4th Year Scheduling Question....

[xaelia]

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So, I've been looking ahead to 4th year and trying to envision what sort of pre-match schedule is typically recommended.

It looks like the interview season is Nov./Dec., which leaves four months to play with (at my school, anyway) before hitting the interview trail. What is the appropriate optimization of those months? +/- Ophtho rotation at home institution? +/- Surgery Sub-I? +/- Research month? +/- Away rotations x1/x2? (I'm from PDX, so I'd like to do some time at Casey Eye and potentially one of the UCSF/Stein/Doheny/Stanford programs). Our Dean of Students (also an Ophthalmologist) doesn't particularly favor away rotations as being terribly beneficial....

Thanks!

 

[monkey7247]

I did:
1)ophtho home elective
2)ophtho externship
3)ophtho externship
4) IM sub-I

I think you're hurting yourself by not going away at least 1m for externship. It helped me to decide what I like and don't like by seeing other programs in action.

 

[Ophtho24]

Yeah I would do an away to see what you like in programs and realize how different and also how similar programs are. I did three aways because I go to a school with no ophtho program. I think aways are helpful for your app if you do them at places that are already likely to accept you (which then makes it tough to determine if it helped you.) I met a guy who went to Wilmer with pretty good scores and they still didn't offer him an interview. I went to a california program and they still didn't offer me an interview and it seemed like everyone liked me there. It's always possible that I didn't work with anybody on the interview selection committee though. Being from OHSU I think you will be viewed favorably on aways because Casey has a good name so programs will probably assume you really want to come since you have a great home institution. Good luck.

 

[rubensan]

Dear xaelia,

please see the timeline that i made in the following thread http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=66427 briefly, I believe June/July/August are optimal for away rotations.

Of course, I would never argue with your dean, but i disagree that away rotations at certain programs can be beneficial, esp if you are interested in that program. Good Luck!