Help! Order of Intern Year Rotations

[jkl]

Hi everyone!

I will soon start my intern year this July, and had a couple of questions regarding block rotations in your intern year.

1) Is it better to do certain rotations (ie, surgery, CCU, trauma, anesthesia, OB, ortho, medicine, ER, peds ER, etc) earlier rather than later, or vice versa?
2) When is the ideal time to start your first ER month?

I'm guessing it probably doesn't make too much of a difference, but I was just wondering what everyone's opinions were based on experience, etc. Thanks so much!!

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[NinerNiner999]

Hi everyone!

I will soon start my intern year this July, and had a couple of questions regarding block rotations in your intern year.

1) Is it better to do certain rotations (ie, surgery, CCU, anesthesia, OB, ortho, medicine, ER, peds ER, etc) earlier rather than later, or vice versa?
2) When is the ideal time to start your first ER month?

I'm guessing it probably doesn't make too much of a difference, but I was just wondering what everyone's opinions were based on experience, etc. Thanks so much!!

If it were me (and I actually had a choice), I would do Medicine, MICU, CCU, and Surgery first. This would expose you the bulk of the hospital services and also familarize you with the admissions process for each service (which will ultimately make your ED experience soooo much easier). Not to mention would probably knock out most of your call nights. Also, you would get the benefit of familiarizing yourself with the residents you will be working with for the next three or four years and, since you will all be basically on the same level, will become friends even quicker. Do a month of ER right after these four months to apply what you have learned, then dive back into OB, Ortho, and Peds. Spend the rest of your year in the ER and doing anesthesia- vacation for the end of the year!!!

 

[roja]

Don't think it really matters. Eachh way has advantages and disadvantages.
Just try and enjoy your fourth year!

 

[mikecwru]

Hi everyone!

I will soon start my intern year this July, and had a couple of questions regarding block rotations in your intern year.

1) Is it better to do certain rotations (ie, surgery, CCU, trauma, anesthesia, OB, ortho, medicine, ER, peds ER, etc) earlier rather than later, or vice versa?
2) When is the ideal time to start your first ER month?

I'm guessing it probably doesn't make too much of a difference, but I was just wondering what everyone's opinions were based on experience, etc. Thanks so much!!

Try to pick just your vacation months. If you send your chief an excel file of the exact order of your rotations, you will likely drive him/her nuts. I speak from experience. Doing ICU months earlier has little bearing on your life and rarely helps you moonlight earlier. The exception being that PICU months generally suck a lot more in the winter. Some programs/attendings are loathe to let you intubate in the ED if you haven't done anesthesia yet. Ask around at your program for specifics.

mike <-- nuts

 

[Seaglass]

I agree with Mike, just pick the months you will want vacation. As for that - I was told that you should reserve most of your intern year vacation for the second half of the year - it's not hard to get through the first half but the second half sucks more (only the offservice parts). That's what I did and I have to say it is pretty nice to know that I have a week of vacation on every off servce I have left.

 

[Sessamoid]

If you send your chief an excel file of the exact order of your rotations, you will likely drive him/her nuts. I speak from experience.

As do I, and I concur. Being overly specific and copious in your scheduling demands is only likely to get them all ignored by the chief resident or whoever makes the schedules.

 

[jkl]

As do I, and I concur. Being overly specific and copious in your scheduling demands is only likely to get them all ignored by the chief resident or whoever makes the schedules.

Don't worry, I wasn't planning on sending specific requests to the chief. We were actually sent various block schedules and were told to specify our preferences as to which block schedules we want (ie, the order we want to take our rotations).

 

[jkl]

Thanks for everyone's help so far!