Useful Elective Rotations for Ophtho

[Xclusiv]

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Hello All,

4th year medical student with 1 elective rotation (post-match) to spend. What rotation would be useful for a career in ophtho? Anesthesia? Neurology? Any suggestions welcomed.

It doesn't necessarily have to be a "chill" rotation, just interested in something helpful.

 

[Bluesclera]

Probably a vacation month...


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[JMK2005]

Neurology or radiology to help getting familiar with head CT/MRIs.

 

[backrow]

I would add pathology to the list of possibilities, particularly if there is someone that does ocular path. Don't have to know a ton of Ophtho to understand it, but will come in handy in the future.

Or a research elective where you actually learn how an IRB works or bio stats or how to plan a project and not just something where you sit in someone's lab or do a chart review.

 

[DrZeke]

I would add pathology to the list of possibilities, particularly if there is someone that does ocular path. Don't have to know a ton of Ophtho to understand it, but will come in handy in the future.

Or a research elective where you actually learn how an IRB works or bio stats or how to plan a project and not just something where you sit in someone's lab or do a chart review.

Rheumatology?

 

[docta9]

Too many to list:
- dermatology. Very useful but not ophthalmology specific.
- general surgery. Very useful if the rotation is well managed from a med student standpoint
- SICU. Good critical care knowledge prevents you from being an eye dentist.
- MICU.
- radiology. Very useful to know how to read scans.
- there's a rare microsurgery elective that most medical schools don't have
- burn rotation. skin graft handling will help. also combines critical care

 

[DrZeke]

Too many to list:
- dermatology. Very useful but not ophthalmology specific.
- general surgery. Very useful if the rotation is well managed from a med student standpoint
- SICU. Good critical care knowledge prevents you from being an eye dentist.
- MICU.
- radiology. Very useful to know how to read scans.
- there's a rare microsurgery elective that most medical schools don't have
- burn rotation. skin graft handling will help. also combines critical care

I'm sorry... Haha... But my med school didn't make us do an ICU rotation and frankly I was ecstatic, because MICU was plenty painful as a prelim. One of the reasons I love Ophtho is because it's not a life or death specialty the majority of the time. Though I found many lessons in end of life issues and conversations, it's not where I wanted to focus my practice of medicine.

The most I learned about Ophtho in the ICU was that too many people have exposure keratopathy or neurotrophic ulcers. Oh and everyone has "scleral edema". Apparently chemosis isn't a real medical term?!? Sorry to sound like a jerk, but I was amazed by that...
Lacrilube and tarsorrhaphies are MICU friends. I personally would not waste my time on the MICU but that's just my opinion.

Like I said rheum can be cool especially if you have a big uveitis person where you are. Also I agree with above post, radiology is a must. It was required by my med school and I probably would have done rads had Ophtho not worked out [emoji57] most med school do gen surg for 2-3 months so I don't see the point in doing extra unless you work with plastics or ent people then that might fun.

 

[Hankz]

I think neurology, rheum, derm, and neurorads

 

[docta9]

I'm sorry... Haha... But my med school didn't make us do an ICU rotation and frankly I was ecstatic, because MICU was plenty painful as a prelim. One of the reasons I love Ophtho is because it's not a life or death specialty the majority of the time. Though I found many lessons in end of life issues and conversations, it's not where I wanted to focus my practice of medicine.

The most I learned about Ophtho in the ICU was that too many people have exposure keratopathy or neurotrophic ulcers. Oh and everyone has "scleral edema". Apparently chemosis isn't a real medical term?!? Sorry to sound like a jerk, but I was amazed by that...
Lacrilube and tarsorrhaphies are MICU friends. I personally would not waste my time on the MICU but that's just my opinion.
.

I take that back now. Do NOT do MICU. Do SICU.

There is a difference. SICU rotations are not so keen with end of life. If the patient dies, there is a big discussion at M and M conference. The surgeon is on the hot seat. Not so with MICU. A MICU patient is just old and sick or sick and not the doctor's fault.