Med Prelim/TY 4th year requirements?
Started by Xinlitik
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As far as I know there are no particular requirements, other than passing Steps 1 and 2 and graduating from medical school. However, you may want to look at each program's website to make sure--they'll spell out any specific requirements (but they're usually things like a minimum USMLE score, etc.). I don't remember interviewing anywhere that required a particular rotation (other than the general ones you do during third year).
With that said, I believe no one going into a prelim-IM or TY should go through 4th year without doing at least one medicine sub-I. My school required two sub-I's--a floor month and a unit month. I'm very glad I had to do both.
Also, one thing to keep in mind is many prelims specifically want a letter of recommendation from the chair of medicine at your school. I don't know how much of a difference it actually makes--I just heard it was important, so I got one. Doing a sub-I gives the chair more information to work with.
With that said, I believe no one going into a prelim-IM or TY should go through 4th year without doing at least one medicine sub-I. My school required two sub-I's--a floor month and a unit month. I'm very glad I had to do both.
Also, one thing to keep in mind is many prelims specifically want a letter of recommendation from the chair of medicine at your school. I don't know how much of a difference it actually makes--I just heard it was important, so I got one. Doing a sub-I gives the chair more information to work with.
Thanks, that's really helpful. I'm doing a rotation in the MICU and one on a pulmonary consult service (as well as numerous subspecialty outpt&consult electives...ID/Endo/Rheum). Does that seem like reasonable preparation, or should I consider adding a plain internal medicine sub-i?
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That sounds like a pretty good schedule to me--you're rotating through the subspecialties that will really help you intern year, so unless you feel the need to consolidate and synthesize all that knowledge one last time, you probably don't need a plain medicine sub-i.
I don't think I remember a single program making any demands on the fourth year schedule. Some prelim medicine programs require a "chair's letter," which I think in some medical schools you need to earn via a sub-I. I didn't do a medicine sub-i (neuro inpatient; cards consults as sub-i's) or an ICU as a fourth year. It was fine. I did have a sub-I in medicine on my schedule for the spring in case anyone looked (one prelim medicine interviewer asked and made note of it), but I cancelled that during interview season. I had no issues during my TY year. Chances are if you did well enough during medical school to get a TY, you're smart enough to learn on the job as a resident like everyone else does.
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I never did a medicine sub-i or a MICU. I did surgery sub-is and TSICU and matched a sweet TY.
So take this advice with a grain of salt.
I think they just want to see you are a hard worker and not crappy to work with when they interview you and look over your app...
I also never did a medicine sub-I and I matched at my top TY. I got a letter from my third year rotation on medicine to sent out with my TY apps.
I think they mostly look at your application as a whole. TY and Prelim programs are aware that you'll only be doing Medicine for a year anyhow so they want to see you're a hard worker and team player regardless of if you're on a medicine, surgery, or peds rotation.
I think they mostly look at your application as a whole. TY and Prelim programs are aware that you'll only be doing Medicine for a year anyhow so they want to see you're a hard worker and team player regardless of if you're on a medicine, surgery, or peds rotation.
