To second or not to that is the question??

[simon11]

So here is the deal... I am now into my 3rd month of PGY1 and feel like meat on a platter. I am dog tired and would love not to do a PGY2. But... what's the probability of getting a clinical specialty job without the second year??? I am learning a lot. I am rotating through the areas of interest but I think I know the direction I'd like to take. Does it look poorly on an interview if I ditch out of a PGY2 and just job hunt w/ only one year under my belt??

Any clinical specialists that would comment would be appreciated.

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[KARM12]

So here is the deal... I am now into my 3rd month of PGY1 and feel like meat on a platter. I am dog tired and would love not to do a PGY2. But... what's the probability of getting a clinical specialty job without the second year??? I am learning a lot. I am rotating through the areas of interest but I think I know the direction I'd like to take. Does it look poorly on an interview if I ditch out of a PGY2 and just job hunt w/ only one year under my belt??

Any clinical specialists that would comment would be appreciated.

With the way things are heading...I would do the PGY2. You can try to job hunt and apply for pgy2's at the same time.

 

[MustLoveDrugs]

Agree with Karm.

What specialty are you considering? Your chances of getting an internal medicine position after an inpatient-focused PGY-1 residency are a little different than your chances of getting a BMT position at a cancer center after the same training.

Don't worry about how this decision makes you look to the outside world, your pharmacist friends or your co-residents. You have already met the basic requirements to become a pharmacist, so anything you do beyond that is a bonus. It's your career, so make the choices that will help you get where you want to go.

I was offered a consultant pharmacist position in my last year of pharmacy school. I didn't want to become a consultant pharmacist, so I turned it down. I am now a PGY-2 geriatric resident, I love what I do and I know that giving up 2 years of my life now will lead to many more years of job satisfaction. By the way, one of my classmates took the aforementioned job. Do I regret it? Nope. Does she? Nope.

 

[KARM12]

Some of the areas you may be able to get away with only a PGY1- internal medicine, amb care (if you did an amb care focused residency), and maybe general peds (if you did enough peds rotations in your PGY1). These jobs would be more decentralized staff positions over true "clinical specialist" work most likely. Anything more specialized (heme/onc, critical care, ID, transplant, etc) you will probably need to do a PGY2. If you are really interested in an area of pharmacy, I would say go ahead and do a PGY2. In the grand scheme of thing, what is one more year really?

(To add some crediblity, I am also doing a PGY2. I looked for jobs and applied for PGY2 at the same time. In all honesty, there aren't many specialist positions with a PGY1.)

 

[MustLoveDrugs]

I don't know if you agree, Karm, but I feel like the PGY-2 gives residents a more realistic idea of what their jobs will actually be like. The PGY-1 requires a lot of multi-tasking and time management, but you still do something completely different every month. In my career, I expect to follow my patients for longer than a month, build lasting relationships with the physicians and really make the job my own... I wasn't able to do that as much in my 1st year.

 

[wes011]

Thanks for the insight ladies and gents. Very good thread for someone like me. I know I want to become a Clinical Pharmacist and will do the PGY1 for sure. I am hesitant on the PGY2, but thank you for the insight.

 

[gsinccom]

Thanks for the insight ladies and gents. Very good thread for someone like me. I know I want to become a Clinical Pharmacist and will do the PGY1 for sure. I am hesitant on the PGY2, but thank you for the insight.

yes. thank you

 

[KARM12]

I don't know if you agree, Karm, but I feel like the PGY-2 gives residents a more realistic idea of what their jobs will actually be like. The PGY-1 requires a lot of multi-tasking and time management, but you still do something completely different every month. In my career, I expect to follow my patients for longer than a month, build lasting relationships with the physicians and really make the job my own... I wasn't able to do that as much in my 1st year.

Agreed. I get to focus more on patient care and less on silly projects. I see the same patients in the clinic and when they get admitted. I've really gotten to know my ID fellows and I feel like I am really a member of their team.