Process for finding vacant pgy2 medicine positions

[delphinusrosea]

Hello there, I apologize if this has been asked before, but what does the process of finding vacant PGY2 years in medicine look like? I matched to a prelim year in medicine, but am looking to apply/find PGY2 positions for the following year. Also how early does one need to take step 3 for this?

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[IMGASMD]

Hello there, I apologize if this has been asked before, but what does the process of finding vacant PGY2 years in medicine look like? I matched to a prelim year in medicine, but am looking to apply/find PGY2 positions for the following year. Also how early does one need to take step 3 for this?

Your PD.
Your school.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Hello there, I apologize if this has been asked before, but what does the process of finding vacant PGY2 years in medicine look like? I matched to a prelim year in medicine, but am looking to apply/find PGY2 positions for the following year. Also how early does one need to take step 3 for this?

Very few and far between positions. You'll have to be checking websites like residencyswap. For the majority of cases you will simply need to reapply to the match

 

[IMGASMD]

Sir/madam,

You were apply to derm a year ago….. at least according to your other posts. What was your original plan this year?

Regardless, how’s your relationship with your current pd? They used to have a listserv with people posting for very last minute openings. Maybe they can “find” you a spot within.

If you were derm material, your med school may be able to whip something up. You have options if your steps were 240+….

Good luck.

 

[delphinusrosea]

Sir/madam,

You were apply to derm a year ago….. at least according to your other posts. What was your original plan this year?

Regardless, how’s your relationship with your current pd? They used to have a listserv with people posting for very last minute openings. Maybe they can “find” you a spot within.

If you were derm material, your med school may be able to whip something up. You have options if your steps were 240+….

Good luck.

Hello, I was derm but decided to switch to IM. I'm about to begin a prelim year in medicine after graduating, still have to meet PD

 

[delphinusrosea]

Very few and far between positions. You'll have to be checking websites like residencyswap. For the majority of cases you will simply need to reapply to the match

Oh I see. If reapplying it through ERAS and I would need to find categorical IM positions, meaning I will have to repeat an intern year? and step 3 should be taken early in like August/September of prelim year?

 

[IMGASMD]

Hello, I was derm but decided to switch to IM. I'm about to begin a prelim year in medicine after graduating, still have to meet PD

So you haven’t even started?
You’re a 4th year US student?

You have plenty of time.

Word of advice learn to ask for help IRL…

 

[NotAProgDirector]

IM PGY-2 positions are not in the match, nor is there a central list of them. Your PD should hear about them assuming they are part of the national association. They can forward them on to you, and you can apply. Hard to say how many spots there are, and how many people are looking for a position -- but as a US grad who was at least in the derm game, you'll be competitive for spots. You may not have a great choice of location, and since there's no timeline positions can open at any time, and if picked you would need to sign a contract immediately. Often an ideal situation is staying on where your prelim is located if a spot opens up.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Oh I see. If reapplying it through ERAS and I would need to find categorical IM positions, meaning I will have to repeat an intern year? and step 3 should be taken early in like August/September of prelim year?

Yes, you would have to repeat intern year. FM is willing to accept a year of IM training, so I would suggest being open to both IM and FM PGY2 unless you have particular career goals (ie, fellowship) in mind

 

[delphinusrosea]

IM PGY-2 positions are not in the match, nor is there a central list of them. Your PD should hear about them assuming they are part of the national association. They can forward them on to you, and you can apply. Hard to say how many spots there are, and how many people are looking for a position -- but as a US grad who was at least in the derm game, you'll be competitive for spots. You may not have a great choice of location, and since there's no timeline positions can open at any time, and if picked you would need to sign a contract immediately. Often an ideal situation is staying on where your prelim is located if a spot opens up.

Thank you! I'm flexible and would go anywhere that has a PGY2 opening, and would be ok with signing a contract immediately. Do you think websites like residencyswap would be good to purchase a subscription to now prior to starting my PGY1 to keep a look out? or do these spots open up later than this?

 

[delphinusrosea]

Yes, you would have to repeat intern year. FM is willing to accept a year of IM training, so I would suggest being open to both IM and FM PGY2 unless you have particular career goals (ie, fellowship) in mind

I don't have fellowship goals in mind, so will apply to the Physician R positions in November in FM and IM, thanks!

 

[delphinusrosea]

So you haven’t even started?
You’re a 4th year US student?

You have plenty of time.

Word of advice learn to ask for help IRL…

Yes I'm currently a 4th year student. Sounds good, I'll ask my PD when intern year starts.

 

[Redpancreas]

1. Agree with NAPD said.
2. Talk with the program director at your current IM program. State you are interested in IM. If there are openings (which sometimes there are) you can go about things without repeating a year.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I don't have fellowship goals in mind, so will apply to the Physician R positions in November in FM and IM, thanks!

There are no R positions for FM and IM in the match. R positions only exist for A programs.

If you reapply in the match, you'll be repeating your PGY-1. Many programs won't consider you as there's little point to repeating your PGY-1 year.

You haven't even started yet. When you go to orientation, tell your PD that you've decided to continue in IM. They can help you find a PGY-2, Good spots do not get listed on websites.

 

[collegestud2013]

Thank you! I'm flexible and would go anywhere that has a PGY2 opening, and would be ok with signing a contract immediately. Do you think websites like residencyswap would be good to purchase a subscription to now prior to starting my PGY1 to keep a look out? or do these spots open up later than this?

Your easiest bet is if the program you will be doing your prelim year has an PGY-2 spot to start July 2023. This usually happens if a Categorical intern leaves after their intern year, or (less commonly) if a program is expanding the number of spots they have. Let your PD know you interest in an in-house spot in advance. But you can't guarantee that this will happen so you may have to look for outside spots to transfer.

Yes, residentswap or FindaResident will have some postings but you're more likely to get a PGY-2 spot at a decent or good program if through your PD. The IM PDs usually get emails from other IM PDs around the country that have open PGY-2 spots. Keep in mind that unfortunately there are many malignant IM programs out there that will work you to death or scut you out like crazy (these often tend to be IMG/FMG heavy), and those are the ones most likely to have PGY-2 openings since an intern hated it so much there that they transferred out. So be careful about accepting just any PGY-2 position at another program. Also keep in mind that if you would like to do fellowship afterwards in a competitive IM subspecialty such as cards or GI, the reputation of your residency program will matter a lot so that should also factor in where you transfer. Though at the end of the day if you're transferring to PGY-2 position you will have a lot less options.

Most PGY-2 spots will probably open up between Feb.-May next year; that's when current Categorical interns decide that they are leaving (often to switch to another specialty, or transfer to another IM program for personal reasons) so that's when I would look. Before then it's probably too early to find spots.

There are no R spots for IM (or FM) in the Match. And if you go through the Match again for you would have to repeat PGY-1 year which is a complete waste of time (and intern year probably isn't the most fun year no matter where you go, so you don't want to repeat it anyways).

Also keep in mind that the PGY-1 year for a prelim and Categorical IM intern isn't completely the same at all programs. Namely, it's not uncommon for Prelim interns to not have outpatient continuity clinic while the Categoricals at the same program do; so you may be a bit behind on outpatient medicine if you switch.