Army Intern/Residency Interviews

[HOOAH]

I am a 3rd year medical student and I am trying to gain some perspective on the interview process with the Army. I am asking because our match is so early, that I am afriad I am not going to have a complete idea on what I will want to go into at the point of the interviews. My lean is to Surgery, and specifically Ortho (which I know is competitive). I have three 4th year rotations set-up at Tripler, Brooke, and Madigan and they have informed me that I will more than likely interview while I am there on the rotations. Two of these rotations are surgery rotations, but one is ER. So my question is - Are the interviews general interviews or are they specific to the department that you are rotationg through? It just doesn't seem like there is enough time to interview everywhere and get the exposure that it seems is required. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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[Capt_Mac]

I am a 3rd year medical student and I am trying to gain some perspective on the interview process with the Army. I am asking because our match is so early, that I am afriad I am not going to have a complete idea on what I will want to go into at the point of the interviews. My lean is to Surgery, and specifically Ortho (which I know is competitive). I have three 4th year rotations set-up at Tripler, Brooke, and Madigan and they have informed me that I will more than likely interview while I am there on the rotations. Two of these rotations are surgery rotations, but one is ER. So my question is - Are the interviews general interviews or are they specific to the department that you are rotationg through? It just doesn't seem like there is enough time to interview everywhere and get the exposure that it seems is required. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Question for you: Why are you doing a ER rotation and not an ortho rotation? That will be the first question from that particular program director. Military programs like to get face time with you. The interviews are very department specific. You should make the time to go interview at all 6 programs or at least do a phone interview. All of the program directors get together and discuss applicants, don't think you can slack off at one rotation and be really good at another. They know you can't rotate everywhere, but, if you don't get picked up where you rotated, that program director will/can say "hey this is a good applicat, we just don't have room for him" and pimp you to another program director. They literally sit around a table and do this. If they find out that you are not 100% sold on ortho, you are dead meat, because they don't want you to wash out after internship and will give your spot to someone who is. I strongly advise against doing an ER rotation and interviewing for an ortho spot.

 

[st0rmin]

I am a 3rd year medical student and I am trying to gain some perspective on the interview process with the Army. I am asking because our match is so early, that I am afriad I am not going to have a complete idea on what I will want to go into at the point of the interviews. My lean is to Surgery, and specifically Ortho (which I know is competitive). I have three 4th year rotations set-up at Tripler, Brooke, and Madigan and they have informed me that I will more than likely interview while I am there on the rotations. Two of these rotations are surgery rotations, but one is ER. So my question is - Are the interviews general interviews or are they specific to the department that you are rotationg through? It just doesn't seem like there is enough time to interview everywhere and get the exposure that it seems is required. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

If you're interested in ortho then you should set up ortho rotations at those locations where you want to do ortho. Your interview is specific to the department where you are rotating through, unless you make arrangements with the other department to interview with them. For example, if you have a general surgery rotation set up and they said that you would be doing an interview during your rotation it will be for the general surgery program, not the ortho program. You need to set up interviews with the specific department you want to match to. The best way to match to a program is to do a rotation with them. If you really want ortho, set up ortho rotations, not general surgery rotations. Your rotation is the best "interview" you will have. If you can prove that you can handle the work and are easy to work with and get along with, you have a better chance of matching than someone who only goes to the place for an interview. As far as visiting all of the programs and rotating at all of them, you're right, there is not enough time. Choose the programs you really are interested in and rotate with them. All of the program directors talk and so if you do a good job at one spot the other program directors will know. Let me know if I can help further.

 

[HOOAH]

I appreciate the both of you responding to my post. I do currently have one rotation in ortho set up at Tripler. I am working on getting a civilian rotation in general surgery at Brooke. And the ER rotation is currently set up for Madigan. My problem is that ER is something I am still interested in and didn't really want to rule it out completely, although, surgery is becoming increasing more appealing. Do you think it would be in my best interest to cancel the ER rotation and try to schedule another Ortho rotation at Madigan or somewhere else? I am not so much concerned with where I go, I just want to get the best training possible. This is just a frustrating process and it doesn't help that our match is so early compared to the civilian world. Would you recommend just interviewing for a Transitional Year? Once again, I really appreciate your help.

- Allen Maxey

 

[RichL025]

If ER is still on your short list, keep it, and just talk to the ortho PD about scrubbing in on some surgeries, rounding with them, etc in your days off from the ED - you can also juggle your schedule around a little to give you more weekdays off to do that. Maybe even email the lady who does the schedules (Jennifer Dunbar) and specifically ask to work weekends in order to have as many weekdays off as possible.

