Figuring out away rotations

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pmrhopeful

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Hi everyone,

I'm a third year right now halfway through and trying to figure out how many away rotations I should do and where I should do them. I've done 6 weeks at my home program. My step 1 score is in the 210s which I know is on the low end, 3 honors and 2 high passes in clerkships so far, and I'm on the east coast. I don't care where in the country I end up. My goal is to work with prosthetics/MSK and find a residency program that does a lot of research. I have a few first author publications in med school so far in the field.

With my step score I don't know where I could do an away rotation that wouldn't be a waste at a place that I generally wouldn't be considered (spaulding, RIC, pitt, etc). Could anyone point me in the right direction for what programs I could look at?

Thank you
 
Hi everyone,

I'm a third year right now halfway through and trying to figure out how many away rotations I should do and where I should do them. I've done 6 weeks at my home program. My step 1 score is in the 210s which I know is on the low end, 3 honors and 2 high passes in clerkships so far, and I'm on the east coast. I don't care where in the country I end up. My goal is to work with prosthetics/MSK and find a residency program that does a lot of research. I have a few first author publications in med school so far in the field.

With my step score I don't know where I could do an away rotation that wouldn't be a waste at a place that I generally wouldn't be considered (spaulding, RIC, pitt, etc). Could anyone point me in the right direction for what programs I could look at?

Thank you

Go where you want to go. It sounds simplistic...but there is no way to predict if you'd be more competitive at a lower tiered program.

I know that you're concerned about your Step 1...but it's not that bad. How are your scores important? It is often a very easily sorted piece of information, so programs will use it when issuing interviews. But it is far less important once you already have an interview...usually only serving as a tie-breaker at most. And often, audition equals interview. I know personally, if I was a PD that I'd take an applicant that I knew and thought highly of, before I'd take an applicant I didn't know with higher scores. When PMR residents fail, it is very unlikely to be due to incompetence. It's almost always personality issues and difficulty being a team player. PDs know this and that is why it is not a surprise that they rank people they like over people who can take a test well.

Auditions are an opportunity...an opportunity to show that you know your stuff in spite of your below average score. And it is also an opportunity to learn at a great teaching hospital. It could also help you get a LOR from a world renown specialist in the field. If you want exposure in amputee and prosthetics, I'd give RIC a look. If you want to see MSK insanity, come visit Mayo. If you want to stay on the East Coast for residency...take a look at Spaulding or Kessler. Don't sell yourself short.
 
I fully agree with j4pac- PM&R tends to be a forgiving field. Pick programs you would ideally love to end up at. Work hard and show intiative during your rotation and you'll more than likely be rewarded with an interview. IF some of the top tier places still don't offer one because of your scores, letters of rec from those places will serve you well in their interview season. TLDR-- shoot for the stars.
 
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