Interview Timeline/Away rotations?

[kkumar99]

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I am currently a 3rd year planning on applying for ophthalmolgy in the next match and I just had a couple questions about the time line and interview schedules. First, I was trying to pick my schedule for next year and I was wondering when the interviews for ophtho generally start and finish (ie oct 1st - dec or earlier). 2nd I was wondering about doing multiple ophtho rotations. I know at my school it is discouraged, and I have heard some other programs too. Is this the general consensus? Does it make a difference if the rotations are done in different subspecialties? Any help would be appreciated it.

 

[rubensan]

Welcome to the forum. It is good that you are thinking about these issues now. Please click on the FAQ sticky thread and scroll down a bit. There is a pretty detailed timeline there. Good luck and let us know if you have more questions about the process.

 

[wtwei02]

Consider doing 1, maybe 2 away ophtho rotations. Any more than that would be overkill. There is value in exploring other fields. Interviews start in late october, early november...depending on where you apply. December is definitely the month to take off, as that's when the majority of interview occur. Good luck to you, feel free to ask any more questions!

 

[kkumar99]

Thank you so much for your help...it is much appreciated.

 

[doodpac]

I would most definetely encourage you to do at least 2 ophtho rotations. From my experience, I would go to a top notch ophtho program in order to get good letters, because those letters will help you get many other interviews. The ophtho world is quite small and youll be amazed at how many people know who the top notch peeps/big dawgs are in this field.

 

[kkumar99]

Sounds good, I will plan my schedule accordingly. Once again, thanks for the help.

 

[sparticus]

I am in the same boat at kkumar. I am planning my third year electives. There is no ophtho program at my home school so I'll have to do away's and I am now realizing how tough it is just to get an away rotation, since most schools favor their own and most of those applicants know that the earlier you do your rotations the better. I have two questions, is it better to do an away elective to get exposure to a program that you want to go to, or do an away at a top notch program (which would be diff b/c of in-house favoratism) to get some great LOR?

Also how great of a Letter Of Recommendation can you get at a top notch program when you are only there for 2-4wks?

 

[rubensan]

I am in the same boat at kkumar. I am planning my third year electives. There is no ophtho program at my home school so I'll have to do away's and I am now realizing how tough it is just to get an away rotation, since most schools favor their own and most of those applicants know that the earlier you do your rotations the better. I have two questions, is it better to do an away elective to get exposure to a program that you want to go to, or do an away at a top notch program (which would be diff b/c of in-house favoratism) to get some great LOR?

Also how great of a Letter Of Recommendation can you get at a top notch program when you are only there for 2-4wks?

Do a rotation at the program that you want to go to. You can get a pretty good LOR during this time period. I did in 3 weeks. Most docs know/expect that you are going to ask them for one anyway. To strengthen your LOR, stay in touch with the letter writer, pick up a case report, literature search, anything that interests you that will show them that you are a motivated applicant. All of these academic guys have something on the back burner that a medical student can help with.

I agree that it is difficult, even a pain in the a** at times to set up a rotation at an outside institution. All I can say is that my 2 away rotations were very positive experiences and that if I had to do it all over again, I would do it the same away. We've all been there!

Good Luck!

 

[twintiger32]

Do a rotation at the program that you want to go to. You can get a pretty good LOR during this time period. I did in 3 weeks. Most docs know/expect that you are going to ask them for one anyway. To strengthen your LOR, stay in touch with the letter writer, pick up a case report, literature search, anything that interests you that will show them that you are a motivated applicant. All of these academic guys have something on the back burner that a medical student can help with.

I agree that it is difficult, even a pain in the a** at times to set up a rotation at an outside institution. All I can say is that my 2 away rotations were very positive experiences and that if I had to do it all over again, I would do it the same away. We've all been there!

Good Luck!

Ruben,

In those 3 weeks, how many different attendings were you assigned to rotate with? Just one? A whole bunch? And if it was a whole bunch, how did you expose yourself enough to one attending to get a strong LOR? Was it through a case study? I wonder if I spend a month away, I'll be exposed to too many attendings, and not long enough with just one.

I'm sure it must depend on the program also...perhaps a program that isn't surrounded by 4-5 other medical schools (maybe a midwest program) will appreciate an away rotation more than say.... doheny (as an example), since there are quite a lot of schools in CA. Does this play a role at all?

Thanks

 

[rubensan]

i did a 3 week neuro-ophthalmology rotation at UCLA/Jules Stein with the program director. It was my first rotation and I new ABSOLUTELY nothing about ophtho prior to this rotation. He takes having a medical student with him seriously by making it a point to teach at the end of every clinic day and giving me articles to read. He needed help with a literature search for a review article that he was putting together. I was more than happy to oblige. I worked hard, tried to learn as much as I could about neuro-ophthalmology (NAION, optic neuritis, temporal arteritis, etc) and I just asked him at the end of the rotation if he thought he could write me a strong letter of rec. he did.

My other rotation was at UC Davis for 4 weeks where I divided my time between the dept chair's clinic, and the program director's clinic. I had good exposure to about 3-4 attendings while i was there and it was a positive experience. I jumped at the opportunity to take on a case report which hopefully will be accepted soon.

Bottom line, not the quantity of attendings you are exposed to, but try to do a rotation with people who have some influence in the dept. If they are a dept chair or program director, they will be known by many throughout the country and your LOR will mean something. I understand that it is intimidating and frustrating to try and set these things up, but I highly encourage you to do so. Shoot for the stars, that's why they are there!

ok, back to studying for step 3....