Screwed again?

grrrrrrrrrr.....

recently found out that my little adventure in general surgery over the past year (June 2006 until this coming June) may be a more-or-less wasted year.

the initial goal, since i did not match into my residency of choice as a 4th year medical student (see prior blogs), was to spend this year doing a general surgery internship, which would (in theory) satisfy the "general surgery year" requirement of my residency of choice, ENT. then, as i try to find a permanent residency slot this spring, i could springboard right into a second-year slot if programs with an opening were interesting in hiring me, or i'd have the option of going through the match again, and starting in year-one of the five year program. of course, it would be preferred to not have to repeat year one - because of the workload AND the extra time!!

less than 72 hours ago, however, i was just informed that the accreditation council requirements for first-year slots in ENT require completion of specific rotations, including 4 that i did not get assigned to: neurosurg, emergency medicine, anesthesia, and critical care. although i knew that many (most / all?) ENT programs do make sure their residents get these "core" rotations under their belts, i was never aware that it was a requirement for licensure / board certification. if that really is true, it is a fairly recent change (within the past 2-3 years) - as older residents would share stories with me about how their general surgery year was spent in the dregs of the hospitals' offerings, doing scut work and difficult rotations that the "home" program spared their own categorical general surgery residents.

yeah - this probably doesn't make a lot of sense to anyone not well-versed in the matching / residency process. no worries. i just need to vent about how i've gotten myself screwed (yet again, due in part to poor advising and in part to my lack of initiative in hunting down info that i didn't know i was missing). i'm just sorta pissed off at my residency program, for not being on top of the standards for their prelim residents (interns) and doing all they can to advance their future prospects - as they boast that they are doing all the time. i was even recruited here with the promise that they'd make special accommodation and guarantee me a rotation in ENT ... which is the ONE thing that is NOT required for an ENT first-year resident. of course, it sounded good at the time....

back to the drawing board. at least i'm learning from some of this. hope it's not too late to help someone else out there!!! and the year is not "wasted" - i'm learning a whole lot of gen surg stuff that i might not get at a program with a weaker reputation in surgery. and hey - if the rumors are right, at least i'll be making 2nd-year resident salary when i start at a new place this summer!

ok - sleepy time.