Aways in Texas that *won't* help me?

[surely]

As someone with no ties to Texas, are there any TX Aways that are unlikely to help me get my foot in the door at other TX programs? i.e. are there TX programs that other TX programs take less seriously for some reason?

For instance, some programs that have been getting strong reviews on SDN are newer/less established - Is it inadvisable to do an Away with a newer program? (Would it hurt my application locally in TX, or would it hurt me nationally, or both/neither?)

I've heard that UT Austin may be a bad idea. (No offense, Austin, just my personal risk tolerance talking! To be fair, I've also seen evidence that this may be changing, per multiple posts in this thread.)

Conversely, are there TX programs that particularly advantageous to have rotated at?

Some programs are more county-style - Might this negatively impact my ERAS application at university-based EM programs nationwide? I haven't yet sorted out whether I want to do a county, community, or university residency, and would like the chance to experience more than one style.

Background about me if you're interested:

MS3 (259 Step 1, H in 3rd year EM clerkship, all HP/H in 3rd year) from the Northeast at a school in the Southeast trying to get some plans together for Aways in Texas. Texas is warm with a low cost of living in most places, great people, great training opportunities, and a great practice climate for EM. What's not to love? Well, it's tough to break into if you have no ties - see this thread about the importance of doing TX Aways.

I'll be doing a home 4th year AI plus two Aways, with one being in Texas and one likely in the Midwest. My priorities are to earn a great SLOE, get my foot in the door for as many programs in Texas as I can, and ideally experience a program I'd like to match to. All advice sincerely appreciated!

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[Dr. Texas]

I think doing an away in Texas is an awesome way to show all Texas programs you are interested in moving to the state. Taking a month of your life to do an away in Texas shows commitment.

I'm a resident at JPS and will tell you that nearly half the class is made up of people who rotated at JPS during their fourth year. DM me if you have any questions.

 

[clibby]

The advice I was given was that doing an away in a region shows you are serious about potentially moving there, not just shotgunning your application. The region also will know whether the program gives out good SLOEs like candy or is more objective. I can't say which programs give out good SLOEs like candy, but any away in TX will show you are serious about applying to TX programs.

 

[DissocativFugue]

I did an away at parkland after going to a northeast Med school. I did get asked at a few places why i didn't rotate with them. But the answer was easy. My family lives in Dallas. Saving money seeing them, yadda yadda. Still matched at one of the programs who asked that. Your app will be fine wherever you choose. Focus on sloes and step 2 ck. Knocking those out of the park will impact more than where you rotate.


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[Thought Crime Spree]

I've heard that UT Austin may be a bad idea. (No offense, Austin, just my personal risk tolerance talking! To be fair, I've also seen evidence that this may be changing, per multiple posts in this thread.)

Definitely not true. We have many current residents who rotated as medical students. Dr Berger our PD is an excellent adviser and is happy to mentor students who rotate with us as well.

 

[red10]

Pick one you think you're interesting in going to for residency and work hard. Program directors always know the other places in their region and will know the people writing the letters to know if "Did a good job" means you actually worked really hard or if that's program X's code for "did ok but not excellent". They'll know if the "top 1/3" ranking is given to everyone or just the best of the best. Either way, work hard and you'll get a letter that reflects your effort. There's not a place that is going to write you a bad letter just to be mean unless you deserve a bad letter. If you're at a place you might actually wanna go, you'll have an in with them if you do well

 

[surely]

Program directors always know the other places in their region and will know the people writing the letters to know if "Did a good job" means you actually worked really hard or if that's program X's code for "did ok but not excellent". They'll know if the "top 1/3" ranking is given to everyone or just the best of the best.

Exactly, that's what I'm asking - I'd like to avoid the places that rate everyone "top 1/3," so that other programs are more likely to consider me seriously. What TX programs are known regionally for giving out meaningful SLOEs?

Thanks, everyone, for the advice I've gotten so far. The advice I got from the MS4s at my institution is not to go to a newer program, since their SLOEs won't be seen as meaningful by other programs, but I'm not hearing that feedback here. Any other thoughts on the topic?

 

[randomness2323]

I think doing an away in Texas is an awesome way to show all Texas programs you are interested in moving to the state. Taking a month of your life to do an away in Texas shows commitment.

I'm a resident at JPS and will tell you that nearly half the class is made up of people who rotated at JPS during their fourth year. DM me if you have any questions.

Rotating there won't guarantee an interview. Program has bias against DO students.

 

[OnlyOneZlatan]

Rotating there won't guarantee an interview. Program has bias against DO students.

This is definitely not true. Myself (220s/230s, 2 SLOEs, midwest DO school, did not rotate) and many others received interviews having not even rotated there.

 

[randomness2323]

This is definitely not true. Myself (220s/230s, 2 SLOEs, midwest DO school, did not rotate) and many others received interviews having not even rotated there.

Congrats on your interview with them! I know people who rotated there with your stats, with solid SLOEs who did not receive an interview. This post was about TX Aways that won't help you and I think DO students should be hesitant when rotating here because a rotation does not guarantee an interview. I guess not rotating there is a benefit instead.

On a side note: If I'm spending a month of my medical school life doing a rotation~ spending money out of my pocket, I really want to make sure that I get an interview at the end of it. It's courtesy and respect that you have for the student rotating at your program with no compensation. This place doesn't guarantee it just like UT Austin.

 

[doggydog]

Congrats on your interview with them! I know people who rotated there with your stats, with solid SLOEs who did not receive an interview. This post was about TX Aways that won't help you and I think DO students should be hesitant when rotating here because a rotation does not guarantee an interview. I guess not rotating there is a benefit instead.

