Is it too late to consider EM? Advice for a MS3

[traxxradiorocks]

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Hi there,
I'm a MS3 just finishing up my Peds rotation (done ObGyn and FM). Originally, I had my mind dead set on Peds and hopefully go into critical care or related field (I know for certain that I don't want to do primary Peds because I don't want to spend hours after hours diagnosing healthy kids or kids with flu). However, I gradually realized that I don't enjoy the inpatient aspect of Peds as much as I hoped I would. Often, I kinda hate the fact that most of my peds patients have been diagnosed by the EMs and we were there just to take care of them (it sucks the fun out of it, you know what I'm saying). Hence, I am beginning to consider the possibility of EM and perhaps even Peds EM (it's urgent and exciting and you are the first physician to see the patient, making the diagnosis and initial plan)

My program advisor is out of the country til next month, so my friends told me about this forum.

Anyway, am I too late to even consider EM? I have no previous EM experience whatsoever. All the projects that I have done are not EM-related (mostly just program development for different residency and med school programs).
I still have Neruo, IM, and Surgery to go for the rest of the year and I will be starting my 4th year then.

What sort of electives I should look into?

 

[tkim]

I would do an EM rotation as early fourth year as possible to 1) see if you like it, 2) early opportunity for EM SLOR (standardized LOR), which you will need if you decide on EM. If you're entering fourth year you still have the time to do two EM rotations, get SLORS, then apply through ERAS.

 

[WilcoWorld]

Two things:

1- I didn't decide on EM until the end of my 3rd year. It's not too late for you.

2- Most of what I do is diagnose healthy kids with viral illness, adults with GERD & sprains, and medicolegally cover my butt. So, be sure you'll actually like EM before deciding to do it.

 

[Tiger26]

Two things:

1- I didn't decide on EM until the end of my 3rd year. It's not too late for you.

2- Most of what I do is diagnose healthy kids with viral illness, adults with GERD & sprains, and medicolegally cover my butt. So, be sure you'll actually like EM before deciding to do it.

this a great point for anybody considering EM

 

[jbar]

Also think a bit about if you want to do peds EM or regular EM (where you will see some kids). If you want to do peds EM you can either do a peds residency and then peds EM fellowship, an EM residency and a peds EM fellowship, or a peds/EM residency (though in the last you'd be boarded in both peds and EM, but not pediatric EM)

If you don't like the peds inpatient I'd say doing the peds residency and then a pedi EM fellowship would be a long slog.

 

[tkim]

Also think a bit about if you want to do peds EM or regular EM (where you will see some kids). If you want to do peds EM you can either do a peds residency and then peds EM fellowship, an EM residency and a peds EM fellowship, or a peds/EM residency (though in the last you'd be boarded in both peds and EM, but not pediatric EM)

If you don't like the peds inpatient I'd say doing the peds residency and then a pedi EM fellowship would be a long slog.

Peds -> peds EM = 6 years

EM -> peds EM = 5 years

though I don't know if that's universal.

 

[Apollyon]

Peds -> peds EM = 6 years

EM -> peds EM = 5 years

though I don't know if that's universal.

About half of the peds EM fellowships are 3 years for both peds and EM graduates.

 

[traxxradiorocks]

Thank you for your responses.
I will definitely start planning my 4th year accordingly.

Problem is. Am I up to the stiff competition? Sure I have above-average Step 1, couple Hs and Hps, etc but I have 0 absolutely 0 EM-related activities. Sure I have done considerable amount of research and projects (and quite successful if I may add) but they are all primary-care focused. A lot of the EM websites encourage applicants to do kiss-ass EM activities which I lack (stuff like president of EM interest groups or volunteers, etc)



PS: How competitive was it to match into a good EM program last year?