Need for Aways in Neuro as a DO?

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Chibucks15

Chibucks15

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Hi everybody, this has been a super helpful resource and I appreciate it. I posted in the neuro forum but this has a lot more traffic. Sorry if that's against the rules on x-posting

Had a few questions...I'm a DO with a pretty average step 1/level 1 in the midwest. I'm in the midst of 3rd year and was thinking ahead a bit as I see the 4th years submit ERAS. Is there a need to do away rotations at mid-tier places in the midwest? I'm talking programs in wisconsin, iowa, minnesota, and chicago mostly. I know that's vague but I'm more concerned on location then relative prestige because I don't really plan on going onto academic medicine or anything. I've heard a mixed opinion on the need for it so I was curious. Thanks!
 
If you are really trying for a specific location I have always heard it's a good idea to rotate in that location, but I don't know. Overall no you probably don't need aways (maybe 1 at a reach place for a nice letter?) for neuro.
 
AnatomyGrey12 said:
If you are really trying for a specific location I have always heard it's a good idea to rotate in that location, but I don't know. Overall no you probably don't need aways (maybe 1 at a reach place for a nice letter?) for neuro.
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Thanks I'm just being all paranoid. Since my step won't wow anyone and my school makes it tough to even high pass rotations I was debating what I'd need to do. I'm not thinking anywhere uber competitive but it'd be nice to stay in a general area my wife and I would like to live
 
Chibucks15 said:
Hi everybody, this has been a super helpful resource and I appreciate it. I posted in the neuro forum but this has a lot more traffic. Sorry if that's against the rules on x-posting

Had a few questions...I'm a DO with a pretty average step 1/level 1 in the midwest. I'm in the midst of 3rd year and was thinking ahead a bit as I see the 4th years submit ERAS. Is there a need to do away rotations at mid-tier places in the midwest? I'm talking programs in wisconsin, iowa, minnesota, and chicago mostly. I know that's vague but I'm more concerned on location then relative prestige because I don't really plan on going onto academic medicine or anything. I've heard a mixed opinion on the need for it so I was curious. Thanks!
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I would do at least 1 or 2 in an area your are interested in. You need a academic letter, this will really help your app. Also congrats on jumping on the neuro train before it gets crazy. Its a good choice!
 
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BorntobeDO? said:
I would do at least 1 or 2 in an area your are interested in. You need a academic letter, this will really help your app. Also congrats on jumping on the nuero train before it gets crazy. Its a good choice!
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What is said neuro train in reference to?
 
BorntobeDO? said:
I would do at least 1 or 2 in an area your are interested in. You need a academic letter, this will really help your app. Also congrats on jumping on the nuero train before it gets crazy. Its a good choice!
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My home hospital doesn’t have a neuro program but is technically a teaching hospital. I was gonna do one rotation there and get a letter. Are you saying that it’d be better to get one directly from a PD? Like if I tried an away at UIC or something for example?

I’m just unbelievably average so I’d be concerned I wouldn’t impress enough haha evals are great and I’m good with patients but pure knowledge base isn’t like most on this damn website
 
You shall know the Truth said:
What is said neuro train in reference to?
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If you know, you know.



Lol, j.k. I think Nuero is going to blow up like psych because they are sort of similar. They weren't popular but have a pretty decent lifestyle as an attending if you do outpatient, and the median pay is around 300k. But Nuero is better in some ways because its difficult for a low level provider to learn what you need to know to do it. Psych is a lot easier for an NP to fake than Nuero. Nuero is a harder residency, but that protects you once your an attending. Plus strokes are becoming like heart attacks now, and soon interventional neuro will be taking off. Especially as a DO Nuero is a great way to a specialty even if your not a rockstar on paper.
 
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Chibucks15 said:
My home hospital doesn’t have a neuro program but is technically a teaching hospital. I was gonna do one rotation there and get a letter. Are you saying that it’d be better to get one directly from a PD? Like if I tried an away at UIC or something for example?

I’m just unbelievably average so I’d be concerned I wouldn’t impress enough haha evals are great and I’m good with patients but pure knowledge base isn’t like most on this damn website
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Yeah you need one letter from at least an attending associated with a neuro residency. That adds a lot of clout behind their letter, as the reader knows they see many students.

I totally understand being average in knowledge, but being very interested can make up a lot of that deficit in my experience.
 
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BorntobeDO? said:
Yeah you need one letter from at least an attending associated with a nuero residency. That adds a lot of clout behind their letter, as the reader knows they see many students.

I totally understand being average in knowledge, but being very interested can make up a lot of that deficit in my experience.
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Nice thanks for the advice. I guess I would just be nervous about doing an away at a place I really wanna be at and just tanking and ruining my shot haha I'm sure it would be fine but damn people in med school are smart
 
BorntobeDO? said:
If you know, you know.



Lol, j.k. I think Nuero is going to blow up like psych because they are sort of similar. They weren't popular but have a pretty decent lifestyle as an attending if you do outpatient, and the median pay is around 300k. But Nuero is better in some ways because its difficult for a low level provider to learn what you need to know to do it. Psych is a lot easier for an NP to fake than Nuero. Nuero is a harder residency, but that protects you once your an attending. Plus strokes are becoming like heart attacks now, and soon interventional nuero will be taking off. Especially as a DO Nuero is a great way to a specialty even if your not a rockstar on paper.
Click to expand...

