Not Getting In--What options remain

[ortholsu]

I am about to finish my first year, and I am very interested in ortho. I have better than average grades, but I don't see myself coming close to making AOA. I am doing some ortho research this summer, and hopefully that may turn into a paper. To make it short, i think i will be competitive (assuming i do ok on my boards), but what are my options if i don't get into ortho? Can i reapply or is it a one time chance only? Also during my fourth year should i consider applying to other residencies also (Gen Surg or Medicine) even if all i want to do is ortho? If i do one year in a prelim Gen Surg program, can i apply to ortho and enter as a PGY2? are there even programs out there that take PGY2's? I have tried to search this website and OSSR to see if i could find some answers but nothing to satisfy me. hopefully, i'll be able to land something, but i just wanted to know what options existed if any or if it was a "do or die" situation.
Thanks in advance

ortholsu

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[jason952]

not what you're looking for, but, don't get ahead of yourself. You are doing good things with the research. AOA and/or research are not prereqs in pretty much any field, so don't psych yourself out. Enjoy your summer off, enjoy your 2nd and 3rd years. You may change your mind, who knows. Be honest with yourself and enjoy the experience.
Jason

 

[neo]

Jason gave good advice.

But to answer your questions.

Originally posted by ortholsu
I am about to finish my first year, and I am very interested in ortho. I have better than average grades, but I don't see myself coming close to making AOA. I am doing some ortho research this summer, and hopefully that may turn into a paper. To make it short, i think i will be competitive (assuming i do ok on my boards), but what are my options if i don't get into ortho?


1. scramble into another specialty categorical spot
2. scramble into a prelim surgery spot and reapply


Can i reapply or is it a one time chance only?

- you can reapply but your chances of getting in the second time are actually worse than the first time unless you've done something between the two times you apply to make yourself a more attractive candidate.

Also during my fourth year should i consider applying to other residencies also (Gen Surg or Medicine) even if all i want to do is ortho?

- its probably a good idea to have a back up plan when you're applying to a competitive specialty. you may decide that you back up plan is to reapply, in which case you should interview and apply to some prelim general surgery spots.

If i do one year in a prelim Gen Surg program, can i apply to ortho and enter as a PGY2?

- generally no because the categorical match is for a pgy-2 spot that begans one year after the match. therefore you would have to wait one year. however, there is a small chance that someone who matched into an ortho spot decides not to fulfill his match and leaves a vacancy at the pgy-2 spot that you may be able to fill and thereby lose no time.

are there even programs out there that take PGY2's?

- yes, many programs are for pgy-2 spots and leave you to find your own internship seperately.

I have tried to search this website and OSSR to see if i could find some answers but nothing to satisfy me. hopefully, i'll be able to land something, but i just wanted to know what options existed if any or if it was a "do or die" situation.
Thanks in advance

ortholsu

 

[ortholsu]

thanks for going into detail. i've got a couple follow up questions. will the programs i apply to, know where else i am applying? If they do see what else i am applying in, won't it look bad and almost as if i don't know what i want? Where can i find out if a program has PGY2 spots, because most things i have read state that there are like 560 PGY1 spots which fill every year. I've never seen a sight which shows how many PGY2 spots are available and of those how many fill. I do understand your point about having to sit out an extra year after a prelim year if i get into a PGY2 spot. I've had friends do that with ENT and Derm. I just haven't seen or heard anything like that with ortho.

i also do realize that i've got time to see whats out there, and there is a chance i may not like ortho, or i may like something else better, but i like knowing the facts.

thanks for all the advice.

 

[edmadison]

Watch out for one thing. I have not been able to find this in print (although I didn't look for too long), but I have been told that starting this year, anyone seeking to become a board certified Orthopod MUST do a dedicated ortho interniship. If this is true, programs will no longer except gen surg or trans residents into any of their pgy-2 slots. You should ask the residency director in ortho at your school about this.

Ed