Looking for 4th Year EM Clerkship

[MSWest]

Thanks for any help you can give me in advance.

I'm a 3rd year who came to Emergency Medicine rather late (just finished my 3rd year EM clerkship) in the game. Now I am interested in an EM residency and am looking for an EM rotation early in the fall (sometime between August & October) so that I can get more exposure as well as that ever important SLOR before interviews. After calling quite a few programs I was interested in I have become exasperated upon hearing that away-clerkship spots are all filled through to the spring (at every program I have contacted, uggh).

Let me say that I am an osteopathic student that doesn't have a "home" medical center associated with my school. I am looking for both Osteopathic and Allopathic programs.

If you have any suggestions on where I can look for an early, available EM clerkship at an academic center/residency program please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

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[gro2001]

I think it would help if you let us know which region of the country you are looking for.

 

[MSWest]

Any place that has an open spot

 

[p1acebo]

Any place that has an open spot

How many hospitals did you call? Do they really fill up that fast months in advance?

 

[SepulvedaMD]

Any place that has an open spot

I am also a 3rd year entering 4th year. I know that many institutions are filling now, but many haven't even opened their catalogs. That is why you need to think about where you want to go.

Obviously, I haven't matched, but I doubt that just going to anywhere is very productive to your overall goals. Perhaps, it would help if you thought about where you want to do residency and work from there.

Try the SAEM, VSAS or FREIDA websites for info about externships. There is usually contact info posted, and you can get a feel for what you would like out of the experience.

 

[danzman]

I started setting them up 4 months ago and most of them were full by then. At two places I have been told that I had a spot only to find out later that they switched the months around to a later date. FWIW, if you are looking in the DO world, you will find nothing for next year. The allopathic places seem to take more students so you may have more luck with them. Sucks that you have to set up your 4th year as a 2nd year.

 

[p1acebo]

I started setting them up 4 months ago and most of them were full by then. At two places I have been told that I had a spot only to find out later that they switched the months around to a later date. FWIW, if you are looking in the DO world, you will find nothing for next year. The allopathic places seem to take more students so you may have more luck with them. Sucks that you have to set up your 4th year as a 2nd year.

By DO world are you saying the away-clerkships fill up even faster? What would you suggest then? Applying to these spots at the beginning of 3rd year? Is that even possible? I am a first year so I am unfamiliar with the process.

 

[danzman]

By DO world are you saying the away-clerkships fill up even fast? Would would you suggest then? Applying to these spots at the beginning of 3rd year? Is that even possible? I am a first year so I am unfamiliar with the process.

I was told that for competitive rotations like EM Ortho and Gas that you should have everything done by December of your third year. I balked at this and only had two rotations set up by Dec of my third year(my top choices). In January when I started looking for other places I started finding that all the choice months were all filled up (from July to Nov and even some Dec). I ran into trouble because one place confirmed me for a September rotation but then changed it to December without telling me ("Sorry we forgot to email you...") By then I had already set up another Dec rotation. As it stands now (April) I cant find any osteopathic EM programs with openings from July to Nov and only a few have them in Dec (probably too late.)

The one thing that I hate the most about this process is that you really need to know what you want to do by the beginning of your third year so you can make connections etc'

I was told by a program director at an MD program that a rotation was not totally necessary and that I should not waste my rotations months there if they could be put to better use by rotating at DO programs (where a rotation is a must). I just wish I would have set all of it up by December of my third year (a damn year in advance!!!) One program flat out told me that they are full a year in advance.

 

[MSWest]

Danzman,

I should say that yes, it is the osteopathic EM rotations that are completely full which is the most frustrating because hearing through the grapevine face-cred seems to be the most important criteria for getting in to these programs.

I have applied for 3 allopathic rotations, but won't hear back about them until May, which is scary because if they don't come through then it will really be too late to get an early EM rotation.

I guess it feels like I have no power in this process - which sucks.

 

[danzman]

Danzman,

I should say that yes, it is the osteopathic EM rotations that are completely full which is the most frusturating because hearing through the grapevine face-cred seems to be the most important criteria for getting in to these programs.

I have applied for 3 allopathic rotations, but won't hear back about them until May, which is scary because if they don't come through then it will really be too late to get an early EM rotation.

I guess it feels like I have no power in this process - which sucks.

Totally agree. It would be nice to hear that matching at a DO program is possible without a rotation but I have simply never heard of it.

 

[MSWest]

Just to clarify - I am an MS III

I also understand that going just anywhere isn't the best game plan but at this point, seeing that a SLOR is vital, I'm working my contigency plan - which is any desperate angle I can. Does this seem like good logic, or am I misunderstanding the process.

Thanks for the replies

 

[p1acebo]

Just to clarify - I am an MS III

I also understand that going just anywhere isn't the best game plan but at this point, seeing that a SLOR is vital, I'm working my contigency plan - which is any desperate angle I can. Does this seem like good logic, or am I misunderstanding the process.

Thanks for the replies

I am curious about a SLOR actually, maybe you could help me out. What defines a SLOR? Just a LOR from a physician that knows you well and is creditable? I should have a LOR lined up from an attending at an ED that is one I would prefer to go to, but he isn't the head of the department, does that matter? He is however, very well respected and does great research.

 

[gutonc]

I am curious about a SLOR actually, maybe you could help me out. What defines a SLOR? Just a LOR from a physician that knows you well and is creditable? I should have a LOR lined up from an attending at an ED that is one I would prefer to go to, but he isn't the head of the department, does that matter? He is however, very well respected and does great research.

The S is for Standardized. It's a form letter that Allo programs require (at least 1, 2 is better) and must be completed by an attending (not necessarily a chair or PD although they encourage either the PD or clerkship director to do it) at an academic (i.e. has an EM residency) program.

You can find out more about the SLOR here and find a copy of it here.