Choosing away electives

[Casey]

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I was hoping someone might have some advice on a strategy to choose rad onc electives. I am at a state school in the South East that does not have a rad onc program. I have scheduled three blocks for away electives, but I am not sure where I should visit. Do most people aim at the ideal programs they would like to match at? Or should a student take a more realistic approach and concentrate on smaller regional programs? I think I am a relatively strong canidate, but I don't have the Ivy league background or loads of research.

Without a faculty adviser at my school, I am a little overwhelmed with trying to figure out where I might have the best options. Could anyone share their elective strategy?

Thanks,
Casey

 

[Ursus Martimus]

I know there are basically two schools of thought, the perpetual glass half full vs. half empty, optomist vs pessimist, ying vs, yang.

Select the place you would like to end up. This gives you the best opportunity to gain exposure to the program and personalities of the people you will be interacting with daily. This approach gives you important contacts in the program and perhaps you will even impress someone. Another important thing is checking out the area you will be living in. Is the place livable? Does it really matter?

Second approach, sadly pessimistic but there is perhaps some truth. Avoid the place that you want to end up at, especially if you look good on paper. The question is what is the chance you will really "WOW" someone as a medical student. And there is the chance that one person on the committee, for what ever reason doesn't like you. (Pretty rare in RadOnc, since most people I have met have been really cool.)

Like much in life, I think reality is between two extremes. If you are doing multiple rotations, maybe do the first at someone where you are not so hot on and then another at your realistically ideal place. You will have some experience under your belt and more likely to impress them with what you learned at the first rotation.

Of course, as I am going through the process right now, my advice is like the blind leading the blind. But, I thought I'd share. Good luck!

 

[pikachu]

Like Ursus I am just going through the process but I hope this will be helpful. I think it's early at this point to have an "ideal" place, especially if there's no program at your home institution to use as a comparison. It's difficult to judge from the internet information (or lack thereof) what a place is really like. So I would keep an open mind and choose a place (or 2) that appears to have a somewhat organized elective for students. Since you have so many electives, you can choose a couple different kinds of places (huge center versus smaller program). Most of the programs are at academic centers so you won't have to worry about the community/academic choice. Even if you rotate at a place you don't think you have a prayer at matching with, if you do well you can get a strong letter from a well-known attending which is helpful anywhere.

 

[Thaiger75]

My 2 cents is that if you have 3 rotations...one solution would be to do 1 at THE place you most want to match in, 1 at a place that you like but not sure of your chances at getting an interview (ie. top top tier program), then perhaps at one that is in an area that you would like to settle in the most (be it southeast, east, coast, etc.). If you were to do this, I would recommend saving the place you want to match in the most for last, as you would have 2 rad onc rotations under your belt and would know more and know which intelligent questions to ask.

An alternative is that if you are sure that you only want to be in one area, eg. in North Carolina...then do rotations in that area only (aka Duke, UNC, Wake Forest, would be an example).

 

[JTradonc]

***** - Edited by SDN Administration for TOS Violation
Above has my 2 cents on away rotation scheduling, for what it's worth.

-Jonathan

 

[Winged Scapula]

Above has my 2 cents on away rotation scheduling, for what it's worth.

-Jonathan

Jonathan...

Please read your PMs.