sub-i's

[daisygirl]

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Would it be more beneficial for me to stay at my school for sub-i's, or, would I be better off visiting other schools? I'm at SUNY Stony Brook, and I'm interested in snagging a residency someplace in the Bronx or Manhattan.

Also, I've decided to a gyn-onc elective (1 month) during third year in lieu of em/rads. I was told by my preceptor (an REI attending) to do this since the attendings in the gyn-onc department at my school are well known, thus I could potentially earn a strong letter of recommendation. However, I'm second guessing gyn-onc now, since I'm wondering if I would have been better off doing a month of MFM (especially since I could use a great deal of practice with ultrasound ).

Thanks for any input 🙂

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Daisygirl, regarding sub-I's, there are few key questions to ask:
(1) Do sub-I's matter at all for your residency applications? (most likely the answer is no).
(2) Does your institution work you hard during sub-I's? (if you're at a malignant institution like I am, the answer is probably yes)
(3) Do YOU wanna work really hard during sub-I's or do you wanna have a relatively easy experience which is consistent with the notion that 4th year of med school is a blowoff year?
(4) Do you need a letter of recommendation from your sub-I?

I think the last question is the most important of all. If you do need a LOR from a sub-I, you should do the sub-I during your first few months of 4th year and do it at either your home institution or another strong institution so that your LOR will be written by someone relatively well known. Don't go to some joke community hospital.

If you do NOT need a LOR from this sub-I, you have the luxury of blowing it off. Yes yes people will have a problem with this answer but unless you're going into pathology, you're gonna have to do an intern year and so there's plenty of opportunity to learn (so blow off 4th year).

If you do wanna blow off your sub-I, don't do it at your home institution. You're more than likely to get worked hard for a sub-par grade. Go to a joke hospital, like Oakwood in Dearborn (speaking from personal experience), be on call every 8th night, go home early each day, and let the month pass 🙂 And if you give an half-ass effort, you can get honors unlike your peer who will work twice as hard at your home institution and get a Pass (what an injustice).

Now, if you wanna learn something (i.e., you're doing a sub-I in a field related to the field you will be applying to) then do it at your home institution where you will see complex cases. Don't do it at a joke hospital where all the complex cases will be referred out and all you will see are the stupid simple cases.

 

[daisygirl]

Thanks so much Andy (a.k.a. HST- heehehe, couldn't help myself 🙂 )

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Thanks so much Andy (a.k.a. HST- heehehe, couldn't help myself 🙂 )

You're welcome.

I miss that HST account. Fear the hot steaming turd! It's hot and it's steaming!

 

[starayamoskva]

Would it be more beneficial for me to stay at my school for sub-i's, or, would I be better off visiting other schools? I'm at SUNY Stony Brook, and I'm interested in snagging a residency someplace in the Bronx or Manhattan.

Also, I've decided to a gyn-onc elective (1 month) during third year in lieu of em/rads. I was told by my preceptor (an REI attending) to do this since the attendings in the gyn-onc department at my school are well known, thus I could potentially earn a strong letter of recommendation. However, I'm second guessing gyn-onc now, since I'm wondering if I would have been better off doing a month of MFM (especially since I could use a great deal of practice with ultrasound ).

Thanks for any input 🙂

From personal experience: Gyn Onc is a superb rotation and will give you wonderful experience but you will work harder and longer hours than you will on pretty much any other rotation in ObGyn. I would not second guess the decision to do gyn onc as you said the people in your gyn onc department are well known. Doing a month of MFM and playing with the ultrasound will not give you anywhere near the benefit of a good LOR from a well known faculty.

As far as taking advantage of the fourth year of med school, goofing off and enjoying your last year... I am all for that but DO NOT plan on goofing off in a rotation of your chosen profession. It would be better to just not do a rotation through obgyn in 4th year than to do a half assed rotation.
Think of it this way, if you are out on the interview trail you don't want to have to tell the guy interviewing you that you did a rotation at podunk community hospital because he will know that it is a joke rotation. Much better to say well I opted to do a rotation through dermatology at (insert great program) to help round out my education before I start my internship. They really don't expect you to do your internship during the 4th year of med school so they won't really care that you didn't do an obgyn rot.