Talk to the ortho program (now) and find out which day are their "academic days" - always a good day to rotate on the service.

An interview is something YOU set up with the program director for the programs you are interested in. When you inprocess at Madigan for your ED rotation, Jennifer will give you info about setting up interviews with the ED people. You'll have to go on your own and contact the ortho people to set up interviews, rounding with them, etc. Kathy Rogers (student coord for the hospital) should be able to give you their email / phones.

Be proactive, and go out of your way to work with the ortho people on your days off from the ED. They will notice things like that.

Good luck!

Addendum: Don't shoot for the transitional year booby-prize. If your priorities change and you no longer seriously considering EM, change your rotation to ortho - as soon as you decide! Madigan is fairly competitive.

 

[st0rmin]

I appreciate the both of you responding to my post. I do currently have one rotation in ortho set up at Tripler. I am working on getting a civilian rotation in general surgery at Brooke. And the ER rotation is currently set up for Madigan. My problem is that ER is something I am still interested in and didn't really want to rule it out completely, although, surgery is becoming increasing more appealing. Do you think it would be in my best interest to cancel the ER rotation and try to schedule another Ortho rotation at Madigan or somewhere else? I am not so much concerned with where I go, I just want to get the best training possible. This is just a frustrating process and it doesn't help that our match is so early compared to the civilian world. Would you recommend just interviewing for a Transitional Year? Once again, I really appreciate your help.

- Allen Maxey

I was also split between EM and ortho. I started medical school thinking that I was going orthopedics all the way. I honored my ortho rotation and loved it. I didn't get any exposure to EM during third year so I made sure that it was one of my first rotations 4th year. I had a blast in the ED and realized that I needed the variety of patients that the ED provided and eventually chose EM. I know that Rich was split between surgery and EM After rotating in the ED he chose surgery. To each his own. 🙂

I guess the biggest question to ask yourself is can you see yourself doing whatever you're thinking about doing many years down the road. For me, it was EM yes, orthopedics no.

Why a general surgery rotation at Brooke? Is general surgery on your list?

I would agree with Rich and not cancel your ED rotation at Madigan, decide if you like bones or bowels, and set up more rotations in whichever branch of surgery you like (or EM if you find you like it). Also, I would not recommend doing a transitional year unless absolutely necessary. I know two Army folks who did transitional years, tried to match to EM this year, didn't, and are going to end up doing GMO tours (yes, the Army still has them).

You're right about the process being frustrating because our match is so much earlier, but, come Dec. 15th you know where you are headed, have plenty of time to make arrangements, house hunt, etc., and watch the civilians squirm and worry about how many places to rank, where to rank them, etc.

Good luck.

 

[HOOAH]

Thanks alot. You have given me some options to look at. I think Ortho is what I want to do. I was signed up to do general surgery at Brooke because my medical school only allows students to do 2 rotations in a single field. So, I figured, general would be good because it would at least get me in the OR and I chance to possiblily interact with the ortho people. I think at this point, I will switch my general surgery to ortho and keep the ER rotation at Madigan. And if the staff is as understanding as you guys have made it sound, I will be able to interact with the ortho folks while I am there. I guess at this point, I just need to keep my fingers crossed and hope that I can impress a few people on these rotations, and hope that my stats on paper are enough to be considered (I don't have the best board scores). Thanks again, I appreciate all of your advice.

- Allen Maxey

 

[colbgw02]

Addendum: Don't shoot for the transitional year booby-prize. If your priorities change and you no longer seriously considering EM, change your rotation to ortho - as soon as you decide! Madigan is fairly competitive.

Definitely don't go for just a transitional year unless you've got your heart set on a civilian deferment - which is a long shot for most folks anyway. With most specialties going to continuous contracts, if you wait to apply for your specialty as an intern, you'll be applying for a significantly smaller percentage of slots. As the Army attempts to phase out GMOs, most (as high as 80%) slots are earmarked just for 4th-year students, with the remaining spots for interns, GMOs, and folks wanting to do a second residency.

 

[RichL025]

...And if the staff is as understanding as you guys have made it sound, I will be able to interact with the ortho folks while I am there. I guess at this point, I just need to keep my fingers crossed and hope that I can impress a few people on these rotations, ...

OK, I know it's just a figure of speech (keep my fingers crossed), but just remember - be proactive! Contact the PDs ahead of time & let them know why you can't officially "rotate" on their service, but how you still want to spend (your own!) time on their service to get to know then, and show them what you can do.

Good luck!