Class of 2014!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tatastrophy]

Spent 7 hours in the OR today for the end of a 35 hour case. Pretty sure the entire dept. had been in the OR for that case at one point or the other.

what were you guys doing?
the longest surgeries I've been in are the free flaps but the residents have mercy and sent me home/let me have breaks to check out other cases when only the microvascular part was left. those can be like 12 hours.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[VisionaryTics]

For as long as I'll live, I'll never forget the smell of the burn unit. The musty stench of weeping, open wounds and silvadene.

-edit- 1k, baby.

 

[metallica81788]

Week #2 of away #1 starting tomorrow. I'm really enjoying the program here and it's very fun to finally do what I want to do. Kind of lonely being out here by myself but it is what it is.

 

[Dr McSexy]

what were you guys doing?
the longest surgeries I've been in are the free flaps but the residents have mercy and sent me home/let me have breaks to check out other cases when only the microvascular part was left. those can be like 12 hours.

It was a big mandibular resection plus a fibula free flap. Should've ended earlier but there were complications with the flap.

 

[osumc2014]

Anyone else finding the personal statement to be difficult to write

 

[metallica81788]

Booked my graduation present - flight to Brazil for the World Cup

OSU - Personal statement sucks. I chugged out a first draft 2 weeks ago and haven't touched it since. Hopefully I can make it a little better before the end of this rotation by plugging in some things I've seen here.

 

[scoutnj19]

Anyone else finding the personal statement to be difficult to write

favorite part of applying. though my background is in journalism, so ill take any opportunity to write.

it's a good thing to do what metallica did... pound something out, let it get some dust and then go read it again. more often than not, you'll be able to get a better idea of the larger framework and then fill in the details better.

 

[metallica81788]

Working on my presentation for the last week of the rotation. Very annoying, but unfortunately this will be really important.

How's everybody else doing out there?

 

[ksmi117]

Working on my presentation for the last week of the rotation. Very annoying, but unfortunately this will be really important.

How's everybody else doing out there?

Surviving peds. It's just not my jam. I want to be a fourth year and just spend my time doing OB things.

What are you presenting on?

 

[Pipers]

Working on my presentation for the last week of the rotation. Very annoying, but unfortunately this will be really important.

How's everybody else doing out there?

Exhausted. People didn't lie when they said the first part of 4th year is busy. It just hasn't stopped yet. I need a real vacay.

LOR - check x 4 (well asked and said yes…now waiting)
ERAS - working on it
Personal statement - passable but could use some work
Program list - way too many

Overall a good start. Scary to think ERAS submits in a month! Eeeek!

 

[Tatastrophy]

It was a big mandibular resection plus a fibula free flap.

This is the surgery that made me pause and finally realize "I am meant to be an ENT" four years ago. Love that shizzzzz!

Anyone else finding the personal statement to be difficult to write

I know this isn't at all helpful to you but....I totally finished my personal statement back in June and it is glorious. *does a dance*

it's a good thing to do what metallica did... pound something out, let it get some dust and then go read it again. more often than not, you'll be able to get a better idea of the larger framework and then fill in the details better.

I concur. Initially I shied away from some things that in the end made my personal statement really special. Sometimes it was just mind-twistingly hard to figure out the best way to express an idea. Putting it down and letting it simmer was the best solution.

Working on my presentation for the last week of the rotation. Very annoying, but unfortunately this will be really important.
ow's everybody else doing out there?

I love Emory. I hate to say it because I don't want this to be misinterpreted but I feel like I relate to the residents here even better than back home. Also, a bunch of them seem to have a great grip on that "push beyond comfort zone but not off the cliff" approach to teaching procedures etc.
Parts that suck: having to start over with a brand new team every week. spending most clinics in shadowing mode until the attending trusts me enough (except my current attending, 1st patient of first clinic day-his tubes and adenoids were all miiiiineeeeee!

