MS3 meeting with PD

[cfdavid]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So, I only have two more rotations to experience (Peds and IM), as I'm currently in FM now.

Last month I did an anesthesiology elective, and am getting pretty darn serious about going for anes as a career. I really liked it, and did quite well in the rotation. Many of you know, it's been an interest for quite a long time.

This Thursday, I've arranged a meeting with my home programs PD, whom I've met but haven't had as much face time as would be ideal. I plan on telling him how much I enjoyed the rotation, love the field, and that I'll be applying (which at this point I'm 99% sure I will be).

Does anyone have any ideas as to further networking with these guys? Anything else I might adress? Questions to ask?

I don't normally ask for this type of advice, but this is new to me. I figured I'd throw it out there for some input, which I've always respected.

Thanks,

cf

 

[G0S2]

You are going about it the right way. As an MS3, in my opinion, just declare your interest in the field and your intention to apply. Ask if there are any faculty "mentors" you should be paired up with to prepare for MS4 and applications. We do that here. You have medicine coming up, do well.

Early in MS4, act as a sub-I on a service (SICU for example) and rock it to get a great gas letter. The word spreads fast and the dept knows who they want and other programs usually want that applicant as well.

 

[lfesiam]

MS3, PLAN YOUR VISITING ANESTHESIOLOGY AWAY ROTATION NOW Best rotation months in my opinion is Mid September to Mid October - right before interview season! Most schools will grant you a "courtesy" interview.

- most desirable away rotations are starting to fill around this time...even the schools participating with VSAS (Visiting Student Application System)...call now to reserve a spot and beat the rush.

Away Elective Resources:
ECC: http://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/electives/start.htm
VSAS: http://www.aamc.org/programs/vsas/start.htm

- MS1, MS2, MS3, if you are reading this and have extra time to do research, this is a sweet anesthesiology research gig: http://www.faer.org/programs/students/index.html

To OP - identify an awesome letter writer now, best if you know him/her well, hence having an anesthesiologist mentor early, take a few calls with him/her even if you're not on an anesthesiology rotation, spend time outside the OR with him/her if applicable i.e. local happy hour, golf, pot luck, etc.

 

[mstudent12345]

One other way to get into things is to do some research with a person or people in the department. If you work with them in the OR it is yet another thing they can write about in your letter, not to mention it helps you build the relationship.

So, I only have two more rotations to experience (Peds and IM), as I'm currently in FM now.

Last month I did an anesthesiology elective, and am getting pretty darn serious about going for anes as a career. I really liked it, and did quite well in the rotation. Many of you know, it's been an interest for quite a long time.

This Thursday, I've arranged a meeting with my home programs PD, whom I've met but haven't had as much face time as would be ideal. I plan on telling him how much I enjoyed the rotation, love the field, and that I'll be applying (which at this point I'm 99% sure I will be).

Does anyone have any ideas as to further networking with these guys? Anything else I might adress? Questions to ask?

I don't normally ask for this type of advice, but this is new to me. I figured I'd throw it out there for some input, which I've always respected.

Thanks,

cf

 

[cfdavid]

Thanks for the great advice guys. I'll definitely be taking it up! 👍

cf

 

[lfesiam]

Thanks for the great advice guys. I'll definitely be taking it up! 👍

cf

np, goodluck dude👍

 

[fakin' the funk]

You are going about it the right way. As an MS3, in my opinion, just declare your interest in the field and your intention to apply. Ask if there are any faculty "mentors" you should be paired up with to prepare for MS4 and applications. We do that here. You have medicine coming up, do well.

This is great advice.

My advice for MS3s and below is DO EVERYTHING EARLY. Plan your rotations, letters, personal statement, away rotation if you're going to do one, ERAS submission...EARLY EARLY EARLY.

 

[RxBoy]

Follow above... also... keep contact with the PD, periodically asking questions. Eventually ask to shadow him for a day in early summer. At the end of the day ask to sit down with him and discuss...

1) Tell him your stats, tell him what geographic locations you're interested in, and ask him what programs you should apply to....PDs have a wealth of information on other programs. Of course make mention that you are very interested in your home program as well.

2) have your CV and ERAS cover sheet ready and ask him for a LOR as well. PDs write the best LORs because they know what other programs want to hear.

You could ask for a LOR right now, especially since you're still fresh in his head after the rotation. But its better for him to know you well for a LOR. Plus if you were a clueless M3 like me... you still don't know the first thing about a CV or where to get an ERAS cover sheet.

 

[panetrain]

Do not bring up the work hours at their program or their call frequency. Do not bring up an irrelevant question like their board pass rate. Appropriate questions to ask a PD are what research opportunities does your program have to offer? What didactics does your program provide their residents? Does your program support residents who want to be involved in the ASA or other such national societies? Does your program support scholarly activity etc...?

