Move away from SO for transitional year or stay in same city for prelim surgery

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

gregoryhouse

Head of the Department of Diagnostic Medicine
7+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2013
Messages
336
Reaction score
268
Hi guys, I know this seems like a rather silly question but I hope someone can help provide me some perspective.

My SO is a 2nd year medical student so 1 year below me. I am planning to apply to ophtho in the match next year and so I was hoping to do a prelim year in my hometown so I could stay close with my SO. However, I just found out that there is no prelim-med program here and only a prelim-surgery program. My hometown is not a very desirable location and the program is affiliated with my school so I feel like I can most likely get accepted here. However, I have heard that pre-lim surgery is one of the worst type of programs you can do. I personally like surgery and was considering it before ophtho but I don't want to end up getting the short end of the stick and end up being treated badly because I am not in a categorical spot. The closest prelim/transitional program is about 600 miles away.

This is obviously a personal decision I have to make but I was just looking for some different perspectives.

Members don't see this ad.
 
How far along is your relationship and how far away is the transitional program?
 
Closing in on 2 years now. We've been living together for over a year now.

Transitional program is about 8 hr drive, 2 hr plane ride
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Not all prelim surgery programs are malignant in that way. I'd suggest talking to some of the current prelims at your home program to see how happy they are before you write it off.
 
so is your SO going to limit his/her application to the area where you will match? are you planning on getting married? as a 4th year, your SO may have more free time to come visit you and may even be able to do electives at your hospital to allow you both to spend time together...also you may have *slightly* more free time as a prelim IM or TY intern and can travel back and forth as well...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
so is your SO going to limit his/her application to the area where you will match? are you planning on getting married? as a 4th year, your SO may have more free time to come visit you and may even be able to do electives at your hospital to allow you both to spend time together...also you may have *slightly* more free time as a prelim IM or TY intern and can travel back and forth as well...

Yea my SO is going to try to apply mainly to places in the area where I match but I'm still going to tell her to apply broadly. I'd rather her live away from me then go unmatched. Marriage is probable but we haven't made any definitive plans on it yet.

You are right though that it might work out better to just do a TY somewhere else. Our school gives us 4 months vacation and 3 months of aways during 4th year so if she can manage to get all 3 aways in the city I end up in that will be 7 months together which will probably work out better then staying here and doing a prelim surgery.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Also, since your SO will be a M4, he/she will be traveling for interviews as well. If you live in a big city (with many travel options like NY or Chicago)--that will make it easier for him/her to travel around the country. Hopefully, his/her schedule won't be too bad as a M4(and maybe you both can do the tougher rotations at the same time). If you are in a cush TY- you'll likely be able to take time off easily and perhaps join him/her on the interview trail.
 
If you are getting married, take a research year and line up so you can couples match. Its not just the first year thats an issue, its the entire length of both of your training. Step 1, decide if you are getting married (or planning to be a family without getting married or whatever).
 
If you are getting married, take a research year and line up so you can couples match. Its not just the first year thats an issue, its the entire length of both of your training. Step 1, decide if you are getting married (or planning to be a family without getting married or whatever).
disagree with this advice...the OP is going for optho...he is his most competitive as a US senior and since it is in the SF match, he would only be able to couples match for the prelim year...his SO would then have to actually interview at more places since she won't know where he matches until Jan of that year...

if he goes in this year, and matches, then she will know what geographical area to concentrate on and he can talk to his program to help her in maybe getting a spot at his home program.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
rank only the cushest TY programs above home site surg
 
Unless you're married, then it shouldn't be a consideration at all.
So plan everything as if you are single.
it's the grown up thing to do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
bump. is there an update on what you decided @gregoryhouse ? I'm in a similar situation.

I haven't made my final decision yet, still interviewing for prelim at the moment. But I only applied to prelims that were in the same city or very close to home. So no matter where I end up I'll either be a few hour drive away or a short plane ride away. Now that I know where I'm doing my ophtho residency though, I feel like I might just stay at home and do prelim surgery and just suck it up for a year. We will see.
 
I would definitely stay at your home program. Being home with your SO every day will bring you more happiness than getting home earlier somewhere else, but being alone after work, or having to deal with a random roommate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Top