If you had to choose...(rotation advice, please)

[han14tra]

Which would you choose if these were your only 2 options?


Please state your reasons. Note: surgery will be my last rotation of 3rd year.

Thank you!

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[turkeyjerky]

probably IM--I didn't think OB was all that useful surgery, and medicine would be a big help for the shelf

 

[Bacchus]

IM before surgery. You need to manage your patient. With OB after (assumption) you'll have general surgical skills in place. You'll be ahead of the game (maybe?) instead of those that didn't experience a surgical clerkship yet.

 

[Depakote]

Doesn't really matter. I took surgery first and did just fine.

One will give you some advantages while the other will give you others. Would you rather have a little more comfort in the OR and general procedural skill (OB first) or would you rather have a little more floor knowledge (Medicine first)?

 

[MilkmanAl]

Doesn't really matter. I took surgery first and did just fine.

One will give you some advantages while the other will give you others. Would you rather have a little more comfort in the OR and general procedural skill (OB first) or would you rather have a little more floor knowledge (Medicine first)?

Agree with this, but I'd add that your current specialty preference will make a difference in this decision. If you want to do something surgical, I'd do medicine first since the surgery shelf is mostly medicine. You'll also be able to knock off pimp questions pretty effectively that way.

 

[han14tra]

I think I'm going into family medicine. Although, I also love OB and pediatrics. I hate the OR and everything about surgery. That's why it's last.

 

[Depakote]

I think I'm going into family medicine. Although, I also love OB and pediatrics. I hate the OR and everything about surgery. That's why it's last.

that tends to be a good reason to do it first...

a specialty you know you aren't going into is a good "practice" rotation. You can use that time to get used to the wards and the shelf exams without risking tanking a grade in a rotation you do care about.

 

[gschl1234]

I think I'm going into family medicine. Although, I also love OB and pediatrics. I hate the OR and everything about surgery. That's why it's last.

I would do IM before surgery. OB seemed kind of unbearable...but comparing it to surgery, it was cake. So if you go through 8 weeks (or whatever your school has) of OB, counting down the days, you're in for a rude awakening in surgery. On the other hand, if you have a pretty chill IM rotation before, you're at least well-rested before starting surgery.

 

[MilkmanAl]

that tends to be a good reason to do it first...

Word. If you hate surgery, get it out of the way ASAP. That will also have the fringe benefit of making everything else you do during the year seem much better.

 

[agrarianmonk]

I think IM before surgery unless its the first rotation of the year. At our school, we're compared to our classmates to determine honors on the shelf (the largest determinant of our grade), and in the first rotation (or first two), most people will not have had IM and you won't be at a disadvantage because of it.

 

[DocEspana]

I think you guys are overlooking something. He said surgery is his LAST rotation. So I'd definitely say OB before surgery. Not because it will bring all that much in terms of prepping for Surgery, but because this allows Internal Med to happen *earlier* for him. People argue as to whether IM or Surgery are the more important rotation to prep for the other (hint: IM is important for surgery, not vice versa), but if this is his last rotation, you don't want all his previous rotations to be taken before IM.

So go with OB right before surgery solely because your experience with every rotation (OB, surgery, all others) will be better if you've already done IM earlier in the year. I don't like the idea of that being anywhere near the end of your 3rd year.

 

[MilkmanAl]

He said surgery is his LAST rotation

Her schedule is clearly still plastic, and she thought saving the worst for last was a solid plan. Unfortunately, putting surgery that far down the line if you're pretty certain you're going to hate it means that you're going to be burnt out through the hardest rotation AND hate it. That's not smart. Getting it out of the way first is best since you can get a feel for how things work in the hospital during a rotation you don't much care about, and you won't have the weight of the year bearing down on you just yet.