How many Aways did you do?

[rocketbooster]

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How many did you do? I've already seen the threads on the great advice on how to make good impressions on aways. Now I'm curious how many aways each of you did and when you did them. Im honestly most interested when you did them since the match stats already list how many aways. Also do you think the away got you an interview or already had one regardless? Thanks.

I'm thinking of just doing one as of right now because I want to end up there (a mid-tier) or at my home institution. I want to make sure I'm not doing myself a huge disservice by not doing 2 total. Thanks again.

 

[centrion904]

How many did you do? I've already seen the threads on the great advice on how to make good impressions on aways. Now I'm curious how many aways each of you did and when you did them. Im honestly most interested when you did them since the match stats already list how many aways. Also do you think the away got you an interview or already had one regardless? Thanks.

I'm thinking of just doing one as of right now because I want to end up there (a mid-tier) or at my home institution. I want to make sure I'm not doing myself a huge disservice by not doing 2 total. Thanks again.

You do not need to do an away rotation. It can be a plus or minus in many spots. If you do, one can work. I did an away and I felt it helped me get an interview, even though I ultimately did not match at the location. A good time to do it is from July-September so the program can see you/evaluate you before they send out interview invites. Maybe even into October is ok, but not much later than that.

 

[rocketbooster]

You do not need to do an away rotation. It can be a plus or minus in many spots. If you do, one can work. I did an away and I felt it helped me get an interview, even though I ultimately did not match at the location. A good time to do it is from July-September so the program can see you/evaluate you before they send out interview invites. Maybe even into October is ok, but not much later than that.

Would you consider late-September to mid-October to be too late? Pushing it a bit?

 

[Centre2b]

My 2 cents:
I did an away mid-sept to mid-oct at a program which I thought highly of. I ultimately ranked them #1 and matched there. So no, that month is not too late, but the program also was not initially going to send an invite on application alone. Once I showed up, showed my interest, they made sure to offer me a spot (and thankfully I was blessed to have it work out).

On another note, my first interview was Oct 22, so plan accordingly. You wouldn't want to miss a clinical day at an away rotation for an interview.

Additionally, doing the away rotation at that time allowed me to be the only student rotating, which I think helped me stand out to the attendings (plenty of one-on-one time with the big wigs making decisions!)

 

[ophthope]

I did one away. Mid-Sept to Mid-Oct, had to leave one day early to make my first interview but it was no biggie.

 

[kwel]

Is it common to NOT do an away? Would that be detrimental/not ideal for my app? I really don't feel strongly for it, nor do I have a specific program in mind that I'm interested in. But if it's something that "everyone does" and it would look weird if I didn't, I might consider just doing one for the heck of it

Also, you guys obviously didn't get LORs from these aways, right? When is it recommended to get CAS turned in (I kno the deadline is early Sept, but I'm sure it's recommended to get in earlier)? Seems like y'all did your aways after the deadline..

 

[ophthope]

Is it common to NOT do an away? Would that be detrimental/not ideal for my app? I really don't feel strongly for it, nor do I have a specific program in mind that I'm interested in. But if it's something that "everyone does" and it would look weird if I didn't, I might consider just doing one for the heck of it

Also, you guys obviously didn't get LORs from these aways, right? When is it recommended to get CAS turned in (I kno the deadline is early Sept, but I'm sure it's recommended to get in earlier)? Seems like y'all did your aways after the deadline..

Had my packet there in time to meet the Sept 1 deadline, did my away after that.

 

[OPPforlife]

Is it common to NOT do an away? Would that be detrimental/not ideal for my app? I really don't feel strongly for it, nor do I have a specific program in mind that I'm interested in. But if it's something that "everyone does" and it would look weird if I didn't, I might consider just doing one for the heck of it

Also, you guys obviously didn't get LORs from these aways, right? When is it recommended to get CAS turned in (I kno the deadline is early Sept, but I'm sure it's recommended to get in earlier)? Seems like y'all did your aways after the deadline..

Honestly I was in a very similiar position as you. Wasn't very interested in doing an away and did not really have a particular program in mind. Given this situation, all my mentors discouraged me to do an away and told me to apply broadly instead (60ish) programs. I ended up doing exactly this. I think in retrospect I would do the exact same thing as I matched at an excellent program, so I think if you apply to enough tier 1 programs you WILL get a couple interviews as long as your a decently competitive candidate. Once at the interview, away or no away, whether you were off the wait list or not, does not matter. Concentrate on selling yourself at interviews.

Another reason why I chose against doing an away is that although I am very strong clinically it was hard for me to shine on my ophtho rotation(s) (my school allows third year electives in ophtho along with 4th year electives) due to lack of clinical responsibility and for some reason I had made up my mind that doing well clinically on an ophtho rotation as a med student is impossible. I will say this is NOT true for everybody, I have friends that did aways at programs, interviewed there, and then matched there. I also know people that did aways and ultimately did not even get an interview there.

Finally, I was also lucky in that my home program is a well known mid-tier program and probably the biggest name at my program was a strong advocate and mentor for me.

 

[Centre2b]

Is it common to NOT do an away? Would that be detrimental/not ideal for my app? I really don't feel strongly for it, nor do I have a specific program in mind that I'm interested in. But if it's something that "everyone does" and it would look weird if I didn't, I might consider just doing one for the heck of it

Also, you guys obviously didn't get LORs from these aways, right? When is it recommended to get CAS turned in (I kno the deadline is early Sept, but I'm sure it's recommended to get in earlier)? Seems like y'all did your aways after the deadline..

I didn't plan on getting a LOR from my away regardless of timing, as I had two close relationships at my home institution.
I turned CAS in early to mid-August, so there was plenty of time to make the Sept 1 deadline.

 

[rocketbooster]

I didn't plan on getting a LOR from my away regardless of timing, as I had two close relationships at my home institution.
I turned CAS in early to mid-August, so there was plenty of time to make the Sept 1 deadline.

I thought everyone sends their stuff in by early August or late July?

 

[Centre2b]

I thought everyone sends their stuff in by early August or late July?

I just looked to confirm, my credit card posted the FedEx shipping to CAS as August 16th. I think ideally I wanted it in by August 5, but I had some delay's at the last minute from letter writers. Still worked out though! 🙂