Good non-ortho electives during 4th year

Started by iliacus
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

iliacus

Senior Member
7+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Rheumatology, gen surg, and radiology seem to be good choices. But I'll defer to those who actually know 😀
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
all ortho, all year?

If you can, why not?

I know many people think that doing 4th year rotations like Rheum or Radiology will somehow better prepare you for residency, but I've never really bought into that. You're going to get slammed as a ward b*tch during internship, and all that specialized knowledge that may help in R2 year is going to slip out of your head. I still believe that residency will teach you what you need to know, regardless of your electives in med school. Don't kill yourself for no reason; take stuff that you enjoy.
 
I would use your time to impress people on "audition rotations" in ortho.

I also think an ICU month is never wasted.
 
If you can, why not?

I know many people think that doing 4th year rotations like Rheum or Radiology will somehow better prepare you for residency, but I've never really bought into that. You're going to get slammed as a ward b*tch during internship, and all that specialized knowledge that may help in R2 year is going to slip out of your head. I still believe that residency will teach you what you need to know, regardless of your electives in med school. Don't kill yourself for no reason; take stuff that you enjoy.

Agreed...but do you think all ortho is "not killing yourself". Rads and rheum would be like mini vacations, no?
 
Agreed...but do you think all ortho is "not killing yourself". Rads and rheum would be like mini vacations, no?

It can be, as long as you enjoy the subject matter. One of the cushiest rotation at my school was Dermatology, seeing clinic four days a week from 9-3. But I wouldn't go near it with a 10-foot pole, because seeing skin problems six hours a day would drive me bonkers.

I agree with JPH about the utility of ICU rotations. You'll be able to use a lot of that in internship. But personally I hate them, because ICU is a lot like Medicine, endless rounding and talking.
 
It can be, as long as you enjoy the subject matter. One of the cushiest rotation at my school was Dermatology, seeing clinic four days a week from 9-3. But I wouldn't go near it with a 10-foot pole, because seeing skin problems six hours a day would drive me bonkers.

true dat! But still, at my school, you have to do a medicine specialty rotation anyway, might as well make it rheum.