questions about anesthesiology

[niceguydoc]

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I am currently a MS II. I have a total of 4 electives, two in my 3rd yr and 2 in my 4th year. I am pretty sure i want to go into anes. Should i spend all those 4 electives doing rotations at the hospitals i'd like to pursue a residency in, i know i should do at least 2, but do you think 4 is overkill??? My only problem is that my very first rotation block in my 3rd year schedule is my first elective, I will have no idea what the hell i'm doing seeing how it's my very first rotation. Should i do it at a hospital that i don't intend on pursing a residency at, just for practice and to get exposure?? I just don't want to waste that elective doing it at a program where i don't intend to apply for residency, but i also don't want to look like a total idiot, but i was told if i read up on that baby miller book, i should be fine, even though its going to be my first rotation. Any suggestions?

Also, I know anes is becoming more and more competitive. I am a DO student, which means that i have to step it up a notch, ie, ace the USMLE's/COMLEX to get my foot in the door. I've read every single post in the anes forum from the beginning, and although there is a breakdown of the best programs, the issue of which ones are DO friendly haven't really been addressed, in particular the ones on the east coast (nyc). Can anyone shed some light on this topic. I only ask b/c i don't want to waste my time doing my electives at programs where they don't take DO's for residency. Does anyone know out of the good programs (cornell, columbia, mt. sinai, nyu, st. lukes, stony brook, st. vincents, yale, u penn, mgh, jhu, etc, etc, etc) which ones actually have accepted DO's and/or are DO friendly? Thanks for your input!

 

[MD_Strategery]

Well I don't know how much help I can provide but I know a local D.O anes. that both him and his son did their residencies at UAB in alabama. From what they had said there wasn't much difficulty getting in. I've also heard that its not a matter of being D.O friendly anymore, its just how well "qualified" you are. Both M.D and D.O's work together.

Maybe I helped a little.

 

[kingyogurt]

As far as the rotation issue goes this is the best way to go. Pick four places you would like to do residency in oneday. Then arrange them in a way that you do your first rotation at the place you least want to go to. Work hard at your rotation and try to stand out based on your knowledge, personality and creativity. Make connections and with the important attendings and get them to like you. Visting student rotations can make a big difference if you have the numbers,, the point is just to get them to love you.
As far as the DO thing call the schools and just ask them what percentage of their class is DO.

 

[me454555]

To the OP:

I'm a DO MSII also interested in anes. Why would you want to do your first rotation in anes? I don't know about you, but I've had very limited patient contact and definatly need to get the basic skills of patient interaction, taking a good H&P, presenting, and learning basic procedures before pursuing a more complicated rotation like anes. Most doc's will agree that the first rotation as an MSIII is a complete joke. The students are so wet behind that they don't know to do. Why would you want anyone in a specialty that you would like to go into to see you like that?

From what I hear, you don't get the hang of clinical rotations untill after 3 or 4 months into third year anyway. Get some experience under your belt and your feet firmly planted. Then go impress the docs. You will have plenty of opportunity to do anes rotations whats the point of rushing it?

 

[cak]

Im pretty sure kingyogurt means first rotation of fourth year

 

[xampower]

I am a DO student and am currently going through the match. I am going to assume that if a program is willing to interview a DO student then they are willing to take one, and in my opinion makes them DO friendly. However, it seems to me that almost all programs are DO friendly if you meet their criteria. Therefore based on my interviews, these are the programs that I have received an interview from...

Mayo (Jax and Rochester)
University of Florida
Wake Forest University
Cleveland Clinic
Washington University
Johns Hopkins University
Vanderbilt University
University of Pittsburgh
Penn State University
University of Kentucky
University of Connecticut
University of Louisville
Baystate Medical Center
University of Massachusetts
Drexel University

There are more I am waiting to hear from so I will add as they come in.

 

[niceguydoc]

Thanks for your input guys. I was planning something along the lines of what kingyogurt was suggesting, but me4554 makes a good point. I am just worried that since my very first rotation of my 3rd year is my elective, and i don't have much experience w/ the hospital setting, pt interaction, etc, i imagine it would take me a while to get myself adjusted. But do you think the attendings and hospital staff will be understanding of that? i just don't want to waste an elective, but then again i have 3 more electives left after that. I don't want to sound like i'm too anal, but i just want to maximize my chances of getting into a good program w/ anes becoming a lot more competitive and myself being at a slight disadvantage since i'm a DO.

