harvrard elective

[drcoke]

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How is Harvard for an elective? Malignant personalities? Good teaching?

 

[stephew]

How is Harvard for an elective? Malignant personalities? Good teaching?

the most wonderful personalities in the world.

 

[pastelist]

has anyone rotated through Harvard as an elective? I am interested in doing an elective somewhere in the Boston area since my SO may end up in Boston-- but am hesitant/honestly somewhat intimidated to rotate through Harvard because:
1. rad onc residents at Harvard are predominantly (~5 out of 6) from Harvard med school of Johns Hopkins medical school-- (I'm not!) so does Harvard seriously consider accepting rad onc residents from other schools? i.e. is it even worth rotating through Harvard since they seem to favor their own?
2. I was given advice from a friend to rotate through mid-tier schools instead of top-tier schools for those same reasons-- sometimes a rotation at a top-tier institution does not even result in an interview-- and time may be better spent elsewhere.
On the plus side, Harvard has great research and it would be one of my dream places to go, but right now I don't even know if it's worth trying for.
I guess i'm wondering if any of you guys have tried rotating through Harvard or have gotten an interview there without an elective, to get an idea if I even have a .001% chance.
any advice would help!
flustered doc

 

[pastelist]

it's not as extreme as 5 out of 6, but all are from excellent top tier medical schools

 

[stephew]

1. so does Harvard seriously consider accepting rad onc residents from other schools? i.e. is it even worth rotating through Harvard since they seem to favor their own?

Funny you should ask. Yes. At least half of the incoming are aiming for non-Harvard. This year we will taking 8.

2. I was given advice from a friend to rotate through mid-tier schools instead of top-tier schools for those same reasons-- sometimes a rotation at a top-tier institution does not even result in an interview-- and time may be better spent elsewhere.
On the plus side, Harvard has great research and it would be one of my dream places to go, but right now I don't even know if it's worth trying for.
I guess i'm wondering if any of you guys have tried rotating through Harvard or have gotten an interview there without an elective, to get an idea if I even have a .001% chance.
any advice would help!

A difficult one. But if you have time, consider two rotations; one at your "dream" and one as a "next tier" that you could feel comfortable achieving. This way you "audition" for both and if good, you may match or at least get nice letters.

 

[pastelist]

Thanks for the advice!

 

[RadOncMan]

Per a Harvard Program resident, you will not be offered courtesy interviews at Harvard by doing a rotation there even if you do well - unlike at many other programs. Of course, a good rec CAN help in obtaining interviews elsewhere. Many residents who rotated through Harvard and who did not obtain an interview there ended up matching at some of the top programs in the country. You can take that for all it's worth.

 

[stephew]

RadoncMan's point about a good rec opening other doors is a very important point (see FAQ).