Residency Vacations

[esclavo]

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As I sit in the middle of one of my two weeks of vacation, I wonder... how much vacation do other residencies get? Here at Carle it is two weeks per year (14 total days). Have to be taken in 7 day chunks. Can't take your vacation when you are on an off service rotation. 😕

 

[omfs44]

4 weeks baby!!!! Can't have vacation off service rotation as well. Shouldn't you be vacationing somehere right now instead of being on studentdoctor.net? 2 weeks is definitely way too little!

 

[adamlc18]

4 weeks baby!!!! Can't have vacation off service rotation as well. Shouldn't you be vacationing somehere right now instead of being on studentdoctor.net? 2 weeks is definitely way too little!

Where are you at?

 

[omfs44]

new york... I think all residency programs (including medical) in New York have 4 weeks of vacation. It's nice because I take it one week at a time, and I can connect the weekend before and after....so it's really 9 days.

 

[esclavo]

4 weeks baby!!!! Can't have vacation off service rotation as well. Shouldn't you be vacationing somehere right now instead of being on studentdoctor.net? 2 weeks is definitely way too little!

I am at home, sleeping, reading, spending time with new Baby Esclavo (born Feb 2), and recovering from some wicked pharyngitis. It is called being on call 14 of 17 days with wife giving birth in the middle of all that. Getting some crap pharyngitis,tonsillitis, laryngitis that I couldn't shake without some augmentin and having to have a fellow resident put an IV in me when I had a 24 hour N/V. But I made it to my vacation with no extra time off. My goal is to go the entire 4 years with no sick days (paternity days)....

I am just taking this week to do some "honey-do's" around the house and get to know this new babe. Besides, my wife has us on a wicked budget, trying to invest everthing in the world in the stock market. When I get home, she frisks my wallet/slacks for any spare change. Thus, my vacation consists of snuggling up with Proffit's orthodontic book (sleeping essentially), drinking alot of spearmint tea, teaching some wrestling moves to Esclavo II and III, and popping augmentin bid.... who needs a cruise when you have this attractive alternative?!?!

 

[adamlc18]

Esclavo,

I was curious if the AF pays you base pay during residency or is residency considered a leave of absence of some sort?

 

[esclavo]

Esclavo,

I was curious if the AF pays you base pay during residency or is residency considered a leave of absence of some sort?

I am not being sponsored by the AF right now. I just have the 3 yrs HPSP from dental school. I am one of the rare (not supposed to exist 😉 😉 ) situations of where they let an HPSP apply to civilian programs straight out of dental school.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I am just taking this week to do some "honey-do's" around the house and get to know this new babe. Besides, my wife has us on a wicked budget, trying to invest everthing in the world in the stock market. When I get home, she frisks my wallet/slacks for any spare change. Thus, my vacation consists of snuggling up with Proffit's orthodontic book (sleeping essentially), drinking alot of spearmint tea, teaching some wrestling moves to Esclavo II and III, and popping augmentin bid.... who needs a cruise when you have this attractive alternative?!?!

Sounds wicked fun.

 

[north2southOMFS]

I am at home, sleeping, reading, spending time with new Baby Esclavo (born Feb 2), and recovering from some wicked pharyngitis. It is called being on call 14 of 17 days with wife giving birth in the middle of all that....................................

El sclavo, shouldn't you be taking your vacations back to the motherland drinking tequila and the worm, watching hopeless spring breakers make fools of themselves, or at least maybe looking for a new donkey to replace yours when it finally putters out? Shouldn't you be taking esclavo II and III to meet their forefathers?



Oh, by the way to actually answer your question here at LSU we get I think like 2 weeks in year 1, but we can't actually take any of it because we have to reserve it for our month off when we study for step uno. Then it goes up so that by pgy IV year i think we actually get 4 weeks, but then we can only go on vacation on an off trauma month (even numbered months) and when ghali is also gone. I guess you could consider all of med school a vacation also.

 

[Doggie]

El sclavo, shouldn't you be taking your vacations back to the motherland drinking tequila and the worm, watching hopeless spring breakers make fools of themselves, or at least maybe looking for a new donkey to replace yours when it finally putters out? Shouldn't you be taking esclavo II and III to meet their forefathers?



Oh, by the way to actually answer your question here at LSU we get I think like 2 weeks in year 1, but we can't actually take any of it because we have to reserve it for our month off when we study for step uno. Then it goes up so that by pgy IV year i think we actually get 4 weeks, but then we can only go on vacation on an off trauma month (even numbered months) and when ghali is also gone. I guess you could consider all of med school a vacation also.