Does anyone know when i should start to register for the USMLE. I'm pretty much on my own for that, and not too many folks in my class are taking it. My school gives us no guidance whatsoever when it comes to rotations, residencies, boards, etc. Sometimes i feel like i'm up the creek w/o a paddle!

 

[sethco]

This same kind of post helped me out during my third year, so hopefully this will help out all the DO MS-2 and 3's...

I applied to 37 programs (Way too many)...Have recieved 16 interviews thus far and the dean's letter has not been released yet...

Stats: Top 1/5 of my class (But no program knows this yet b/c dean's letter has not been released yet), Step I 650 on COMLEX/225 on USMLE (Taking the USMLE I was told was KEY in my application), Some very recent research experience, decent letters of rec...

Programs thus far...

University of Pennsylvania
Penn State
Johns Hopkins
Cleveland Clinic
University of Michigan
University of Texas-Southwestern
Oregon Health and Sciences
University of California-Davis
Virginia Commonwealth University
Case Western (University Hospital)
Medical College of Wisconsin
Wake Forest University
Medical College of Georgia
Rush University
Loyola University
University of Missouri-Kansas City (St. Luke's)

...Hope this helps...

 

[utlonghorn50]

Xampower-what kind of scores did you have to get all of those interviews. Thanks

 

[Arch Guillotti]

I would not waste my time doing an elective right off the bat. Scoring well on your boards is MUCH more important. You really need to be familiar with the hospital setting first and to get a hang of things. It may help you get a feel for anesth and if that is really what u want to do but that is about it. A lot of schools don't even have electives 3rd year. Anyways it is better to get a letter closer to 4th year so it is mre current when you apply.

 

[niceguydoc]

the consensus is in. i guess i'll save my first elective for something else then. 3 anesthesiology electives should be enough. anyone have any suggestions as to what i should do my first elective in? i have no idea what it should be in since that will also be my very first rotation block in my 3rd year.

 

[me454555]

I've heard IM or FP is a good one to start off with. Since you're doing an elective first, why not try radiology? You'll learn a valuable skill that will help on future rotations.

 

[xampower]

UTlonghorn,

My stats are as follows....

Top 10% of my class
Greater than 90th percentile on COMLEX I and II
248 Step II
Lots of research

Still waiting to hear from...

UNC
UVa
Yale
U Mich
Duke

 

[niceguydoc]

hey me454555, thanks for the suggestion. Thats a good idea, i think i'll go ahead and do my first elective in radiology. I noticed you're in ny, do you go to nycom?

xampower/sethco, you guys have awesome stats. hopefully, i'll be able to kick some ass on step 1 too. DO power!

 

[VentdependenT]

I am a DO student and am currently going through the match. I am going to assume that if a program is willing to interview a DO student then they are willing to take one, and in my opinion makes them DO friendly. However, it seems to me that almost all programs are DO friendly if you meet their criteria. Therefore based on my interviews, these are the programs that I have received an interview from...

Mayo (Jax and Rochester)
University of Florida
Wake Forest University
Cleveland Clinic
Washington University
Johns Hopkins University
Vanderbilt University
University of Pittsburgh
Penn State University
University of Kentucky
University of Connecticut
University of Louisville
Baystate Medical Center
University of Massachusetts
Drexel University

There are more I am waiting to hear from so I will add as they come in.

Congrats on your interviews. Now wait till the proverbial hell which precipitates when you have to actually rank your programs. I "finished" mine within seconds, or a second, of the termination of rank entries on the ERAS site. 🙂

Anyways enjoy this interview season. You'll see by the 6th interview everyone is dead tired and hitting the beers like champs. Have fun!

Vent

 

[xampower]

Thanks Vent!
I have a feeling it is going to be very interesting come late dec/jan when everyone it tired.....I am sure we will all be hitting the sauce pretty hard.