 

[cfdavid]

Thanks for more great input guys. This is great stuff.

cf

 

[GoodmanBrown]

Thanks for more great input guys. This is great stuff.

cf

Ditto that. This is a goldmine. Thanks!

 

[stargirl50]

I would ask his/her opinion on when to take step 2.

I'll tell you what I think-- I did well on step 1, took step 2 (ck and cs) early and got them out of the way. I'm so glad I did. Did even better on step 2. It's an easy test and you have no excuse not to rock it and improve your app!

 

[GoodmanBrown]

- MS1, MS2, MS3, if you are reading this and have extra time to do research, this is a sweet anesthesiology research gig: http://www.faer.org/programs/students/index.html

Ifesiam/anyone,

What's a good time to do a program like this? It's for ~4-12 weeks, no? So, when in med school do you have that much free time? I was thinking post-MS1. Post-MS2, I've heard you need to be studying and after that you don't have summers off. Is it possible to do a 4th year elective of this?

 

[lfesiam]

Ifesiam/anyone,

What's a good time to do a program like this? It's for ~4-12 weeks, no? So, when in med school do you have that much free time? I was thinking post-MS1. Post-MS2, I've heard you need to be studying and after that you don't have summers off. Is it possible to do a 4th year elective of this?

Hello GoodmanBrown,

You are correct, Post MS1 is good but...

4th year elective is also a good time, why?

1) you will have something to talk about during interviews beside staring blankly at "do you have any more questions?"
2) shows that you are actually putting in efforts in your 4th year.
3) if you get a poster or paper out of it, you can present at a conference during your intern year (extra time off during your intern year) and most Categorical, TY or prelim med programs will pay for you to go to them.
4) you can pad your ERAS application.
5) research is fun, both bench work and clinical, predictable hours, usually 8-9am to 4-6pm
6) The PI loves it if you have funding (grants) = $$$ for materials that you will be using/wasting
7) You can also use your research month to study for Step 2!

Those points also apply to post MS1 but heck, if your school have a flexible 4th year, take advantage of it and spend your "LAST SUMMER of POST MS1" in something beside medicine = i.e. bartending, backpacking europe, hike the mountains in nepal, explore the ANGKOR WAT ruins in cambodia, get a black belt, work on a cruise, date a significant other (who you might end up marrying so that you can save your 4th year vacation time for the wedding/honeymoon), or if you're an old married couple - you can save your 4th year time to have a baby!

Anytime in 4th year is a good time, even if it is after your interview/application season. You can always put it on ERAS and say that you will start the project later in the year.

other research fundings: check out AMA medical student grants!! or a bunch of other organizations, they are easier to get than you think! wink wink!

and remember "any field that fails to advance itself through research will eventually die"!

 

[fakin' the funk]

4th year elective is also a good time, why?

I know people who have done the FAER thing after MS1 and during MS4. If you can put 2-3 months in a row during MS4 (which might be a stretch given interviewing or your curriculum) then you're gravy, you can get paid and eventually get to present at a conference like Siam said.

I think a key thing to establish with this meeting with the PD is, to what degree are they supportive of you in general including going elsewhere for your residency? You really need to have a solid, nonbiased advisor during MS3 and MS4 to help you choose programs to apply to or not, rank them when it's ROL time, maybe make calls for you. If this is your home institution's chair or PD, excellent, but there may be others in your area who have mentored students and can help them on their way.

 

[G0S2]

-Talk to the PD or Chair about your interest in anesthesia. Use a younger, not so biased prof as a mentor (like Fakin just said). Early in MS4, give a list of the programs you plan on applying to him/her to get fairly up-to-date feedback about them. The chair or PD want the best residents and if you are a solid candidate, they will do everything to land you and will do everything to convince you that your home program is top-notch, which it may be.

-At my institution during the OR anesthesia elective as either an MS3 or 4, you are paired with a resident and often have a different faculty attending every day so it is hard to shine. I suggest the SICU, if there are some attending anesthesiologists b/c they are often there for a week or more and you can really shine if you work hard to help out the residents (prepare/update the list, write notes), read and be able to answer Q's about your pts issues and show some interest in performing procedures. I worked hard and voluntarily took 30hr call b/c the **** goes down at night. The residents told the attendings that I was useful and the attendings then told the chair. Nothing can glow more in terms of a LOR than a line from an attending stating that you worked at the level of an intern.

-Apply early.

-One thing that was always important to me was case numbers. I figured that like med school, I could read on my own to pass the boards, so didactics wasn't all that important. It was the case exposure. Especially livers and cardiac cases since they are huge teaching cases. If the residency had great case numbers so you didn't have to travel far and a generally supportive environment, great.

-And again, work hard in your IM rotation and try to get a strong letter.