I think escalvo's alter ego is one of those little kids with chicklets. Occupying our attention with the gums while his buddies nab our wallets. Pretty nice operation you got there. 👍

I believe we at dallas have 2 weeks as well.

 

[Extraction]

I think escalvo's alter ego is one of those little kids with chicklets. Occupying our attention with the gums while his buddies nab our wallets. Pretty nice operation you got there. 👍

I believe we at dallas have 2 weeks as well.

2 weeks at my program, but the program director supposedly will give you a hard time when you ask.

 

[Yah-E]

2 weeks at my program, but the program director supposedly will give you a hard time when you ask.

Nice to see you back, R! Man, y'all got it bad there! Get yelled at for not being a professional photographer and now when you ask for time off that you're supposed to get?

 

[esclavo]

El sclavo, shouldn't you be taking your vacations back to the motherland drinking tequila and the worm, watching hopeless spring breakers make fools of themselves, or at least maybe looking for a new donkey to replace yours when it finally putters out? Shouldn't you be taking esclavo II and III to meet their forefathers?



Oh, by the way to actually answer your question here at LSU we get I think like 2 weeks in year 1, but we can't actually take any of it because we have to reserve it for our month off when we study for step uno. Then it goes up so that by pgy IV year i think we actually get 4 weeks, but then we can only go on vacation on an off trauma month (even numbered months) and when ghali is also gone. I guess you could consider all of med school a vacation also.

I think it would be good for the young esclavos to see some of those chicklet kids on the street. Then I could tell them if they don't behave and stop acting like a bunch of spoiled Americans, I can get them a job shining shoes or selling gum... that would toughen them up. Actually my wife makes them wash walls, toilets, clean the house, vacuum, practice the piano and violin, make their own lunch for school (even the two year old has his own bucket for washing walls)... gee, maybe selling chicklets and shining shoes would be an easier life for them.... my wife drives a pretty hard bargain, you can say we all feel her pinch here at home. Even old Abraham Lincoln on the pennies in my pocket cry- she squeezes them so hard.

One day I am going to own a quinta in Nicaragua and go their for my vacations....take the kiddos, maybe do some clefts, shuck some teeth... who knows. Sounds like my kind of vacation. Pinolio, quesillos, vigaron, bajo, gallopinto...mmmmmmmm, I'm hungry....

 

[Extraction]

Nice to see you back, R! Man, y'all got it bad there! Get yelled at for not being a professional photographer and now when you ask for time off that you're supposed to get?

No we have it pretty good overall... All the cutting makes up for the minor BS when have to put up with... our program director is great. The extracurricular economic opportunities are good here... Im on internal medicine so I get home almost every day at 3PM to play my new Xbox 360 on my 50" tv. I might get a PS3 when it comes out. 😀

Our first year here in med school is a vacation... hope you like being beaten down your intern year... USMLE Step I is gonna suck when you have to study on service Anyway congrats on your acceptance.

 

[rarm1]

We allow 2 weeks vacation (not on rotations) and 1 week scientific, interviews, boards for a total of three weeks in our first years programs...
in multiyear programs goes to a total of 4 weeks.

 

[north2southOMFS]

Our first year here in med school is a vacation... hope you like being beaten down your intern year... USMLE Step I is gonna suck when you have to study on service Anyway congrats on your acceptance.

I thought like you did once, right before i got my results that said i passed step uno. Then i was so damn happy i never had to take one sophmore medical school test and repeat things like pathology or histology or physiology....etc. Once was enough. You'll feel that way also when you pass yah-e, but up until that day you get your results, you'll wish you had some MS II on board. trust me, being on service is way better than taking tests.

 

[esclavo]

I thought like you did once, right before i got my results that said i passed step uno. Then i was so damn happy i never had to take one sophmore medical school test and repeat things like pathology or histology or physiology....etc. Once was enough. You'll feel that way also when you pass yah-e, but up until that day you get your results, you'll wish you had some MS II on board. trust me, being on service is way better than taking tests.

2nd year med school=1 year of wasted life/lost opportunity to operate and learn the legit stuff...become a surgeon. 2nd year med school is a "hoop" not a "help" in order to become a solid OMFS. Now I wait in anticipation as someone gets ready to rip my head off...

"Esclavo... you... you.... you (huffing and puffing) don't know what your talking about (sniffle, sniffle)....2nd year of med school has....has (sniffle sniffle, wipe the tears away) changed my LIFE. I used to be a dentist and now, now I'm a....medical student and it is..... very important.... so shut up you.... you.... dentist..."

