Useful electives

[ssj4vinh]

I am finishing up 3rd year and wondering what electives are most useful in terms of helping to be a better radiologist in the future. What are the most important specialties to have a good understanding of?

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[Aurum]

I am finishing up 3rd year and wondering what electives are most useful in terms of helping to be a better radiologist in the future. What are the most important specialties to have a good understanding of?

Just enjoy fourth year. Do a rads rotation or two, obviously. Otherwise, whatever knowledge you glean from rads-relevant electives will be washed away by the drudgery of intern year. Programs will expect you to have minimal knowledge coming into training.

 

[Cognovi]

Don't do radiology because there is no expectation for baseline radiology knowledge. Do a rotation that gives you exposure to a field that 1) uses imaging heavily, 2) is not the specialty of your intern year, 3) you were not exposed to 3rd year of medical school. I did cardiothoracic surgery ICU, EM, GI. In an ideal world, there would be a lighter version of a rotation in a surgical subspecialty (orthopedics, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, thoracic surgery, urology, vascular surgery) designed for students not going into that specialty. These are rare, but ask around your school. Similarly, consider radiation oncology.

 

[TCOM12]

Do whatever you think you’ll never see ever again.

Realize that few look back on a 4th year rotation, or even a rotation during intern year and say “and that’s why I’m a great radiologist.”

I did a couple extra peds rotations because the attendings and hospital were great. I had zero desire of doing peds radiology.

Most of all, show up and learn something. Although 4th year can be perceived as a waste, it’s a very expensive waste. Might as well try.

 

[RadiologyPD]

agree with Cognovi and TCOM12

I wouldn't do Radiology rotations that don't serve some higher purpose (meaning targeted to a place where you want to get in and might not qualify based on paper metrics alone--see post #167 and #183 in the thread called Radiology Faculty--Answering Questions/"AMA")

What you will "learn" in a radiology rotation won't help you as a resident after about the end of the 1st month of residency

 

[tco]

If you have any interest what so ever in IR, do some surgery rotations. Ortho and vascular would be good.

 

[JoshSt]

1. Videogames
2. Netflix
3. Work out

If you really must do serious rotations:
1. Surgery - I thought this was super helpful

But seriously, just chill 4th year

 

[irwarrior]

Agree that for IR ( vascular surgery, ICU and even Neuro IR on top of your IR rotations) would be invaluable to hone your clinical knowledge and skill set.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

Do whatever you find interesting/fun.