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- Jan 6, 2003
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A few suggestions for MS4s on audition rotations, based on some career-killing moves I have witnessed or heard about.
You are being evaluated on several things:
- get along with others
- get all the necessary work done in reasonable time (i.e. do not take 4 hours to do an H&P)
- willing to work as hard as necessary (above and beyond) to help the team
- do things that will make my job easier, when I am your senior resident or your attending
- have a basic knowledge of the relevant medicine, basic knowledge of procedures etc., be honest about your limitations, and study to fill in the gaps, be humble
- seem excited and interested in our specialty, jump at the chance to learn (I should not be astonished to learn that our program is your first choice)
If you cannot bring yourself to do these 6 things for the duration of your audition, then for goodness' sake don't do the rotation. Arguing with residents (worst, in front of patients), leaving early, not thinking ahead to what needs to be done this afternoon or tomorrow, not helping out with the scut and paperwork; these are all killers.
Remember that people will make instant judgements about you in the first few days (hours, minutes) of working with you, and do your best to make those first impressions extremely positive. It is almost impossible to recover from a bad first impression. If a resident thinks you are doing a crap job, unfortunately they will pretty much never volunteer that information or give you any suggestions for improvement. It is to your advantage to ask for feedback early and often, and follow the advice. For example, if they tell you you take too long to do an H&P, then figure out in the next 3 weeks how to become more efficient, and do it. This gets you bonus points for humility, awareness of limitations, openness to feedback, and ability to improve.
Finally, say NOTHING bad about anybody anywhere at any time. Attendings at one program are married to attendings at other programs, like the OB/Gyn attending you just rotated with and hated. You will not find this out until it is much, much too late.
You are being evaluated on several things:
- get along with others
- get all the necessary work done in reasonable time (i.e. do not take 4 hours to do an H&P)
- willing to work as hard as necessary (above and beyond) to help the team
- do things that will make my job easier, when I am your senior resident or your attending
- have a basic knowledge of the relevant medicine, basic knowledge of procedures etc., be honest about your limitations, and study to fill in the gaps, be humble
- seem excited and interested in our specialty, jump at the chance to learn (I should not be astonished to learn that our program is your first choice)
If you cannot bring yourself to do these 6 things for the duration of your audition, then for goodness' sake don't do the rotation. Arguing with residents (worst, in front of patients), leaving early, not thinking ahead to what needs to be done this afternoon or tomorrow, not helping out with the scut and paperwork; these are all killers.
Remember that people will make instant judgements about you in the first few days (hours, minutes) of working with you, and do your best to make those first impressions extremely positive. It is almost impossible to recover from a bad first impression. If a resident thinks you are doing a crap job, unfortunately they will pretty much never volunteer that information or give you any suggestions for improvement. It is to your advantage to ask for feedback early and often, and follow the advice. For example, if they tell you you take too long to do an H&P, then figure out in the next 3 weeks how to become more efficient, and do it. This gets you bonus points for humility, awareness of limitations, openness to feedback, and ability to improve.
Finally, say NOTHING bad about anybody anywhere at any time. Attendings at one program are married to attendings at other programs, like the OB/Gyn attending you just rotated with and hated. You will not find this out until it is much, much too late.
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