 

[InMyCrossHairs]

I think it would be good for the young esclavos to see some of those chicklet kids on the street. Then I could tell them if they don't behave and stop acting like a bunch of spoiled Americans, I can get them a job shining shoes or selling gum... that would toughen them up. Actually my wife makes them wash walls, toilets, clean the house, vacuum, practice the piano and violin, make their own lunch for school (even the two year old has his own bucket for washing walls)... gee, maybe selling chicklets and shining shoes would be an easier life for them.... my wife drives a pretty hard bargain, you can say we all feel her pinch here at home. Even old Abraham Lincoln on the pennies in my pocket cry- she squeezes them so hard.

One day I am going to own a quinta in Nicaragua and go their for my vacations....take the kiddos, maybe do some clefts, shuck some teeth... who knows. Sounds like my kind of vacation. Pinolio, quesillos, vigaron, bajo, gallopinto...mmmmmmmm, I'm hungry....

Esclavato
I think you are selling your kids short. We all know that your kind have a very strong predilection for lawn and garden care.

 

[esclavo]

Esclavato
I think you are selling your kids short. We all know that your kind have a very strong predilection for lawn and garden care.

That comes later... too young to be handling sharp objects, power tools for now. I'll wait till they are in their teens... then it is going to be some hardcore manual labor... digging ditches, milking cows, mending fences, pruning the orchard etcetera. I want them to know that if they want to ever not have to do that crap for the rest of their lives, they better get a frickin education and be serious in school or they can plan on doing that for not just 5-7 years but for 50-70 years! Nothing like some hardcore manual labor to inspire scholarship... worked for me....

 

[mtheman]

Esclavato
...We all know that your kind have a very strong predilection for lawn and garden care.

don't forget about the very intelligent people who flip burgers for a living. 😀

 

[omfs44]

2nd year med school=1 year of wasted life/lost opportunity to operate and learn the legit stuff...become a surgeon. 2nd year med school is a "hoop" not a "help" in order to become a solid OMFS. Now I wait in anticipation as someone gets ready to rip my head off...

I somewhat disagree with that. I think 2nd year medschool really gives you a solid foundation of basic science. Although many claim that 2nd year of dental school gives you the same training, but in my experience, systemic pathology in dental school is not very heavily emphaised. I honestly don't think majority of dental student can pass USMLE step I right after 2nd year dental school.
But again i guess you can always argue on how much medicine you really need to know as an oral surgeon.

 

[north2southOMFS]

I somewhat disagree with that. I think 2nd year medschool really gives you a solid foundation of basic science. Although many claim that 2nd year of dental school gives you the same training, but in my experience, systemic pathology in dental school is not very heavily emphaised.But again i guess you can always argue on how much medicine you really need to know as an oral surgeon.

Yes, but one may argue that without 2nd year of medical school you have to learn systemic pathology on your own to pass step one anyhow. So why waste time in classes?

 

[omfs44]

Yes, but one may argue that without 2nd year of medical school you have to learn systemic pathology on your own to pass step one anyhow. So why waste time in classes?

You're definitely right about being able to study on your own to pass step I (I did it,my program doesn't have 2nd year medschool at all). But you can pretty much study on your own in a lot of things to pass a test, even step 2. Therefore, I wouldn't call 2nd year medschool is completely waste of time. If that's the case, regular med students should just skip 1st and 2nd year and whoever can pass step I can start 3rd year clerkship. From what I heard, most of the omfs programs that have 2nd year medschool has a higher passing rate the first time they take the exam. I guess if you are discipline enough, it shouldn't be a problem whichever program you end up with. If I'm the PD, I would make the program with 2nd & 3rd yr medschool since 4th year elective is really waste of time.

 

[north2southOMFS]

From what I heard, most of the omfs programs that have 2nd year medschool has a higher passing rate the first time they take the exam. I guess if you are discipline enough, it shouldn't be a problem whichever program you end up with. If I'm the PD, I would make the program with 2nd & 3rd yr medschool since 4th year elective is really waste of time.

I don't know who told you the schools that do 2nd year med school do better passing step one,...actually that may be true, i have no idea, but i do know that at our program in the history of it being a 6 year program (like 15 years now), we've only had 1 person fail. Contrast that with a program like toof's parkland who do the 2nd year or yahe's new orleans who do second year and they have guys failing all the time. Although you could argue with me that they also both take like 4-5 residents a year so while more fail, it is still the same percentage since we only take two per year. I don't know what the answer is, but i think after having taken and passed the test, if you put the time into studying for step 1, there is no excuse for not passing whether you did the second year of med school or not. It's definately a hard test, but its not impossible, and if you can get into OMFS, you have the cerebral ability to pass step uno.

