First Rotation

[DireWolf]

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I have an elective month for my very first rotation. Does anyone have any advice about which rotation would be the best to start out with?

I'm thinking maybe something general like IM or EM. I also want something relatively "easy" because I won't know anything.

thanks.

 

[DrQuinn]

Originally posted by DireWolf
I have an elective month for my very first rotation. Does anyone have any advice about which rotation would be the best to start out with?

I'm thinking maybe something general like IM or EM. I also want something relatively "easy" because I won't know anything.

thanks.

EM would be a poor choice for a first rotation. It can get pretty intense and in a busy ED, its hard to teach someone the basics. I did FP for my first month, and it was great.

HOWEVER, if you are a self-directed learner, and can learn QUICKLY, EM COULD be a good month... but since I'm an EM resident, I expect the students rotating through (we don't have 3rd years rotating) to have some level of clinical competence. (However, my bar is set pretty low).

Q, DO

 

[carrigallen]

An elective for your first rotation? 😵

I don't understand why someone would do this..?

 

[DireWolf]

Originally posted by carrigallen
An elective for your first rotation? 😵

I don't understand why someone would do this..?

This is not by choice. Our 3rd-4th year schedules are randomly assigned. I have three electives 3rd year and six electives 4th year. It just turns out my first rotation 3rd year is an elective. I would consider family practice first, but our school already requires three months of it- so no more fp for me.

 

[Fermi]

Originally posted by carrigallen
An elective for your first rotation? 😵

I don't understand why someone would do this..?

Well, depending on what your school calls an "elective," there are some great rotations you could choose to better prepare yourself for your core rotations. How about pathology? Or radiology? You could also try a surgical subspecialty that doesn't require prerequisites. Path would be a good choice because you have all that knowledge from the boards still crammed in there.

Alternatively, you could do a non-clinical elective, like an independent study or research.

I agree with Quinn, I wouldn't try EM even if you could--at my school, you have to take both IM and surg core rotations before taking EM, probably because you'll be dead weight if you're running around the ER not knowing how to do anything.

 

[DrMom]

I'm like Dire Wolf and start out with a true elective. I'm using it for vacation because my kiddo will be out of school. My third rotation is also an elective & I'll be doing radiology. I figured it would be good use of my time before I head into internal med & surgery.

BTW: at our school, these are really electives...empty months that we have to fill ourselves.

 

[BPKurtz]

Do radiology. Honestly. Knowing the basics of how to read a chest xray, KUB, renal ultrasound, or head CT (and when to order them) will come in handy on your other rotations. And unlike other electives, there's no real downside to taking it before you know how to present on rounds, interpret a set of electrolytes, admit from the ED, use the hospital computer system, write an order, wake up at 4 am, etc etc etc...

bpkurtz

 

[Idiopathic]

Yeah, I am doing radiology 3rd month and then something light weight the next month before core.

 

[DireWolf]

Interesting- I'm doing radiology my third month also.

 

[DrMom]

Originally posted by DireWolf
Interesting- I'm doing radiology my third month also.

Well, I'll be at St Francis for mine. Funny we're all on the same wavelength...

 

[Vincristine]

I find it interesting that you list IM as an "elective" -- how is it not a core clerkship? I was going to mention radiology as a good start, but you already have it in place.

I chose to do 4 weeks radiology then 12 weeks IM so that I could have the site I wanted for IM. Despite not thinking I learned much during radiology, I found I actually know way more than many of my classmates, but this might be because my program is VERY weak in radiology.

I agree with not starting with EM, and wouldn't even really consider it later if you've not completed IM yet.

How about path, nephrology, or nutrition?

 

[DrMom]

we do spend 2 months in IM during our core, but we can also use it as a primary care elective.

 

[s4yxia]

IM would be a good way to go... Just make sure you have plenty of good books with you! I would recommend Step 2 Secrets and Internal Medicine Clerkship book by Samir Desai as a start. Good Luck!

 

[PeterY]

anything that you don't think you would be interested in would be a good way to start. IM early is a good idea except if you think you might want to do IM. IMO family med and pediatrics are also good to start with.

Peter

 

[Mystique]

Ok, this is going to sound stupid coming from a 2nd yr, but I'd rather ask on an anonymous forum than ask my classmates. What all is involved in an Infectious Disease rotation? What do you spend the day doing? How's that for a first rotation? There's a good chance I'll end up with an elective first, and ID crossed my mind, but I have no clue what it involves.

 

[doc05]

Originally posted by ThingAMaJig
Ok, this is going to sound stupid coming from a 2nd yr, but I'd rather ask on an anonymous forum than ask my classmates. What all is involved in an Infectious Disease rotation? What do you spend the day doing? How's that for a first rotation? There's a good chance I'll end up with an elective first, and ID crossed my mind, but I have no clue what it involves.

you will probably have a mix of consults and clinic. The consults vary from complex infections with multi-drug resistant organisms to simple issues like which iv antibiotic to choose in any given pneumonia patient. You will also see HIV patients, and depending on the hospital, this may comprise many many AIDS cases. Clinic is outpatient ID, including management of HIV/AIDS patients, as well as other things.

ID is a useful elective, but I wouldn't advise starting with it. Since it is a medicine subspecialty, you need a good handle on all things IM first.

 

[Mystique]

Thank you so much for the insight, doc05. 🙂

I feel like such a *******.

 

[Freeeedom!]

Certainly do not do EM for your first month...you will be destroyed or simply left behind. You need alot of core knowledge to participate in EM, and early on it won't be helpful.