Switching to different IM program

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Yanke

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Hi all

I'm desperate for an advice.
Currently I'm a PGY-1 in IM community program. I wanna do GI fellowship which is competitive as y'all know. So I started to think about moving to different Community affiliated/University program after I finish my first year. I contacted a program ( I have a friend working there) for a possibility to join them as second year resident. They asked me to forward my CV so their PD will have a look at it. They usually open spots for 2nd year residents from different program to join in case they have someone leaving or switching speciality (this year they have PGY-1 who is planning to switch speciality and already applied for the match this year). So most likely they will ask me to do interview, because that what they do every year, to interview 2 or 3 candidates from different programs and put them in a waiting list in case someone leave as I mentioned.
So my question is how I'm gonna tell my PD?
My program is relatively small program, I'm really happy in my current program and I don't have any issue with any one, I'm just looking forward for a better opportunity for my career especially I want to GI fellowship!
According to our program history if someone leave the batch can go forward with missing spot if they don't find someone.
So I don't know what to say to my PD? Shall I let the PD now ? Or wait until I go for interview ? I haven't been to that step yet but most likely the other program will ask for a LOR from current PD!
I don't want to look bad for the rest of my residency if I tell the PD I wanna leave and then don't get the spot there.

Your advices are much appreciated


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If you are happy where you are at, and the only issue is obtaining a fellowship, why not make in-roads into a local fellowship program to do research, etc. while remaining in your current program? I am assuming you are in a big city (given that there are at least 2 IM programs there, yours and the one you'd interview at).

I wonder if trying to switch over to the other program is really a good idea, given that you are happy in your current location. Can't you maximize your chance for a fellowship without moving?

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Thank you for your reply. Yes I'm in a big city but the program I would interview at is in different state actually because I have some connections there, however there is another big IM program in the same city with fellowship but there is some disagreement between the 2 programs so we can't get into any kind of research or outside rotation there unfortunately!
Yeah you're right I'm happy at my current program with the training and the friendly environment but I'm just really concerned about getting a fellowship for this reason I though about switching into big program with a good reputation and in house fellowship because that would be easier either to get fellowship in the same program or different one. I'm an IMG on J1 visa so that makes it more complicated if I don't get fellowship straight after residency I will need to do the waiver before starting looking again into fellowships.


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Your PD has to release you. There is no way to do this without your pds approval so if you are serious it is best he/she hears from you instead of another PD about what you are trying to do.

I agree with the above though, it is much easier and less likely to explode and ruin your entire Im career to just make inroads somewhere else rather than do this. Options include general Medicine fellowship or joining as an academic hospitalist somewhere with a gi fellowship and producing some research there.
 
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Seems risky. Going from a program you like to one that has a plan to line up replacements every year. Is it really that much better a program? Would I have heard of any of the new program's gastroenterologists?
 
Hi,

Any updates, Yanke? I'm actually considering the same thing
 
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