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For those of you who did an away at the program you ultimately matched at, would love to hear about your experiences. What did you do right/ how did you impress?
Can anyone who matched at a place they did their away rotation at comment on their experience?
- Thread starter chumpchange123
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I don't have that experience but I'm happy to offer general advice. You obviously want to make sure that you display the side of your personality and work ethic that will impress the faculty and residents. Show up on or slight before time to clinics and OR. Wear appropriate attire, hygeine, etc. Avoid being too intense, nervous, or "gunner"-esque. Just be your professional self. Be interested in the patients and surgeries but don't overdo it as you can come off as over-bearing. Find the right balance between being interested vs being clingy/intrusive. Study up the basics of ophtho before you hit each clinic/OR so if you get pimped you can show your knowledge. Write down genuine questions spawned from your curiosity and ask during an appropriate time. Follow all the rules and don't be a douche bag to anyone. Be nice to everyone... from the chair down to the janitors. This kind of varies with program, but feel it out if they would be impressed if you learned how to tech up the patients when doing clinics with the residents or attending. Offer to help out the residents with any paperwork or any other relevant errands. If you are interested in the program, see if you can set up a quick 1-on-1 with the PD to discuss your application. This gives you an opportunity to also express your gratitude and interest in the program. Hope this helps.
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Did an away at and matched at my number #1. Just be you. If they don't like you as you are, you shouldn't be going to that program to begin with. Obviously, be courteous to everyone. I read up beforehand, but in all of my aways, I don't think anyone was intensely scrutinizing my knowledge base - it was more about interpersonal interactions. I never tech'd patients. I just was genuinely interested and wasn't overbearing. I think a lot of people put too much pressure on the experience...it may help in securing an interview, but it won't be what gets you in. I am very pro aways (especially if you don't have a strong home program). Just use the experience to get to know the program and evaluate if it is a place where you will learn and be happy.
Thanks for mentioning this. A lot of people over on the DO forum are constantly talking about away rotations as the golden key to getting ophtho and ENT matches on the ACGME side. From what I have heard from residents, for DO applicants, away rotations can really only help you if you have outstanding letters/calls to back up what they see about you during the rotation.
(I am a DO student myself)
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Agreed. I also feel that it is risky. Things can very easily go bad for you if luck is not on your side. It could be that one thing you might have acccidentaly done and didn't mean to in a sea of amazing impressions you gave that gives the program a reason to rank you a few spots lower. All of a sudden, you're worse off than a candidate that never bothered to do an away rotation at that program.
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Just to give a different experience, I pretty much only got MD ophtho interviews at places I rotated at. Surprisingly it was the DO shops that interviewed me without the audition (even though they're known to only take those that rotate there). Ultimately I matched at an MD residency that I rotated at, and I 100% attribute my matching there to doing an audition rotation. I think as a DO (especially if you go to one of the "lower tier" DO schools) you kinda need to do a bunch of aways or your degree will bring you down. Of course, N=1...
You are right, as DOs we have to do the aways (especially because we don't have any home program to get letters from, and we may get the interviews). But I followed your story since last year (don't be creeped out
) and seems like you did an excellent research fellowship after not matching, and got a big name letter. Wouldn't you agree that the away rotations (which is necessary for sure, no doubt) combined with your fellowship and excellent letter/calls from a pretty influential faculty member is what did it for you this time around?Congratulations on matching!
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Not creeped out at all. I put it out there, and am open with everything. There is no question that the research fellowship made all the difference (better letters, actual research, and everything that comes with it). I did ultimately match where I rotated though, and was told that having rotated there really impacted my chances. Not sure which school you're at (you can PM me if you want to talk about the DO programs etc), but three people my year tried for ophtho and none of us matched MD. One matched DO, one went into another field, and I went for the fellowship and was successful this time. It's rough for DO's, but I'd say to do as many auditions as you can get away with, obviously targeting programs that have taken/take us.
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Recently matched at the program where I did my away. I scheduled my away right after my home ophtho rotation. I was proactive and enthusiastic during my rotation there. Also tried to help out the residents as much as possible without stepping on their toes. Definitely need to know the basic like tech'ing patients, using the lenses if you want to impress.
But away is not everything, you will NOT match at the program you do your away just because you rotate there. Scores, grades, letters and the INTERVIEW are more important. Being able to convince that program why you want to be back as a resident after your rotation is the most important factor in my opinion
But away is not everything, you will NOT match at the program you do your away just because you rotate there. Scores, grades, letters and the INTERVIEW are more important. Being able to convince that program why you want to be back as a resident after your rotation is the most important factor in my opinion