Doing an away not in your chosen specialty?

[Green Grass]

Has anyone ever heard of someone doing an away rotation in a certain location, but not in their chosen specialty? For example, someone wanting to go into surgery does an away rotation in radiology. I can't see the harm in it as long as you take the rotation seriously, but does anyone else have experience or opinions? Thanks.

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[Depakote]

Has anyone ever heard of someone doing an away rotation in a certain location, but not in their chosen specialty? For example, someone wanting to go into surgery does an away rotation in radiology. I can't see the harm in it as long as you take the rotation seriously, but does anyone else have experience or opinions? Thanks.

I don't know about doing something in a totally unrelated field in terms of helping your application to the institution. But, I'm planning on doing some aways in related fields as my school limits the number of months we may do in a specific specialty. So you might want to consider SICU or something like that if you're thinking about Surgery. Not that a totally unrelated away would be harmful.

 

[wondertwinkle]

Personally, I think it might not harm your application but it might be a waste of time for you. If you're interested in learning about something that's not offered at your home school, it's definitely worth it. Or if you're looking to get a rec letter from someone in a certain field that can add to your application, it would be a great idea. Also, if you're looking to set up an away at some place back home, I would go for it. Otherwise, aways are complicated to set up. They also are extremely expensive and can cost students thousands of dollars between staying somewhere, traveling costs & food.

 

[cpants]

Has anyone ever heard of someone doing an away rotation in a certain location, but not in their chosen specialty? For example, someone wanting to go into surgery does an away rotation in radiology. I can't see the harm in it as long as you take the rotation seriously, but does anyone else have experience or opinions? Thanks.

I just don't see the point in doing this. Unless you have a good reason, you should just take an elective at your home school.

 

[Deferoxamine]

Away rotations have become the "cool" commodity to brag about. It's like the yuppies who have to tell everyone about their summer home(s) or time shares in the Caribbean, or the lady they hire to walk their dog for them. And that if you don't have them or aren't doing an away rotation, you just haven't "made it".

Clearly, away rotations definitely matter for certain specialties (the U.P.R.O.A.D. specialties) and should be strategically selected and planned for waaay ahead of time in these cases. For all others, you should do away rotations only if your spouse or girlfriend is living somewhere else or if you absolutely hate your home institution THAT badly.

I'm spending my 4th year at my home institution and taking advantage of all they have to offer. This requires a glass half-full mentality. If you're one of those people who just like to complain, you'll find fault with everything and will be just as miserable anywhere else.

With the extra money I save, I will go on an extra interview or two, buy a few more things for myself, etc. Hell, I might even be able to afford a new girlfriend.

 

[Green Grass]

For all others, you should do away rotations only if your spouse or girlfriend is living somewhere else or if you absolutely hate your home institution THAT badly.

This is exactly the reason I asked the question. My wife is a medical student at a different school, thus I was thinking I could do 4, 8, 12... weeks at her school and actually get to live with my wife for a few months.

Plus, I'm a stuck-up yuppie that wants to tell everyone that I'm doing a bunch of aways. 😀

 

[cpants]

This is exactly the reason I asked the question. My wife is a medical student at a different school, thus I was thinking I could do 4, 8, 12... weeks at her school and actually get to live with my wife for a few months.

Plus, I'm a stuck-up yuppie that wants to tell everyone that I'm doing a bunch of aways. 😀

Ah, this is a good reason indeed. You'll definitely be able to do an away in the specialty of your choice, so that's one month. Doing aways in other specialties, that might be tough. At least at my school, the chairman of the department in question must approve your away elective. They might be reluctant to do so if you haven't taken the elective at home and/or you aren't interested in the field. Another aspect that might backfire on you is the fact that programs use these electives to evaluate prospective applicants. When it comes out that you aren't applying to the field, they might be annoyed that they wasted a slot which they could have used to evaluate a future resident. This could result in you getting less than stellar grades. Just something to keep in mind. Does she go to a school in a city with more than one school? Multiple aways in her city in the specialty of your choice would be your best bet.