I feel that I’ve made a big mistake in my specialty choice and I wanted some advice on rectifying the situation.

I had done all the things to set myself up to be a very strong applicant for neurosurgery (good research, ranked #1 in my class, great connections with my nationally respected department, AOA, blablabla). Then just before applications were due I got cold feet… mostly due to a family situation that made me reconsider how much I wanted to devote to my career. So I ended up applying to another specialty. Now after doing my aways and interviewing in that field I am 80% sure that I f*cked up and I’m headed in the wrong direction.

So my question is what the hell do I do now? Take a year off and do more research? Try to switch after my categorical intern year? Drop out of the match and scramble into a prelim surgery year? Just say to hell with it and move on and always wonder “what-if”?

I realize there’s no right answer and that an anonymous internet forum isn’t the greatest place to get advice on important life-decisions, but I’m asking anyway.

Just curious - what did you match into in the first place?

Haven’t matched yet. Applying to another competitive surgical subspecialty.

bummer.  that’s a tough situation. i don’t know that there is a good solution.  generally, i would recommend re-applying next year to neurosurgery.  doing an intern year will not reduce the length of your neurosurgery residency (in most cases) so you may want to consider doing research or something like that if you don’t want to be an intern just yet.  you should probably do something, though, as being idle doesn’t look good either.

i would definitely talk to whoever is the program director in neurosurgery where you are to see what they think as well.

best of luck.

that’s a difficult situation. but, you shouldn’t feel too locked in. we’ve had graduates who started in another specialty and switched to NS, and vice-versa. And we’ve had loads of people take additional time during residency (including adding full phd’s to residency), so 12 months isn’t going to affect you in the long run.

Probably the simplest thing is either (1) continue w/ your present match, and once you begin internship begin applying for NS match for that year. I’ve seen people change programs w/in institutions, so if you like the NS dept at your ‘matched’ institution, you could communicate your interest directly w/ the NS program director. If you matched NS that year, you’ve already done your internship year and may not have to repeat it, depending on whether the internship is infolded in your newly matched NS program. (ours is, for instance)

(2) Another option is call the NS programs you are interested for possible consideration of a late interview date. Our program interviews through January, and other may go even later. Ultimately, the Chair & program director will generate their match list. There is no absolute rule that says that you can’t apply even after the deadline for applicatons.

One other option is to take a research year at a program that you really like to put your application together and build more recommendations.

In the end, a single year is really nothing to worry about. Residency is long, and fellowships are getting longer (1.5-2 yr in some cases). In 2-3 years time, you’ll have this easily behind you.

The BEST advice, though, is to get a NS advocate in your corner. If you have relationships with the NS dept at your med school, go to them now and explain your concern. If you get the ear of one of their faculty, s/he can make calls for you which will make ALL the difference in the world.

That’s a tough situation you got there.  I am not sure what surgical subspeciality you are going for, but I would advise you to go through with the match to see if you match in that competitive subspeciality.  You said that you are only 80% sure that you will not like the specialty, so that leaves 20%.  I would say go ahead spend a year in that specialty, you may change your mind and like it when you are an intern and actually doing cases.  If you absolutely hate it, you can drop out of that specialty and do research and then apply to NSG next year.  I met some residents who did that, given that a year of your life will be wasted.  Best of luck.

I’m in a similar situation to where you were when you got cold feet. I’ve been in love with the idea of NS for a long time (since undergrad). However, lately, I’ve developed what some might call a healthy fear of committing to the path to NS. I still love the cases and the science of it, but am not 100% sure that I want the reality of it. The residents at my home program alternate between encouraging me to join them in their fraternity, if you will, and telling me not to do it. The other option I’m considering is Ortho and those residents - and even the attendings - go above and beyond to convince me that I should do what they’re doing for the rest of their lives.

To the OP: clearly family issues gave you cold feet, but what happened to change your mind?
To anyone else: if this has happened to you, do you have any advice?

Neurosurgery is undoubtedly hard, in more ways than one. The time, the level of commitment, the stress and all the other things that come as a corollary to that. I can say that every day of my residency thus far has been painful, but at the end of the day, I can truly say that I love what I do and that feeling has carried me through many difficult times/situations. If you are wavering back and forth and suffering from “cold feet” you may not have the certainty to carry you through the duration of a neurosurgical residency. Seven years is a long time.

Though, as a side-note, I have seen people who definitely did NOT have that passion but made it through anyway (just for some perspective).

Update - I’ve decided to proceed through with the match and discuss my options with the NS faculty at my home institution. There have been previous talks about my program expanding, so maybe I would be able to slide into a spot there if I match here. Thanks for the advice.