away rotations

[cbolz]

I am a third year and I want to do psych. I was wondering when you guys applied to residency did any of ya'll do any away rotations? Is it reccommened?
Thanks

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[sikegeek]

I am a third year and I want to do psych. I was wondering when you guys applied to residency did any of ya'll do any away rotations? Is it reccommened?
Thanks

I did and I would definitely recommend it. For one thing, I was undecided before I went. Also, the program is a bit of a reach for me. So I'll let you know how well it worked on March 20th

 

[rtennis18]

I also did an away psychiatry rotation early in my 4th year at a program that I was very interested in, and it ended up being one of my top choices in the end. I think it is a really good idea if you just want to check out the program, meet some of the residents, and get a sense of what training would be like there. Also is an amazing chance to explore the geographic area and see if it is a place where you would want to spend the next few years of your life. So in short, I would definitely consider doing a rotation at one of your top choices to get your foot in the door.

 

[Lauraaa]

I agree w/ the above posters. Lots of people told me its not required and it's not that helpful, but I did two of them and thought it was great, really glad i did. You get to see how psychiatry differs between different parts of the US, you could get a letter from your attending at that program, you could meet and work with the residents - who often make up or have a big part in making the rank lists at some programs. If your school doesn't have certain rotations, say child or forensics opportunties for electives you can get some experience in those areas if you do an away. Plus, likewise on the opposite end of the coin if you think you would really like a place and do a rotation there and find out that you really don't see yourself fitting in with the general atmosphere of the program then you've saved yourself time, money, energy, and heartbreak rather then say if you ended up matching there and then find out you don't fit there. I think it's a great idea to do.

 

[Thewonderer]

If you look great on paper (good med school, good board score, honors in internal medicine/psych/surgery etc.), do NOT do an away rotation. You are set up to look NOT AS GOOD in real person than you look on paper.

I don't know why. I have seen some very lazy visiting sub-I's rotating through. They go straight to the bottom of the rank lists. Why do they bother coming here to "audition" for the job when they can even muster to stay until 5pm everyday?

However, if your numbers are not solid, then you should do a sub-I to boost your chance.

But honestly, all major academic programs are the same. You will get good education. A lot of your experience will be determined by your co-residents/interns and you can't predict that ahead of time. Some classes are stiff's while others are fun. Some classes are multi-talented while other classes self-implode under pressure. And you can't predict how your classmates will be like until the first couple months of internship are over. Just make your decision based on the city and where your family/friends are (sometimes, you want to be far enough from your family so your mom just can't drop by your apt whenver she wants ).

 

[sikegeek]

The only other thing that I would mention is that they are a pain in the butt logistically. I did a bunch just because I didn't want to be at my home school anymore and they were places where I had family to stay with. Mistake.

For my Boston electives, I had to get varicella Ab titers etc , about 12 different kinds of documentation, and pay 100$ for each elective. Then schedules are all off from each other so you can't do one right after another.

The worst part about it is that when you go to away schools, you realize how good you were treated at home. Some of them are downright rude. Being in a strange place with rude people makes for a long 4 weeks. It's a little lonely. You don't have your classmates to goof around and complain with.

So, I strongly recommend doing one at a place that you are very interested in going, but think twice about doing one somewhere else.

 

[billypilgrim37]

The only reasons to do away rotations are a) you're a less than stellar candidate, and you want to go to a place better than you are otherwise qualified to go, b) to try a place out FOR YOUR BENEFIT, or c) for an experience your home institution can't offer.

B and C are great reasons. A is one you have to be tactical (and honest to yourself) about.

 

[PeeWee137]

exactly. all of my psych rotations during 4th year will be outside of my school's network hospitals because they dont have much to offer. and i want to learn from the big shots in the field and maybe get an LOR. if it gets my foot in the door for residency, that is just an added bonus, but it is not the reason i am doing a rotation there.

and yes it is a big pain to set them all up. lots of paperwork and tb tests and $100 checks, and that doesnt even guarantee you a spot. but its worth it if you get it. i guess i'll see in the next few months how it goes, most places wont even let you apply for a rotation until at least april.

 

[sikegeek]

exactly. all of my psych rotations during 4th year will be outside of my school's network hospitals because they dont have much to offer. and i want to learn from the big shots in the field and maybe get an LOR. if it gets my foot in the door for residency, that is just an added bonus, but it is not the reason i am doing a rotation there.

and yes it is a big pain to set them all up. lots of paperwork and tb tests and $100 checks, and that doesnt even guarantee you a spot. but its worth it if you get it. i guess i'll see in the next few months how it goes, most places wont even let you apply for a rotation until at least april.

