Few questions about Audition Rotation

[zoner]

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Sorry to post here. I haven't even started medical school yet, but I am curious about many aspects of what I will be facing during the clinical years, especially the 4th. So....

How important is it free up your time between July and November of your 4th year for electives to do your audition rotations? Say if I had to do two months of core rotation (say rural medicine) during that time, would that hurt my chance at matching into a competitive AOA residency? I have been given advises that one must rotate widely and early. But I also got some advises that those two months hardly make any difference. If the rural cores fall during that time, I would only have two months to do audition rotations before the application period closes considering July as my Step II prep month. I would appreciate any comment or thought regarding this.


Thanks in advance.

 

[DrBowtie]

Your need to have July as a Step II month solely depends on if you do well enough on Step I, and if you didn't do well enough on Step I, you won't be auditioning for competitive residencies. Most people who do well on Step I, postpone Step II until after apps are submitted.

The overall answer to your question, is YES, having that free time is important. Dean's letters are out earlier now and LORs are due even earlier. July/Aug/Sept really should be free to do your home 4th year rotation in the field and then 1-2 either audition or research months (this is field specific). October is starting to be late unless you don't need a letter.

 

[zoner]

Your need to have July as a Step II month solely depends on if you do well enough on Step I, and if you didn't do well enough on Step I, you won't be auditioning for competitive residencies. Most people who do well on Step I, postpone Step II until after apps are submitted.

The overall answer to your question, is YES, having that free time is important. Dean's letters are out earlier now and LORs are due even earlier. July/Aug/Sept really should be free to do your home 4th year rotation in the field and then 1-2 either audition or research months (this is field specific). October is starting to be late unless you don't need a letter.

What do you mean by the field? The rurals are the two of the three home 4th year rotations (besides ER). Could I get the LORs or the Dean's letters based on my first three years?

 

[DrBowtie]

What do you mean by the field? The rurals are the two of the three home 4th year rotations (besides ER). Could I get the LORs or the Dean's letters based on my first three years?

The field meaning Derm, Ophtho etc.

Unless you have meaningful experiences in those subspecialties through research or are able to do electives in 3rd year, you won't be able to get letters until 4th year.

The unwritten LOR rules for each field vary too. For example, in Rads they want no more than 2 Rads letters and value medicine and surgery letters.
I was told by my surgery classmates that they needed pretty much 3-4 surgery letters.

And just do the Rurals as your last few rotations in 4th year after the match stuff is done.

 

[zoner]

The field meaning Derm, Ophtho etc.

Unless you have meaningful experiences in those subspecialties through research or are able to do electives in 3rd year, you won't be able to get letters until 4th year.

The unwritten LOR rules for each field vary too. For example, in Rads they want no more than 2 Rads letters and value medicine and surgery letters.
I was told by my surgery classmates that they needed pretty much 3-4 surgery letters.

And just do the Rurals as your last few rotations in 4th year after the match stuff is done.

1) do the LORs have to be from the related field of specialty you are interested in?

2) what if you have no control over when the rural core rotations fall? They could just as easily fall during August to December.

3) can you get LORs from where you are audition rotating or only from your home institution?

4) So say, I did very well in step I and applying to a very competitive residency, when is a good month to take off to study for step II?

BTW, I am talking about AOA field here. I will only be applying to AOA residency since there is no chance at matching into ACGME in the field I am interested in as a DO.

 

[as1212559]

He just said that the LOR demands vary depending on the intended specialty.

Also, the AOA match won't be around when you come through so you might as well quit worrying about that.

 

[zoner]

He just said that the LOR demands vary depending on the intended specialty.

Also, the AOA match won't be around when you come through so you might as well quit worrying about that.

there will still be AOA residencies which means they will most likely still only look at students that have rotated there. also, there will still be heavy bias against DOs in competitive ACGME residencies.

 

[DrBowtie]

1) do the LORs have to be from the related field of specialty you are interested in?

2) what if you have no control over when the rural core rotations fall? They could just as easily fall during August to December.

3) can you get LORs from where you are audition rotating or only from your home institution?

4) So say, I did very well in step I and applying to a very competitive residency, when is a good month to take off to study for step II?

BTW, I am talking about AOA field here. I will only be applying to AOA residency since there is no chance at matching into ACGME in the field I am interested in as a DO.

1. As said, it varies on field. Surgical fields want letters from surgeons. Rads is more broad.

2. Your school is doing you a huge disservice if they are scheduled for then.

3. Both, hence why you want your auditions early enough for LORs to be sent in and included.

4. You don't need to take off a month to study for Step II.

As mentioned above, the mechanics of the match will be changed by the time you go through. Don't worry too much about this stuff.

Focus on your grades, step 1, and getting research. Those are the only things that matter right now during preclinical. Once you get a "qualifying" Step 1 score, then you can start to figure out your 3rd and 4th year schedules.

 

[zoner]

1. As said, it varies on field. Surgical fields want letters from surgeons. Rads is more broad.

2. Your school is doing you a huge disservice if they are scheduled for then.

3. Both, hence why you want your auditions early enough for LORs to be sent in and included.

4. You don't need to take off a month to study for Step II.

As mentioned above, the mechanics of the match will be changed by the time you go through. Don't worry too much about this stuff.

Focus on your grades, step 1, and getting research. Those are the only things that matter right now during preclinical. Once you get a "qualifying" Step 1 score, then you can start to figure out your 3rd and 4th year schedules.

but does number 2 still apply even with combined residency?

 

[DrBowtie]

but does number 2 still apply even with combined residency?

You'll have to see what the timeline is of the match by the time you are applying. The ACGME match just this year moved up the Dean's letter release so who knows how else things will change.