order of clinical clerkships important for residency?

[dr barb]

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If you're interested in surgery, should you take it towards the beginning or towards the end of your 3rd year clerkships?

 

[Asher]

I would avoid taking it at the beginning of the third year as you'll still be learning the ropes of the wards. I would also recommend avoiding scheduling medicine or ob-gyn right before the rotation as these are usually the other most time-intensive clerkships and you don't want to be exhausted before you even start. Additionally, if your school gives all the subject boards at the end of the third year or you plan to take step 2 relatively soon after the end of the third year, you might not want to take surgery as the last block. It can be hard to balance cumulative studying with studying for whatever clerkship you are on, particularly if it is one that you are aiming for honors in.

 

[Seaglass]

I second taking it towards the end for all the reasons stated above plus it will be much easier to get a good letter as you will both perform better and have a more representative performance. If you take it early you handicap yourself by not being familiar with the responsibilities of a 3rd year student and having a rather limited knowledge base.

An added bonus of taking it near the end is that you should already be somewhat comfortable in the OR from OB/Gyn.

This advice goes for any specialty, not just surgery.

Casey

MSIV
Penn State

 

[Winged Scapula]

Lots of advice/conventional wisdom on this issue, but really only 1 makes the most sense to me: do the rotation that you believe you will want to specialize in toward the end of your 3rd year.

Nothing like looking really "green" to make you less than impressive - have some floor and OR time under your belt before doing your surgery Core and you'll fair a lot better.

if you do your intended field late in 3rd year, your performance will be fresher in the LOR writer's mind come early 4th year when its time to write them.

 

[dr barb]

Thanks for the info everyone!

 

[scrub monkey]

do ob/gyn before you do surgery. you'll get used to scrubbing in. sterile field. surgical life.

don't do it first! even though surgeons know you're brand new, you don't get much slack. they don't remember how little they knew when they were starting 3rd year.

 

[psi1467]

The later you do it in the year, the more tired many residents will be of doing some of the same procedures. With some luck this may equate in them allowing you more procedural time.