Not doing away electives

[DAKAZA]

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I'm an MS4 and applied only to anesthesia. I did an anesthesia elective at my home institution but there is no residency program there, so I was only with attendings. I've received quite a few interview invites but I'm a little concerned that not doing away electives at residency programs will hurt my chances of matching. Most of the other anesthesia applicants at my school did do an away rotation or two. I hope this doesn't put me at a major disadvantage. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[tourniquet1963]

I'm an MS4 and applied only to anesthesia. I did an anesthesia elective at my home institution but there is no residency program there, so I was only with attendings. I've received quite a few interview invites but I'm a little concerned that not doing away electives at residency programs will hurt my chances of matching. Most of the other anesthesia applicants at my school did do an away rotation or two. I hope this doesn't put me at a major disadvantage. Any thoughts? Thanks.

at most, you would have gotten 2 additional interviews (assuming you would have done 2 away electives). not a major disadvantage imo. i hope you have a letter or 2 from an anesthesiologist though.

 

[deleted9493]

Most who match at a given program from outside institutions will not have done a visiting rotation at that program. Everyone has a different take on this but my own is that it only takes one misunderstanding or bad interaction to spoil your odds at a program.

The benefit of the away rotation comes for the applicant who is weak on paper, in my opinion.

 

[cchoukal]

will our opinions help you? If we said, "you really screwed yourself by not doing an away," would you go do one now, in the middle of interview season, and hope other programs will notice and invite you for interviews?

Relax, enjoy the Airport food and frequent flyer miles, and hope for the best.