Stupid Questions Thread

[Rafa]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Med school terms vary as widely as snowflakes. Depends whether you are on a block system or not. At some places there is no semblance of semesters. However they spread it out, you end up taking the same courses between August and May. You have a realtively free summer after first year, which a significant percentage of folks spend doing research or other health related jobs or travel. The second summer you have the boards, and so it's basically not an "off" summer. I don't think you really have a summer break after that... for the rest of your life. The most stressful part of med school is the pace.

So residencies are year-long and year-round?

 

[Law2Doc]

So residencies are year-long and year-round?

Just like any job (give or take a few vacation days and holidays). That's the real world, I'm afraid.

 

[ExtraAverage]

Just like any job (give or take a few vacation days and holidays). That's the real world, I'm afraid.

Dammit Law, you're killing my buzz.

 

[Law2Doc]

Dammit Law, you're killing my buzz.

Oh- I'm sorry. In that case, residency is a 30 hour a week cake-walk, much easier than college, where everyone is always super nice to you, lets you sleep during shifts, and only asks you to help out on the really fun procedures, and you can have the summer off, 15 weeks, paid, to lie on a beach every year. Better? 😀

 

[jbone]

Oh- I'm sorry. In that case, residency is a 30 hour a week cake-walk, much easier than college, where everyone is always super nice to you, lets you sleep during shifts, and only asks you to help out on the really fun procedures, and you can have the summer off, 15 weeks, paid, to lie on a beach every year. Better? 😀

Don't forget the plasma t.v. and midget strippers. 👍 😉

 

[robotsonic]

About vacation: It's true that while in residency you don't get "summer vacations" like you do in undergrad, but you *do* get vacation, usually 3-4 weeks (in 2 or 4-week blocks). Although this may sound like a lot, remember that you are not guaranteed to have any of the standard vacations, like national holidays, that everyone else gets off, and you may only have one whole weekend off a month.

 

[DF38]

I would consider not just shadowing your family practice doc, but asking that person for advice/help.

Generally speaking, doctors know lots of doctors. They could probably introduce you to some specialists who would be willing to let you shadow them.

I set up a shadowing program for my school. I had contacts, but you don't need them - just talk to your family practice docs. They may know people that are willing to have kids shadow them. Your local teaching hospital is a great place to go to as well. Those docs are used to med student, residents, and fellows following them (if you're in a University hospital, you're probably also a teacher,) so ask around in the departments. I've never offended anybody by asking, so just go out there and make some calls or meet them in person.

Thanks for the info/advice!

 

[RxnMan]

Thanks for the info/advice!

Keep the questions coming! I've done tons of research on these topics and I work in a hospital, so I'm more than willing to answer these. If I don't know it, I'll ask one of the docs down the hall!

 

[tigress]

Okay, so these questions concern residency matching. They might be appropriate in a different forum, but since this is my "home" forum I felt like I ought to post here first at least. Maybe somebody will know the answer, or maybe a 4th year or resident will stumble upon the questions.

I understand the basics of residency matching. I do have some confusion, however. I'm trying to understand it because my brother in law is applying to residencies now and it got me curious.

First question: For programs like radiology, anesthesiology, etc., that require an intern year (transitional or whatever else), how do you make a rank list? Do you make two rank lists? You have to match into two things, but I don't understand how that works.

Second question: I know people who have applied to two different specialties, and interviewed in both. (I assume you could do more than 2 if you're really confused.) Can you rank two specialties on one rank list? And if so, do you have to stick to the same types -- like, could you rank IM and radiology, since rads requires a prelim intern year but IM doesn't? That's really really confusing.

Third and final question: There are two types of EM programs, 3 year and 4 year. (EM is currently my dream specialty.) If you do the 4 year programs you need an intern year, at least for most of them (as far as I understand it). So how in the world do you rank for EM if you don't have a preference for 3 vs. 4? Meaning some programs are straight 3-year residencies, but others in the same specialty need a preliminary year! (This is related to question #2, I guess.)

Yeah, so it's confusing. Probably most people on this particular forum won't know the answers any better than I do, because they're sort of specific and complex and won't matter to us for at least another 3-4 years. (Well, they'll matter to me when my husband is matching, so <2 years.) But still, I'm curious because I can't figure it out.

 

[Law2Doc]

First question: For programs like radiology, anesthesiology, etc., that require an intern year (transitional or whatever else), how do you make a rank list? Do you make two rank lists? You have to match into two things, but I don't understand how that works.

I could be totally wrong, but I'm pretty sure you MATCH into radiology, anesthesiology etc., but your first year is SPENT doing medicine, not yet your specialty. But you only do the match once - not for the internship year and then for a separate specialty, just the specialty, and you aren't matching into two things, just that they (your specialty) are going to make you work a year in the trenches (in their hospital) before you get to the promised land. Again, I could be totally wrong, and welcome being corrected, but I think this is the way it works.

 

[Young Scientist]

I really want to do some undergraduate research program but everyone keeps telling me to take the august mcat. I went through the trouble of getting recomendations from my professors and applied to 8 programs, should I wait for the next spring or summer to take the mcat or take it in august?

 

[Law2Doc]

I really want to do some undergraduate research program but everyone keeps telling me to take the august mcat. I went through the trouble of getting recomendations from my professors and applied to 8 programs, should I wait for the next spring or summer to take the mcat or take it in august?

Given that you have "young" in your screen name -- what's the rush? You can do the research program, take the MCAT in april, and apply the following June. Having the research program under your belt will only make you a better applicant. Just make sure you spend the time needed to do well on the test.

 

[Em1]

I really want to do some undergraduate research program but everyone keeps telling me to take the august mcat. I went through the trouble of getting recomendations from my professors and applied to 8 programs, should I wait for the next spring or summer to take the mcat or take it in august?

You could do a summer research program AND take this August's mcat. I actually think it would be easier to study while researching than to study while taking a full course load.

 

[tigress]

I could be totally wrong, but I'm pretty sure you MATCH into radiology, anesthesiology etc., but your first year is SPENT doing medicine, not yet your specialty. But you only do the match once - not for the internship year and then for a separate specialty, just the specialty, and you aren't matching into two things, just that they (your specialty) are going to make you work a year in the trenches (in their hospital) before you get to the promised land. Again, I could be totally wrong, and welcome being corrected, but I think this is the way it works.

Well, I know that's at least partially not true, because many, if not most, people do their prelim year at a different hospital than the one they do the residency at. Also, I know somebody who scrambled into a preliminary year, so it seems to me like it's part of the match.

But really, like I said, I'm mostly just confused about it all.

 

[hannahx]

.