Elective Ortho Rotation during 3rd year

[World's Tallest Doctor]

Hoping I can get a little help making this decision. So I want to go into ortho and I have an elective rotation coming up in Feb. I am deciding where to do it and that is my conundrum. My one option is doing it at St. Joseph Warren Hospital in Ohio and they have a residency there. I only have 2 auditions my 4th year so I was thinking about possibly using this as a semi-audition to maybe gain an interview later as well as work with residents and learn from them. My second option is working one on one with apparently a wonderful ortho guy in a smaller rural setting. I guess he lets you do a lot of injections and stuff. So do I go with the residency place and hopefully do well enough to maybe gain an interview later? Or go with the one on one experience and hopefully get a letter of recommendation out of him (he graduated from a residency that I want to go to)? Please help!

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[DrMcLovin]

I was in the same situation last year and did an away with a residency because I had no guidance. Having said that, 100% go with the 1 on 1 for your third year rotation. Having a LOR or 2 going into 4th year would be a huge stress reliever.

 

[Waterskier15]

I personally disagree, I think the opportunity to work with an ortho program with a residency is far superior than working with a community doc. If you work hard on your rotation, meet expectations of the residents, and be a genuinely decent person to work with, you will likely leave a good impression on the program. Also, you may end up with a LOR from an attending or the program director which is superior than a LOR from a community doc.

 

[DokterMom]

In many competitive specialties, you are more likely to harm your chances than help them with an away rotation, particularly if you "look good on paper." I'd guess this would be particularly true earlier in your training.

The one on-one-rural opportunity sounds like it could really teach you something, thereby improving your performance for your 4th year audition rotations. Additionally, if this rural Dr trained at the program that is your first choice? -- That's a potentially big bonus.

 

[DrMcLovin]

Im not sure if you are familiar with the DO match process, but in my experience it was hit or miss with getting a letter during audition rotations. In some programs you barely ever work with an attending 1 on 1. A lot of DO programs will invite you for an interview but refuse to write a letter because it makes you “less likely to match there.” At an MD place, the PD straight up asked if anyone was looking for a letter on the first day. Completely different than our osteopathic auditions.

I did an ortho away 3rd year and only worked with the same attending 2 days in the OR. No interview or LOR from them despite >10 ortho interview invites this year. I also sucked at ortho initially since I didn’t know what was important yet. The community doc will most likely write a letter and teach you what you need to know for your 4th year auditions.

In short, DO programs mainly care about scores and your 4th year audition. Having a good ortho letter going in will save you a lot of headaches.

I just thought I would chime in because I had the same question during 3rd year. Probably lost a few hairs locking a letter down during 4th year auditions but it worked out. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I personally disagree, I think the opportunity to work with an ortho program with a residency is far superior than working with a community doc. If you work hard on your rotation, meet expectations of the residents, and be a genuinely decent person to work with, you will likely leave a good impression on the program. Also, you may end up with a LOR from an attending or the program director which is superior than a LOR from a community doc.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

The latter


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[VincentAdultman]

I think it may be more benefical to work one on one with a guy who can teach you stuff without the pressure of being on an "audition" rotation. If he likes you he can write you a letter or if you're lucky make a call on your behalf.

I don't think you want to be "semi auditioning" for anything as an MS3 when, lets be honest here, you don't know anything about orthopedics.