Categorical versus Primary Care Residency Programs Tracts

Categorical versus Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency tracts? A question raised by many residency applicants who find these different options when selecting the programs in ERAS. Categorical residencies focus on inpatient treatment while the Primary Care programs focus on outpatient management. Most of Primary care programs will have about 30-40% of their rotations in the clinics. Some of them will give you more expereince with the care of HIV infected individuals, Geriatrics, Paliative care and women health.


There is a myth or rumor that spreads between applicants that if you go for primary care then you can't apply for fellowships. The fact is the chances for you getting a fellowship after primary care residency is almost equal to those who did Categorical tract. The advantage might be on the Categorical residents side due to their connenctions and experience they develop during their inpatient work and electives.


Now the other concern is should the applicant select both of them or one of them? Selecting both of them will not increase your chance for being selected for an interview, although the general concept is the more programs you apply to the more interviews you get (if you meet the critieria). Selecting both of them will confuse the program director about your real interests and hence the advice is not to apply to two different tracts in the same program.