Fourth Year Clerkships for Med-Peds

[Getshemene]

So after realizing that I love the medicine of internal medicine, but the patient population of pediatrics, I feel like I'm firmly set with going into med-peds. I'm trying to design my fourth year electives, and I was wondering if I could get some advice about which ones would best prepare me for a med-peds residency. So far I'm thinking of:

Peds ER (counts as AI or subI)
Medicine (counts as AI or subI)
Cardiology
Nephrology
Trauma
PICU/ICU (any suggestions here?)
2 weeks Geriatrics (required)

Then I was considering some others like Derm or Radiology for a lighter month.

What do ya'll think?

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[johnnywalker]

sounds like a good list, i may do a Peds Ward month as my SubI though and maybe a NICU? and get those SubIs grades incorporated into your Dean's letter if at all possible. But definitely take some less vigorous rotations, you'll be glad you did at the end of 4th year.

i did NICU, ICU, MedSubI, Peds SubI, ED, Adult GI, Peds Onc, Peds international elective and finishing with Derm...

 

[nevercold]

You don't need to do too many sub-I's or ICU rotations. I would recommend doing a medicine sub-I for sure. If you did not get honors in your core pediatrics rotation, I would also try to do NICU, PICU, or a peds sub-I early on and get a solid letter of recommendation from that experience. Otherwise just take things that fill in your interests. A peds ER rotation sounds pretty good. You might also add in some outpatient experience (family medicine courses generally involve the full slate of patients from infants to the elderly), as it seems that you are very inpatient focused in your planned schedule.

Definite yes to both Derm and Radiology. Both are things you need to know better than you were likely taught in the first 3 years of medical school and both are relatively more laid-back as rotations.

 

[ekydrd]

You don't need to do too many sub-I's or ICU rotations. I would recommend doing a medicine sub-I for sure. If you did not get honors in your core pediatrics rotation, I would also try to do NICU, PICU, or a peds sub-I early on and get a solid letter of recommendation from that experience. Otherwise just take things that fill in your interests. A peds ER rotation sounds pretty good. You might also add in some outpatient experience (family medicine courses generally involve the full slate of patients from infants to the elderly), as it seems that you are very inpatient focused in your planned schedule.

Definite yes to both Derm and Radiology. Both are things you need to know better than you were likely taught in the first 3 years of medical school and both are relatively more laid-back as rotations.

Awesome recs nevercold! I totally agree. To the OP - do take some easier rotations or vacation time around interview season (November through January) and light rotations at the end of your year so you can chill a bit before the real work starts (you know, like laparoscopic underwater basket weaving or something). And I do like the idea of a little more outpatient experience as Med-Peds training is already very inpatient oriented, and the outpatient experience will be very helpful in your clinic time.

Good luck. Hope to see you interview here next year

 

[saanjana]

I would recommend doing a traditional Peds Sub-I as well at a county or university hospital :-D

Otherwise looks great! I think anesthesia is a great one too to get some hands-on with intubations...