General Residency FAQs

[Strap]

Those resources you mentioned should give you a general idea of what to expect from each program. After doing your research and taking in to account geography, the best way to find out is to actually go there and talk to the faculty and residents, either through an away rotation or on the actual interview.

If you're concerned about the expense, you should just really bite the bullet and consider it an investment into your future.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[rubyness]

I started by deciding where I would want to live. Once you have the locations decided, decide on whether you want a community or academic program. Then apply to all the (for example) academic programs in your chosen locations and see what interview offers you get. Then go from there.

Also, FRIEDA is good for an overview, in order to get a listing of all the programs out there, but a lot of the info is outdated or inaccurate.

When you are on interviews or deciding which interviews to take, this is a good time to get into details about a program. Ask about the specific things you're interested in and try to find alumni from your school who went to these programs or 4th years from the previous year who interviewed at these programs to ask.

 

[blue2000]

Another idea is to talk to residents training at your school now who attending other medical schools (especially those in a geographic area of interest). They'll have the gossip/subtleties that is impossible to get off a web site. That said it's one person's judgement, so take it with a certain degree of caution.

Also, you can't beat talking to the PD at your school about your chosen fields. They are able to clue you into a lot of the nuance of the field, as well as help you make a list where you have a high probability of matching.

 

[Koko]

Look for academic meetings that give you the opportunity to meet residents and/or PDs. You'll get a chance to speak one-on-one and also get a feel for people, and possibly the program if it's well represented (#s wise).

If you have specific questions, go to the web site of programs you're interested in and you can get e-mail addresses for folks...contact them. Finally, if you're close, you can visit - e-mail or call first though.

I feel you pain.

 

[toughlife]

I am interested in starting to generate extra income while in residency. I know it is difficult to do but I plan to, at least, give it a shot. I am curious as to what I need to be able to work at an urgent care center or anyplace that lets me do so. Do I only need to have taken step 3?

I am bilingual so I got a certificate to be a medical interpreter (cost me $75) and have been cashing in on that at $20-25 an hour on my time off. However, I want to maximime the cash flow during residency to invest so I am curious about the moonlighting rules.


Any comments, suggestions, complaints will be appreciated. Lawsuits are discouraged.

 

[NinerNiner999]

Pass Step III, obtain a state license and DEA number, save some cash for malpractice with tail coverage, approve it by your residency program, make sure you follow whatever your rules are for the 80 hour/wk and moonlighting, and be sure to rely heavily on your current upper levels/attendings to phone a friend when you're on your own. We can't moonlight here but this is what I've heard...

 

[AJM]

You will not be able to moonlight as an intern in any state that I know of. Many residency programs do not allow their residents to moonlight at all, some will only allow residents in their senior year to moonlight, and some will allow any residents to moonlight after they've completed their internship. Every program is different, so ask the residents at the program you're looking at what their rules are.

As ninerniner said, you will need to get a full state license (after passing step 3), +/- DEA, and approval by your residency program. Some places are willing to let you prescribe under their institutional umbrella DEA number, so ask the powers that be whether you need your own. Also, most places that I know of will cover your malpractice insurance with their institutional insurance agency, but I'm sure this varies.

The biggest thing to be aware of is that the hours that you work as a moonlighter are counted in the 80-hour work week regulations, so you have to remain in compliance. This is a primary reason why many residency programs do not allow their residents to moonlight at all.

 

[needsadvice]

thanks for all of your guys' help. Appreciate it.

 

[radonc]

* i was able to moonlight as an intern by taking 'extra' admissions while on call. i was paid $35 for each admit/discharge note, and $25 for each daily note.

* some states require 18 months of residency before you can get your license (eg virginia)

*almost all malpractive coverage is given by the hospital you will moonlight at; of all the places i considered, there was no need to get extra insurance coverage

*some specialties (rads, ortho) in certain programs offer in-house moonlighting. ie upperlevels can do calls for lower-levels (or even community hospitals) to help the 80 hour work week and get paid $50+/hour.

 

[Blade28]

Also depends if you're doing external or internal moonlighting (i.e., within your program's hospitals or outside). Some programs don't count external moonlighting towards your 80 hours.

 

[doc05]

Also depends if you're doing external or internal moonlighting (i.e., within your program's hospitals or outside). Some programs don't count external moonlighting towards your 80 hours.

maybe so, but this loophole is obviously contrary to the intent of the rules. I imagine programs (if not the ACGME) will crack down as soon as someone catches on.

 

[needsadvice]

To all interested in obtaining additional information on residencies, check out the AMSA Career Development Program: http://www.amsa.org/resource/cardev/

Much like Scutwork.com, AMSA asks students who have interviewed to give feedback on several aspects of the program they just interviewed at.

If you have already interviewed, please consider filling out a survey or two on some programs.

I, as well as other third-year students, thank you.

 

[medlaw06]

hey guys...isn't there a website (I think wash.u. or u.wash. or something) that has a nice listing of various residency fields, how competitive they are to get into (on a 1-5 scale), salary, etc. etc.