There seems to be an increase in the number of ObGyn applicants this year (judging from the interview trail and what PD's have told us) if the trend continues then its competativeness will no doubt increase. You should also keep in mind that even though obgyn as a whole isn't that competative right now there are some programs that remain extremely competative. If the programs you are interested in are in that category than certainly you should consider doing a sub I there.

 

[daisygirl]

Thanks starayamoskva 😀 Good luck with the upcoming match 🙂

 

[sailingdoc06]

Hi!

While you guys are on the subject of 4th year ob-gyn sub-i's, are there any locations/hospitals you strongly recommend in the New England, upstate New York, and/or Mid-Atlantic areas?

Thanks!

 

[elvede]

I also am wondering about away 4th year electives and/or sub-I's. How early does one need to set these up? I hear spots are pretty hard to come by.

Also, does anyone whose been on the interview trail have comments about which programs look especially good or you think would be good places to do an away elective in - I dont even care about location, just want to know which programs are considered really good, or at least NOT malignant 🙂

Thanks

 

[Diane L. Evans]

Sub-I with a well known person at Suny/Bronx i.e. program director they usually are gyn-oncs or MFM's

 

[lgow]

I also am wondering about away 4th year electives and/or sub-I's. How early does one need to set these up? I hear spots are pretty hard to come by.

Also, does anyone whose been on the interview trail have comments about which programs look especially good or you think would be good places to do an away elective in - I dont even care about location, just want to know which programs are considered really good, or at least NOT malignant 🙂

Thanks

FYI: I did an elective at Columbia and it was unbelievably malignant. The residents were extremely unhappy, and the attendings were not great, either. So, be careful about that program. However, I also did one at USC in LA, and really enjoyed the people and the training.

 

[elvede]

FYI: I did an elective at Columbia and it was unbelievably malignant. The residents were extremely unhappy, and the attendings were not great, either. So, be careful about that program. However, I also did one at USC in LA, and really enjoyed the people and the training.

Thanks! I noticed that you are at UMiami & have commented on their program in previous posts. Do you have any additional insight into their program now? I am considering applying for an elective there - any advice?
thanks again!

 

[lgow]

Hey there,

UM can be a good program if it's the right fit for you.

Pros: LOTS of exposure to pathology, lots of high-risk and GYO, high volume, hands-on, basically your county setting. About half the people in my class want to stay at UM... and their reasons are because they love the residents and some of the attendings (gyo has AWESOME attgs). The weather is amazing... I haven't worn a sweater in a long time. Lots of great extracurriculars in Miami, esp nightlife and outdoor sports. Good exposure to different communities, ie hispanics and haitians, although it's beneficial to speak spanish.

Cons: Undergoing changes right now; switched chairmen last yr. Residents have a harder call schedule (i believe q3). Not much formal teaching. Some residents seem pretty unhappy.

If you have any other questions, pm me and i'll answer in more detail.

Do you go to school in Baltimore?

 

[jlrt]

FYI: I did an elective at Columbia and it was unbelievably malignant. The residents were extremely unhappy, and the attendings were not great, either. So, be careful about that program. However, I also did one at USC in LA, and really enjoyed the people and the training.

I whole heartedly disagree about Columbia. The program is far from malignant. The residents work their asses off yes, but if you don't want to work hard you shouldn't do OB.

 

[lgow]

I completely agree that as an OB/GYN resident, you will be working very long hours. However, as I mentioned before, I also went to USC/LA County, which sees more volume than Columbia. Residents at both were extremely busy, but the one difference was that the USC residents were not constantly complaining about the system, the doctors, the nurses, and each other. The reason I said it was malignant was because of people's attitude, not the amount of work one has to do.