4th Year rotations

[StarboardMD]

I'm an Army HPSP student. I'm feeling completely lost and getting really anxious about this. I need to set up my 4th year ADT rotations. I'm told by a Navy classmate that I need to do this ASAP before all the good spots are taken. From what I gather, I am just supposed to find a phone number for someone in the department of whatever hospital I want to go to, tell them when I'd like to be there, and hope they say yes. Does this sound right?

My second problem, and the one that is really freaking me out, is that I still have no idea what I want to go into. The only things I've ruled out completely are psych and FP. I also have yet to do my surgery clerkship. I'm told that you'll basically only get into a residency in a hospital where you rotate, so pretty much I need to decide what I want to go into right now, so I can schedule my 4th year rotations. Does all this seem accurate? Does anyone have any advice for me? I know I need to chill out. I'm normally a very laid back person, but dealing with the Army over the past couple of years has completely cured me of that...

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[psychbender]

I'm an Army HPSP student. I'm feeling completely lost and getting really anxious about this. I need to set up my 4th year ADT rotations. I'm told by a Navy classmate that I need to do this ASAP before all the good spots are taken. From what I gather, I am just supposed to find a phone number for someone in the department of whatever hospital I want to go to, tell them when I'd like to be there, and hope they say yes. Does this sound right?

Sounds right, though you should have done this last month.

My second problem, and the one that is really freaking me out, is that I still have no idea what I want to go into. The only things I've ruled out completely are psych and FP. I also have yet to do my surgery clerkship. I'm told that you'll basically only get into a residency in a hospital where you rotate, so pretty much I need to decide what I want to go into right now, so I can schedule my 4th year rotations. Does all this seem accurate? Does anyone have any advice for me? I know I need to chill out. I'm normally a very laid back person, but dealing with the Army over the past couple of years has completely cured me of that...

What about FP and Psych turned you off? What were your favorite preclinical subjects? What are you interests outside of medicine? Have you read any books like the Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Medical Specialty (http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guid...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234446467&sr=8-1) or taken one of the several online "aptitude tests" that see what specialties might fit your personality best (http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/specialties/)? There are multiple threads throughout SDN on picking the right specialty for you, and you must have given this some thought before now.

Regardless, you need to figure something out, and schedule your aways NOW. They don't necessarily have to be in your ultimately chosen specialty, and may be changed at a later date, but you should at least get them in the hospital where you might want to go, and in the general field. Example: if you think you might be interested in some surgical field, then schedule a General Surgery rotation at one of the MEDCENs. If you end up wanting to do Ortho, instead, you're still where the Ortho programs are, and in the OR. You can go hang out and speak with the Orthos when you want, and they'll see your face and may talk to the General Surgeons you are working with. For one of my ADTs, I did Infectious Disease (was the only available rotation at the hospital during the month I wanted to be there), but went to Anesthesia morning report every day (was before my "required" IM morning report, so no conflict) to get noticed. While there, I sought out the medical student coordinator to see what rotating medical students normally did, and even ended up giving a presentation to the assembled residents and attendings. You can make your ADT work for you, even if it is not in your desired specialty.

 

[StarboardMD]

Sounds right, though you should have done this last month.

Have I missed something, or does the Army expect us to know when to do this stuff by ESP? How do people know when there are deadlines to be met? I would've had no idea if it weren't for a Navy HPSP in my class.

What about FP and Psych turned you off? What were your favorite preclinical subjects? What are you interests outside of medicine? Have you read any books like the Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Medical Specialty (http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guid...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234446467&sr=8-1) or taken one of the several online "aptitude tests" that see what specialties might fit your personality best (http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/specialties/)? There are multiple threads throughout SDN on picking the right specialty for you, and you must have given this some thought before now.

Thanks for the quiz link. It was somewhat helpful...I wish I were a more competitive applicant. I haven't really given it a lot of thought because I've enjoyed almost everything I've done so far and I was thinking I had more time to decide. All along I've thought I might like surgery, and I don't even start my clerkship until May.

Regardless, you need to figure something out, and schedule your aways NOW. They don't necessarily have to be in your ultimately chosen specialty, and may be changed at a later date, but you should at least get them in the hospital where you might want to go, and in the general field. Example: if you think you might be interested in some surgical field, then schedule a General Surgery rotation at one of the MEDCENs. If you end up wanting to do Ortho, instead, you're still where the Ortho programs are, and in the OR. You can go hang out and speak with the Orthos when you want, and they'll see your face and may talk to the General Surgeons you are working with. For one of my ADTs, I did Infectious Disease (was the only available rotation at the hospital during the month I wanted to be there), but went to Anesthesia morning report every day (was before my "required" IM morning report, so no conflict) to get noticed. While there, I sought out the medical student coordinator to see what rotating medical students normally did, and even ended up giving a presentation to the assembled residents and attendings. You can make your ADT work for you, even if it is not in your desired specialty.

Aside from this board, how do you find out which hospital you might prefer? Geography and personal reviews aside, what are people looking at and how do they decide?

Is there some kind of general prelim year (like a GMO) that I could do if I still wasn't sure by next fall? Sorry if these are all really ignorant questions. I'm definitely feeling ignorant right about now.

 

[psychbender]

Have I missed something, or does the Army expect us to know when to do this stuff by ESP? How do people know when there are deadlines to be met? I would've had no idea if it weren't for a Navy HPSP in my class.

