starting MS4.... realistic chances

[notdeadyet]

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You called me tidbits, I'm guessing you have auto correct, so sorry if I misunderstood you.

Ah, mystery solved. I'm using an ipad.

Could have been worse. Your username could have been MassPole or Bullscript or some such.

 

[rkaz]

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[F0nzie]

Hi guys, so I have a dilemma and would be grateful for some advice.

I have an audition rotation in October (all of the month) at my #2 residency choice. It's in child psych. I was placed into the rotation by the coordinator of the general psychiatry program as the child psych is a fellowship program at the institution with different faculty from the regular psych residency. (So I don't know how much this rotation would really help me or not in being ranked.) Following this, I have rotations in Nov, Dec, and Jan at other places (non-auditions, just preceptor-based local rotations set up though my school). I am wondering if I would be better off declining my away rotation in October... as I could take my Dec rotation in October instead, and open up December as a free month to interview. Based on low stats, I feel the need to interview widely. Otherwise, if I keep the rotation, I will just try to do 4-5 rotations per month during the following 3 months of preceptor-rotations, though I am afraid that they may give me a bad grade for taking too many days off. Conversely, I'm afraid of declining the away rotation, as I don't want to sabotauge my chances at my #2. (In fact, there was a recent issue of the coordinator mistakenly dropping me from the rotation - which is when I started thinking of taking the Dec time off instead - and then I just got re-added to the rotation at my advisor's request.) So I am afraid of canceling it after all that mess, as I don't want the program coordinator to have a negative idea of me (even though the initial canceling of the rotation was their mistake, not mine).

Sorry if my explanation is confusing.... I suppose what I'm asking (in summary) if it is better to have a month off to interview if you aren't as good of a candidate, or to audition during interview season at your #2 (and not have time off).

That's a tough situation. I noticed your location is in Arizona. If you apply to the U of A, they greatly value if you do an away rotation with them, and IMO would put you ahead of the game if you do well. Very DO and foreign grad friendly place.

 

[splik]

A general reflection: I never used to believe it when people would say doing an away was more likely to hurt than help your application but i am starting to see some truth in that. i don't know if poorer students are more likely to do aways but it can seriously be bad if you're not all that good! I think away rotations are probably helpful for (a) checking out the program and seeing what it's really like and (b) if you have some deficiencies in your app such as low board scores but are pretty solid clinically, in which case you are likely honoring rotations clinically if not necessarily doing so well on the shelf etc.

also i think the most helpful thing (this will be institution dependent) is getting an LoR from your rotation that will vouch for you. even then, it's not a guarantee at all that you will end up at said program. In that respect October is really too late for an away. And if it's something other than inpatient, consults or Psych ER, you're probably not going to be doing enough to 'audition' so whilst you can still make a good or bad impression, its not really a chance to show of your clinical knowledge, skills, and communication skills etc. (often outpatient and child/adolescent are more limited in what you can do as a med student).

 

[rkaz]

That's a tough situation. I noticed your location is in Arizona. If you apply to the U of A, they greatly value if you do an away rotation with them, and IMO would put you ahead of the game if you do well. Very DO and foreign grad friendly place.

👍

also i think the most helpful thing (this will be institution dependent) is getting an LoR from your rotation that will vouch for you. even then, it's not a guarantee at all that you will end up at said program. In that respect October is really too late for an away.

Agreed. I'm actually not planning to get a LOR from this rotation (I have 3 LOR offers already and plan to get a 4th LOR from my Aug/Sept away rotations). I just wanted to get familiar with the program, and have them get to know me.