Summer Programs after MS-1

[Doc2Dr]

I will be a first year medical student next year, and I am fairly certain I want to go into emergency medicine. I've worked ER, as well as ENT and primary care and as much as I tell myself to keep an open mind I always come back to EM.

For those of you that were accepted to an EM residency; what summer program, if any, did you do after the MS-1 year? Is it necessary to do a summer program or can you be competitive for residency after taking the summer off? It seems like most of the programs I've found are research oriented, and that's not where my interests lie.

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[MSmentor018]

vacation....it's the only time in your medical career you'll get 3 months off in a row. enjoy it! don't get me wrong, research is one of those things that could separate you from the pack but it's pretty low on the EM totem pole of wants according to directors. go to NRMP for more info on all the specialties. also are you EFMB/CFMB? if so, don't worry about extra fluff on your CV, you'll be fine

 

[CousinLarry]

I did NYLF, which was pretty fun. It allowed me to go live in another part of the country for a month and I got paid for it. It also gives you something to talk about on the interview and its a "teaching" experience. They love that.

I would say look into that and do something fun with your summer. Research is something that can be done during the school year, especially since you already know you want to do with your life. Get started with research early, but don't spend your summer doing it.

 

[Doc2Dr]

vacation....it's the only time in your medical career you'll get 3 months off in a row. enjoy it! don't get me wrong, research is one of those things that could separate you from the pack but it's pretty low on the EM totem pole of wants according to directors. go to NRMP for more info on all the specialties. also are you EFMB/CFMB? if so, don't worry about extra fluff on your CV, you'll be fine

I've got the CMB but no EFMB. I spent too much time deployed and was never around to test for it. I was a lanes tester and subject matter expert for SACMS-VT. I know EM is for me, just trying to figure out the best way to get there.

 

[MSmentor018]

I've got the CMB but no EFMB. I spent too much time deployed and was never around to test for it. I was a lanes tester and subject matter expert for SACMS-VT. I know EM is for me, just trying to figure out the best way to get there.

the key to it all is slam dunking the rotation, do well on the interview, be well liked by the residents/nursing staff, get LOR's by well known program directors. everything else is towards the bottom of the ladder

 

[Doc2Dr]

the key to it all is slam dunking the rotation, do well on the interview, be well liked by the residents/nursing staff, get LOR's by well known program directors. everything else is towards the bottom of the ladder

Thanks for the info.

 

[jbar]

You might be able to find some low key research, like if you are spending 10 hours a week on it that leaves more than enough time to hang at the beach, and you can get a running start on your research for second year. At the beginning is a lot of lit reviewing, waiting for proposals to come back, HIC stuff etc. I agree that there is nothing wrong with taking the summer just off. But if you are like me you start going stir crazy after about a month with nothing productive going on.

 

[MSmentor018]

But if you are like me you start going stir crazy after about a month with nothing productive going on.

then 1 week before 2nd yr starts it'll be "noooo I want more slacker time!"

 

[gman33]

At my school, they have a program in the ED that allows you to see patients and sort of "work" in the department. There are also research opportunities if you are interested in that.

The best advice I could give is to do something that helps you figure out if EM is really the field you want to pick. Unless your school has a third year rotation, you won't have the chance to spend a significant amount of time in the department until only a few months before you have to decide what specialty to apply to. This can be stressful and/or lead to a bad decision.

Don't worry so much about doing things to strengthen your application, do things that will help you make a good career choice. Some things will help both. Also, make sure you have some time off.

 

[Doc2Dr]

I'm pretty certain about EM. I was a medic, in an infantry unit, in Iraq x 2. Since I've been out of the Army and going to school I've worked regular clinical stuff. Right now I do allergy testing/shots in a Drs office. As much as I like seeing patients, it's pretty dull. I miss the variety and the pace of emergency work. I was told by an ER Dr here to see about working as a tech over the summer for the same reason, just to experience it. I appreciate all of the great advice from everyone on here.

 

[MSmentor018]

I'm pretty certain about EM. I was a medic, in an infantry unit, in Iraq x 2. Since I've been out of the Army and going to school I've worked regular clinical stuff. Right now I do allergy testing/shots in a Drs office. As much as I like seeing patients, it's pretty dull. I miss the variety and the pace of emergency work. I was told by an ER Dr here to see about working as a tech over the summer for the same reason, just to experience it. I appreciate all of the great advice from everyone on here.

join ACEP, AAEM, both have student interest groups/med student advice..etc. it's a good place to start. you're already headed for med school so the hardest part is done. problem with working over summer is when hiring for a tech position (I was an ER supervisor before starting school), I'd be hesitant giving a med student the job knowing once orientation is done (1 wk), 11 wks later, you're gone. extremely few work during school. also schools don't cover you to do clinical rotations/shadowing during summers. it's all on your own

if you're absolutely dying to do something in EM to boost your app for residency you can always be the scut monkey with a research project with your school, local hospital, or with NIH. take a medical mission trip. enjoy your vacation. as long as you do well on rotations, with military background and combat deployments, you're ahead of the standard applicant in experience. I am also army and taught SOCOM medics in my hospital. no trouble getting interviews/acceptances. you'll be fine.....