I forgot about that. when you make up your schedule for your home school, you just have to take it on faith that you will get the away elective you are hoping for. With the Harvard electives, they say they'll tell you 6-8 weeks ahead of time. Try 4. And then I didn't even get my definite assignment until the FRIDAY BEFORE the elective. They also make this huge stink about "DONT CALL US DONT CALL US WE'RE TOO BUSY TO TALK TO YOU." Just don't expect to be treated like you are treated at home.

 

[cleareyedguy]

In addition to tactics, it is also interesting to go to a new place and learn a different way of doing psych.

By the way, no one has an automatic admission to a program, including people with excellent grades from excellent schools. Regardless of how certain you are of your credentials, it is HIGHLY useful to become a known quantity. Programs love to be confident that you will do the work AND fit in with the group. A month of such a demonstration may be the best thing on your cv. Further, if you get a letter of support, it can look quite good to all of the other programs, especially if you are applying away from your home turf.

 

[RaistlinMajere]

Is there an ideal month to do an away rotation? I'm guessing that November is the busiest month. If so, would it be better to avoid November and instead choose October or September? Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[rtennis18]

I did my away psychiatry rotation during the month of August and I thought that was a very good time to do it. The weather was still nice, got to meet a lot of the new interns, and got early exposure to a program I was very interested in.

 

[DrWuStar]

Best months for away rotations are July, August, and September. Doing it then gives enough time that your grade/evaluation should be available in time to be included in your Dean's Letter, and also allows enough time for your attending at the away rotation to write you an LOR. Doing it later means you probably won't be able to make it "count" in your official ERAS application.

On the other hand, I ended up doing an away rotation at a program I was very interested in during November due to scheduling problems (had intended to do it during the summer). It was still a great experience from my end - getting to see how things work in a different hospital, different region of the US, see what life would be like in that city, etc. And although it was too late for my attending to write an "official" LOR, he made phone calls to a few places where he had strong connections and wrote a "supplemental LOR" for the residency program at that school, both of which were very helpful in strengthening my application.

In short, I think it's worth doing anytime, but probably most useful in the summer or early fall.

 

[nancysinatra]

The only other thing that I would mention is that they are a pain in the butt logistically. I did a bunch just because I didn't want to be at my home school anymore and they were places where I had family to stay with. Mistake.

For my Boston electives, I had to get varicella Ab titers etc , about 12 different kinds of documentation, and pay 100$ for each elective. Then schedules are all off from each other so you can't do one right after another.

I think I win in this category! I just filled out an application for an away elective in adolescent psychiatry where I had to submit a CV, personal statement, research and publication list, transcript, scanned paper copy of my USMLE scores, proof of immunizations, two recommendations, AND a scanned photo of myself pasted into a Word document. With all that documentation, there is no way I'll get into the elective! They know too much about me. However, my childhood immunizations were done at the very clinic where I'm applying for the away rotation, so maybe that will carry some weight?

The away elective is in my home state in the midwest. I'm not sure if I want to stay where I am or go back home or somewhere new and exciting for residency. I realize I'll be "auditioning" but mostly I'm just eager to get the experience. I thought it would be extremely interesting to do adolescent psychiatry as an away rotation. Teenage life is so different in different parts of the country!

However, all the paperwork is a drag. When I was a teenager, the LAST thing I saw myself ever doing when I grew up was all this paperwork. Now that I reflect on it, it's kind of disappointing. But it's everywhere!

 

[sikegeek]

It sounds like you do get the prize! They must really be weeding out the ambivalent.

Oh, and deciding to do the visiting elective in January was MONEY . Worked out as well as I ever could have hoped. Everyone seems to do them in the fall, but I was afraid if I did it that early, they would forget how delightful I was . Plus, you have more credibility if you have done most of your interviews and are still showing that you're interested in January.

 

[LadyGrey]

The medical paperwork is the worst! In addition to documenting all my vaccines and titers, I needed a full checkup, a Tdap (because my last booster three years ago was still a Td ) and a two-step PPD. Thank god for didactic and shelf exam days when I can manage to fit in a doctor's appointment. (And thank god my family doc trusts me to read my own damn PPD at this point).