Seeking advice for summer after first year

[DAKAZA]

Hello, the first year of med school has really overwhelmed me so I only made time to fill out one research app over winter/spring break. Anyway, I did not get the position and I'm starting to worry about becoming a competitive residency applicant.

If I'm looking to get into something like orthopedic surgery, what can I do this summer to help me out? Should I shadow an orthopedic surgeon that is friends with my mom, study for the USMLE early or desperately seek some type of research experience? I also thought about working at the hospital as an RN (my former job) to make some cash but I'm not sure this would look good on my CV. I'd like to be officially done with nursing. I'm pretty ingnorant about applying to residency, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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[da8s0859q]

Hello, the first year of med school has really overwhelmed me so I only made time to fill out one research app over winter/spring break. Anyway, I did not get the position and I'm starting to worry about becoming a competitive residency applicant.

If I'm looking to get into something like orthopedic surgery, what can I do this summer to help me out? Should I shadow an orthopedic surgeon that is friends with my mom, study for the USMLE early or desperately seek some type of research experience? I also thought about working at the hospital as an RN (my former job) to make some cash but I'm not sure this would look good on my CV. I'd like to be officially done with nursing. I'm pretty ingnorant about applying to residency, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Others will know better than I do, so bump/subscribing since I'm also interested. Hope you get some helpful info.

 

[doctorbaker]

You honestly don't need to do anything. I took my summer off and I loved it - no regrets. If you do want to get into a competitive residency, then doing some form of research wouldn't hurt. Everyone that I knew that did research over their summer said the faculty members they contacted were very receptive. If you're interested in a certain field, email a doctor there. Worst that happens is that they say no, but I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding something. Its not too late yet. Don't study for the boards though - it will be a waste of time at this point.

 

[njbmd]

Hello, the first year of med school has really overwhelmed me so I only made time to fill out one research app over winter/spring break. Anyway, I did not get the position and I'm starting to worry about becoming a competitive residency applicant.

If I'm looking to get into something like orthopedic surgery, what can I do this summer to help me out? Should I shadow an orthopedic surgeon that is friends with my mom, study for the USMLE early or desperately seek some type of research experience? I also thought about working at the hospital as an RN (my former job) to make some cash but I'm not sure this would look good on my CV. I'd like to be officially done with nursing. I'm pretty ingnorant about applying to residency, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Orthopedic surgery residency programs could care less about your work as a registered nurse. Your medical school grades and your board scores are going to be the deciding factors in terms of you getting into ortho. If you don't have the grades, reseach (and having a parent's friend unless he/she is a program director) isn't going to get you into ortho.

You might consult the orthopedic surgery department at your medical school armed with a copy of your medical school transcript and see where you stand at this point. I can tell you that if you are not sitting pretty close to the top of your class, you might want to spend the summer working on your study skills so that you can do better next year.

If you struggled through first year, it isn't likely that you are going to have enough tools during the summer to do anything that will be useful as USMLE prep. Trying to memorize USMLE things in isolation is useless.

 

[235009]

You might consult the orthopedic surgery department at your medical school armed with a copy of your medical school transcript and see where you stand at this point. I can tell you that if you are not sitting pretty close to the top of your class, you might want to spend the summer working on your study skills so that you can do better next year.

Um, what?

no offense but this sounds like pretty ridiculous advice

are you really suggesting that if the OP has just passed all her classes and/or isn't top of the class then he/she should just give up on orthopedic surgery despite only being a first year (i.e. the top 2 things that any residency looks at....step 1 and 3rd year grades...are still completely up in the air)?

also what does "working on your study skills" mean? that doesn't even make sense. you can't work on your study skills if you don't have anything to study.

my suggestion would be this:

if you have 0 research experience then find some way to do research...it shouldn't be that hard, just email a few profs at your school who you'd be interested in working with...as long as you aren't looking to get paid (which you shouldn't be) then you should be able to find something. if you end up with more than one response then choose the prof that will give you the best chance of publishing

if you already have some research experience (for instance a recent publication) then you should probably just make some money over the summer ....sounds like your job will be lucrative enough that it'll be worth the effort (though if i'm mistaken and it isn't particularly lucrative you might be better off getting some more research experience)

 

[starkcrazy]

just b/c u didnt get a research position, it doesn't mean you're not a competitive residency applicant.

i would contact faculty in orthopedics @ your school to set up a research project. USMLE prep will probably be pointless as previously suggested.

 

[netminder]

. . . If I'm looking to get into something like orthopedic surgery, what can I do this summer to help me out? Should I shadow an orthopedic surgeon that is friends with my mom, study for the USMLE early or desperately seek some type of research experience? . . .

I've heard from several people that getting involved in research was helpful to them in the process of applying for orthopaedic surgery in the Match. I've heard from people that with something like this on your CV, if you have truly gained something from the experience, it can be something that sets you apart from other applicants. I was advised to be prepared to speak intelligently about your research. In other words, don't just get involved in research because you think it will look good on your CV. Do it because it truly interests you. If it doesn't (which is OK, too), maybe you should rack up the $ as an RN over the summer. Med school is wicked expensive. Good luck.

 

[blue pajamas]

I know people at my school had trouble getting a research spot if they were trying to work for a stipend/grant. I told the doctor I contacted that I'd work for free (with hopes of publishing) and a spot opened right up. Might give that a try if you're set on a competitive residency, ortho or otherwise.