Ophtho rotation question: from the other side

[Wolverine98]

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I just want to get a feel for different opinions on doing rotations in ophthalmology. It doesn't matter if you're talking about home or away rotations.

Some programs take an approach where students are exposed to as many different staff and divisions as possible. You'll see a lot, but you often will only see any one attending for 2-3 days during a rotation at most.

Others take the opposite approach. You'll be set up to spend two weeks with one attending, and two weeks with another. Or maybe one attending for the whole month. Obviously here they get to know you better, which can be reflected in the quality of your LOR. But, OTOH, it's less likely you'll be able to get the "big name" letter, because you might not end up working with that person.

When I was a student, I did one of each, and I can't decide which I liked more. I wanted to get an idea of what students nowadays prefer.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[7ontheline]

I wanted to get an idea of what students nowadays prefer.

You're an attending now. They prefer what you want them to prefer. 😀

Eh, when I was a student I think it was more educational to spend time with one doctor because moving around all over the place seemed to be a pretty shallow experience overall. It's hard to say which is better for students' admissions prospects though. Thankfully, in private practice I don't have to worry about such things!

 

[Wolverine98]

You're an attending now. They prefer what you want them to prefer. 😀

I was hoping no one would notice. 😉

It actually came up because we're talking about revamping the way we do rotations for interns and medical students, and I thought I'd get the input of people who might have to do it.

Dave

 

[twintiger32]

it sorta depends...

if i had the option to do a rotation with 1-2 attendings, i would consider how much weight they have in the selection process. naturally, if it's with the chairman or program director, or someone on the committee, i would probably sign up for that.

then again, if it was too late to get a LOR, i wouldn't mind being exposed to all the different services/attendings.

Perhaps give students an option: so they can tailor their rotation to a specific service (cornea, retina, glaucoma, etc), or rotate on one service per week. that is my recommendation.

 

[MR1]

I agree that it depends. As a medical student I would want to be exposed to 1-2 attendings for the entire month. Now this obviously is better if the attendings carry weight when it comes time for resident selection or they are well know so their LOR's carry weight.

As an intern this year on my ophtho rotation, I preferred being exposed to multiple attendings, since I haven't done ophtho in ~1yr it was nice getting a little refresher in all aspects of ophtho rather than just spending the month with only a retina, glaucoma, general, etc person.

 

[sjkpark]

I just want to get a feel for different opinions on doing rotations in ophthalmology. It doesn't matter if you're talking about home or away rotations.

Some programs take an approach where students are exposed to as many different staff and divisions as possible. You'll see a lot, but you often will only see any one attending for 2-3 days during a rotation at most.

Others take the opposite approach. You'll be set up to spend two weeks with one attending, and two weeks with another. Or maybe one attending for the whole month. Obviously here they get to know you better, which can be reflected in the quality of your LOR. But, OTOH, it's less likely you'll be able to get the "big name" letter, because you might not end up working with that person.

When I was a student, I did one of each, and I can't decide which I liked more. I wanted to get an idea of what students nowadays prefer.

Thanks,
Dave

I did a 7-week elective at Wilmer and it worked out very well. I spent 3 days a week with Glaucoma (with 2 glaucoma attendings being my supervisors). They were flexible about my 2 days and I hopped around cornea, paeds, neuro-ophth and ER. I got 2 very good letters from 1 glaucoma attending and from the medical student program director at Wilmer, but I feel that I got taste of specialties that I was interested in doing. Glaucoma was also excellent for learning to do basic eye exam. It is little bit difficult to do that in say, paeds or neuro-ophth elective.

 

[Wolverine98]

I agree that it depends. As a medical student I would want to be exposed to 1-2 attendings for the entire month. Now this obviously is better if the attendings carry weight when it comes time for resident selection or they are well know so their LOR's carry weight.

As an intern this year on my ophtho rotation, I preferred being exposed to multiple attendings, since I haven't done ophtho in ~1yr it was nice getting a little refresher in all aspects of ophtho rather than just spending the month with only a retina, glaucoma, general, etc person.

I agree with that. Even though we might change around how we're doing both the medical student and intern rotations, they won't necessarily be the same as each other.

Dave

 

[Wolverine98]

i would consider how much weight they have in the selection process. naturally, if it's with the chairman or program director, or someone on the committee, i would probably sign up for that.

It would always be with people on the committee.

Perhaps give students an option: so they can tailor their rotation to a specific service (cornea, retina, glaucoma, etc), or rotate on one service per week. that is my recommendation.

From my standpoint that would be easy, but it could become a logistical nightmare for our coordinator in the months when we have a lot of med students. The other problem is that every student who comes through is going to second guess their decision. They'll always wonder if they made the "right" choice.

Dave