Research year away from home institution

[Guest]

Im an M2 at a T5 interested in a surgical sub-specialty. I’ve been blessed with a great research mentor at my home institution in my specialty of interest. We have excellent personal rapport and have also been productive research wise.

However, my first choice program is a different T5 while my home institution is my second choice. How wise would it be to do a research year at that other institution to increase my chances of matching there. Nobody at my home institution interested in this subspecialty has done a research year away from home, so I worry about burning bridges.

[Guest]

If you indeed have good rapport, you can explain to your mentor why the other program suits you more, and that you’re gunning for it. Most mentors I‘ve know support that. I don‘t think you‘ll burn bridges but they will know they’re 2nd, which is something you‘d have to articulate either way at some point