Can I spend most of M4 in California if I go to an OOS med school?

[InvisibleDeck]

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I got accepted to a DO school that I can commute to my home in California (and it’s only an hour from my fiancée), and an out of state MD program on the other end of the country. I’m interested in eventually practicing in California, and if I go to the out of state school I’d want to do a lot of aways in CA 4th year to be near my fiancée and family. The MD program only has a couple required rotations in 4th year that have to be done near the med school. Is it generally feasible and/or common for a med student attending an out of state school to spend most of their 4th year doing aways in another state? Or is it just too much of a logistical nightmare? And when are M4 away rotations typically scheduled?

 

[frenchyn]

I got accepted to a DO school close to my home in California (and an hour from my fiancée), and an out of state MD program on the other end of the country. I’m interested in eventually practicing in California, and if I go to the out of state school I’d want to do a lot of aways in CA 4th year to be near my fiancée and family. The MD program only has a couple required rotations in 4th year that have to be done near the med school. Is it generally feasible and/or common for a med student attending an out of state school to spend most of their 4th year doing aways in another state? Or is it just too much of a logistical nightmare? And when are M4 away rotations typically scheduled?

I am not familiar w DO schools...but for MD, if i do all aways in one state, it shows my geographical preference, decrease my chance to interview or match at programs in west or east coast.

 

[InvisibleDeck]

I am not familiar w DO schools...but for MD, if i do all aways in one state, it shows my geographical preference, decrease my chance to interview or match at programs in west or east coast.

I’m not following. Are you suggesting that if I do all of my aways in CA that would reduce my chance of matching in CA? In any case the main thing I’m wondering is whether this is something that a lot of students do.

 

[Oedipa Maas]

I know someone who did this. She finished most of her required in state rotations for fourth year and then basically moved to the state where her boyfriend was and did aways there for the rest of her required credits. I think she had to ultimately come back for a rotation or two in the spring because she didn’t get her first choice of schedule. Just curious - is your fiancée unable to move with you if you were to choose the school further away?

 

[Med Ed]

I got accepted to a DO school close to my home in California (and an hour from my fiancée), and an out of state MD program on the other end of the country. I’m interested in eventually practicing in California, and if I go to the out of state school I’d want to do a lot of aways in CA 4th year to be near my fiancée and family. The MD program only has a couple required rotations in 4th year that have to be done near the med school. Is it generally feasible and/or common for a med student attending an out of state school to spend most of their 4th year doing aways in another state? Or is it just too much of a logistical nightmare? And when are M4 away rotations typically scheduled?

It doesn't matter. This is the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment. You can go to DO school near California and get a marshmallow now, or you can go to MD school across the country and get 9,000 marshmallows in 4 years.

Your call.

 

[InvisibleDeck]

I know someone who did this. She finished most of her required in state rotations for fourth year and then basically moved to the state where her boyfriend was and did aways there for the rest of her required credits. I think she had to ultimately come back for a rotation or two in the spring because she didn’t get her first choice of schedule. Just curious - is your fiancée unable to move with you if you were to choose the school further away?

Thanks for the response! She finishes her PhD program when I’d be entering M4, assuming she finishes on time.

 

[frenchyn]

I’m not following. Are you suggesting that if I do all of my aways in CA that would reduce my chance of matching in CA? In any case the main thing I’m wondering is whether this is something that a lot of students do.

It will decrease your chance to match at other programs elsewhere. You don’t plan to apply to match only at CA programs right?

 

[InvisibleDeck]

It will decrease your chance to match at other programs elsewhere. You don’t plan to apply to match only at CA programs right?

I see what you’re saying. Of course I’ll apply outside of CA too, but I also think rotating in CA could potentially be justified economically as a way to save on rent. Between my fiancées apartment, my house, and my fiancee’s family’s house, most major hospitals in SoCal would be within a half hour drive.

