University of Kentucky (Bowling Green) Transitional Year Residency Program

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine (Bowling Green) Transitional Year Residency Program located at The Medical Center at Bowling Green, offers a training year designed to provide fundamental medical education in multiple clinical disciplines that prepares trainees for residencies in specific specialty programs. The overall goal of the program is to provide the framework for each resident to obtain the knowledge, skills and attributes necessary to be an outstanding physician, regardless of final specialty choice.

The Transitional Year Residency is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and has been approved for 12 positions. This program participates in the Electronic Residency Application Service and National Residency Matching Program.

Read testimonials from Transitional Year graduates.

Program Staff

Transitional Year Residents

Simtion, Kyle, DO_WEB

Kyle Simtion, D.O.

  • Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine

Xu, Kenny, DO_WEB

Kenny Xu, D.O.

  • Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine

PROGRAM CURRICULUM

8 – 4 week core rotations in: 

  • Inpatient Medicine
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Outpatient Medicine
  • Critical Care
  • Outpatient / Inpatient General Surgery
  • Outpatient / Inpatient Cardiology
  • Night Float

4 – 4 week elective rotations chosen by the resident from the following services: 

  • Allergy
  • Anesthesiology
  • Dermatology
  • Family Medicine
  • Gastroenterology
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • Infectious Disease
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology
  • Non-Surgical Orthopaedics
  • Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Radiation Oncology
  • Radiology
  • Rheumatology
  • Vascular Surgery

Block Diagram

REQUIREMENTS

MEDICAL SCHOOL

Eligible applicants must be graduates of a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), or have graduated from an international medical school listed by the World Health Organization published in the World Directory of Medical Schools.

This program does not accept applications from candidates who have graduated from medical school more than 24 months prior to the anticipated PGY-1 start date unless they have been in a training program or in active practice within that time period.

USMLE/COMLEX EXAMINATIONS

Applicants must have passed USMLE Steps 1 and 2 or the COMLEX equivalent prior to being invited for an interview.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

This program selects from eligible applicants on the basis of their preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and other personal qualities.

The program’s preferred qualifications include:

  • USMLE scores of 235 and above on step 2 or COMLEX score of 550 on level 2
  • No failures on any step of the USMLE or COMLEX exam.

APPLICATION AND MATCHING SERVICES

The Transitional Year Program participates in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). All applications are processed through ERAS®. No other applications will be accepted.

APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

  • The common ERAS® application form;
  • USMLE scores (or COMLEX equivalent – Steps 1 and 2 required for all applicants;
  • ECFMG report and certificate for international medical graduates including US applicants attending medical schools outside the US;
  • Official medical school transcript;
  • Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE);
  • Three letters of professional reference; and
  • Personal statement.

The program participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) for both US and international medical graduates.

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL GRADUATES

Eligible international medical graduates must have a current, valid certificate from the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) at the time of application. In order to achieve ECFMG certification, international medical graduates must submit their credentials to the ECFMG and pass competency tests. International medical graduates must obtain their ERAS® Application Kits from the ECFMG, which will issue them only to qualified applicants.

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine (Bowling Green) Transitional Year Residency Program accepts applications from foreign nationals who are holders of a Green Card (permanent resident) and individuals who are prepared to have a J-1 visa sponsored by the ECFMG. This program does not support H-1 visas.
Applications from candidates who do not meet these requirements will not be considered.

INTERVIEW PROCESS

Applicants selected for an interview will be contacted via email or through ERAS Scheduler Interviews will be conducted between October 1 and the end of January. If you are extended an invitation for an interview, we encourage you to contact our offices as soon as possible. Interviews are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Please note there is a limited number of applicant positions that can be accommodated on any given interview day. Interviews will be conducted virtually with each candidate meeting with the program director, program coordinator and select faculty. A virtual question and answer session with two current Transitional Year residents will be held the night before each interview.