number of weeks for specialty rotation and planning for 4th year

[newstart90]

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Good evening everyone,

These questions may have been answered before but here are my scenarios:

We are wrapping up with our 3rd year this week and I am starting my application to ophthalmology this fall. The specialty rotation schedule is now designed as the following:
June home 4 weeks
August away 4 weeks
Mid September Clinical Partners 2 weeks
Would total of 10 weeks be enough for ophthalmology application?

This above schedule left my july wide open, which lead to my next question, what should I do for the month of july
I am currently debating between research vs. step2 ck. I would say 80% of the people i spoke to say delay step2 but 20%, especially my research pi who is the chairman at a solid ophthalmology program suggested me to take it in july. My backgrounds, step1 260+, shelf score all abover 90th percentile except family med (aquifer), research has 20+ published papers but scattered around different fields of medicine and surgery, only posters and 1 paper (under major revision) for ophthalmology.

I do have a project which is clinical that i may fit into july but with too much variables involved, IRB alone has been a constant headache to deal with. The other project is a literature research with ent department. while I am doing my part, the ent team has not event started theirs.

I also noticed all ophth interview won't happen till past November 1st this year. Are they potentially waiting for step2 score?

Appreciate any advice and consults. Thanks for the help!

 

[Frogger27]

You could do a research month and try to do some virtual rotations (eg, network with programs you weren’t able to do away rotation with) during that time since you will have more flexibility.

you could also try taking step 2 and doing research as well. You don’t need to take it early, but it’s always nice to get it out of the way and with your background you should be able to knock it out of the park without too much stress

 

[newstart90]

You could do a research month and try to do some virtual rotations (eg, network with programs you weren’t able to do away rotation with) during that time since you will have more flexibility.

you could also try taking step 2 and doing research as well. You don’t need to take it early, but it’s always nice to get it out of the way and with your background you should be able to knock it out of the park without too much stress

Thanks very much for your advice!

This year there are actually only a hand full of virtual rotation for ophth, (95% in person and 5% virutal) and I really don't have a strong preference for any location. I am the kind of guy willing to go anywhere that's not like sub zero freezing. The best one I have seen in my vicinity, UIC, has conflict with my august away and clinic partners rotation.

What's do you think of this November interview? I have a good buddy interviewing for ortho last year and several programs asked him where is his step2 score (he had a step1 260+ and many research and activities as well)... Do you foresee ophth ask the same?