I have been trying to hunt down the link for the longest time on this website and i can't seem to find it.

Could I of you guys/gals help me out real quick...I would really appreciate it!

 

[Doctor&Geek]

http://medicine.wustl.edu/~residenc/outside/spec/byspec.html

 

[Marci Way]

Yes residents do have children while in residency. Depending upon the specialty regulations, they would have to make up lost time while on a Leave of Absence. It is illegal to ask that question of applicants. In our program we have had many residents have babies and actually have had have twins and then a single birth. There would be some strain on scheduling with a resident out but we have not found it to be a major problem. Of course, this is a Family Medicine program so we are family oriented.

I do know there is a program in PA that has a shared residency spot so that each sharing the one spot can have more time with family.

 

[Diane L. Evans]

Split programs are difficult to find but exist. I suggest going to a larger residency program that can absorb maternity and paternity leaves. Also residencies with a night float allow families to have predictable schedules instead of call q 3-4 nights.

I also have heard of residents scheduling pregnancies to help avoid a call crunch. While this seem unbelievable it happens often and actually is looked favorably upon. For example your elective month could be scheduled during your maternity leave and you could do research from home and not miss out on 6 weeks.

My motto is family comes first. Don't let your career interfere-- work around it . Contrary to poular belief residency is the easiest time to have a child.

Good luck

 

[mdocm]

I'm a 2nd year medical student about to take Step 1. I was curious how important your grades from the 1st 2 years of medical school are in getting into a well-recognized/top residency program. I have heard that clinicals are the most important years and board scores are important, but I've heard mixed opinions on 1st and 2nd year grades. So, I just wanted to hear what people who have already been through the residency experience have to say.

Thank you!

 

[Januine]

Hi all,

I'm new here and I'd like to ask some general questions about the system of the residency and specialities since I spent most of my life in a foreign country and I'm not too familiar with the path to being a doctor here.

In the country I lived in, they have 5 years of med schools after grade 13th, and after that 5 years there is a required one-year internship to be completed before, and afterwards, if you do not choose to go into any specialities, you're a full-fledge doctor (GP) and can practice in any hospitals or open your own clinic (i.e. it would be 6 years after graduating from 13th grade). (of course not many people do the latter cos you need $$ and also to first build up a patient base) But that means you can immediately become a GP after those 5 yrs of med schools + 1 year of required 'internship'. Alternatively, you can also choose to spend few more years in some residency programs to become a specialist at some division.

What about here in the U.S.?
Are you also immediately a GP (general practitioner) after med school graduation and eligible to practice as a GP right after the 4 years of medical schools and getting the MD degree, and that the other residency programs are only required if you want to get into some specialty programs?
If not, how many years of residency do you need to complete just for being a General Practitioner?

Finally, when do you take the USLME? That is like a liscence exam right? Is that at the end of 4th year in med schools? And so, related to the question before, if you do take this exam after 4th year, are you eligible to practice or open your own clinic right afterwards?

Thank you very much in advanced for your help.

Yours,

a-very-confused-fellow-applicant

 

[Jocomama]

Simple - third year and Boards I

I'm a 2nd year medical student about to take Step 1. I was curious how important your grades from the 1st 2 years of medical school are in getting into a well-recognized/top residency program. I have heard that clinicals are the most important years and board scores are important, but I've heard mixed opinions on 1st and 2nd year grades. So, I just wanted to hear what people who have already been through the residency experience have to say.

Thank you!

 

[Januine]

bump

from above: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=3835320&postcount=601

 

[DiveMD]

Simple - third year and Boards I

But your 1 and 2 year grades will affect your class ranking, which is important.

 

[joneethan]

Your 3rd year clerkship grades are most important.

pharmensa.com

 

[Winged Scapula]

The 'Direct Medical Education' payment is cut to 50% for second residencies. Depending on the patient structure of the hospital, this DME component is typically about 40k (20k after the 'initial residency period' runs out).

The 'Indirect Medical Education' payment is not affected by the length or number of your residencies. Depending on the patient and payor structure of the hospital, this is anywhere between 60k and 120k.

So, bottom line, your funding drops by approx 20k (or 20%) from what it could be if you where fresh out of medschool. This can be a reason for hospitals that have to rely on GME funding NOT to take you. At larger wealthier institutions where GME payments are just a small part of the mix, it makes less of a difference. Total number of funded residency slots is capped at 1997 levels for each hospital. Some places have grown their residencies nevertheless and just funded the extra slots out of patient care and endowment $$s (at one place in my training, 100 'funded' slots paid for 170 residents salaries).

There is a brochure on the AAMC website that explains some of the issues:
https://services.aamc.org/Publicatio...=180&pdf_id=57
And here a slightly politically slanted explanation on how the feds arrive at the numbers they pay to the hospitals:
http://www.amsa.org/pdf/Medicare_GME.pdf

Knowledge is power. Some PDs have the impression that there is NO funding for a second residency. I had the info available at the time and managed to convince someone that I was worth it