 

[Doggie]

Nice to see you back, R! Man, y'all got it bad there! Get yelled at for not being a professional photographer and now when you ask for time off that you're supposed to get?

Hey Yah-e,

Maybe we should have an USMLE competition........haaaaa......not. I am just aiming for 180.

 

[omfs44]

Hey Yah-e,

Maybe we should have an USMLE competition........haaaaa......not. I am just aiming for 180.

I wouldn't aim for 180 if I were you.....you need two more points on top of that to pass. 😉

 

[Extraction]

I thought like you did once, right before i got my results that said i passed step uno. Then i was so damn happy i never had to take one sophmore medical school test and repeat things like pathology or histology or physiology....etc. Once was enough. You'll feel that way also when you pass yah-e, but up until that day you get your results, you'll wish you had some MS II on board. trust me, being on service is way better than taking tests.

I would have prefered an intern year rather than 2nd year of medical school. I don't think I needed second year to prepare for the USMLE. I personally thought that having to take second year is a negative about my program's design. Thankfully, we only have to take a few second year classes and not the entire year. I also only take 6 months of med school the 4th year. I was worried about the financial aspects of have to take an extra year of med school, and not getting compensated, but ranked my program ahead of other programs that do only 3rd and 4th year of med school. I personally never went to classes that weren't mandatory and moonlighted the whole year. I have new car, a condo and went on alot of trips that year. Some people really like having the second year to prepare to study for the USMLE. It sucks to repeat classes I agree, but if you want the medical degree you have to put up with the med school's BS. As far as experience, I'll get more experience at my program than many places that don't have 2nd year of medical school based on our volume.

Based on my experience, people who take the 2nd year of medical school tend to think it was the better option, whereas those who do an intern year will tell you that their option is better. People in four year programs will tell you medical school is a waste of time in general... It usually isn't an objective opinion, as the person telling you is trying to justify their own choice.

In the end I only studied 2 weeks for Step I and scored high...

 

[GatorDMD]

Based on my experience, people who take the 2nd year of medical school tend to think it was the better option, whereas those who do an intern year will tell you that their option is better. People in four year programs will tell you medical school is a waste of time in general... It usually isn't an objective opinion, as the person telling you is trying to justify their own choice.

In the end I only studied 2 weeks for Step I and scored high...

what about if you have intern year and 2nd year of MS? Best of both worlds? I am excited about it. 😀

 

[toofache32]

what about if you have intern year and 2nd year of MS? Best of both worlds? I am excited about it. 😀

But then only one year of seniority. There are pluses and minuses to each system, none are perfect, in my honest opinion.

 

[GatorDMD]

But then only one year of seniority. There are pluses and minuses to each system, none are perfect, in my honest opinion.

🙄
? Well there is a junior year in year 4 which gets credit for MS IV but is 12 monthes OMFS. All in all should be 34-36 monthes of OMFS time, 22 mos MS, 4 mos Anes, 10-12 ms GS.

True none are perfect and I dont know squat since I am not even a dentist yet. 😀

 

[toofache32]

🙄
? Well there is a junior year in year 4 which gets credit for MS IV but is 12 monthes OMFS. All in all should be 34-36 monthes of OMFS time, 22 mos MS, 4 mos Anes, 10-12 ms GS.

True none are perfect and I dont know squat since I am not even a dentist yet. 😀

I can argue either way.

When you're 5th and 6th years are spent on oral surgery, thats 2 hardcore years of operating. The downside is that you're doing rectals and Mini-Mental-Status-Exams for several years prior to this so you're starting over from scratch when you hit the 5th year.

The nice part of the OHSU/Mayo/Kentucky format is that you have almost continual exposure to oral surgery. The down side is that you go from being a general surgery intern (read: b!tch) to the oral surgery chief. You're expected to know how to operate when very few general surgery programs give you any experience with the knife.

Most importantly....they're all accredited.

 

[GatorDMD]

I can argue either way.

When you're 5th and 6th years are spent on oral surgery, thats 2 hardcore years of operating. The downside is that you're doing rectals and Mini-Mental-Status-Exams for several years prior to this so you're starting over from scratch when you hit the 5th year.

