Question about AI scheduling

[AP]

---

Members don't see this ad.

To all in the know - If one had the opportunity to do some AI's in march, april, may, and june, before any other fourth year students have had the opportinity and without any other fourth year students auditioning along side, would you feel that to be advantageous? Basically - Is it better to really shine during the peak months of aug-nov whilst competing with other fourth years, or would it be better to shine solo in the off peak months, and then apply early for the match and get your interviews early. By the way, in case anyone is curious, the reason for having the ability to do fourth year AI's in March-june is not a negative one.
Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[AP]

By the way, the AI's I speak of would be in the field of ortho.

 

[Airborne]

Interesting point -

I'm not really sure of the impact of AIs - at my school a rotation in Ortho does not count as an AI, as they have few PGY-1 rotations - instead you must do a sugery AI (as most orthos must undertake this as part of their PGY-1 rotations).

In the end, I have elected to do do my AI in medicine - yeah, I know, that as a person really interested in surgery, this may seem as a hinderence, but I recon that I will have MANY opportunities to shine as a PGY-1 in general surgery while as a prelim....

In the end, we could all use a bit more of medicine (although the surgical specialties may grip about their insight).

Has this hindered my application? Perhaps. I did not do a Sub-I (as it is referred to here) and will not do so until Jan 2004, as an MS IV. My reasons for this is that I would rather have it asside from my actual internship, and will take a SICU elective thereafter.

Yes, I understand that taking the Sub-I earlier may be beneficial. But I do think that what one learns in such a rotation deteriorates dramatically.... How much do you remember from your earlier roations? Think about what you learned in you early MS III rotations - it will not be too dissimilar in your early MS IV vs. early PGY-1 rotation.

In the end, I really do think it matters to the applicant. Do you need that extra "Honors" on your transcript - it is well known that most MS IV's are automatically given this. If so - then do your Sub-I early - It can only hurt you if you screw it up. Otherwise, it can provide an excellent letter of recommendation - it is expected that you will do so, ortherwise you will be marked - can the more advanced residents argue otherwise?

In the end, I do think that it is really up to the individual - you know what you can bring to the interview "trail" as it is. Although I have yet to match - i do find that one must know their strengths and weaknesses -

For me - my weakness is in medicine - and although I would love to spend an additional month in surgery (which I love) - I would rather spend that time in a field that I could most definitely improve upon -

After all - once my MS IV year is over - I am obligated to the curriculum of my residency program director.

In short - do what you need to do.

If that be a Sub-I (AI) in your field of choice to get your letter of recommendation to bolster your application - then so be it.

But, should you choose to a Sub-I based of your own deficits - I believe you should look a bit deeper.

With kind regards,

Airborne

 

[AP]

Thanks for the reply Airborne. But I actually was asking more about the viability to doing AI's in early spring before any other fourth years do them (at the time I would technically be a fourth year too, but would have a whole extra year ((a fifth year)) of med school left at that point - the reason is not really important here) as opposed to doing them in the fall with every other applicant.

Any insight would be much appreciated