Latest time to do away rotation if entering EM residency match?

[IlianaSedai]

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering if you could help shed some light on this. I should be able to get my EM rotation at my home institution done toward the end of 3rd year. However, about my away rotation -- when's the latest I can do this and still benefit from it in the Match? In other words, I'd want the grades/LOR's from it to be able to be included in my application.

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[FoughtFyr]

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering if you could help shed some light on this. I should be able to get my EM rotation at my home institution done toward the end of 3rd year. However, about my away rotation -- when's the latest I can do this and still benefit from it in the Match? In other words, I'd want the grades/LOR's from it to be able to be included in my application.

Realistically I would say October is the absolute latest. Dean's letters go out in Novemebr, so most applications are "complete" then. If you do an October elective (I did), you have to send the LORs from that program late, and you might miss the cutoff dates for some programs if the grades and LORs do not get returned quickly (which happens!). You will need to contact programs that did not give you an interview and see if the LORs from October will change that. Basically, it requires work. A September elective, if the grades and LORs come back quick, is not a problem.

I suppose the truly "last chance" would be January. If you were doing an away at a program that was "on the fence" regarding your application your peformance might help them decide by the early Feb. deadline, but that is a special case.

Gosh, rereading this reply I think I should have gone into radiology. This is about as "wishy-washy" as I get. Oh well, I'll just sign it: "clinical correlation suggested"

- H

 

[EM guru]

Yeah, last week I got a reading from the radiologist that had "?MS, ?bleed, ?stroke" real helpful.

I agree, October should be the latest you would want to do an EM elective if you hope to get a LOR from their PD and have your application in on time.

 

[IlianaSedai]

That's exactly the information I was looking for.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Kalel]

I met some students doing away rotations in EM at my school during November. The chairperson offered to meet with them each personally during the rotation. If you are sure that you will get an interview, and you are sure that you want to go to a program, I think that it would be reasonable to schedule away rotations during November or January and using it as time to meet with faculty, get to know the program, and try to impress people (you will need to have letters from other sources if you do this). You can also save on interview costs if you are able to interview at that program or nearby programs during that month. I wouldn't reccomend doing the away rotation during December because most interviews seem to be scheduled during that time, and it wouldn't make sense to do an away rotation but be absent throughout most of it for interview purposes.

 

[IlianaSedai]

I wouldn't reccomend doing the away rotation during December because most interviews seem to be scheduled during that time, and it wouldn't make sense to do an away rotation but be absent throughout most of it for interview purposes.

Hmm, so it turns out I was assigned a core clerkship, at my home institution, that I don't care about (Family Medicine) in November/December of fourth year. The month of January is still unassigned (meaning, I should be able to leave it free if I want). Would this be okay for interviews?

 

[DrQuinn]

Hmm, so it turns out I was assigned a core clerkship, at my home institution, that I don't care about (Family Medicine) in November/December of fourth year. The month of January is still unassigned (meaning, I should be able to leave it free if I want). Would this be okay for interviews?

Sure, take the month of January off. Or, if you can save a "free month" and put it towards the end of your 4th year, effectively giving you 2-3 months of vacation before residency, do that. I scheduled an FP month in Jan, and a month of Psych in Feb... both hours-NON-intense, and allowed me to skip several days to go for interviews.

Q, DO

 

[The White Coat Investor]

Hi everyone,

However, about my away rotation -- when's the latest I can do this and still benefit from it in the Match? .

February, because the program can still move you up its rank list right up until its deadline to turn in its list in the middle of February. Of course, this won't help you at any other sites because you won't be able to get a letter to them. I would recommend earlier, of course.

 

[Andy Kahn]

I wouldn't reccomend doing the away rotation during December because most interviews seem to be scheduled during that time, and it wouldn't make sense to do an away rotation but be absent throughout most of it for interview purposes.

Very good point! I will remember to pass that along. Most of my friends left Dec and Jan open so that they didn't have to worry about conflicts w/ interviews. I did that and it was nice. My school allows 3 or 4 abscences per block (month) in order to receive credit. This was usually more strictly enforced in certain required rotations. However, those with nice residents and those enrolled in the infamously easy electives could miss as much as they want. Those students not only went on all their interviews and received credit during those months, but also saved all their open months for the end so that they were done after Feb or Mar (the punks).

It is good that you are thinking ahead. It will make your life easier. Good luck.

-ak

 

[Arcan57]

If you don't need/care about a letter, then anytime up to February is ok. I rotated through Cinci in December and I think helped myself a lot by doing so.
Plus, if you rotate during interview season I think most places will let you interview during or at the end of the rotation.