 

[frenchyn]

I see what you’re saying. Of course I’ll apply outside of CA too, but I also think rotating in CA could potentially be justified economically as a way to save on rent. Between my fiancées apartment, my house, and my fiancee’s family’s house, most major hospitals in SoCal would be within a half hour drive.

Well PDs may not care about pocket. Depend on the specialty too...if one does not care about subI then you may be fine...if one cares, then they may just say you only want to match in Ca, why waste interview invite or rank you? It is a big red flag actually

 

[Davidfromcali]

n=1 but I had a friend do all but 2 rotations in CA his 4th year; however finding preceptors was left to him to figure out

 

[EmergDO]

I got accepted to a DO school that I can commute to my home in California (and it’s only an hour from my fiancée), and an out of state MD program on the other end of the country. I’m interested in eventually practicing in California, and if I go to the out of state school I’d want to do a lot of aways in CA 4th year to be near my fiancée and family. The MD program only has a couple required rotations in 4th year that have to be done near the med school. Is it generally feasible and/or common for a med student attending an out of state school to spend most of their 4th year doing aways in another state? Or is it just too much of a logistical nightmare? And when are M4 away rotations typically scheduled?

People in my DO school spent their entire 4th year away from school. Some spent it all in cali, others in Florida so it's definitely possible. You'd schedule these rotations during your 3rd year.

You should go to the MD school if you want to maximize your chances of returning to California, especially if you want to stay in Los Angeles.

 

[InvisibleDeck]

People in my DO school spent their entire 4th year away from school. Some spent it all in cali, others in Florida so it's definitely possible. You'd schedule these rotations during your 3rd year.

You should go to the MD school if you want to maximize your chances of returning to California, especially if you want to stay in Los Angeles.

Thanks man. Do the people you know who did that have difficulties matching because of it? Or did they generally do ok?

 

[hellanutella]

Only spent 3 months on the East Coast during MS4, with the remainder in CA thanks to aways, Step2, and remote research for credit. Would have been spending most of my time during 2020 abroad for international electives, but Madam 'Rona had other ideas... so it was back to CA.

Depends on your school, but a good chunk of my class finished their leases December of MS4 and moved back to wherever their home was. In a less eventful 2020, they would have just stayed in an AirBnB for our 2-week residency bootcamp course.

Regardless, I wouldn't choose a school based on their MS4. And I wouldn't bank even on the best laid-plains, as this year has taught us a great deal about the unpredictable nature of life.

 

[libertyyne]

If your school allows you to. If you have any interest in more competitive specialties you will want to go to the MD school and will have to be content in spending residency where ever you match.

 

[InvisibleDeck]

If your school allows you to. If you have any interest in more competitive specialties you will want to go to the MD school and will have to be content in spending residency where ever you match.

Yeah. I’m leaning towards primary care but also I haven’t yet seen most of medicine. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But it’s difficult to convince your family and your local elderly grandparents who you visited basically daily pre corona that it makes sense to leave them to go to a better school (my fiancée reluctantly acknowledged the virtues of the MD degree after I talked with her about it). Hence I’m still on the fence.

 

[medstud56]

jesus a lot of newly accepted med students already concerned about making the bolt back to CA lately

If you want to do residency at an academic place (UCSD, UCLA, UCSF, USC , etc.) go for the MD
Keep in mind if you want to do anything competitive, go for the MD as well, but you will have very little control over your location , you go where you get in, like med school

 

[RhesusPuffs]

I got accepted to a DO school that I can commute to my home in California (and it’s only an hour from my fiancée), and an out of state MD program on the other end of the country. I’m interested in eventually practicing in California, and if I go to the out of state school I’d want to do a lot of aways in CA 4th year to be near my fiancée and family. The MD program only has a couple required rotations in 4th year that have to be done near the med school. Is it generally feasible and/or common for a med student attending an out of state school to spend most of their 4th year doing aways in another state? Or is it just too much of a logistical nightmare? And when are M4 away rotations typically scheduled?

