How much to know for aways?

[sonofva]

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So I have my away rotations set at the locations that I'd really like to do residency at. Unfortunately one of the sites could not fit me in for a regular peds rotation, so I had to take peds heme/onc. They assured me that this will not affect my interview/acceptance chances. However, I don't really know anything about peds heme/onc or heme/onc in general (aside from what I learned in classroom)... I would brush up, but I'm taking my step 2 right before I leave for the rotation, so I don't realistically know how much time I'll have...will my limited knowledge base hurt me if I can show a strong work ethic/improvement in knowledge by the end of rotation? thanks!

 

[justdoit31]

I would just look at the bare basics and then focus what you study to where you are. My hem/onc away had time in clinics (hem/sickle cell/oncology) which I just reviewed the night before clinic. Then a week on consults (discussed with attending as I saw patients) and 2 weeks on the floor where faculty were excellent at teaching- I read up more on my individual patients. One of my floor weeks was on BMT and that attending gave me a packet she prepared for the resident elective since I was the first student to rotate with them.

 

[pooh86]

So I have my away rotations set at the locations that I'd really like to do residency at. Unfortunately one of the sites could not fit me in for a regular peds rotation, so I had to take peds heme/onc. They assured me that this will not affect my interview/acceptance chances. However, I don't really know anything about peds heme/onc or heme/onc in general (aside from what I learned in classroom)... I would brush up, but I'm taking my step 2 right before I leave for the rotation, so I don't realistically know how much time I'll have...will my limited knowledge base hurt me if I can show a strong work ethic/improvement in knowledge by the end of rotation? thanks!

It depends on which institution it is and whether you have another MS4 with you. I assume if you are rotating through an competitive program like CHOP, their expectations of you would be a little higher than other programs. However, I did two aways at fairly competitive programs and what my attendings were most impressed was that I seemed interested, always participated on rounds, never late, professional, etc. etc. They didn't expect me to know much about the specialty. If anything, the fact that you learned and improved throughout the month of the away matters more than what knowledge you went in with. So just work your ass off and you'll do fine.

Oh also, when you are on subspecialty like hem/onc, you're not required to go to noon lecture or morning report. If you are constantly leaving to go to the lectures, you miss out on a lot of rounding, consults and it kind of looks bad. For example, on my first away, I didn't have a resident rotating and it was just me, so I stayed with the attendings all day and they commented on that I really acted like part of the team. On my second away, I had to go to noon lecture and was always leaving in the middle of a consult or rounding. I didn't get as good comments in the end. Just my 2 cents.