Taking time off after residency feasible?

[docdoc2012]

Hey Guys,
PGY2 here.
So I am a total travel nut, and from all indications, its nearly impossible to take a 1-2 month chunk of time off initially at the beginning of your career.
2 questions
- if you go the general route, is it ok to take 2 months before starting your job? is this pretty common or unheard of?
- from what I understand, its always harder to try to come back and do a fellowship such as plastics or retina if you don't go straight in from residency. Is this true?

Just trying to get some perspective here
Thanks!

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[4424]

Hey Guys,
PGY2 here.
So I am a total travel nut, and from all indications, its nearly impossible to take a 1-2 month chunk of time off initially at the beginning of your career.
2 questions
- if you go the general route, is it ok to take 2 months before starting your job? is this pretty common or unheard of?
- from what I understand, its always harder to try to come back and do a fellowship such as plastics or retina if you don't go straight in from residency. Is this true?

Just trying to get some perspective here
Thanks!

Should be easy. Most of the time you take 1-3 months off before you start your job (post residency or fellowship) to take a break, travel etc anyway. It takes time before insurance companies recognize you and you are able to bill. I'd recommend doing that after you're done with your training though. It would be harder to apply to competitive fellowships if you took time off without doing something related to the field/boost your CV etc.

 

[MstaKing10]

Most would suggest you finish fellowship before taking time off after residency. Problem is you would have to take an entire year off, and unless you fill that time with some type of academic endeavor it usually reflects poorly to have such a gap on your application.

I took two months off after fellowship and before starting my job. Someone that joined a few years after me took 3 1/2 months off and traveled around the world. You will not have this type of opportunity again once you are in practice to take so much time off at any point in your career, not just at the beginning, so enjoy it and take advantage of it if you can.