I am new to the forum, but have been lurking for a while. I was wondering if anyone had any advice for how to order clinical clerkships (either from personal experiences, or from word-of-mouth). Currently, I am interested in going into a surgical field, possibly ENT or Neurosurgery. Many thanks!
Clinical Clerkships
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In the end it really doesn't matter.
I think though that it's wise not to schedule anything you think you might want to do with the rest of your life (in your case surgery) at either the very beginning or the very end of third year. There's a couple of reasons for this.
To be blunt, as a beginning third year student, you're really going to suck. You'll be slow, you won't know where to find things in the chart, you'll follow your interns around like a lost puppy. If you know that you want to do something, why suck when waiting a couple of months can make a huge difference, especially when third year clerkships are the time to plant the seeds of LOR's.
In terms of the end of the year, there's always the off chance that what you think you want to do, you'll actually end up hating. It would be really unfortunate if you spent all year thinking you wanted to do a surgical specialty only to find out that you generally hate the OR...after you've set up your M4 schedule, and when you may or may not have dismissed other specialties out of hand because you were focused on that last clerkship...
So play it safe, and put your interest in the middle. The rest of the schedule really doesn't matter.
I think though that it's wise not to schedule anything you think you might want to do with the rest of your life (in your case surgery) at either the very beginning or the very end of third year. There's a couple of reasons for this.
To be blunt, as a beginning third year student, you're really going to suck. You'll be slow, you won't know where to find things in the chart, you'll follow your interns around like a lost puppy. If you know that you want to do something, why suck when waiting a couple of months can make a huge difference, especially when third year clerkships are the time to plant the seeds of LOR's.
In terms of the end of the year, there's always the off chance that what you think you want to do, you'll actually end up hating. It would be really unfortunate if you spent all year thinking you wanted to do a surgical specialty only to find out that you generally hate the OR...after you've set up your M4 schedule, and when you may or may not have dismissed other specialties out of hand because you were focused on that last clerkship...
So play it safe, and put your interest in the middle. The rest of the schedule really doesn't matter.
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What do you do if you are interested in 2 fields and have rotated in both? I'm so confused and lost. 
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I would take OB/GYN 1st to prep you for surgery (scrubbing technique, etc), then surgery (aim for a few days in ENT and neurosurg if this is offered at your school and try to get a good grade and letter of rec), then neuro (to rule out neurosurg vs. ENT). Finish up all else 2nd semester with good grades in medicine and peds especially (they seem to be what residency directors look for) and try to take your whichever surgical subspecialty you have choosen in June to get a rec and solidify your decision. Your school may or may not let you take any electives MS3.
In all honesty it doesn't matter, but the above might make your life easier. I wanted to know ASAP what I wanted to do so I took medicine, ob/gyn, and peds right away (my top 3 choices). Other people waited until late in the year to rotate in what they wanted because they thought they would look smarter. I think this has bitten people in the butt, because towards the end of the year you get tired, lazy, and unenthusiastic, and everyone else gunning for whatever specialty also looks smarter. Plus you are stressed because you don't really know if you'll even like what you think you'll like until you've done it.
In all honesty it doesn't matter, but the above might make your life easier. I wanted to know ASAP what I wanted to do so I took medicine, ob/gyn, and peds right away (my top 3 choices). Other people waited until late in the year to rotate in what they wanted because they thought they would look smarter. I think this has bitten people in the butt, because towards the end of the year you get tired, lazy, and unenthusiastic, and everyone else gunning for whatever specialty also looks smarter. Plus you are stressed because you don't really know if you'll even like what you think you'll like until you've done it.
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100% agree with this.
FWIW, I am going into a surgical field and had gen surg as my second rotation, which I felt was still about one rotation too early. I ended up with NH, which is no big loss, but I think a little more experience on the wards would have spiffed me up a bit more for the rotation. I was a bit too lost at times, and I think it showed, especially in a demanding rotation like surg.
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Personally, I'd schedule your most-likely-to-be-your-future-career rotation just after your two-week winter vacation (assuming you get one). You'll be a bit more competent but not totally beaten down from the futile experience that is third year.
In the end, it won't make much difference, but I definitely agree with the "don't schedule it first or last" adage in the second post.
In the end, it won't make much difference, but I definitely agree with the "don't schedule it first or last" adage in the second post.
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What do you do if you are interested in 2 fields and have rotated in both? I'm so confused and lost.
Your situation sounds a little different from the OP, unless your school has 2nd year clinical clerkships.
It sounds like you are conflicted between specialties. I recommend honestly going through the exercises at http://services.aamc.org/careersinmedicine/ and speaking with your Dean of Students about your future career. If you are conflicted then the best advice I have seen is to schedule intensive experiences in each specialty very early in your fourth year, and to speak with attendings in those specialties about how they practice medicine to gain a better understanding of your future in each.
Be pragmatic and practical about your chances to match in each field, and be thankful that you have more than one option in medicine that you find appealing. Personally, I'd hate to think that I could only ever be happy doing plastic surgery or a similarly competitive field...what happens if you don't match?
PS If your conflict is between, say, Derm and Plastics, then good luck
. If you're really competitive for both you're smarter than me and should've figured this out on your own.
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lol, it's anesthesia and surgery. I just love the OR.
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OP, there are a few things you should do.
First you should have OB first like another poster had. That will get you used to scrubbing and the OR.
More importantly, you should put IM before surgery. The surgery shelf exam is like 75% medicine and you will do much, much better on it if you have taken medicine first.
First you should have OB first like another poster had. That will get you used to scrubbing and the OR.
More importantly, you should put IM before surgery. The surgery shelf exam is like 75% medicine and you will do much, much better on it if you have taken medicine first.
alot of this will seem like monday morning quarter backing after you match, b'c in the end it probably wont matter
heres the rotation i did as med student: IM, neuro, surgery, ob, psych, peds, fam.med...with electives here and there
if i had to do it all over again, i would have done peds, psychand fam. med first b'c i wasnt really interested in any of those right off the bat, it would have given me some practice for the shelves and the rotations i did care about. then im and then surgery( in that order). ob could be stuck somewhere as well
if youre into ENT or NSG, both of which are extremely competitive, shadows docs in both fields early, and pick one, the sooner you focus, the more likely you may match andyou can set research and get LORs, etc
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If your school bases a large amount of your grade on the shelf exam then do surgery last. The shelf is very hard and the more rotations and shelf exams you have under your belt before you take it the better you should do. I wouldn't worry as much about being burned out. If you really like surgery and you have the energy to make it through residency then you should be able to handle the clerkship at the end of 3rd year. Also, the more experience you have rounding on patients, presenting, writing notes, etc... the better you will do.