Go with the MD school. I faced the exact same decision when I was choosing schools. Did 3 years of long distance with my wife (who was in CA while I was on the east coast). I spent 9/12 months of my 4th year in CA, did all aways in CA, and ended up matching in CA. I initially regretted the decision to not stay home in the DO school, but now I think it's the best decision I've ever made.

 

[RhesusPuffs]

jesus a lot of newly accepted med students already concerned about making the bolt back to CA lately

If you want to do residency at an academic place (UCSD, UCLA, UCSF, USC , etc.) go for the MD
Keep in mind if you want to do anything competitive, go for the MD as well, but you will have very little control over your location , you go where you get in, like med school

Their fiance is in CA, so obviously they are going to care.

 

[medstud56]

Their fiance is in CA, so obviously they are going to care.

Yeah i know. I also want to go back (all my family is there too)
Just a statement as there has been a lot of these posts recently

 

[lanzhou_lamian]

n=1, but I have a friend that did the MD option you're describing. He went to an MD school on the east coast, but his SO was in CA. He basically did all of his 4th year as aways in CA, then eventually matched back at a very good CA program (one of the programs he rotated in.) Now they're happily living together in CA.

 

[Mass Effect]

Forget location for a moment. If given a choice between MD and DO, MD should win almost every time.

 

[Oedipa Maas]

Your fiancée should talk to their PI about some options too. For friends who matched out of state with partners earning their PhDs, some PIs were very flexible. One offered a schedule that was like 8 weeks in lab then 4 weeks of work-from-home data processing/writing aka get to work from “home” in same state as significant other for a month. This then cycled so the person would get to spend a month with their SO every two months. Certainly better than only seeing your SO on your short breaks or two personal days per year.

 

[Hopeful101]

It doesn't matter. This is the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment. You can go to DO school near California and get a marshmallow now, or you can go to MD school across the country and get 9,000 marshmallows in 4 years.

Your call.

Or maybe you loose your fiancé, and end up having to eat marshmallows all day for the rest of your life...Also half of us end up hating 'marshmallows' anyways. So yeah...

 

[InvisibleDeck]

Go with the MD school. I faced the exact same decision when I was choosing schools. Did 3 years of long distance with my wife (who was in CA while I was on the east coast). I spent 9/12 months of my 4th year in CA, did all aways in CA, and ended up matching in CA. I initially regretted the decision to not stay home in the DO school, but now I think it's the best decision I've ever made.

Thanks for sharing. I’d love to talk with you about that if you have some time over the next few days. If you’re interested send me a DM.

 

[AlteredScale]

I got accepted to a DO school that I can commute to my home in California (and it’s only an hour from my fiancée), and an out of state MD program on the other end of the country. I’m interested in eventually practicing in California, and if I go to the out of state school I’d want to do a lot of aways in CA 4th year to be near my fiancée and family. The MD program only has a couple required rotations in 4th year that have to be done near the med school. Is it generally feasible and/or common for a med student attending an out of state school to spend most of their 4th year doing aways in another state? Or is it just too much of a logistical nightmare? And when are M4 away rotations typically scheduled?

It depends on the specialty. As a US MD you may need to spend more time out in CA if you are going for a competitive specialty. As a DO you will need to spend more time even in less competitive specialties like FM and IM.

Anecdotally speaking my DO colleague spent their entire time in CA for fourth year for IM. They did not receive interviews at 2-3 places even though they they did rotations there (cedars, UCI, USC I believe) but they did end up marching in one of their top 5 in CA.


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[InvisibleDeck]

Thanks everyone for getting back to me— after discussing the matter with my fiancée we decided that the best choice was to go for the OOS MD program.

 

[123456123456]

California is one of the harder places to get auditions and stuff from what I understand because it is a desirable state.
But I still suggest the MD school for your careers sake and I say that as a 4th yr DO student

 

[Med Ed]

Thanks everyone for getting back to me— after discussing the matter with my fiancée we decided that the best choice was to go for the OOS MD program.

Good choice. The short-term may not be entirely fun, but it will pay dividends for your career.