On a side note: If I'm spending a month of my medical school life doing a rotation~ spending money out of my pocket, I really want to make sure that I get an interview at the end of it. It's courtesy and respect that you have for the student rotating at your program with no compensation. This place doesn't guarantee it just like UT Austin.

I disagree about the courtesy bit. If after a month you have no intention on ranking that applicant, why waste the time and money of both the applicant and the program? The outcome of the interview is already known: the applicant isn't being ranked.

 

[randomness2323]

I disagree about the courtesy bit. If after a month you have no intention on ranking that applicant, why waste the time and money of both the applicant and the program? The outcome of the interview is already known: the applicant isn't being ranked.

I thought I did great during my rotation until I didn't get an interview.

 

[doggydog]

I thought I did great during my rotation until I didn't get an interview.

Not being open with feedback is a different issue that I've addressed in previous posts.

 

[Mofasa]

Rotating there won't guarantee an interview. Program has bias against DO students.

I don't believe there is DO bias because I know two allopathic students who also rotated there and were not offered interviews. While I understand why it is upsetting, I would be glad they let me know they didn't want me because that's an interview spot I could have scheduled another that does want me.

 

[Heol]

I don't believe there is DO bias because I know two allopathic students who also rotated there and were not offered interviews.

So according to you, Zlatan, and what Randomness said, doing a sub-i at JPS may only not help, but also hurts my chance of getting an interview there. Thanks for the info.

 

[randomness2323]

I don't believe there is DO bias because I know two allopathic students who also rotated there and were not offered interviews. While I understand why it is upsetting, I would be glad they let me know they didn't want me because that's an interview spot I could have scheduled another that does want me.

The sentiment when I rotated was that the program does not want DOs and the only DO from last year's class couple matched. I really hope that I am wrong and it's just they don't favor students who rotate there- I would have never rotated there if that was the case.

 

[Thought Crime Spree]

Doing poorly on an audition rotation at any program in the country will hurt you. If you suck on the rotation but are guaranteed an interview only because you rotated somewhere that doesn't help you. No matter how amazing your answers are to canned interview questions you aren't going to budge from the bottom of the rank list if you blew it in the ED.

 

[Danbo1957]

Doing poorly on an audition rotation at any program in the country will hurt you. If you suck on the rotation but are guaranteed an interview only because you rotated somewhere that doesn't help you. No matter how amazing your answers are to canned interview questions you aren't going to budge from the bottom of the rank list if you blew it in the ED.

^^^ This. You take your chances. I tell students to accept away rotations to learn more about that specialty, and/or only if you think that you may need a good recommendation from that away rotation.

 

[mega_colon]

Back on topic OP...

Would advise you to look for aways where you have some sort of active role in managing patients as it can be tough to get a great eval when your only role is to just present H&Ps and follow some labs.

That said, I have heard great things from classmates who rotated at Scott & White, but have no personal experience.

 

[deleted109597]

This is such a tough topic, because at best everyone's own person N maxes out at 3. Past that, it's all hearsay and conjecture from their friends.
Sure, if you go somewhere and they screw you over, you can tell people. But they also have heard someone else say that it was fantastic. The best way IMO is for your advisor to contact the med student faculty at the away and ask "is my advisee a good candidate to go there, here are their numbers, etc". Then they can have the conversation.

 

[Nado11]

Congrats on your interview with them! I know people who rotated there with your stats, with solid SLOEs who did not receive an interview. This post was about TX Aways that won't help you and I think DO students should be hesitant when rotating here because a rotation does not guarantee an interview. I guess not rotating there is a benefit instead.

On a side note: If I'm spending a month of my medical school life doing a rotation~ spending money out of my pocket, I really want to make sure that I get an interview at the end of it. It's courtesy and respect that you have for the student rotating at your program with no compensation. This place doesn't guarantee it just like UT Austin.

Again, you have no idea why you didn't get an interview. I can guarantee with 100% certainty that it had nothing to do with the letters after your name. I have read several posts of yours stating that you didn't get an interview and are attributing to you being a DO. Maybe the general feedback from residents and faculty was that you wouldn't be a good fit with JPS but a great fit at another program. We don't interview every rotator and that's not unique to JPS, "courtesy" interviews are a waste of both yours and the programs time if there is no interest from one of the parties. Sorry it didn't workout for you but you should really think about making statements without really knowing the facts.

 

[surely]

Just wanted to drop in and say thank you to everyone who responded. I'm sorry that my post led to this controversial back-and-forth, but I definitely appreciate all the opinions - It's so great to see PDs and residents take an active role on this forum!

 

[deleted109597]

 

[MelMcT2009]

I did an away at parkland after going to a northeast Med school. I did get asked at a few places why i didn't rotate with them. But the answer was easy. My family lives in Dallas. Saving money seeing them, yadda yadda. Still matched at one of the programs who asked that. Your app will be fine wherever you choose. Focus on sloes and step 2 ck. Knocking those out of the park will impact more than where you rotate.


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How was your experience at Parkland?

 

[DissocativFugue]

How was your experience at Parkland?

That was a long time ago before the new ED was opened. So much has probably changed I doubt I'd be much help. My impression was good though at the time. Ranked in my top 3 then.

 

[ialsolovelamp]

DO applicant. I personally rotated there (at JPS) and was offered an interview on first wave (according to the interview thread). Also seemed to open the door to nearly every other program in Texas for me, A&M being the exception.

 

[MelMcT2009]

DO applicant. I personally rotated there and was offered an interview on first wave (according to the interview thread). Also seemed to open the door to nearly every other program in Texas for me, A&M being the exception.

You've sold me on it haha! Mind if I send you a pm?