Possible to still matching decently?

[blz]

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I'm about mid way through my surgery rotation and I've fallen in love with surgery. I'm currently really considering pursuing ENT/Neurosurg/Urology/Plastics. Since plastics is the hardest of the 4, if I decide to go gung ho plastics, is it possible for me to match decently if I try to do some research on the side during 3rd year? I only really have a summer of cancer research in mexico which really didn't amount to anything. I doubt i'll get any real papers trying to do plastics research on the side throughout third year since I'll still be in rotations. I really want to match in a decent program (preferably on the east coast - i'm in NYC right now) and not some small no name hospital in mississippi or something. Should I take a year off to possibly get some meaningful work done or do you think its possible to get something decent done during 3rd year? In general, my grades in med school have been pretty good and I got a 263/99 on step1. I wouldn't mind taking a year off if it came down to that, since Im a young gun straight out of undergrad with no breaks.

 

[medhacker]

Hi blz, how's it going?

I think you may want to take a look at this previous thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=425560&highlight=research

 

[plastikosmd]

I think first you should....

1) gain some additional experience in plastic surgery...work with your local guys/gals and see if this is what you really want...I liked surgery...but did not enjoy my time on ENT/ortho/nsurg or general..but loved plastic..so make sure it is what you really want.

2)you will need to do away rotations, programs are small and they often like to take people they 'know' if you can fit 2-3 in that is good for you and them...also opens up some letter opportunities

3) research...it may help..it isn’t gonna get you a job...with your good scores and some good letters along with a few rotations you will be fine....if it is what you really like. I always said..what do you want to be called with in the middle of the night to deal with...(go in to hospital for)

stroke
heart attack
major trauma...mva, gsw..etc
open femur..etc.
bad facial smash or replant
gi bleed
acute head or spine issue
AAA

and list goes on...figure out what will get you up and out of bed, somewhat excited and do that.

 

[echinoderm]

who is it best to get letters from? ppl you researched with? attendings during surgery rotation? fourth year attendings?

 

[rumorsweretrue]

I think first you should....
3) research...it may help..it isn’t gonna get you a job...with your good scores and some good letters along with a few rotations you will be fine....if it is what you really like. I always said..what do you want to be called with in the middle of the night to deal with...(go in to hospital for)

stroke
heart attack
major trauma...mva, gsw..etc
open femur..etc.
bad facial smash or replant
gi bleed
acute head or spine issue
AAA

and list goes on...figure out what will get you up and out of bed, somewhat excited and do that.

Just a fantastic way to put it. I'd never thought of it this way.

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

I think first you should....

1) gain some additional experience in plastic surgery...work with your local guys/gals and see if this is what you really want...I liked surgery...but did not enjoy my time on ENT/ortho/nsurg or general..but loved plastic..so make sure it is what you really want.

I'm definitely biased but having spent a fair amount of time and had good exposure in both fields I find it hard to believe you loved plastics and hated ENT. Maybe you are more into hand or body contouring or something. Just curious.

 

[plastikosmd]

well i didnt say 'hated' just lack of enjoyment. sinus, ears, h+n cancers, no interest.
the attraction for plastic surgery for me was 2 fold...

1)a generalist focus,
peds/adults
Hand(elective/trauma/recon/congenital)
General reconstruction and Trauma (head/neck/trunk/upper-lower extr)
Cosmo (face/breast/body)
Micro as needed for the above
along with the 3 years of general surgery training
6 ICU blocks, 8 core GS blocks, transplant, cardiac, etc etc

as it was told to me..what do plastic surgeons operate on?
"skin and it's contents"
(and no im not talkin about the nip-tuck group plastic surgeons)

you get to be an expert in anatomy just about everywhere and work
with every hospital surgical service as a consultant...General/Ortho/
neuro/Pedi surg/ENT/Vascular, bout the only guys i dont hear from on
a weekly basis is endocrine surg.
my week 2 weeks ago (vacation last week)
1 free flap lat to lower leg (Ortho)
1 sacral sarc. resection coverage (general)
1 flexor teno (ER)
3 hand fractures (ER)
1 sart. flap for bypass coverage post breakdown (vascular)
1 mandible ORIF (ER)
1 Orbit ORIF (ER)
1 elective carpal tunnel (office)
1 elective mucus cyst (clinic)
1 breast aug with mammo (clinic)
nothin from ortho/pedi this week but im on this weekend

2) emphasis on technique, while this is true in all other surgical fields, it is
a huge focus in plastic surgery. while there is a good deal of pre-op planning, like in all fields..plastic also involves a large amount of design and "outside the box" thinking. not to say it is better or worse than any other field...just that there is at times a almost lack of a plan (OR staff hates this) as you dont know what you will do until you get started.


so these are my reasons only, many choose fields for different reasons, a mentor, a lifestyle, a love for it or part of it, for me, after finding it.....i realized this is how my brain works, this is how i like to approach things and this is also what interests me.

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

thanks for the follow up. I've always felt there was much overlap in the two fields and was curious about your personal thoughts.

 

[plastikosmd]

anytime!

 

[droliver]

I find it hard to believe you loved plastics and hated ENT. Maybe you are more into hand or body contouring or something. Just curious.

I think the whole of Plastic Surgery is much more related to surgery then ENT

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

I think the whole of Plastic Surgery is much more related to surgery then ENT

Seems to be very true. Almost all of the patients seen in plastics clinic are pre op consulation or post op follow up (at least from what I've seen). Whereas in ENT many patients can be seen for a wide variety of complaints and never actually go under the knife.

One could argue that a plastic surgeon has more domain than any other surgeon (with the possible exception of pedi surg)



Thanks for the thoughts.