Coming In With a Narrow Focus

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

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For those of you who started med school with a fairly concrete specialty goal, did you go all out from the beginning or play it slow?

I'm fairly sure I'll end up pursuing the specialty my spouse is in, which I have had a lot of exposure to and really like, although there are a few others that I plan to consider.

I've had people suggest to get involved early, show up to journal club, grand rounds, etc. as an MS1. But that seems like you easily run the risk of being annoying and seeming too gunnerish rather than just very interested. Thoughts?

 

[Daodejing]

if the specialty is competitive, it can go 1 of 2 ways:
1) you go all out your first 2 years, hopefully get your interest recognized, knock step 1 out the park, continue to impress in your clinical years now with the numbers to prove you belong
2) you go all out your first 2 years, hopefully get your interest recognized, do subpar on step 1, rest of time in clinicals is an uphill climb - depending on whether your board score qualifies you for your desired specialty or not.

if the specialty is less competitive, the point is moot. although, most every specialty is becoming increasingly competitive. Such are the times. If you are aiming for a competitive field and would like to show early interest, then try to, for example, find research that can apply to multiple fields. This way you'll have your bases covered, in case you change your mind later on.

 

[fastlane]

You can be narrow focused yet still open minded. Focus on this specialty as if you know you will be matching in it in 3 years, but still keep your mind open to the things around you. During rotations if you decide you want to switch your focus, then do so. From my POV (I'm an M1), it should not hurt your future residency application if you work towards this specific goal and decide to switch goals later.

 

[mvenus929]

I played it slow. Kept an open mind, went to various interest club meetings, and tried to learn everything I could. It became quite clear during third year that I was still going to pursue the specialty I wanted to during first year, so I kept it up.

 

[JJMrK]

Going to every grand rounds and journal club session as an MS1 is overkill. The best way to show interest is to get involved in research early and publish as much as you can. Demonstrate your interest through productivity and your faculty will notice and take care of you.

 

[wamcp]

If you want to do something like radonc, ortho, ENT, neurosurg etc. Gunnering it up early on can only help you in that regard. Just try to keep your d-bag level down as much as possible 🤣

 

[Arkangeloid]

Just want to say that I hope your heart isn't set on a super-competitive specialty, or you may end up like some of our unmatched MS4s who were gunning for Derm and Ortho. The game gets harder and harder every year, especially for top specialties.

I think most of them SOAPed into FP or IM or something, but I know a few didn't.

 

[dyspareunia]

Please don't show up to grand rounds as an M1. Just do research if you're really interested.

 

[Arkangeloid]

Uh, what ARE "grand rounds"?

 

[dyspareunia]

If you want to do something like radonc, ortho, ENT, neurosurg etc. Gunnering it up early on can only help you in that regard. Just try to keep your d-bag level down as much as possible 🤣

Not sure why showing interest makes you a dbag.

 

[Daodejing]

Just want to say that I hope your heart isn't set on a super-competitive specialty, or you may end up like some of our unmatched MS4s who were gunning for Derm and Ortho. The game gets harder and harder every year, especially for top specialties.

I think most of them SOAPed into FP or IM or something, but I know a few didn't.

If OP's heart heart is set on a competitive specialty, your response is to advise against his/her goals? Wow, you must be a real winner.
Everyone knows those fields are competitive, and the road is tougher - it's no secret. That doesn't mean they should abandon hope and stop persevering.

 

[mvenus929]

Uh, what ARE "grand rounds"?

Presentations, usually by visiting attendings, on various topics applicable to the field. They're usually weekly as part of the resident and faculty education requirements.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Just want to say that I hope your heart isn't set on a super-competitive specialty, or you may end up like some of our unmatched MS4s who were gunning for Derm and Ortho. The game gets harder and harder every year, especially for top specialties.

I think most of them SOAPed into FP or IM or something, but I know a few didn't.

Thanks for the warning. Definitely not the guy that's gonna be gunning for Ortho/Derm/rad onc. Most interested in EM at this point. Haven't had too much exposure to several other specialties, but I'm 99.9% sure I won't be going after anything surgical due to family/lifestyle.

 

[hmockingbird]

We had a presentation about getting into residency by a doctor here who is one of our academic advisors, and she said if you're interested in a competitive specialty you should try to do research in that specialty, because you can always "step down" (like, peds won't care if you did surgery research, they'll just like that you did research) but it's harder to "step up" (surgery would prefer that you did surgery research, not peds). Just one opinion but it made sense to me.

