Residency elective rotation

[DrMom]

I'm scheduled for an elective rotation next month and was planning on doing a legal month with a malpractice defense attorney, but I just found out that legal is turning into a required rotation for me next year. That leaves me with a last-minute scramble for something to do that is worth my while but leaves plenty of time for moonlighting.

Any suggestions? I may be able to throw together an ultrasound rotation, but we don't have anything formal at my facility.

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[tkim]

Seniors at my program like to do a month with the medical examiner. They show up in the morning, see one or two autopsies and are out before lunch. Well before lunch. Good for anatomy review. Good for the soul.

 

[DrMom]

Not a bad suggestion, but ME is also a required rotation for me next year. (and I did it as a student).

I guess it would help if I explained what I'm required to do in the first place.

My remaining required rotations are neurology, neurosurgery, infectious disease, administration, legal, ME, and toxicology.

I've already done ortho, ICU x 2, trauma, peds EM, EMS, radiology, ENT, ophthalmology, anesthesia, and cardiology.

 

[tkim]

hyperbarics?

 

[DrMom]

Hmm. I don't think I could sell that one to my program director. I also don't think she'd let me do a research month, although I'm in the midst of my project.

Sorry, you're coming up with decent ideas. I just don't think they'll work in my situation.

 

[tkim]

Ultrasound then. Easy enough.

 

[DrMom]

The 2 people who have done an US rotation have also paid for a formal US course during that rotation. I've been looking online to see whats available and where I'd have to travel to.

 

[deleted109597]

Wilderness month somewhere.
International month somewhere.
Cruise ship month somewhere.

 

[DrMom]

I can't do an away month, per PD requirement (we're preparing for the inservice--DO program so it is in April--and I can't be gone during the review). This also means that I cannot do something early morning heavy, like anesthesia, because I'd miss our review.

I appreciate everyone's input. I wish I had more options.

I'm thinking of doing GI...will see if I can get it worked out.

 

[quideam]

How about optho? You can hang out, use the slit lamp, etc... should be a fairly light month but still useful. Or radiology? Get more exprience and some teaching for reading CTs, etc.

 

[DrMom]

quideam, those are both required rotations that I have already done.

 

[quideam]

Shoot! Ok, i'm out of ideas

Oh wait - how about a cardiology month? Get really, really good at those EKGs? Maybe?

 

[quideam]

Haha, oops, just reread your original post - nevermind. I am officially out of ideas!

 

[DrMom]

thanks for the try

 

[tkim]

I'm trying to figure out why they give you an elective month when it seems that anything you could do is already required. Can't you do two months of the same thing?

 

[DrMom]

I suppose I could. I'm going to do US at some point, but it has become an expectation that we take a formal US course while we're on that rotation and that isn't feasible on this short notice.

 

[grouptherapy]

occupational medicine or hand ortho clinic

 

[DrMom]

We don't have either of those services in house, group. BTW, good to see you around.

Well, here's what happened. I worked out a GI rotation with a private doc. He needed to sign a teaching agreement with our hospital. Problem is, our hospital management changes hands in a couple of weeks and the legal department of the current management company won't approve any new contracts including a teaching agreement. So no go. I ended up managing to arrange an in-house GI rotation with a much lesser trained doc. Not nearly as good as the first thing I'd worked out, but it'll count.

 

[quideam]

Oh my gosh, Dr. Mom - what a headache! Glad it worked out somehow though... are you at the same hospital for the next two years too?

 

[DrMom]

I have 16 months left, yes at this hospital. I only have one more true elective and it is essentially scheduled already even though it is next November. I have another ER elective where I'll just go wherever they tell me to go.

Our hospital management changes hands in a few days. I have no delusions that the new folks will be perfect, but I think it can only get better than what we have now.