Anyone done an away PICU rotation as a resident?

[DeadCactus]

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Good experience? Bad experience?

I worry about coming in to such an acute setting as an outsider in a new system and attendings/fellows with no experience/trust with you.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

Yes. Way back. I do not not recommend it.

Good experience? Bad experience?

I worry about coming in to such an acute setting as an outsider in a new system and attendings/fellows with no experience/trust with you.

Exactly this. You will have such a short exposure time to faculty and fellows, during which most of the time you will just be learning the system of the hospital, that it is easy to be perceived as inefficient compared to the other residents who are in their home institution. In fact, you will be inefficient by comparison because of general lack of familiarity with the institution and as a resident, inefficiency does not put you in a favorable light. In my case, I got zero from it, other than to see how another hospital does things. But it didn't personally help me one bit.

 

[Pedsdoc13]

I would not recommend it. There was a resident who did an away rotation during my ICU month and she seemed miserable. As you said, knowing systems, people, and how things are done are key for being an efficient resident and helping your team. Efficiency in busy, acute settings is key, and I think it would be hard to shine without that. That said, our ICU rotation is notoriously intense, so it may not be so challenging to be a visiting resident at other places.

 

[DeadCactus]

Anyone with suggestions on an away rotation that would be beneficial for PICU relevant knowledge/experience? I'd like to do an away to get a feel of what life is like at one of the larger quaternary academic PICU's. Doing an actual PICU rotation just sounds more and more like a terrible idea. Maybe a simulation rotation? Or are there any PICU's that are big into bedside ultrasound? Any other thoughts?

 

[SurfingDoctor]

I'm wondering, what is the reason you want to rotate at another hospital with regards to PICU? The educational opportunities you want to do are exactly what fellowship are for and thus are not typically open to residents except at home institutions and only in special circumstances. Sorry, I realize this is not very helpful, but these types of activities usually don't exist as away rotations because again, if you really want to do PICU, you just do a fellowship.

 

[DeadCactus]

Mostly exposure to a larger, busier PICU that sees some of the extremely specialized stuff that my program's PICU doesn't see.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

Mostly exposure to a larger, busier PICU that sees some of the extremely specialized stuff that my program's PICU doesn't see.

This was initially my intention when I was a resident for doing an away rotation. That and face time. In the end, it didn't help me one bit and I ended up going to a different program and never looked back.

If you plan on doing PICU fellowship, every accredited program will more or less offer you the same training. They have to to be accredited by the ACGME in the first place. Its the stuff beyond direct patient care that differentiates programs.

 

[Perrotfish]

Anyone with suggestions on an away rotation that would be beneficial for PICU relevant knowledge/experience? I'd like to do an away to get a feel of what life is like at one of the larger quaternary academic PICU's. Doing an actual PICU rotation just sounds more and more like a terrible idea. Maybe a simulation rotation? Or are there any PICU's that are big into bedside ultrasound? Any other thoughts?

CVICU. They expect less of you, are crazy high acuity, and will show you pathology you will never see in a smaller PICU.