Elective Rotation

[studyinghard]

Hey,
I'm trying to schedule an elective rotation in the second to last month of my fourth year, and am debating between anesthesia where I will have to opportunity to do some intubations and a community EM elective, where I will hopefully be able to see the alternative to an academic practice style.

Which would be more enlightening before an EM internship? Any thoughts?

- studyinghard

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[Apollyon]

Well, I don't know about the "medical student in a community ED" paradigm, as, as a student, there MUST be academic things happening (that's why you are there), but that is the opposite of the community EM perspective - to move the meat.

As a resident, it's a different story, because it's something you MUST learn, and you bring skills with you. As a med student, you're much more of an "unknown quantity".

So, I might lean towards the gas block.

 

[Spunky Monkey]

You are going to do plenty of community ED during your residency. I would work on honing skills at this time...ie, anesthesia.

Best wishes

 

[opb]

I agree with Spunky Monkey. I think doing an elective in which you get some good procedural experience (i.e. anesthesia) or an elective which covers stuff you will need during residency but won't get much exposure to would be better than rotating at a community ED.

I'm planning on taking ID so I can get more experience with antibiotics and bugs. Also planning on doing an anesthesia rotation. Tox or derm could also be good, in my opinion.

 

[Apollyon]

Tox or derm could also be good, in my opinion.

Derm COULD be? Trust me, as an EM doc, you will see so many rashes that you have no idea what they are (or, to rephrase, you THINK you know, but, in the back of your mind, you're thinking of the variant of the REALLY BAD THING, and could this be it?), and any time spent with a skin doc is good stuff.