how many weeks of anesthes elective during fourth year are they looking for

[WHOIZME]

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i could only fit in 4 weeks of anesthes elective my fourth year.

Is this sufficient enough for residency directors to feel I am committed to the field?

 

[cfdavid]

I did a month during 3rd year and another in 4th. I think you could overdo anesthesiology electives, IMHO. Build the fundamentals first.

Back to your question, I think it should suffice. It would be good if you did some time 3rd year or at least could state that you've done some shadowing earlier on in med school. However, as long as you have a good reason(s) for choosing the field, I think it should suffice.

cf

 

[RussianJoo]

i know people who matched without even doing an anesthesia elective, I personally did 10 weeks, 2 in 3rd yr 8 in 4th yr.

 

[G-Man82]

I did a month of General and a month of OB early in my 4th year, then basically Medicine electives. I'd argue that all you really need is a 2 week general elective to get a taste for the field as a 4th year medical student because as a student you're not going to be able to manage a patient, even under supervision, like you would a general medical patient on the floors. Get some experience intubating, and check out what Anesthesiologists do in different cases. 2 weeks should suffice; more time as it suits your interest, for instance in the subspecialties. Other than that, start building a foundation.

 

[cfdavid]

I did a month of General and a month of OB early in my 4th year, then basically Medicine electives. I'd argue that all you really need is a 2 week general elective to get a taste for the field as a 4th year medical student because as a student you're not going to be able to manage a patient, even under supervision, like you would a general medical patient on the floors. Get some experience intubating, and check out what Anesthesiologists do in different cases. 2 weeks should suffice; more time as it suits your interest, for instance in the subspecialties. Other than that, start building a foundation.

Surely, just don't be a tube *****. Leave that to the EM and IM residents. The best way to get a feel for the field is to stay with the residents, from start to finish. This is just my opinion, but I learned the most pharmacology that way. I did so at the expense of tons of intubations, however. But as any CA-1.25 will tell you, it doesn't take too long for the more straightforward ones to become routine.....

However, I would definitely suggest doing some IV's and also an art-line if time permitted and possible (I didn't do any a-lines during my anes elective but DID during MICU).

cf

 

[fakin' the funk]

i could only fit in 4 weeks of anesthes elective my fourth year.

Is this sufficient enough for residency directors to feel I am committed to the field?

4 weeks is enough. I believe most do 4-8 weeks. 4 weeks is enough to show PD's that you know what you're talking about when you say you like anesthesia for whatever reasons. I personally did 10 weeks but that was a combination of 1) wanting to do an away at a specific program, and 2) scheduling requirements at my school.

 

[TenaciousGirl]

But as any CA-1.25 will tell you,

 

[UDontKnow]

i know people who matched without even doing an anesthesia elective, I personally did 10 weeks, 2 in 3rd yr 8 in 4th yr.

RJ, how did you manage 2 weeks Gas rotation in 3rd year with SGU? About to start rotations in a month after this Step I - wanted to know how to go about scheduling something like that. Gracias.

 

[lakersbaby]

.

 

[G-Man82]

Surely, just don't be a tube *****. Leave that to the EM and IM residents. The best way to get a feel for the field is to stay with the residents, from start to finish. This is just my opinion, but I learned the most pharmacology that way. I did so at the expense of tons of intubations, however. But as any CA-1.25 will tell you, it doesn't take too long for the more straightforward ones to become routine.....

However, I would definitely suggest doing some IV's and also an art-line if time permitted and possible (I didn't do any a-lines during my anes elective but DID during MICU).

cf

Completely agree with you. I would stay for a full case but I would try to see a variety of them in the specialties. Taking the med student elective to intubate is fun, but if you're looking to go into the specialty, you should see the full range of what an Anesthesiologist is capable of, from elective lap choles to cardiac cases on/off pump, to OB stat C-sections. It's a great time to get experience with PIVs and A-lines. I'd also suggest an ICU elective if you're interested in the field. MICU vs SICU is another topic.

 

[RussianJoo]

RJ, how did you manage 2 weeks Gas rotation in 3rd year with SGU? About to start rotations in a month after this Step I - wanted to know how to go about scheduling something like that. Gracias.

most hospitals will give you at least 1 week of anesthesia during your surgery core rotation, my hospital gave us 2 weeks. So you'll get it don't worry. but figure out your 4th year schedule early and where you want to do your anesthesia electives and schedule them as early as you can, some places fill up 10 months in advance.

 

[RussianJoo]

My husband (also from SGU) is doing 12 weeks, but only because he is interested in matching at those programs. It sounds like overkill from the responses on this thread.

And yes, I've tried to get him to post this using his own ID to no avail, because sleeping post-call is more important.😴😀

Hey UDon'tKnow,

Maybe I can help in the interim... you could try talking to the administrator who arranges your 3rd year rotations. I think your ability to secure these rotations may be hospital-dependent. Mr. Victoriah's hospital wasn't especially amenable, but persistence paid off fantastically in his case. Just indicate your interest no matter what lectures you may get on the need for primary care physicians. If that fails, email other hospitals for aways. Be very cognizant of deadlines for SGU students which may be later than home-students or American students in general. But don't get discouraged, keep calling back, but don't be annoying. If a secretary tells you a deadline, follow it because they get really annoyed if you ignore them. On the other hand, my husband got a fantastic away after being told "no" by saying "I really want to join your residency program" (and it's true -- stating the obvious here, but don't lie).

unfortunately that's not overkill for carib students, even though I matched into anesthesia I wished I had done one more 4 week elective because it would mean one more interview. Most of the people that post on here are superstars, so what they do doesn't apply to us carib students.

 

[sunset823]

I have a similar question. I am a soon-to-be M2 who is wrapping up a summer anesthesia fellowship (the FAER MSARF fellowship, which I really enjoyed). We had one clinical day a week and I've gotten to see a wide variety of anesthesia cases, though I obviously wasn't very hands on. My med school does not have an anesthesia residency and we also don't have any room in our third year schedule for electives, and our 4th year elective in anesthesia is only 2 weeks long.

I'm interested in critical care, and I was wondering if 2 weeks of anesthesia and a 4 week away rotation in critical care, combined with my MSARF fellowship, would be enough to match in anesthesia, or should I do another 4 week rotation in anesthesia (away rotation) as well? I know it's still early, but just wondering.