Can I apply to multiple residencies at one location?

[longhornknaus]

Hi. Can anyone tell me if I can apply to more than one residency at a particular hospital or is it "frowned upon" or even disallowed? I have my heart set on one particular location (because of family) more so than any one particular specialty (so far of course, I haven't rotated through them yet). I didn't know if the hospitals looked down on this as you can't commit on a specialty.
Thanks!

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[Winged Scapula]

Is it allowed? Yes.

Is it frowned upon? Yes.

I know of no widespread policy that prevents students from applying to multiple residencies at the same program.

The degree to which this practice is frowned upon depends on the program, how strong a candidate you are and how related the specialties are. For example, I think you could make a case for applying to both a FP and IM residency at the same program because they are related fields - however, I think you would have a great deal more difficulty making your case for say, Surgery and Radiology.

Residency programs want residents who seem to be dedicated to the program AND the field. By applying to multiple specialties, it appears that you do not carry the latter virtue.

Hope this helps...

 

[Michal]

I would like to elaborate on the question regarding applying to multiple residencies at one location:

It is understood that applying to multiple residencies in different fields will be frowned upon, but what about the following scenarios:

1) How is applying to multiple residencies in sub-specialities looked upon?
For example: a Pediatrics residency and a Child Development/Pediatrics residency, etc. Both are given in the same hospital under the same university affiliation, but are different programs. How will that be looked upon by the PMS?

2) As an IMG, I understand my chances at getting matched at a good program are low, especially since I am also geographically limited due to family issues. I was thinking that I may improve my chances to ultimately get accepted to Pediatrics by doing a Transitional year prior to Matching into Pediatrics. However, I still want to try out for Pediatrics as well and not give up in advance. That said, there are hospitals which offer both programs which I would want to apply to.

How would that be looked upon (applying for a Transitional and Peds at the same place)?
Should I relate to that in my PS?
Should I write a PS for each program as if I was not applying to the other?
How would a Transitional PM look upon my wanting ultimately to enter PEDs? Is it a plus to write it in the PS or not?

Lastly, perhaps my impression that I have better chances of getting into a Transitional and THEN into PED is all wrong. Does anyone know which program is more IMG friendly? Which is easier to get accepted to?

Thanks

Michal

 

[nychick]

2) As an IMG, I understand my chances at getting matched at a good program are low, especially since I am also geographically limited due to family issues. I was thinking that I may improve my chances to ultimately get accepted to Pediatrics by doing a Transitional year prior to Matching into Pediatrics. However, I still want to try out for Pediatrics as well and not give up in advance. That said, there are hospitals which offer both programs which I would want to apply to.

I tried this last year. I was facing similar issues as you are-- IMG and only looking in New York. So I applied for Pediatrics (my chosen specialty), and preliminary years in IM and transitional years; I did not get a single interview in the transitional years (to which I sent a personal statement that was specifically tailored to the specialty); lots of interviews in peds and for the IM prelim years.

The simple reality is that there are not a lot of transitional year programs; that people going into competitive specialties requiring a intern year are vying for the same spots as you because transitional years are seen as less demanding (in terms of call, etc) than IM interships; and so the likelihood of you getting even an interview at a transitional year program are diminished accordingly.

If you feel that you'd like to try it as a backup, however, you should. The incremental cost to doing so is not extraordinary, and it is unlikely that you'd be frowned upon by those in your chosen specialty. In fact, I doubt that the different departments talk to each other much about their respective applicants, at least in any kind of systematic way, but I may be wrong on that one.