Elective rotations

[jonwilli]

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I know this has probably been posted a hundred times, and if so, maybe someone could direct me there instead of wasting a new thread.....

I am trying to schedule my fourth year electives. I am an osteopathic student who is going to attempt to do an allopathic residency due to location reasons among others. My electives are in June, Sept, and end of November. First, should i do all EM electives at my top 3 choices. Secondly, in which elective rotation is a "prime time" for my number one choice. Also, should i even do this many EM rotations, as I will also have my scheduled EM rotation which is not a teaching program for EM.

Any help is greatly appreciated......

Jonathan

 

[DrQuinn]

Originally posted by jonwilli
I am trying to schedule my fourth year electives. I am an osteopathic student who is going to attempt to do an allopathic residency due to location reasons among others. My electives are in June, Sept, and end of November. First, should i do all EM electives at my top 3 choices. Secondly, in which elective rotation is a "prime time" for my number one choice. Also, should i even do this many EM rotations, as I will also have my scheduled EM rotation which is not a teaching program for EM.

Four EM electives (including one core EM elective) is quite a bit. That being said, I did one EM Core at a non EM residency ED, and two "audition" electives. To be honest, by the end of my third EM rotation, I was getting a little bored of it. Not of EM itself but of trying to audition. You really kick it up a notch when you're out there (or are supposed to). Ugh, I would hate to do three of those.

August and September are your better choices. June is good too, I guess, but I think August is perfect. You'll (hopefully) get a letter written and in time for ERAS. October and Nov are definately later... Oct being the better of the two. From your three choices, I would go with June and Sept. Nov is too late.

Q, DO

 

[DocWagner]

I tend to agree with Q. September would be favorable as it makes it closer to interview time and the interns have had an opportunity to settle in. More focus can be placed upon you.

4 EM rotations is alot, if you haven't taken an anesthesiology month or rads month (or split them as I did), try it. Perhaps pulmonology or cards if it is not already required.
And remember to do a roatation at a site where you have a decent shot. Make sure they have taken DO's in the past...don't waste your shot.

 

[jonwilli]

Thanks for the quick replies. So, the consensus is just do my top 2 choices in June and Sept and use the Nov. rotation for something different, right? My top two only take around 1-2 DOs a year. Is this too risky? My third choice takes considerably more...

Thanks,
jonathan

 

[DrQuinn]

Originally posted by jonwilli
Thanks for the quick replies. So, the consensus is just do my top 2 choices in June and Sept and use the Nov. rotation for something different, right? My top two only take around 1-2 DOs a year. Is this too risky? My third choice takes considerably more...

Thanks,
jonathan

Sure, sounds good to me and the only other poster on this thread. I don't think its too risky. All you need is to be a solid all around applicant, and get some LORs. No need to do audition rotations more than two times, IMHO. Who knows you may be a dufus in real life and your audition rotations can screw you up. The most important part is getting that dang LOR, that should be your MAIN MISSION!
(besides doing well overall, learning EM, seeing if EM is for you, and evaluating that program first-hand)

Q, DO

 

[beyond all hope]

Other notes:

Try to go to at least one 'name' program and get a good letter from someone high up (PD, assist PD). This helps a lot. I probably got an extra two or three interviews simply because I had a strong letter from a name program.

That being said, find someone at said program who you think you'll get along with and do a lot of shifts with that person and present cases to them a lot. That way, when they write you a letter, they know you a little better. It's very easy to never run into someone in the ER unless you schedule carefully, and the letter won't be that good if you've only done 1 or 2 shifts together.

Don't waste your time trying to impress residents. 1) They've been where you are, and they know what you're up to 2) rarely are their opinions asked, unless they are senior or cheif residents.

Volunteer for all procedures, don't be shy!

 

[DocWagner]

Well, I have a slight variation on the above post. Many programs, including my own, has SIGNIFICANT contribution by all levels of residents. Significant.
Bottom line: work hard, make a positive impression on ALL residents and staff. Don't brown nose. Admit mistakes and share the praise when it comes.
Absolutely volunteer for procedures.

 

[DrQuinn]

*sigh* agree with DW.

Atleast at our program, although a recommendation by us (as the first class) may not get you IN, a poor opinion of a medical student will sure to get you OUT and not ranked.

Q, DO