Emory doesn't officially have us do a presentation but I've been contemplating one related to my article that's in this month's JAMA OTO.
Cinci has us write a paper and do a presentation to be even considered for honors. I am kind of glad that half of that rotation will be after Sept 15th so I wont be frantically trying to finalize my journal submissions and can spend some time on the rotation stuff.

Exhausted. People didn't lie when they said the first part of 4th year is busy. It just hasn't stopped yet. I need a real vacay.
LOR - check x 4 (well asked and said yes…now waiting)
ERAS - working on it
Personal statement - passable but could use some work
Program list - way too many
Overall a good start. Scary to think ERAS submits in a month! Eeeek!

So busy!
I got all of the baller LOR writers on my wish list! One of them submitted the letter already.
ERAS-essentially done, doing some polishing and clean up.
Program list....70 ENT programs+some prelims. OMG IM GONNA BE SO POOR!

 

[ksmi117]

You're so on top of things, Taty!

 

[metallica81788]

I'm kind of worried about LORs.

Approved today from the program chair for a letter, which will be a collaboration of all the attendings' thoughts but with the chair's name. Beneficial for the quality, bad for the quantity - I was hoping for two from here. Just means I need to kill myself to get a letter within the first two weeks of my next rotation before ERAS opens.

Other ERAS stuff - fixing up personal statement, tidying things up - will have to wait until after my presentation on Tuesday (nasopharyngeal carcinoma).

ENT folks - I got to use a scope for the first time today. Pretty cool, I must say.

 

[Tatastrophy]

Approved today from the program chair for a letter, which will be a collaboration of all the attendings' thoughts but with the chair's name. Beneficial for the quality, bad for the quantity - I was hoping for two from here. Just means I need to kill myself to get a letter within the first two weeks of my next rotation before ERAS opens.

damn that really sucks!
any way you could ask an individual attending that you worked really well with for a separate letter or is that a no no?

Other ERAS stuff - fixing up personal statement, tidying things up - will have to wait until after my presentation on Tuesday (nasopharyngeal carcinoma).

ENT folks - I got to use a scope for the first time today. Pretty cool, I must say.

mmmm nasopharyngeal carcinoma, welcome to the ent-land. i love scoping....but not peds patients who will find the strength of Hulk if they really want to wiggle out badly enough.

btws, i am not sure i mentioned this but i am doing 2 weeks of rad-onc when i get back home...to see the people who eff up our necks....juuuuuust kidding

 

[Pipers]

So busy!
I got all of the baller LOR writers on my wish list! One of them submitted the letter already.
ERAS-essentially done, doing some polishing and clean up.
Program list....70 ENT programs+some prelims. OMG IM GONNA BE SO POOR!

I knew it was competitive but sheesh. I'm trying to trim down from 25 (going into peds) cuz I don't wanna be poor.

 

[metallica81788]

I knew it was competitive but sheesh. I'm trying to trim down from 25 (going into peds) cuz I don't wanna be poor.

Unfortunately these darn competitive specialties require it. I didn't think ENT needed that many apps.

I'm applying to 70 or so programs for radonc and that's on the low end. Bye bye money.

 

[Dr McSexy]

So busy!
I got all of the baller LOR writers on my wish list! One of them submitted the letter already.
ERAS-essentially done, doing some polishing and clean up.
Program list....70 ENT programs+some prelims. OMG IM GONNA BE SO POOR!

Pretty much done with filling out ERAS. Finally figured out the finalizing of the LOR authors, . So I should have 3 LORs in by the end of the month. Hopefully 1 or 2 from the away rotation and I'll be set.

I need to actually start going through and make a list of the ENT program I'm gonna apply to. No clue how many I will do yet , plus pick out a few prelims on the off chance I don't match.

--
I have a personal statement that I think is good enough to hand out to LORs and such. But i'll probably still tweak it prior to ERAS. Still think it sucks.

 

[Tatastrophy]

I knew it was competitive but sheesh. I'm trying to trim down from 25 (going into peds) cuz I don't wanna be poor.