I didn't know neuro could also be spelled nuero. Never seen it like that before
 
Chibucks15 said:
Nice thanks for the advice. I guess I would just be nervous about doing an away at a place I really wanna be at and just tanking and ruining my shot haha I'm sure it would be fine but damn people in med school are smart
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On an away currently. I am with MD/PhD's students whose resume has more pubs than probably every attending at my school combined. These guys are brilliant, but they are also people. If you discuss your interests and they match up they will help you out. Most of them are pretty cool, probably because of the zero threat I pose to their chance of matching.

Don't be intimidated, you aren't dumb and your hands on clinical experience will give you something to talk about. These guys have never had more than 2-5 patients a day max. You will probably have more experience then them. I would encourage you to do at least one or two aways. It will really open your eyes and let you see the differences between what our programs are like and what an actual academic center is (and why you would or wouldn't want to goto one).
NVO said:
I didn't know neuro could also be spelled nuero. Never seen it like that before
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Its my dyslexia, always coming out. Luckily the world has spell check, and SDN has studious people to help me out.
 
Chibucks15 said:
My home hospital doesn’t have a neuro program but is technically a teaching hospital. I was gonna do one rotation there and get a letter. Are you saying that it’d be better to get one directly from a PD? Like if I tried an away at UIC or something for example?

I’m just unbelievably average so I’d be concerned I wouldn’t impress enough haha evals are great and I’m good with patients but pure knowledge base isn’t like most on this damn website
Click to expand...
Man I wouldn’t worry about that stuff. Look at the charting outcomes. Most neuro applicants are as “average” as you on paper so get out of your head. You’ve worked hard to accomplish your goals and are literally in the same league as most of the other students you’ll be auditioning with so own it.
 
So I was just looking at neuro... They go through their own match? Does that change application timing/strategy at all?
 
Neurology used to participate in the San Francisco (early) match but hasn’t in years. Just in the regular NRMP now.

As far as aways, not strictly necessary in neuro but helpful to expand your experiences, get a letter, and check out a program that interests you in more depth. As with all fields, top neurology programs are competitive and will have super star applicants. Just something to note for those looking into the field.
 
Prehealth1011 said:
Wouldn't you need an away to get a speciality specific LOR? The specialities that usually don't need an away, I'm curious how they're getting the LOR needed to apply for that specialty.
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Why would you need an away just to get a specialty specific letter? You just do an elective with whatever neurologist your schools sets students up with.
 
Prehealth1011 said:
Wouldn't you need an away to get a speciality specific LOR? The specialities that usually don't need an away, I'm curious how they're getting the LOR needed to apply for that specialty.
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You can get letters through your core rotation in 3rd year and/or school affiliated rotation in 4th year. If you don’t rotate in neurology (or whatever other specialty you had in mind), that’s going to be a problem for more reasons than just lack of letters. Regardless, yes, it can be beneficial to have a letter from an away as well.
 
I second what @ananasmed said.

Not necessary. Highly recommended.

It’s for your own good. You’ll get to experience the field first hand and see the dynamics of a neurology residency. It’s a great experience; don’t deprive yourself of it.

Besides, on interviews you’ll be asked about your experiences with the field. It’ll be very helpful to have some cool cases to share with the interviewer. These cool cases usually don’t happen at your typical DO rotations.
 
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
I second what @ananasmed said.

Not necessary. Highly recommended.

It’s for your own good. You’ll get to experience the field first hand and see the dynamics of a neurology residency. It’s a great experience; don’t deprive yourself of it.

Besides, on interviews you’ll be asked about your experiences with the field. It’ll be very helpful to have some cool cases to share with the interviewer. These cool cases usually don’t happen at your typical DO rotations.
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Thanks I appreciate it. I haven’t really been able to find any neuro research, been doing some cardio projects though. So anything to answer the “why neuro” question is ideal.

Any other specific tips for neuro? Besides the general ones of letters, etc
 
Chibucks15 said:
Thanks I appreciate it. I haven’t really been able to find any neuro research, been doing some cardio projects though. So anything to answer the “why neuro” question is ideal.

Any other specific tips for neuro? Besides the general ones of letters, etc
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Attend the next AAN conference.

Yeah it’d be great to have some sort of research project in neuro. Something as simple as case report would be great too. There are plenty of opportunities for that if you rotate at an academic center with residents. Over the last two months we have 3 auditioning med students a case each to write a report on. They’ll get to be first authors on it. We, residents, don’t have time to do all the leg work. We like to have students do that for us and in return they get to the opportunity to have their name published on something.
 
Chibucks15 said:
Thanks I appreciate it. I haven’t really been able to find any neuro research, been doing some cardio projects though. So anything to answer the “why neuro” question is ideal.

Any other specific tips for neuro? Besides the general ones of letters, etc
Click to expand...

Also,

If you’re an average DO student you’ll match neurology. Don’t sweat it. Just make sure you demonstrate some interest.
 
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