Planning Aways

[GAdoc]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I've posted on the ortho forum a couple times before but I haven't seen anything specifically addressing my question.

I go to a small, private med school in Georgia. My numbers are pretty good (Step 1 = 246) and I have one good (but non-ortho) research experience. However, several things are stacked against me. My school doesn't have its own ortho program so all of my experience has been with orthos in private practice around my area. Also, my schools isn't that high up on the list of total NIH money received. So, I'm trying to maximize my potential for matching. Here's my questions:

In planning my 4th year away rotations, is it more important to rotate at a program where I could really see myself matching or is it more important to rotate at a place where I could get letters from "big names" in the field? My schedule will allow two 4-week rotations. For those of you voting on big names, which programs are the best? I've heard that Campbell Clinic is great; how about Emory?

 

[calvinNhobbes]

How about one rotation at each?
A big name place to try and get the letters and see how a big academic program runs.
And then at one of the places you think might be your top choice since away rotations usually help matching at that program.

 

[GAdoc]

How about one rotation at each?
A big name place to try and get the letters and see how a big academic program runs.
And then at one of the places you think might be your top choice since away rotations usually help matching at that program.

That's actually what my advisor recommended. I guess, its just hard to know what I'm competitive for. Obviously, I'd like to try and go to the best place possible which means I should rotate at the best place possible. But, having good "numbers" from Mercer doesn't make me as impressive an applicant as coming from a place like Emory with the same numbers. Thanks for the advice though!

 

[calvinNhobbes]

True, going to a "top tier" med school helps, but not much. And what defines the "best" programs is very dependent on the individual. Over on orthogate.org there are several posts regarding the "best" ortho programs and it usually results in everyone naming their own program.

Do you want to go to a research heavy academic powerhouse? If so why? Reasons like ego are bad ones, reasons like wanting an academic career are good ones. But being an academic program with lots of research money does not mean you'll get better surgical training.

Is there a region of the country you want to go? If so focus there.

The "best" program is simply what is best for you and the only way to find out is do some research, get as much advice as possible and then dive in and hope for the best!

 

[GAdoc]

True, going to a "top tier" med school helps, but not much. And what defines the "best" programs is very dependent on the individual. Over on orthogate.org there are several posts regarding the "best" ortho programs and it usually results in everyone naming their own program.

Do you want to go to a research heavy academic powerhouse? If so why? Reasons like ego are bad ones, reasons like wanting an academic career are good ones. But being an academic program with lots of research money does not mean you'll get better surgical training.

Is there a region of the country you want to go? If so focus there.

The "best" program is simply what is best for you and the only way to find out is do some research, get as much advice as possible and then dive in and hope for the best!

Thanks for your response. I think that's really good advice. I can tell you this: "name" is not as much a concern as experience. I'd love to be at a place that has a huge volume of cases with less focus on research. Its not that I'm unwilling to do research, but I know academic medicine is not for me - I'm into being a clinician 100%.

I'd prefer to stay in the SE which is why I'd be interested in programs like Emory, AMC, UTC, UF, Orlando, Palmetto, Greenville, etc but I'll go wherever I match!