Unfortunately these darn competitive specialties require it. I didn't think ENT needed that many apps.
I'm applying to 70 or so programs for radonc and that's on the low end. Bye bye money.

Probably just like Rad Onc its about the number of spots you are covering with the application. Internal medicine programs can be huge. Imagine that each takes 15 people a year and like 15 applications could be more than enough for someone who is a good candidate. 225 spots.
ENT programs are 3-4 spots on average, mostly 3. So 70 times 3 gives you a coverage of 210 spots. I think that I am a good candidate and will match but we had a girl who was a pretty good candidate too not match last year so everyone in the department is tense. So I am throwing a few prelims into the mix. But I am mostly applying at Emory/Tulane/LSU/Ochsner(maybe Cinci depending on the vibe I get while I am there) so that I can perhaps court those programs if things come to that. lol
ENT has a 85ish% match rate. Not terrible but when I consider that only pretty good candidates actually go through with application and 15% of those not make it....my belly starts to hurt.

 

[BBender716]

My god... came back just for this thread, brings a tear to my eye. I'm so happy for all of you guys!

 

[brooklynblunder]

I successfully defended my Master's yesterday.

Third year starts in 2 weeks.

congrats!


residency starts in 5 years....

 

[Pipers]

thank heaven, passed cs. what a gigantic waste of time and money.

 

[Tatastrophy]

thank heaven, passed cs. what a gigantic waste of time and money.

When did you take it?
Congrats ksmi!

 

[Pipers]

When did you take it?
Congrats ksmi!

Beginning of July in LA. I did CK in June. I just wanted them over with so I didn't have to worry about taking it during interview season or worrying about getting scores back on time. Ugh. No more steps until intern year.

 

[metallica81788]

thank heaven, passed cs. what a gigantic waste of time and money.

Nice! I can only hope for the same come October.

After my first mini residency interview yesterday, I feel much better about my chances and I don't want this POS CS messing it up.

 

[Pipers]

Nice! I can only hope for the same come October.

After my first mini residency interview yesterday, I feel much better about my chances and I don't want this POS CS messing it up.

Nice! First mini interview? Away rotation?

You will be so fine with this. Honestly, you speak English. Check. So for the other components, play it nice. I mean kill them with kindness. (How are you feeling? Oh, how terrible you don't feel well. I'm sorry you feel bad. How can i help you feel better? blah bah blah. Although, I did this on West Coast and being overly nice never hurts around here.) Just get some major points for the doctor-patient relationship part somehow. I tried to be systematic to not forget any pertinent H&P parts. I also never diagnosed. I laugh at the CS threads - I got 10/12 diagnoses, did I fail?!? You don't need to do this pass. For every patient, I literally said "It could x, y, or z. I would like to do this test to help figure it out. Any questions or concerns?" Done. This x 12 patients is just a b*tch to do. Sorry, you probably knew all of this but this was cathartic. Lol.

 

[metallica81788]

Anybody have any recommendations when on an away rotation (trying to get a letter of rec) and the other student is just better than you in every way possible? Just in an extraordinary way. This person just has a ton more experience than me in the field and there's no way I can even come close.

I guess I'll just do my best and see what happens....

 

[Tatastrophy]

Anybody have any recommendations when on an away rotation (trying to get a letter of rec) and the other student is just better than you in every way possible? Just in an extraordinary way. This person just has a ton more experience than me in the field and there's no way I can even come close.
I guess I'll just do my best and see what happens....

I know your pain, not specifically in setting of an away/Sub-I where I have to impress the crap out of the attendings, but I have been in settings where no matter how good I was and how much I studied and how quickly I read imaging....the other student was always beating me to the answer on everything. Like no mercy.
In the end it worked out fine for me because there are more than one ways for a person to figure out how smart, motivated, interested you are and besides, being an answer hog looks kinda bad for the team-player part of the equation. Don't sweat it.
I am not going for RadOnc but advice I was given (and in my opinion is worth my weight in gold) is this:
Be teachable, take initiative in your learning and just be yourself, let the program know who you are.
I don't have a clue how I compare to the other two students that did the rotation during August with me since we were all on different services, but even if I did, I would stick to that advice. Things you may have learned out of curiosity or just for funzies can end up earning you some serious positive attention. Like I learned how to visualize vocal cords with a dental mirror because I saw my mentor do it on every patient and figured you are SUPPOSED to do it. First time I presented a patient and commented on vocal cord movement the attending was shocked because he's never seen a medical student even attempt it before. I am no expert, its an ugly med student exam if you ever saw one, but it showed that I really care about the field.