I'm interested in a specific specialty but I'm also trying to keep an open mind when I do clinicals next year. #1 - I don't want to miss out on something I would like better just because I was so set on my original specialty that I was blind to the good things about others. #2 - I also think I'll enjoy my clinical rotations more if I try to be enthusiastic about all the specialties (within reason lol, not the super gunner), even if I'm pretty sure it's not something I'd want to do.

 

[Arkangeloid]

If OP's heart heart is set on a competitive specialty, your response is to advise against his/her goals? Wow, you must be a real winner.
Everyone knows those fields are competitive, and the road is tougher - it's no secret. That doesn't mean they should abandon hope and stop persevering.

But everyone hears about the winners, the guys who come in with their hearts set on Derm/Ortho/NeuSu/Uro/etc and who make it there and life happily ever after. And everyone thinks they are going to be among those winners.

And then we have almost 10% of our class at a US Allo school go unmatched because they were deluded enough to think that.


It's worth hearing everyone's story. Not everyone can make it to the top in medicine, and most don't.

 

[dyspareunia]

But everyone hears about the winners, the guys who come in with their hearts set on Derm/Ortho/NeuSu/Uro/etc and who make it there and life happily ever after. And everyone thinks they are going to be among those winners.

And then we have almost 10% of our class at a US Allo school go unmatched because they were deluded enough to think that.


It's worth hearing everyone's story. Not everyone can make it to the top in medicine, and most don't.

That's because 8-9% of your class applied, interviewed, and ranked schools like an idiot.

 

[DrCharlemagne]

Please don't show up to grand rounds as an M1. Just do research if you're really interested.

I attend grand rounds as a technician when the topics are interesting/pertain to my work. If we sit real quiet and act meek, is it okay to watch?

 

[Arkangeloid]

That's because 8-9% of your class applied, interviewed, and ranked schools like an idiot.

They followed their hearts.

But I guess we can agree that that does make them idiots.

 

[dyspareunia]

I attend grand rounds as a technician when the topics are interesting/pertain to my work. If we sit real quiet and act meek, is it okay to watch?

As a technician you know more about the pertinent topics than any MS1 does (unless that MS1 was also a technician). My suggestion to not attend as an MS1 has nothing to do with being "just" an MS1, but everything to do with having no idea what's going on and likely having more important things to do (like study).

They followed their hearts.

But I guess we can agree that that does make them idiots.

They followed their egos.

 

[Arkangeloid]

They followed their egos.

The distinction is academic.

 

[DermViser]

For those of you who started med school with a fairly concrete specialty goal, did you go all out from the beginning or play it slow?

I'm fairly sure I'll end up pursuing the specialty my spouse is in, which I have had a lot of exposure to and really like, although there are a few others that I plan to consider.

I've had people suggest to get involved early, show up to journal club, grand rounds, etc. as an MS1. But that seems like you easily run the risk of being annoying and seeming too gunnerish rather than just very interested. Thoughts?

Yeah, uh no. If you're going to participate in research projects, this is fine. Showing up to journal club or grand rounds as an MS-1 is ridiculous.

 

[DermViser]

Just want to say that I hope your heart isn't set on a super-competitive specialty, or you may end up like some of our unmatched MS4s who were gunning for Derm and Ortho. The game gets harder and harder every year, especially for top specialties.

I think most of them SOAPed into FP or IM or something, but I know a few didn't.

This is where being flexible is key. Depending on their application, some of those MS-4s probably had no business whatsoever applying to Derm or Ortho. At least in Derm, there are those who still wish to pursue it, and do a research fellowship after completing an internship.

 

[DermViser]

Uh, what ARE "grand rounds"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_rounds

 

[DermViser]

If OP's heart heart is set on a competitive specialty, your response is to advise against his/her goals? Wow, you must be a real winner.
Everyone knows those fields are competitive, and the road is tougher - it's no secret. That doesn't mean they should abandon hope and stop persevering.

The key is not to be inflexible, I think. There are tons of people every year, who wish to enter a relatively competitive specialty and even after seeing their stats, how they look on paper, etc. STILL pursue fields they have no business applying to. It's the lack of insight with choosing another specialty which is at issue.

 

[DermViser]

That's because 8-9% of your class applied, interviewed, and ranked schools like an idiot.

I don't think you really understood what he was getting at.

 

[dyspareunia]

I don't think you really understood what he was getting at.

I understood what he was getting at. I don't think he understood that for most unmatched people the reason is applying unintelligently.