Help with choosing AI or Electives for General Surgery

[TraumaramaMD]

Hi all,

I am a 3rd year Medical Student applying for away rotations for the upcoming year. I am interested in General Surgery for my residency match. I am currently designing my 4th year schedule to help me be the most prepared for intern year by transferring through different subspecialties and gaining experience in a wide range of different surgeries. I am also hoping that my AI will help me match at the hospital I'm doing the elective at. To that end, will accepting a Vascular Surgery AI at an institution that has an integrated vascular residency help me match at that hospital for General Surgery? Will transferring through Vascular Surgery help prepare me for PGY-1? Should I instead go for an AI at a different institution for a more core General Surgery subspecialty such as Transplant, Trauma, or Minimally Invasive instead?

Thanks for all your guys help!

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[TraumaLlamaMD]

Should I be flattered by your username?

 

[TraumaramaMD]

:O

 

[HighwayVagabond]

Have caution when considering doing sub-I's in a field that has integrated residency if you truly want to match into general surgery. It may make your GS application appear as if you are applying as a back up. I was not sure if I wanted to apply integrated vascular, GS, or both, so I did sub-i's in both at my home institution and visiting sub-i's in each at aways. I ultimately applied only GS, and since I had such a well-rounded group of letter writers (in terms of specialty) and experiences no one questioned it. Doing a vascular sub-i did not help me get a GS interview at that same institution as they really are like two separate divisions, especially when they have an integrated residency, and I did not interact with the GS group at all. But, I think if you played it smart and set up meetings with the GS PD and such it might be okay. I don't want to discourage you from doing vascular, because I did a lot of it and loved it, but just be strategic about how you do it.

Vascular is great to help prepare you for internship, because the patients are inherently sicker at baseline, and you will become more familiar and comfortable with working with critically ill patients. Trauma/ACS is also good for internship skills as it gives you practice in stabilizing patients, making quick decisions, and working with acutely ill patients.