away rotation effects

[deucerp]

---

Members don't see this ad.

anyone ever heard of this...a resident told me not to do any away rotations because the PD's at places that I didn't do away rotations would wonder why I didn't rotate at their program? any truth to this, I hadn't heard this before. Thanks

 

[colbgw02]

umm...no. if you think you're interested enough in a program to do a rotation there, then do one.

by that resident's logic, then people would either 1) never do away rotations (obviously not true), or 2) would only match at places they do rotations (also not true).

 

[mlw03]

the logic presented in the original post is flawed for the reasons stated above as well as the fact that most schools only allow so many away rotations, to say nothing of financial prohibitions. any PD that's so petty isn't one you'd want to work under presumably anyways.

 

[kenfused]

anyone ever heard of this...a resident told me not to do any away rotations because the PD's at places that I didn't do away rotations would wonder why I didn't rotate at their program? any truth to this, I hadn't heard this before. Thanks

NO way... they can't expect you to do 20 away rotations!
Do rotations at the places you are most interested in.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Yes, I'm afraid you have been given bad advice by the resident you spoke with. Do away rotations if you are interested in them, they will not have a negative impact on your applications elsewhere.

 

[Pilot Doc]

Yes, I'm afraid you have been given bad advice by the resident you spoke with. Do away rotations if you are interested in them, they will not have a negative impact on your applications elsewhere.

But they can easily have a bad impact on your application at the program. All it takes is looking stupid or mean to 1 person to torpedo an application. Conversely, it will take a whole month of superstar to move your application substantially higher than your paperwork/interview would otherwise merit.

The rotations are expensive. You have to learn all new faces, places and systems. And presumably you go there because you think you will like it - if you do, so what, you already liked it. If you don't like it because you found out things you otherwise wouldn't, how do you know that program X's warts are worse than program Y where you didn't rotate.

I just don't see the benefit.

 

[Methyldopa]

But they can easily have a bad impact on your application at the program. All it takes is looking stupid or mean to 1 person to torpedo an application. Conversely, it will take a whole month of superstar to move your application substantially higher than your paperwork/interview would otherwise merit.

The rotations are expensive. You have to learn all new faces, places and systems. And presumably you go there because you think you will like it - if you do, so what, you already liked it. If you don't like it because you found out things you otherwise wouldn't, how do you know that program X's warts are worse than program Y where you didn't rotate.

I just don't see the benefit.

I liked doing away rotations. It gave me a great opportunity to learn about programs from the inside out. As for screwing up on your rotation, that's probably not gonna happen. The only way that happens is that if (a) you hated the residents and didn't get along with them and (b) they hated you and didn't get along with you. Those are the two main reasons you would "torpedo" your application. And it probably should be torpedoed because you wouldn't be happy in a place where you didn't get along with the people you worked for.

 

[deleted109597]

But they can easily have a bad impact on your application at the program. All it takes is looking stupid or mean to 1 person to torpedo an application. Conversely, it will take a whole month of superstar to move your application substantially higher than your paperwork/interview would otherwise merit.

The rotations are expensive. You have to learn all new faces, places and systems. And presumably you go there because you think you will like it - if you do, so what, you already liked it. If you don't like it because you found out things you otherwise wouldn't, how do you know that program X's warts are worse than program Y where you didn't rotate.

I just don't see the benefit.

Well, the benefit comes for those applying to residencies more competitive than average. You see, it helps to have outside eyes evaluate people. Nobody gets bad letters from their own school (unless they have Axis II problems). Thus, going other places shows that you have an interest in that field, and will help you. Look at EM, a great number of students do away rotations. And if you don't have that particular residency at your school, you pretty much have to do an away rotation to have a shot at matching. That is the benefit.
Plus, you will definitely know whether or not you will rank a program well after spending a month there. You can't say that after only spending a day (at least not always).

 

[Winged Scapula]

But they can easily have a bad impact on your application at the program. All it takes is looking stupid or mean to 1 person to torpedo an application. Conversely, it will take a whole month of superstar to move your application substantially higher than your paperwork/interview would otherwise merit.

The rotations are expensive. You have to learn all new faces, places and systems. And presumably you go there because you think you will like it - if you do, so what, you already liked it. If you don't like it because you found out things you otherwise wouldn't, how do you know that program X's warts are worse than program Y where you didn't rotate.

I just don't see the benefit.

Of course it can hurt your application at that program if you don't do well.

But the OP was advised not to do away rotations because PDs at OTHER programs would be hurt by the assumption that you didn't like their program enough to do an audition rotation there. Balderdash, say I.

And while it is true that these rotations are expensive and that you really don't learn anything if you liked the program as much as you thought you would, IMHO, programs do give an extra look at applicants who have rotated there. Some even offer courtesy interviews to everyone who comes - each interview is a chance to match, I think. The chance to make connections at a program can be useful for those who do well on their rotations - especially if there is nothing else to distinguish your application from the rest of the pack.

 

[Pilot Doc]

But the OP was advised not to do away rotations because PDs at OTHER programs would be hurt by the assumption that you didn't like their program enough to do an audition rotation there. Balderdash, say I.

No arguments there.

I do stand by my initial comments, though. It's far easier to make yourself look bad than to look good. I think methyldopa substantially underestimates the ways in which you can torpedo your application. Surgery residencies have lots of good applicants these days. The residents don't have to hate you - all it takes is "methyldopa didn't seem interested some of the time" or "he was kinda hard to work with ... I liked X better."

This isn't to say the rotations are entirely worthless ... just that the cost/benefit ratio is poor

 

[Winged Scapula]

No arguments there.

I do stand by my initial comments, though. It's far easier to make yourself look bad than to look good. I think methyldopa substantially underestimates the ways in which you can torpedo your application. Surgery residencies have lots of good applicants these days. The residents don't have to hate you - all it takes is "methyldopa didn't seem interested some of the time" or "he was kinda hard to work with ... I liked X better."

This isn't to say the rotations are entirely worthless ... just that the cost/benefit ratio is poor

True - and I don't entirely disagree with your points either. Although, I still stand by my initial comments - that if you do well, it can help you against unknown entities who are otherwise equal on paper.

But, it is true that it is not difficult to hurt yourself on these rotations, especially with us cranky surgery types!