Yeah, I agree, it is a bit messed up, but that's how it is. I was lucky enough to find out December of my third year, when I contacted the coordinator for one of my rotations, and was informed that registration starts 1 January.

Thanks for the quiz link. It was somewhat helpful...I wish I were a more competitive applicant. I haven't really given it a lot of thought because I've enjoyed almost everything I've done so far and I was thinking I had more time to decide. All along I've thought I might like surgery, and I don't even start my clerkship until May.

You might be better off than you think, so you might as well apply anyway. If you think you might be interested in surgery, then set up a General Surgery ADT, and maybe another in some other surgical field (or some medical field for a balance). You may be able to change things around later on, if you decide you want something else.

Aside from this board, how do you find out which hospital you might prefer? Geography and personal reviews aside, what are people looking at and how do they decide?

For me, a lot of the decision was based off of location. Also, I really liked the faculty and residents at the location at which I rotated. Pretty much, its going to be just like in the civilian world. Read about the program on their website, read reviews, talk to residents or attendings at the programs, and think if you would be a good fit there.

Is there some kind of general prelim year (like a GMO) that I could do if I still wasn't sure by next fall? Sorry if these are all really ignorant questions. I'm definitely feeling ignorant right about now.

If you really are unsure, then you can do a Transitional Year program as your PGY-1, then reapply (though, you'd likely end up doing a GMO tour before coming back to GME). Also, depending on what you ultimately choose as your specialty, the Transitional program may not count as your PGY-1, so you may have to repeat internship.

 

[StarboardMD]

Thanks for all your help. Any idea where I can get more info on the transitional year? Do you mean doing a civilian prelim year or is this an Army thing? Why would I likely end up with a GMO tour before continuing residency? Thanks again. I'm going to talk it over with my fiance over the weekend and get on the phone Monday and try to set some stuff up wherever I can get a spot.

 

[medsurg2010]

I'm an Army HPSP student. I'm feeling completely lost and getting really anxious about this. I need to set up my 4th year ADT rotations. I'm told by a Navy classmate that I need to do this ASAP before all the good spots are taken. From what I gather, I am just supposed to find a phone number for someone in the department of whatever hospital I want to go to, tell them when I'd like to be there, and hope they say yes. Does this sound right?

My second problem, and the one that is really freaking me out, is that I still have no idea what I want to go into. The only things I've ruled out completely are psych and FP. I also have yet to do my surgery clerkship. I'm told that you'll basically only get into a residency in a hospital where you rotate, so pretty much I need to decide what I want to go into right now, so I can schedule my 4th year rotations. Does all this seem accurate? Does anyone have any advice for me? I know I need to chill out. I'm normally a very laid back person, but dealing with the Army over the past couple of years has completely cured me of that...

Hey-- I just set up my rotations and it was a cake-walk. I called these really nice ladies at each of the sites and I had no trouble at all scheduling rotations (anesthesia and radiology at NMCSD). I don't know what I want to go into either, so I just picked rotations that I need more experience with. If you want to do a specialty you'll probably end up in a prelim year anyway so its good just get to know the hospital where you want to go.

I think that the spots that fill up fast are ER (which there is no PGY 1 position) and the surgical sub-specialties. Otherwise, don't sweat it.

My general rule for the Navy: You never know if you don't ask. (Its worked so far) good luck

 

[medsurg2010]

Also, if you really arent sure what specialty you want, I found the AAMC Careers in medicine program extremely helpful. They have diagnostic tests that give you insight into your personality and what is most important to you. A school guidance or career counselor should be able to provide you a link, user name, and password.

 

[StarboardMD]

So we're only supposed to do one ADT per fiscal year, but apps are due in October (?), so how is that supposed to work out? If I start my second on Sept first, I still won't have LORs by October. I'm hearing rumors of doing both rotations in the same fiscal year and still getting paid for it. Is this for real?

 

[StarboardMD]

And thanks for the help, MedSurg. Obviously, I was going to try to set these up on Monday, but it's Tuesday and I've set my new goal for tomorrow. Hopefully mine will be as easy as yours!

 

[psychbender]

In the Army, you can set up and do both of your ADTs in one fiscal year (or evenhave some spill-over into the next fiscal year), get paid, and not get into trouble. This is not a rumor, this is fact. I did it, several of my buddies did it, and I was told by a senior MC officer that the Army considered it ok, and had no problems with it. Considering I actually did get paid for both of them, I continue to get paid, and the ADT Police haven't broken down my door and annexed my check book I think you'll be just fine if you set them both up for the same fiscal year.

You don't necessarily need to get LORs from your ADTs. None of my LORs came from any of my Army rotations. I'd think it might help, but you should probably make sure you have enough before you even show up to do your ADTs, so you can have everything uploaded to ERAS well before the 15 October "deadline."

 

[StarboardMD]

Awesome.

I just talked to someone in IM at Madigan, and she said HPSP rotations are usually 4 weeks. Is this right? I thought we we were supposed to be doing 45 day ADTs...

 

[NavyFP]

Awesome.

I just talked to someone in IM at Madigan, and she said HPSP rotations are usually 4 weeks. Is this right? I thought we we were supposed to be doing 45 day ADTs...

The rotations are 4 weeks, the rest is school orders.