Away / Audition Electives

[Adam638]

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I'm currently married and have an 11-month old. My wife is expecting again in June. I had originally planned on doing an away rotation or two, but now I'm re-thinking that option. I really can't leave my wife alone with two children under the age of 2.

My question is: How critical are these away rotations for someone with the following profile?

I know a lot of people of this forum stress the importance of an academic EM letter of recommendation, which I can't get without doing an away. I could get one from a staff physician at a community hospital, but it's not an academic center.

Looking to match in the midwest region - MN, WI, MI, NE, IL, IA, CO, OH
Step 1 - 235
Honors - most of Year 2
NBME Surgery Shelf - 98%, other shelfs >75% nationally
Good LORs - Surgery chair, IM chair, staff physician (not an academic center)
Lab experience in community ER during undergrad
Missionary trips
Undergrad research experience, no publications

If absolutely necessary, my wife and kids could move with me for a month during her maternity leave. Looking for genuine advice from those that know, either way. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

 

[caliboy007]

I'm currently married and have an 11-month old. My wife is expecting again in June. I had originally planned on doing an away rotation or two, but now I'm re-thinking that option. I really can't leave my wife alone with two children under the age of 2.

My question is: How critical are these away rotations for someone with the following profile?

I know a lot of people of this forum stress the importance of an academic EM letter of recommendation, which I can't get without doing an away. I could get one from a staff physician at a community hospital, but it's not an academic center.

Looking to match in the midwest region - MN, WI, MI, NE, IL, IA, CO, OH
Step 1 - 235
Honors - most of Year 2
NBME Surgery Shelf - 98%, other shelfs >75% nationally
Good LORs - Surgery chair, IM chair, staff physician (not an academic center)
Lab experience in community ER during undergrad
Missionary trips
Undergrad research experience, no publications

If absolutely necessary, my wife and kids could move with me for a month during her maternity leave. Looking for genuine advice from those that know, either way. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

I think it still stands - you need an academic EM letter if you want to match into academic EM. Unless the person writing your letter has some serious connections in the academic world and can make calls on your behalf to get you interviews. Even then, it's a lot to have to rely on. Put it this way, how are they supposed to assess you for an academic EM residency program when you haven't rotated at an academic EM program?

Your stats look good to match. However, year 2 grades matter very, very little (most don't care as long as you pass). Your % scores on NBME shelfs also aren't usually reported on Dean's Letters anymore. Step II > 1, Year 3 grades, EM rotation grades, SLORs are what they look at. I was told on many, many interviews that most programs get so many applicants and then they interview enough to where they really don't care and some don't even read the non-EM letters. A great surgery letter won't hurt you, but it's not going to get you the interview.

How far away is the closest program to you? Tell them your situation, maybe they can have you do your shifts in a row - as in, if you have to do 14 shifts for the rotation, its about 3/week, maybe they'll let you do Mon/Tues/Wed and then you don't have to be around Thursday-Sunday... see what you can do IMO.

 

[onomatopoeia09]

I have to agree, it's pretty critical. I was asked a lot on the trail about where I did my away and also having a letter not from my home institution that was really positive was very well received and mentioned a lot. That was on top of a couple of other academic EM letters, too.

I only had one little one but I brought my family with my for my away. Not the same as bringing a toddler and a newborn, for sure. But it gave my better half a chance to check out the city where we thought we might be living for the next 3 years and to be honest it was actually pretty fun. I worked a lot and hard (trying to make the best impression possible, of course) but in my off time we got to explore a brand new place, which was pretty cool. Not a bad way to spend the month at all. I didn't even end up ranking it #1 and we still don't regret the month in the least. If you wait to to your away until September your new little one won't be quite so new and it might be a bit easier for your wife?

I have a friend who took his wife, 8m old and 3 yr old with him on one of his aways also. They made it work and had a good time as well.

This is definitely way stickier with kids than for those without, but it can be done. 🙂

 

[hothause]

So what about those of us with academic residency programs in EM (and therefore the ability to get two SLORs that way). How important is it to do an away rotation?

 

[caliboy007]

So what about those of us with academic residency programs in EM (and therefore the ability to get two SLORs that way). How important is it to do an away rotation?

Absolutely important as what the above poster said as well. They want to see something other than your own home institution as well - something out of your comfort zone. Two SLORs is what i think most would say the minimum is. Some programs REQUIRE two SLORs. So yes, do an away... I think EM is one of those fields where an away is virtually mandatory for almost everyone.

 

[jbar]

I have a friend who matched without doing an away, but he had a good SLOR from our home academic institution. But you certainly need at least one. It's a bit late but you could see if you could switch a rotation around and do your away in April or May, before your kid is born.(your wife might now like you leaving her 8 months pregnant but it beats going when there is a newborn)

You could also do an away in August, not ideal but doable.