2nd year with rotation questions

[BobBarker]

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So during 4th year, you just take off mid rotation for interviews? When should I schedule a rotation at my top residencies? If I do an away rotation 2nd semester of my 3rd year, would that be too early to be considered an audition rotation?

 

[haveaniceday]

Bob,
Typically residency interviews are in Nov-Dec-Jan of 4th year, with some dependence on which specialty you are interviewing for. For instance, anesthesia begins as early as October, and any specialty in the San Francisco match will also be earlier. So, schedule accordingly I suppose. Choose to do an easier rotation, where it will be fine to leave for days at a time, at your home institution if you cannot take all of those months off. Don't schedule an audition rotation during interviews.

I would save your away rotations for just after you finish 3rd year, you really want to be at the top of your game and it is best to have done the vast majority, if not all, rotations before auditioning. I only have 2 months left of my 3rd year and feel unbelievably more comfortable after completing each rotation. However, I think doing an "audition" rotation for me right now would still be too early as I would like to have them all completed first.

Any 4th years are welcome to correct me on any of this...

 

[throckmorton]

I second what was said above. Definitely wait, because not only do you want to be "at the top of your game" after completing your 3rd year rotations, you also want to be remembered by the program. Not forgotten because you rotated so early that by the time they look at your application they are thinking "who was this again?". You want to rotate ideally in august or september, october is not bad but like was already said could be pushing it depending on the specialty you choose. You want to make an impression, that's why you go to an institution to do an "audition" rotation. Believe me I know you just want to get out there, and I know you probably just want to make sure you do everything right to maximize your chances, God knows I'm the same way, but definitely wait. It will work out for the best. Get some rotations under your belt, build some confidence and a differential and then knock em out come Aug, Sept, Oct. Oh and July is ok too its just when all the programs have just recieved their new batch of residents and interns and everything seems like it would be too crazy to remember a medical student in all the chaos. Just my 2, hope it helps and good luck.

 

[bmcgilligan]

The away rotations I have looked into require that you have completed the core clerkships first before rotating with them (IM, surg, peds, ob/gyne, psych, FM).

 

[RockfordWF]

So during 4th year, you just take off mid rotation for interviews? When should I schedule a rotation at my top residencies? If I do an away rotation 2nd semester of my 3rd year, would that be too early to be considered an audition rotation?

As said above, interviews are November-January. Schedule your audition rotations DURING these months, so that you knock out an interview while you are there. Also consider using a vacation month during this time.

You don't want to schedule your audition rotations too early, or you will be forgotten. You don't want to schedule them any later than December, since that is likely the last month you will receive interviews.

Any rotation will give you time off to interview.