GTA Programs?

[ensuii]

Hey guys, I was just wondering if any of you guys are at schools with GTA programs and what your take was on the opportunity. My school presently offers GTA positions in gross anatomy, clin skills, and OPP...you have to stay behind a year but you get the remainder of your tuition waived and a small salary.

Financial issues aside, I'm really torn on whether or not this should be something I consider. Will it really add anything to my residency application? I already have a ton of extra-currics, a prior career, a publication in the works and decent grades. I'm also not really sure how much I'll really learn from the experience. Everyone has been telling me doing dissections and teaching parts of lab would be great for someone with a surgical inclination but I'm not sure how much more I'll really learn (I got between a 95-97% on all the written exams and probably a 94-96% on all the practicals). I'm also a little bit worried about the age factor...I'm already going to be graduating at 28. If I get held back a year, I'll be 29. It's not a big deal I guess but I kindof feel a little hesitant to make my med school career longer than it has to be.

Anyway, I would REALLY appreciate any kind of input on the matter.

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[cabinbuilder]

What is a GTA program???? Probably would get a better answer if you explained what this means.

 

[ensuii]

What is a GTA program???? Probably would get a better answer if you explained what this means.

Oh sorry...GTA stands for Graduate Teaching Assistant. Basically, instead of going on rotations during your 3rd year you spend some time in a course (either Gross Anatomy, Clinical Skills or OPP) and help first years learn via hosting reviews, making yourself available during lab, or by doing model dissections for anatomy GTAs. At my school they're a huge resource for first years and can be an instrumental part of the learning process.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Oh sorry...GTA stands for Graduate Teaching Assistant. Basically, instead of going on rotations during your 3rd year you spend some time in a course (either Gross Anatomy, Clinical Skills or OPP) and help first years learn via hosting reviews, making yourself available during lab, or by doing model dissections for anatomy GTAs. At my school they're a huge resource for first years and can be an instrumental part of the learning process.

Seems kind of silly to me to make you lose a whole year when most medical schools only teach anatomy for 10 weeks? I could see postponing rotations for the 3 months to assist as a TA but not a whole year. Then again, if you don't want to have huge student loans at the end it might be worth your while. I wouldn't worry about the whole age thing, 28 is nothing. I graduated at 37. In the end it comes down to boredom vs money. I haven't heard of such a program so you will have the weigh the personal benefits accordingly.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

Seems kind of silly to me to make you lose a whole year when most medical schools only teach anatomy for 10 weeks? I could see postponing rotations for the 3 months to assist as a TA but not a whole year. Then again, if you don't want to have huge student loans at the end it might be worth your while. I wouldn't worry about the whole age thing, 28 is nothing. I graduated at 37. In the end it comes down to boredom vs money. I haven't heard of such a program so you will have the weigh the personal benefits accordingly.

Some med schools teach anatomy for the entire year. One school I interviewed at does a systems based curriculum and anatomy runs all of first year and the first block of second year.

 

[DbDan]

Seems kind of silly to me to make you lose a whole year when most medical schools only teach anatomy for 10 weeks? I could see postponing rotations for the 3 months to assist as a TA but not a whole year. Then again, if you don't want to have huge student loans at the end it might be worth your while. I wouldn't worry about the whole age thing, 28 is nothing. I graduated at 37. In the end it comes down to boredom vs money. I haven't heard of such a program so you will have the weigh the personal benefits accordingly.

As mentioned above some are taught year round for anatomy. Other programs like the one the OP is speaking of you do in fact do rotations during your clinical years, returning to campus for 4 months each year to assist in teaching the selected course. Basically, it spreads your final 2 years into 3 while waiving tuition for those 3 years. Some also provide a stipend of 1/2 or more of the living cost each year as well.

Its a pretty good way to avoid substantially more debt if it is something you'd be interested in, would probably also get you some great recommendations, solidify some basic anatomy knowledge and give teaching experience as well. Judging by the fact that tuition at my school will be in all likelihood 50k per year by the time I'm a 3rd year, I'd strongly consider taking it if given the opportunity to avoid an additional 100k+ in debt.