally]

As far as I understand (from the nrmp website) I will have a main ranking list which would contain radio and categorical IM programs and also for each rads program I will rank I can attach a supplementary list with preliminary IM. You can have as many supplementary lists as you have radiology programs. This is helpful for people who interview all over the country and gives them the opportunity to rank preliminary programs according to their location and proximity to the main program ranked. This works for any specialty that starts at PGY2.

Ally

 

[carrigallen]

If you are really dedicated to rads, you should go for it 100%. Make sure you have a backup plan (eg research) though.

Read the story of Dr. Cuts in the radiology forums!

 

[(nicedream)]

Why not apply to transitional years as backups?

 

[Thunder]

OK... so I'm still a little confused. I have this same question as I was all set to start applying to Pediatrics programs. Now I've done a few psych and child psych programs and I think it's for me. But, I'm not sure yet and I'd like to have a few more months to stew about it.

If I put both Peds and Psych programs in my ERAS app, will the programs know that I am applying to both? If so, I am very concerned about any appearance of not being committed to what I do end up in... I would probably have to force myself into a decision right away.

Thanks!

 

[Swaydaa]

They will have no idea who or where you rank your programs. They will also have no idea where you are applying...UNLESS they are at the same hospital.

Dr. Cuts did apply to Anesthesiology as a backup.

There is no harm in applying to transitional or preliminary medicine with RADS as you need to do that anyway. BUT, you will need to include those programs in your primary Rank order list (you can have 2 ROL, one primary and one for prelim and transitional). If you don't match you can always get the intern year out of the way and look for an open spot in Rads or reapply for RADS through the match for the next year.

 

[Jdoe99]

If you apply to the same institution for a categorical IM spot and RADS spot they will know about each other? Some institutions I like for both IM and RADS.
Would it be ok to apply to the same IM program for both a prelim and categorical position....will they get concerned about my interest in prelim and not interview me for categorical.

 

[Kilgorian]

Personally, I think you should decide what you really want to do and go for it! Sure, some people apply to 2 programs and it can be done, but I never understood that. I guess I was pretty passionate about what I wanted to do and plan B was to try again. You can always scramble for a slot if you don't make it. Then, you can reapply or just stay in the specialty you scrambled for (aren't there a lot of unmatched medicine spots to scramble for?).

My family is important to me too, but limiting yourself to one small region really hurts you. You may want to rethink this.

If you rank two different types of programs there are scenarios where you could match to your second choice specialty where you may not have if you only ranked one specialty. The Match errs on the side of applicants, but it takes into account both programs and applicants rank lists. So, if you really didn't want to do medicine and your first ranked medicine program was like 7th down, but they rank you really high, then that rank pair might supersede all the 1-6 rank listings. Dang it's complicated.

I can't imagine that applying to a whole extra specialty doesn't detract from both applications. There is a limited amount of energy to expend and you would be dividing it.

Anyways, I understand it can be a tough call and opinions are like @$$&*$&# and I seem to have 2 or 3 about everything...Still, my advice is to reach for the stars.

 

[joshmir]

>>>So, if you really didn't want to do medicine and your first ranked medicine program was like 7th down, but they rank you really high, then that rank pair might supersede all the 1-6 rank listings. Dang it's complicated.


This is completely wrong. The match will put you at the highest spot on your list that has a spot for you. Ranking rads then IM is fine. I would just caution you that you may regret not trying for rads again next year (intern or research year in between) if you get IM.

If you do a transitional year, you are at a disadvatage for IM programs b/c you will have one less year's funding...but a prelim med year will not do this...read about how residency is funded by medicare on the aams/aamc website.

i received interviews in multiple specialties at the same hsopitals, including prominent hosptials in nyc (back surgery made it difficult for me to make up my mind in a timely manner). there is NOTHING to stop you from doing interviews in multiple fields, it's fine.

Personally, I think you should decide what you really want to do and go for it! Sure, some people apply to 2 programs and it can be done, but I never understood that. I guess I was pretty passionate about what I wanted to do and plan B was to try again. You can always scramble for a slot if you don't make it. Then, you can reapply or just stay in the specialty you scrambled for (aren't there a lot of unmatched medicine spots to scramble for?).

My family is important to me too, but limiting yourself to one small region really hurts you. You may want to rethink this.

If you rank two different types of programs there are scenarios where you could match to your second choice specialty where you may not have if you only ranked one specialty. The Match errs on the side of applicants, but it takes into account both programs and applicants rank lists. So, if you really didn't want to do medicine and your first ranked medicine program was like 7th down, but they rank you really high, then that rank pair might supersede all the 1-6 rank listings. Dang it's complicated.

I can't imagine that applying to a whole extra specialty doesn't detract from both applications. There is a limited amount of energy to expend and you would be dividing it.

Anyways, I understand it can be a tough call and opinions are like @$$&*$&# and I seem to have 2 or 3 about everything...Still, my advice is to reach for the stars.

 

[Kilgorian]

>>>So, if you really didn't want to do medicine and your first ranked medicine program was like 7th down, but they rank you really high, then that rank pair might supersede all the 1-6 rank listings. Dang it's complicated.

This is completely wrong. The match will put you at the highest spot on your list that has a spot for you. Ranking rads then IM is fine. I would just caution you that you may regret not trying for rads again next year (intern or research year in between) if you get IM.

What do you mean by "has a spot for you?" Most programs make it far down their rank list before all spots are filled. The match uses a complicated algorithm to achieve the most matches. I think you could devise situations where ranking 2 types of programs could affect your chances of matching into the first choice specialty. The outcome does depend on the programs rankings as well. If all the radiology programs rank you really low and the medicine (2nd choice) rank you really high, you may match at a medicine program.