P4 elective rotation choices for residency

[optimusprime71]

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Are there any electives rotations that are preferred for those who want to do residency ? I am definitely doing critical care and oncology electives. For the third one, I narrowed it down to ID, Pharmacy management, Pediatrics, Cardiology, Nutrition. Which one would be most helpful in your opinion ?

 

[njac]

I think pediatrics exposure is always a good thing, even if you don't have much interest in it.

If you staff in a hospital that has a nicu or peds you'll be expected to enter/verify those orders, so any exposure to things that are done differently is helpful.

 

[njac]

ID is good as well, but you'll have exposure to it in the ICU and on medicine, etc.

The feedback I've gotten from my students is that the ID they get on my ER rotation is more applicable to daily practice than an ID rotation.

 

[rxlea]

It depends how in depth I suppose and what you'll be doing. Cardiology might be good if you're with a consult team rounding on patients.

You'll likely get ID stuff everywhere.

Peds or cards, but like I said it depends on the tasks you're doing.

 

[patmcd]

Any of your choices above would be solid choices. If you're considering one of those areas for a PGY2, then I would suggest you pick that one so you can gain more experience and help you decide.

 

[KARM12]

I find oncology mostly useless unless you have an interest in that area. ID is applicable to every patient care setting. Cards, Peds are a good choice too.

 

[Doc Hawaii]

Pain clinic was proably my most useful rotation, although critical care was a close second.

 

[Kenzi11611]

If you're interested in oncology keep it, otherwise I would ditch and do cards, ID or Peds. Management and nutrition would be less helpful based on my experience.

 

[optimusprime71]

The only reason I picked oncology was because I heard that it's in demand and that chemo is complex drugs with side effects, so PGY-2 pharmacists have a great opportunity in that field. I won't have oncology therapeutics until next semester but by then I would I have picked the electives. Don't know if I would love it or hate it.

 

[deleted205891]

The only reason I picked oncology was because I heard that it's in demand and that chemo is complex drugs with side effects, so PGY-2 pharmacists have a great opportunity in that field. I won't have oncology therapeutics until next semester but by then I would I have picked the electives. Don't know if I would love it or hate it.

That's actually a very good reason to do onc, so I would suggest to keep it. Seems like onc PGY-2s can still find good jobs, while it's harder for PGY-2s in other fields (for example ID, crit care) to find jobs in their specialty. Only question is if you want to do a PGY-2 in the first place.

 

[optimusprime71]

What is a cardiology rotation like ? Is it in CCU ? or similar to internal medicine. If it's similar to internal medicine, then I might use that elective elsewhere because IM is required anyways.

 

[patmcd]

What is a cardiology rotation like ? Is it in CCU ? or similar to internal medicine. If it's similar to internal medicine, then I might use that elective elsewhere because IM is required anyways.

The cardiology rotation could involve the CCU, general acute care or both.... Will depend on the individual rotation.

 

[GoldfishPharmD]

I did oncology, cardiology, and transplant when I was a student. Transplant was useful because that's what I'm going into and cardiology was useful as well. Oncology on the other hand, I didn't find that useful. I didn't really deal much with chemo, it was more caring for patient's comorbidities outside of cancer. We had interesting topic discussions but that stuff didn't carry into my PGY1 or PGY2 outside of overlapping medications like rituximab.

 

[Transformer]

When I was a P4, I took an ID rotation. I found the experience extremely helpful since ID issues are found in most of the hospital patients.

ID and Cardio will be good and useful rotations to take as a student to build a good foundation for other rotations.

Take Onc or Peds if you have a strong interest in the topic

Are there any electives rotations that are preferred for those who want to do residency ? I am definitely doing critical care and oncology electives. For the third one, I narrowed it down to ID, Pharmacy management, Pediatrics, Cardiology, Nutrition. Which one would be most helpful in your opinion ?

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

It will depend on the site. Mine included CCU, general med, and hospital f/u heart failure clinic

 

[aldolase]

Is management rotation is good for networking or about the same as other rotations ? I will have to sacrifice a clinical rotation for it but if it helps in employment then I am up for it. Also, those who have done a management rotation, was it helpful in making you a better pharmacist ? I want to do residency but if I don't get it then I am hoping to be a hospital staff pharmacist.

 

[PharmBeanz]

My management rotation was a joke. I had it toward the end of P4 year and ended up using it to study for the NAPLEX (ie watch Sons of Anarchy on Netflix). Our rotation was also required.

I guess it depends on where you do it and what you do to make the most it. I totally regret spending my time on SoA, I should have watched something better.

 

[aldolase]

My management rotation was a joke. I had it toward the end of P4 year and ended up using it to study for the NAPLEX (ie watch Sons of Anarchy on Netflix). Our rotation was also required.

I guess it depends on where you do it and what you do to make the most it. I totally regret spending my time on SoA, I should have watched something better.

Unfortunately, I have no control over which site or preceptor I will get.

 

[Dalteparin]

That's actually a very good reason to do onc, so I would suggest to keep it. Seems like onc PGY-2s can still find good jobs, while it's harder for PGY-2s in other fields (for example ID, crit care) to find jobs in their specialty. Only question is if you want to do a PGY-2 in the first place.

I agree. If you're just curious about oncology and aren't sure whether or not you'll like it, a rotation is the way to go. If I had to say no to one of your options it would be management, simply because you could work for years before becoming a manager and by then you'll have forgotten everything you learned on rotation. Unless you want to do a PGY-2 in administration (or you aren't sure and are wondering what it's about), it's probably not a good use of your time.

OP, are any of these electives at hospitals where you might want to do a residency? That's the most important thing here - if you do a good job on your rotation, you'll have an in with their residency program.