Scheduling 3rd Year Issue

[AspiringOne]

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Hi there,

I wanted to ask for some 3rd year advice regarding the scheduling. I am currently an MS2 scheduling 3rd year, and I am in a bit of a dilemma.

Many of the third year electives offered at my school cannot be taken in the first/second block of third year (or at least, none of the ones that I want). One of the best arrangements to take all the electives I want involves taking internal medicine as the very first block. However, I have heard that for those interested in internal medicine (which I am), it's ill advised to take internal med first because the first block is usually the shelf people do worst on.

Basically what I'm wondering is, which is more important: ensuring I don't take internal med first block, or arranging my schedule such that I could take all of my desired electives?

 

[PistolPete]

If you are SURE you want to do IM for residency, don't take IM first, unless you are absolutely positive you will rock the shelf. It will also take a little bit to get the hang of things at the hospital, and you will also want to impress your preceptors and get a LOR. I don't know how grading works at your school, but I'm assuming a shelf is a major component of your grade, and you want to do well on it. Just my 0.02.

 

[BigRedBeta]

The rule of thumb is that any field you're possibly interested about for residency should never be first or last during the third year.

Early on, to be blunt, you're just awful. No matter how "good" you are compared to the other third years at the point, every one is just a step above useless. You're learning what inpatient medicine is like, trying to figure out an appropriate way to balance your time, and working furiously to become more efficient in every thing.

Last rotation, you run the risk of hating the field you thought you were destined for. Last, and you've probably already set up your 4th year schedule and now have to reset and scramble for appropriate sub-i's and other electives, all while suffering through the possible crisis of no longer having a clue what you want to do with your life.

So, skip the electives this year. If you still REALLY want to do them, then you'll have time as a 4th year, when truth be told, if you're interested (and not completely distracted by Step 2, interviews, rank lists, match day or graduation), you'll probably get more out of being there.