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To add to the detailed and accurate post @ncklkrt provided:
1) What is the 3rd year like and how is it structured?
Neuro is a 2 week rotation, the other weeks include some time off, a couple modules (interactive sessions) on EM/IM/GS topics, and a week of rads and path exposure.
a) How are the rotations structured? What is your role on the wards? Do you have a clear role Do you get your "hands dirty" alot, or is it alot of shadowing?
Your autonomy varies depending on both the rotation and the attending, but generally you are expected to get your hands dirty as necessary and perform most of the basic duties of a resident but on a smaller panel of patients. There are things you can do to increase your autonomy/responsibilities. The one advantage you have over residents is time. I try to use that time to get to know my patients better than anyone else, both through chart review and interviewing. If you can gather a solid and accurate history (and maybe discover important info they didn't already know about) and have the most recent labs/tests etc on tap for the residents and attendings, and read up on various treatment options so you can provide or inquire about alternative treatments, they will start to trust you and let you do more things to help out. That may vary from “can you go and check on so-and-so and see if x has changed” to letting you perform a joint injection or biopsy or sutures on your own (under supervision) or even asking your opinion on the best treatment option.
2) Where do 3rd year evaluations come from?
Attendings, residents and other staff. They are now the major determinant in H/P/F, so they are a big deal and give you even more of a reason to try and gain more responsibilities as previously mentioned.
4) How are medical students protected from scut?
I agree with @ncklkrt re: the respectful environment as far as students are concerned. I have volunteered for “scut” more than I have been asked to do it. It’s honestly one of the only things you can consistently do at a level of an attending or resident. It shows that you want to actually help the team and making resident’s lives easier/making them look good is a big help when you need them to update you on a patient or explain the rationale for a particular treatment (essential for good oral presentations) or write you a detailed review (which is probably the last thing on most residents’ minds). I’ve never felt that doing these things has hindered my clinical exposure in any way as I usually do it on down-time anyways, and anecdotally I’ve found doing these sort of things to be helpful in learning how various medical professionals communicate with one another, with families, with government agencies, etc. I put scut in quotes because I've never been asked to do really menial stuff like sending faxes or running personal errands.
5) How receptive is the administation to fixing problems and/or disciplining out of line behavior, espcially from residents?
The administration prides themselves on lack of student abuse or problems in this area. We are asked about this at least once during every rotation, often both through anonymous forms and in-person with the clerkship directors. If a relationship with an attending or resident does become truly negative for some reason, you can ask to switch to a different team mid-rotation. I’ve yet to hear of this happening to anyone.
6) how is the research opportunities at this school?
It’s pretty easy to hop on projects. Opportunities vary by specialty. Having a longitudinal relationship with one attending makes it really easy to ask about research spots, and they’re usually very open to med students who want to get in on something (free help is free help).
7) how good is this school at focusing on the bread and butter?
Not sure what kind of answer you expect here. Compared to what? Attendings will give you patients who have things they think you need to learn about. You’re going to see some weird stuff no matter where you train, but the majority of things you will see on a given service will be bread-and-butter by definition.
1) What is the 3rd year like and how is it structured?
Neuro is a 2 week rotation, the other weeks include some time off, a couple modules (interactive sessions) on EM/IM/GS topics, and a week of rads and path exposure.
a) How are the rotations structured? What is your role on the wards? Do you have a clear role Do you get your "hands dirty" alot, or is it alot of shadowing?
Your autonomy varies depending on both the rotation and the attending, but generally you are expected to get your hands dirty as necessary and perform most of the basic duties of a resident but on a smaller panel of patients. There are things you can do to increase your autonomy/responsibilities. The one advantage you have over residents is time. I try to use that time to get to know my patients better than anyone else, both through chart review and interviewing. If you can gather a solid and accurate history (and maybe discover important info they didn't already know about) and have the most recent labs/tests etc on tap for the residents and attendings, and read up on various treatment options so you can provide or inquire about alternative treatments, they will start to trust you and let you do more things to help out. That may vary from “can you go and check on so-and-so and see if x has changed” to letting you perform a joint injection or biopsy or sutures on your own (under supervision) or even asking your opinion on the best treatment option.
2) Where do 3rd year evaluations come from?
Attendings, residents and other staff. They are now the major determinant in H/P/F, so they are a big deal and give you even more of a reason to try and gain more responsibilities as previously mentioned.
4) How are medical students protected from scut?
I agree with @ncklkrt re: the respectful environment as far as students are concerned. I have volunteered for “scut” more than I have been asked to do it. It’s honestly one of the only things you can consistently do at a level of an attending or resident. It shows that you want to actually help the team and making resident’s lives easier/making them look good is a big help when you need them to update you on a patient or explain the rationale for a particular treatment (essential for good oral presentations) or write you a detailed review (which is probably the last thing on most residents’ minds). I’ve never felt that doing these things has hindered my clinical exposure in any way as I usually do it on down-time anyways, and anecdotally I’ve found doing these sort of things to be helpful in learning how various medical professionals communicate with one another, with families, with government agencies, etc. I put scut in quotes because I've never been asked to do really menial stuff like sending faxes or running personal errands.
5) How receptive is the administation to fixing problems and/or disciplining out of line behavior, espcially from residents?
The administration prides themselves on lack of student abuse or problems in this area. We are asked about this at least once during every rotation, often both through anonymous forms and in-person with the clerkship directors. If a relationship with an attending or resident does become truly negative for some reason, you can ask to switch to a different team mid-rotation. I’ve yet to hear of this happening to anyone.
6) how is the research opportunities at this school?
It’s pretty easy to hop on projects. Opportunities vary by specialty. Having a longitudinal relationship with one attending makes it really easy to ask about research spots, and they’re usually very open to med students who want to get in on something (free help is free help).
7) how good is this school at focusing on the bread and butter?
Not sure what kind of answer you expect here. Compared to what? Attendings will give you patients who have things they think you need to learn about. You’re going to see some weird stuff no matter where you train, but the majority of things you will see on a given service will be bread-and-butter by definition.
