Is doing an audition rotation without ever doing an EM rotation a bad idea?

[607955]

So basically a place I want to do an EM audition rotation for my fourth year only has openings in July. I have my required 4th year EM rotation at this time. I am setting myself up to look like an incompetent fool by doing this audition rotation and rescheduling my required rotation?

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[Modafinil]

I did exactly that and matched juuuust fine.

 

[GTP]

So basically a place I want to do an EM audition rotation for my fourth year only has openings in July. I have my required 4th year EM rotation at this time. I am setting myself up to look like an incompetent fool by doing this audition rotation and rescheduling my required rotation?

I'm only a med student but I don't think it matters too much. You are not expected to be a rock star. You are, however, expected to be enthusiastic, polite and ask questions. To get a hang of things, I suggest looking over differentials before and after interviewing patients. And come up with a reasonable plan and assessement. I didn't know what to expect during my first ER rotation either but I got the hang of things after the first week. Good luck

 

[littlejuan]

I had to do that as well. Rocked it and I was the only one who had not had a previous EM rotation. You don't have to know everything, just work hard, and be enthusiastic.

 

[deleted547339]

I'm only a med student but I don't think it matters too much. You are not expected to be a rock star. You are, however, expected to be enthusiastic, polite and ask questions. To get a hang of things, I suggest looking over differentials before and after interviewing patients. And come up with a reasonable plan and assessement. I didn't know what to expect during my first ER rotation either but I got the hang of things after the first week. Good luck

Agree

 

[red10]

See if your own department/EM advisor will let you do a couple shifts before you go just to get you "warmed up" and back in that ED frame of mind.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

See if your own department/EM advisor will let you do a couple shifts before you go just to get you "warmed up" and back in that ED frame of mind.

That's a good idea. I was going to say, Yeah, it matters, but this is a good compromise if you can't do it.

I did an EM rotation late in my 3rd year with an elective, to help me decide it was for me. Then I rotated at my home institution (no program back then) and then an away at a place I didn't want to match at but I had to go to in order to get what I wanted in the military match. You certainly do not have to rotate at the program you want to go to. It does help to go to a handful of interviews elsewhere prior to your favorite program though.

 

[BoardingDoc]

You certainly do not have to rotate at the program you want to go to. It does help to go to a handful of interviews elsewhere prior to your favorite program though.

Agree completely with both statements. That said, I firmly believe that rotating at the program you want to attend can significantly help your chances, not to mention give you solid data about whether or not you actually want to work there for the next 3-4 years.

 

[mybubbles14]

At my school...and many others you aren't allowed to do EM until 4th year. Even so I know quite a few people who even did an away first before rotating at their home program and they still matched fine. As others have said, they don't expect you to be an EM genius and expert at every procedure. Work hard, be willing to learn, enthusiastic and helpful.

On my first rotation I was with away students who were on their 3rd or 4th EM month! Needless to say I was pretty worried about this at first, however I ended up getting excellent SLOEs from both of my rotations.

 

[Modafinil]

Agree completely with both statements. That said, I firmly believe that rotating at the program you want to attend can significantly help your chances, not to mention give you solid data about whether or not you actually want to work there for the next 3-4 years.

Fairly certain this is the only reason I was able to end up where I did. That said - be careful, doing a ****ty job will blow your chances at that place and others if they give you a bad SLOE

 

[scummie]

I'm in the same dilemma here. Good advice about doing some practice shifts though.

 

[gman33]

It's probably not ideal to do an away as your first EM rotation.
On the other hand, my home program was my #1 choice.
I didn't end up matching there.
In retrospect, it might have been better to do an away first.

In any case, scheduling is a pain.
Not everything works out the way you would like.
Just do your best and try not to be annoying.

 

[Modafinil]

It's probably not ideal to do an away as your first EM rotation.
On the other hand, my home program was my #1 choice.
I didn't end up matching there.
In retrospect, it might have been better to do an away first.

In any case, scheduling is a pain.
Not everything works out the way you would like.
Just do your best and try not to be annoying.

For some reason that read like a poem to me

 

[607955]

Yeah I think I'll try to do some "warm up" shifts.