The nice part of the OHSU/Mayo/Kentucky format is that you have almost continual exposure to oral surgery. The down side is that you go from being a general surgery intern (read: b!tch) to the oral surgery chief. You're expected to know how to operate when very few general surgery programs give you any experience with the knife.

Most importantly....they're all accredited.

i see your point.

Hopefully by that time my chief year comes around I will have learned something the junior year(year 4 of 6) before GS (year 5) to do well. 😉


I am just happy to be in the club! 😀

 

[GatorDMD]

Most importantly....they're all accredited.

ps... got nothing but love for you toofy... you have given me great advise over the last year or so. Thanks. 😍

You should come to Vegas with us.

 

[esclavo]

I would have prefered an intern year rather than 2nd year of medical school. I don't think I needed second year to prepare for the USMLE. I personally thought that having to take second year is a negative about my program's design. Thankfully, we only have to take a few second year classes and not the entire year. I also only take 6 months of med school the 4th year. I was worried about the financial aspects of have to take an extra year of med school, and not getting compensated, but ranked my program ahead of other programs that do only 3rd and 4th year of med school. I personally never went to classes that weren't mandatory and moonlighted the whole year. I have new car, a condo and went on alot of trips that year. Some people really like having the second year to prepare to study for the USMLE. It sucks to repeat classes I agree, but if you want the medical degree you have to put up with the med school's BS. As far as experience, I'll get more experience at my program than many places that don't have 2nd year of medical school based on our volume.

Based on my experience, people who take the 2nd year of medical school tend to think it was the better option, whereas those who do an intern year will tell you that their option is better. People in four year programs will tell you medical school is a waste of time in general... It usually isn't an objective opinion, as the person telling you is trying to justify their own choice.

In the end I only studied 2 weeks for Step I and scored high...

For me (being a lowly 4 year guy), I talked to a bunch of guys who went to medical school and they all said that it wasn't the bang for your buck (time) as they originally thought.

I would have considered a six year program IF it was more customized to my interests. My ideal six year program would be: NO second year medical school (pass part I boards before you ever show up for the residency-instead of wasting time partying the last 6 months of dental school, use the time to study, take and pass USMLE I). Then get rid of OBGYN rotation and the psychiatry rotation, general surgery rotation (as an MS only). I would fill those in with cardiology, ICU, Pulmonology. Then your year of general surgery (internship year I would like 4 months of general surgery, 2 months of plastic Surgery, 2 months of Head and Neck (ENT), 2 months of Neurosurgery, 2 months of CV Surgery.

In summary if Esclavo could custom design a 6 year medical school-OMFS program it would be:
PGY1- 10 months of OMFS (the "donkey days"), 2 months of Anesthesia (at PGY1 level not MS)

PGY2- internal medicine (2months), Peds (2 months), ICU (2months), Cardiology (2 months), Pulmonology (2 months), ED (2 months),

PGY3- OMFS (4-6 months), Ophthalmology (2 months-with a little oculoplastics), 2 months of anesthesia (at PGY1 level not MS), split the two extra months between PGY2 and 3 year for studying/passing step II

PGY4-(donkey year 2) intern in General Surgery/Trauma (4 months), intern in ENT (head and Neck -2 months), intern in plastic surgery (2 months), intern in CV Surgery (2 months), Intern in Neurosurgery (2 months) None of these rotations as a medical student all as a minimum of intern level.

PGY5- OMFS (10 months), 2 months of Anesthesia (focus on Pediatric anesthesia)

PGY6- OMFS

36-40 months of OMFS. You show me a program like this with this much control over your rotations, getting out the bull crap and I would have signed up.
6 months of anesthesia (with two months ear marked for pediatrics)
All of your surgery experience at an intern level or better none of this medical student crap. Eat up all the "medicine" type rotations as a medical student. Problem is that I've never heard of a medical school that would go for this.

I'm not against the idea of med school, just the fact that in most of the programs you just jump through hoops to get the two letters behind your name and not any legitimate experience that would help you be a better surgeon....while robbing you of valuable OMFS time and not giving you solid surgery time as a resident not a medical student....closest I've seen is Shreve....which almost tempted me but then N2S wouldn't have been with his kin, I would have 🙂 😉

 

[Doggie]

I prefer the pgy1 as ms2 rather than omfs intern.

I see MS2 as a vacation year. After busting my @ss throughout dental school and also during the the interview trails, I felt like it was good to finally have "nothing" to worry about for a while. (nothing in the sense that I couldnt care less if I recieved C's in all my tests)

scrotum-pie, come pat my wang.