 

[JJMrK]

What up all!

 

[Pipers]

Anybody have any recommendations when on an away rotation (trying to get a letter of rec) and the other student is just better than you in every way possible? Just in an extraordinary way. This person just has a ton more experience than me in the field and there's no way I can even come close.

I guess I'll just do my best and see what happens....

You sound a bit discouraged.

When I did my away rotation I was the only student on my service but there were others in the department. During conferences where we all came together, at times it did seem that everybody was outshining me. But in reality, we were all just shining in our own ways (sorry, that's the pediatrician in me).

My thoughts - the programs do not need to hire someone with the knowledge of an R2. They need interns who are honestly committed to the field and as T said above, teachable. And being humble goes a long way (not that the other student isn't this, I just don't know). Just be yourself, have as much confidence as you can muster, and they will see your motivation and potential.

 

[brooklynblunder]

What up all!

sup!

 

[JJMrK]

Good to hear from you bb. Hope all is well.

 

[ksmi117]

Getting pimped incessantly while post-call is the worst thing ever.

 

[Pipers]

Getting pimped incessantly while post-call is the worst thing ever.

Cruel and (un)usual punishment. Sorry lady. On the upside, less pimping in 4th year.

 

[brooklynblunder]

Good to hear from you bb. Hope all is well.

you too!

 

[Pipers]

one. more. week. eras.

 

[metallica81788]

one. more. week. eras.

Stressing me out.

This whole week has every aspect of my life colliding - prep for daily work, prep for presentation next week, making sure my letters get here in time, finishing up ERAS, USA world cup qualifying, trying to write reports for school organization, making sure my credit card is clear for Sunday's onslaught, straightening up things 1000 miles away for my next away, trying to submit a manuscript for publication before Sunday...



Only way to go is up from here

everybody!

 

[Pipers]

Stressing me out.

This whole week has every aspect of my life colliding - prep for daily work, prep for presentation next week, making sure my letters get here in time, finishing up ERAS, USA world cup qualifying, trying to write reports for school organization, making sure my credit card is clear for Sunday's onslaught, straightening up things 1000 miles away for my next away, trying to submit a manuscript for publication before Sunday...



Only way to go is up from here

everybody!

totally feel ya. juggling so many balls at this point. apparently 4th year is supposed to be fun. hopefully soon!

set my dvr to record the game and on internet black out until then so i don't see any spoilers.

 

[brooklynblunder]

you guys will kill it, hope you match at your choice(s)


anyone couples matching?

 

[metallica81788]

Ugh, letter issues continue. Now number isn't an issue, it's the timing. My best letter just was submitted yesterday and won't be uploaded until Monday or Tuesday. Annoying.

Is anybody doing an away rotation after ERAS is submitted and trying to get a letter from it? My entire last rotation is after the submission date and I'm wondering if I should even bother getting a letter from there if I won't get it until almost November.

 

[ksmi117]

e'erbody!! Y'all will be great! If anyone heads my way, let me know.

In other news, I hate myself for pulling for A&M, but there's no way I'd cheer for Bama. Saban is the worst.

 

[Tatastrophy]

This whole week has every aspect of my life colliding - prep for daily work, prep for presentation next week, making sure my letters get here in time, finishing up ERAS, USA world cup qualifying, trying to write reports for school organization, making sure my credit card is clear for Sunday's onslaught, straightening up things 1000 miles away for my next away, trying to submit a manuscript for publication before Sunday...
!

