Away Rotations

[Apply Pressure]

While its widely known that a solid performance on an away rotation can help you match at a specific program in a lot of specialties, I haven't heard this line of reasoning as clearly for internal medicine.

What's the consensus? If I really want to match at a certain internal medicine program, wouldn't it make sense to do an away-rotation there... especially if I may be a borderline candidate? What other way is there really to stand out?

Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[agk]

From what I've seen & heard (& this is the same for IM and other specialties), you are not always guaranteed an interview at the institution where you do an away elective, ESPECIALLY if the place is one of the big academic programs (MGH, Brigham, Stanford, etc).

However, the way I see it, it is probably worth the risk if you are really interested in the program and happen to be a 'borderline' candidate. Also, if you do a rotation there, make a good impression and manage to get a good letter of rec from these places, it may help you out at other places that you apply to.

 

[viostorm]

What's the consensus? If I really want to match at a certain internal medicine program, wouldn't it make sense to do an away-rotation there... especially if I may be a borderline candidate?

I think it depends on your personality ... because after 1 month people will have a good idea about it. It will either help or hurt.

There are certainly people I can think of in my medical school class who because of their personality have a much better chance of matching without a 1 month elective.

Also, you may think you know what program you want to go to ... but to be honest there are a ton of good medicine programs out there and my opinion has changed so much even though I'm only 1/3 of the way through interviews. The place I thought I wanted to be is much lower on my list after seeing what else is out there.

 

[ceftazidime]

Doing an away rotation definitely helped me land an IM interview at an institution that probably wouldn't have interviewed me otherwise, but you have to make it known that you were there... meaning you should make an appointment with the program director during your time there to express your interest, and also get a solid letter of rec from the attending you work with.