EM Ultrasound or General EM as a 4th year elective?

[PERRL]

Hi, I am a third year medical student in need of some advice. I am totally dedicated to emergency medicine as my career choice. My med school only allows you to take 2 electives in a specific specialty before making you forfeit your month vacation in senior year (which I don't want to do). I will be doing my first EM rotation in August at my home school, which doesn't have a residency program, and my second rotation in September at an away hospital. Here is my dilemma.... I have been accepted to two away electives for September. One in EM ultrasound, and the other in General EM at two different hospitals. I really want to do the EM ultrasound elective because I'm very interested in ultrasound. Some students in my school that just matched EM feel i should do the Gen EM elective because our home school has no EM program and it would affect my chances of matching if I don't do two Gen EM electives. While other students who also matched EM feel I should go with the EM Ultrasound elective because that's the one I really want to do. I scored a 230 in Step 1 and I am about the middle of my class in rank. Which elective do you think would increase my chances of matching EM? Thanks for your help.

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[samnite]

Do either of these away hospitals have residency programs?

 

[PERRL]

Do either of these away hospitals have residency programs?

Yes they both have EM residency programs. The hospital offering EM ultrasound also has a one-year fellowship in EM ultrasound.

 

[n2b8me]

 

[Emergency!]

You need to get at least one SLOR (standardized letter of recommendation) from an EM month at place that has a residency program. You could ask the program that has the EM US elective is they are willing to provide SLORs for students who do that elective, but I think you're far better off doing the EM month and getting the appropriate letters.

 

[samnite]

You need to get at least one SLOR (standardized letter of recommendation) from an EM month at place that has a residency program. You could ask the program that has the EM US elective is they are willing to provide SLORs for students who do that elective, but I think you're far better off doing the EM month and getting the appropriate letters.

x2

Getting more General EM experience and a SLOR from a residency program (assuming you can't get this doing U/S alone) is the way to go.

 

[WilcoWorld]

Are you obligated to do an EM month at your school? If not, you're better off doing 2 "audition" rotation at places that have a program plus the US rotation (which sounds sweet, and is something I wish I'd been able to do in med school).

 

[PERRL]

Are you obligated to do an EM month at your school? If not, you're better off doing 2 "audition" rotation at places that have a program plus the US rotation (which sounds sweet, and is something I wish I'd been able to do in med school).

First off I want to thank everyone for their feedback.

I am obligated to do one of my EM electives at home. If I do two extra EM electives instead of one then I would have to forfeit my senior vacation month (really, really, really not trying to give that up).

So based on the responses, I guess the next question is... if I can get a SLOR from my US elective, would that SLOR be equivalent to a SLOR from a General EM elective?

 

[samnite]

First off I want to thank everyone for their feedback.

I am obligated to do one of my EM electives at home. If I do two extra EM electives instead of one then I would have to forfeit my senior vacation month (really, really, really not trying to give that up).

So based on the responses, I guess the next question is... if I can get a SLOR from my US elective, would that SLOR be equivalent to a SLOR from a General EM elective?

It really depends on how much interaction you'll have with who writes your letter. One place I rotated at had residents fill out evaluations after each shift and you turned those in at the end of the month. Then, the Program director, Associate Prog Director, and Clerkship director all collaborated on an SLOR.

If the place you're rotating at has a similar system in place then it would be helpful to have more interaction with the higher-ups who collaborate on the SLOR. Could you get this done doing an U/S month alone?

 

[hackinmage]

i sat in on a residency director panel and they said that both rotations were basically equal in their eyes (it was hopkins, christiana and maryland's directors) don't know if that helps in your decision.

But one of them did say he picked a kid who did ultrasound at his place only because the guy went around doing everything else

 

[GatorsWearJorts]

i sat in on a residency director panel and they said that both rotations were basically equal in their eyes (it was hopkins, christiana and maryland's directors) don't know if that helps in your decision.

But one of them did say he picked a kid who did ultrasound at his place only because the guy went around doing everything else

Are most people doing a second general em away rotation even if you have a home em residency program? That's what I applied for and didn't really think too much about the option of doing something like ultrasound at an away.

 

[hackinmage]

ahh well i'm an IMG so my answer is totally, BUT if your talking about your regular walking talking US grad. It's not necessary, 2 is just fine is the word that i get.

 

[GatorsWearJorts]

ahh well i'm an IMG so my answer is totally, BUT if your talking about your regular walking talking US grad. It's not necessary, 2 is just fine is the word that i get.

I guess I meant are most people doing at least 2 general EM months?

 

[hackinmage]

yes most people are doing at least 2 general month, but if you have one solid SLOR from a very respected residency program i've heard of people matching from only 1 EM general.