benefits

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

FenderB2004

Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2002
Messages
69
Reaction score
0
what are the benefits like for most medicine prelims/ TYs? especially in terms of educational benefits? i'm looking to buy a laptop but wondering if i should wait until intern year starts if they give you benefits

Members don't see this ad.
 
what are the benefits like for most medicine prelims/ TYs? especially in terms of educational benefits? i'm looking to buy a laptop but wondering if i should wait until intern year starts if they give you benefits

Unless you're looking at getting a low-end netbook, your ed allowance (assuming there is one) will likely not get you anywhere near a new laptop.
 
Unless you're looking at getting a low-end netbook, your ed allowance (assuming there is one) will likely not get you anywhere near a new laptop.

+1.

For starters, benefits vary widely by programs. Some programs gave you unlimited food, but nothing for books. The max I saw while applying was, I think, about $250 for textbooks.

Book allowances for interns (particularly prelims) tend to be on the lower side. I would not count on being able to buy a laptop with whatever the program gives you.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
many university programs offer at least $1,000 per year for books and educational expenses. usually as you increase in PGY years you get more money. The places I've seen on average start you off with $400 for pgy1 and something like $800 for pgy3/4. many programs include board review courses or licensure fees in the educational fund so if you don't take a board review course you get more money to use for other educational things.

The best I have seen so far was $6,000 for the 4 year residency and it's heavily weighed in the pgy1 and pgy4 years, because they'll pay for your step3 and board review.

maybe it's specialty dependent? but it sounds like it should be hospital dependent. but i noticed that university based residency programs offer more education funds than community based programs.
 
Its department dependent.

The anesthesia department at my university program got $1000/year (not sure if it was different based on PGY level); surgery residents got $250-$300 which could only be used for books or anything else purchased at the bookstore and did not vary based on PGY level.

I actually found the opposite as RussianJoo...at least in terms of surgery; community based programs tended to have more "perks" and benes than the university programs.
 
At my categorical program the prelims get $0. However, once I start my specialty (if I am recalling correctly), the book/equipment allowance is fairly substantial.

Sure, but the OP was asking about prelims. In which case if he gets a couple hundred bucks, I'd be impressed. Because a prelim is a "one and out" year, and the program doesn't really care as much if you pass your boards or not, so they won't care whether you had adequate books.
 
Top