Rotations schedule

[GiJoe]

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Hey everyone.

we're signing up next year's (M3) rotations at our school the way its organized here is u do IM/surgery for half the year (12 wks each) and then for the second half, 8wks of OB, peds and psych each. For some reason a lot of M3s say that its a good idea to start M3 by doing IM first. Is this a good idea? I always thought, if I save IM/Surgery for the last half of the year, it would reman fresh in my mind for when I do an EM elective during M4? and that IM/surg are most important for EM.

If anyone can offer some advice, i'd greatly appreciate it.


Thanks

 

[NinerNiner999]

I did surgery first and thought it was very difficult because I was lacking the clinical background to understand a lot of what was going on. At many times, the service would jump to their surgical conclusions based upon pre-assumed medical decisions and/or medical knowledge I didn't have at the time. Medicine would be a decent rotation to start on first, especially if one could start in a clinic or outpatient setting first to warm up.

No matter where you start, the residents and attendings will know it is your first rotation and evaluate you as such. The early rotations are where you will see the sharpest learning curve as well. If it were me, I'd tackle the hard ones first (IM/Surg) and then go through everything else and relate it to that knowledge base. If you keep that habit, you will be well prepared for boards in my opinion.

 

[beyond all hope]

Honestly, I would start with IM and Pediatrics because they are the most general and the most focused on the clincal exam. Surgery is also important, but I would not take Surgery immediately because in order to do well you have to understand the medical hierarchy and be able to put up with a lot of crap.

OB-Gyn and Neurology are also very important for ER. Take them before your ER rotations. Pysch is important only for substance abuse and acute psychosis.

 

[pman95]

I felt better prepared for every rotation by doing IM first. The surgery shelf exam I took last year was about 60% IM type questions.

Whatever order you do your rotations in, just make sure you work hard, always smile, and never confront. Be enthusiastic all the time, no matter what. Help other members of the team as much as you can. Your evals will then fall nicely into place.

 

[Apollyon]

I did IM first, then Ob/Gyn, then peds (and saw a couple babies in the NICU that we'd helped deliver!), then surgery. That worked out for me. IM had tied it all together, and things flowed.

 

[iwakuni_doc]

I wanted to have my strongest showing in Medicine & Surgery, so the plan I used was:

1 - Peds (6wks)...get the basics of working in the hospital, righting SOAP notes, etc. Good for getting your feet wet.

2 - OB/Gyn (6wks)...good procedural rotation, learn op-notes/post-op notes, do lots of sewing in c-sections/episiotomies/etc - good practice for surg

3 - FP (6wks)...."medicine lite"

4 - Geriatrics/Ambulatory Medicine Clinics (6wks)....f'ing painful

5 - Surgery (8wks)....Gen Surg x 4wks, Ortho x 4wks

6 - Medicine (8wks)....half on general wards, half on Hem/Onc

7 - Neuro/Psych (8wks)....cushy way to end the year, time to work on outside projects/research/party/etc

In the long run, there's a lot of different ways of scheduling it & they all work as long as you show up early, stay late, work hard, read when you can, and keep your humanity/sanity.

Good luck.