sx or medicine

[Sella Turcica17]

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Sooooo i'm a 3rd year student and as crazy as it sounds i'm torn between surgery and internal medicine....two completely different worlds, i know. I am suppose to be setting up my fourth year schedule of electives at this point but i'm really not sure which direction I want to go....this is a pretty serious decision and I don't want to take it lightly. Now i've read from other postings that although you may be interested in surgery, it will not be in your best interest to schedule your 4th yr with a bunch of sx rotations, but instead to be well-rounded. My questions is which rotations should I look into that will allow me to succeed whether I ultimately choose surgery or internal medicine? Also, about how many programs do student typically apply to considering they have 90th percentile on boards, within top 10 of their class, but a lacking CV? And if you only have from august-december to do "away/audtion" rotations, how can you possibly make face-time at all the places you apply to??

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

yeah, im interested in anesthesia and surgery, and i dont have a clue what to do with 4th year rotations.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Now i've read from other postings that although you may be interested in surgery, it will not be in your best interest to schedule your 4th yr with a bunch of sx rotations, but instead to be well-rounded. My questions is which rotations should I look into that will allow me to succeed whether I ultimately choose surgery or internal medicine?

-Your first priority honestly isn't a "well-rounded" schedule. Your first priority is figuring out your medicine vs surgery dilemma. You first few rotations need to help you with this - I'd recommend surgery and IM sub-I months to start the year. Go from there.

Also, about how many programs do student typically apply to considering they have 90th percentile on boards, within top 10 of their class, but a lacking CV?

Depends very much on the field and what you mean by "lacking" - talk to people at your school who would have much more specific knowledge of you and your applications.

And if you only have from august-december to do "away/audtion" rotations, how can you possibly make face-time at all the places you apply to??

No one does aways at all the places they apply to. Both IM and surgery are pretty light fields when it comes to away rotations. On the interview trail for surgery, most people I've met have done 0-1 aways - more than that is, while not unheard of, less common. Also I'd advise that you do not want to be doing an away in December - that is the heart of interview season and would make scheduling a nightmare.