MS2 w/ question about 3rd year rotation

[joshua_msu]

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Hello,

I am a current MS2 and am currently in the process of deciding my 3rd year elective, which will actually be my first rotation when I'm fresh off the boat of 2nd year. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to get a gas rotation later on in the year as my surgical subspecialty. I got Urology instead, which I guess I am ok with.

I was defintely considering anesthesia as a career choice.

So my question is, what do you think I should do with my elective? If I dont do an anesthesia elective, I wont be able to until my fourth year, and if I do one, it would be my first rotation.

If I dont dont anesthesia, what do you think I should do? Would it hurt me come fourth year, to not even have a latter yet or lengthy experience?

Thanks for your help and suggestions guys.

 

[jtw]

Hello,

I am a current MS2 and am currently in the process of deciding my 3rd year elective, which will actually be my first rotation when I'm fresh off the boat of 2nd year. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to get a gas rotation later on in the year as my surgical subspecialty. I got Urology instead, which I guess I am ok with.

I was defintely considering anesthesia as a career choice.

So my question is, what do you think I should do with my elective? If I dont do an anesthesia elective, I wont be able to until my fourth year, and if I do one, it would be my first rotation.

If I dont dont anesthesia, what do you think I should do? Would it hurt me come fourth year, to not even have a latter yet or lengthy experience?

Thanks for your help and suggestions guys.

My med school did not offer a 3rd year elective, and I think many others don't as well, so you would not necessarily be at a DISadvantage to delay your elective until 4th year, as long as you scheduled it relatively early in the year (august/september is plenty early enough to secure a letter). On the other hand, if I were you I would do it even earlier (3rd yr), so that you would be able to decide earlier whether you really want to go into gas. The earlier you decide what specialty to pursue, the easier life is in terms of planning your 4th yr and scheduling away rotations, securing LORs, etc, not to mention PEACE of MIND as the 3rd yr ends. My classmates who were undecided in May of 3rd year were quite jealous that my mind had been made up for months.

 

[VentdependenT]

It would be nice to have surgery under your belt beforehand for stuff like electrolytes, fluid shifts, blood loss, trauma, etc.

For some perspective I didn't even think of doing an anesthesiology rotation until my 3rd month out during 4th year.

 

[joshua_msu]

Well I guess that is good to hear. Maybe since I will be spending two straight months in the OR, I can befriend a doc and let me follow him around and what not. If I were to shadow a doc as a student, would I be allowed to do anything?

Did you guys do anything to get experience in the field when you werent on a gas rotation?