I love this rotation but amount of extra work I have to do for it is wiping me out. Before the end of rotation, I gotta do 5 case studies, a presentation and a paper around 5 pages long, none of which is outlandish but I've been pooped every day coming home at 6 pm.
I did get to see what in house ent call is like. Kinda dig it.

I feel ya on trying to deal with your letters getting in on time. I did my best to not pester my writers and miraculously everybody is in. Ka ching!
I wont even talk about manuscript submissions.

totally feel ya. juggling so many balls at this point. apparently 4th year is supposed to be fun. hopefully soon!

When I get home in 2 weeks I am on research month. Oh it is gonna feel good.

Ugh, letter issues continue. Now number isn't an issue, it's the timing. My best letter just was submitted yesterday and won't be uploaded until Monday or Tuesday. Annoying.

Is anybody doing an away rotation after ERAS is submitted and trying to get a letter from it? My entire last rotation is after the submission date and I'm wondering if I should even bother getting a letter from there if I won't get it until almost November.

I am getting a letter from the chairman of my current rotation. Its supernumerary so I am not assigning it to any program but it will be available for programs to check and see if I ever need them to.

e'erbody!! Y'all will be great! If anyone heads my way, let me know.

Thanks love! I hope your 3rd year is going great!
I don't know if WashU will give as much as a glance in my direction but if I am in the area for interviews, lets hang!

Just a few hours left everyone! Good luck!!!

 

[metallica81788]

$1500



This format was not made for people applying to 80 programs. Checking all those little boxes is so annoying. And I have to go back and do it all over again when my last 2 letters come in.

I'll be so freaking happy when these last two letters come in and I can stop worrying about this. First letter should have been in Friday but people in the pacific time zone don't seem to realize that 5pm their time is 7pm central time and all offices are closed.

 

[jackson1]

$1500



This format was not made for people applying to 80 programs. Checking all those little boxes is so annoying. And I have to go back and do it all over again when my last 2 letters come in.

I'll be so freaking happy when these last two letters come in and I can stop worrying about this. First letter should have been in Friday but people in the pacific time zone don't seem to realize that 5pm their time is 7pm central time and all offices are closed.

That's nuts!! I'm sure it'll all be worth it in the end though

Submitted mine today as well. Now we wait...

Good luck everyone!

 

[Tatastrophy]

$1500



This format was not made for people applying to 80 programs. Checking all those little boxes is so annoying. And I have to go back and do it all over again when my last 2 letters come in.

I ended up with 65 ENT programs and 10 prelims.
I hated those dang boxes to check.

 

[osumc2014]

$1500



This format was not made for people applying to 80 programs. Checking all those little boxes is so annoying. And I have to go back and do it all over again when my last 2 letters come in.

I'll be so freaking happy when these last two letters come in and I can stop worrying about this. First letter should have been in Friday but people in the pacific time zone don't seem to realize that 5pm their time is 7pm central time and all offices are closed.

You think they would come up with a better system with all that money they charge...sigh

 

[Pipers]

$1500



This format was not made for people applying to 80 programs. Checking all those little boxes is so annoying. And I have to go back and do it all over again when my last 2 letters come in.

I'll be so freaking happy when these last two letters come in and I can stop worrying about this. First letter should have been in Friday but people in the pacific time zone don't seem to realize that 5pm their time is 7pm central time and all offices are closed.

WOW! And I whined about a couple hundred! Good luck every one.

 

[Luun]

Popping in to say Good luck to everyone! Great to see you guys still where I expected.

 

[caniac]

Hey y'all,

Wow, haven't been on this thread in forever + 1 day! Popped in to see how everyone's doing these days -- glad to see everyone's still going strong! W00t the end is in sight!

 

[VisionaryTics]

Apps in, LORs in, out ~$1k (52 programs), away rotations done.

Just gotta get Step 2 out of the way and 4th year will be a breeze.

 

[metallica81788]

Last away starts tomorrow. Just 4 more weeks left.

My final tally once my 13 week trip is done will be 11 states and 6500+ miles.