Visiting Rotations Dilemma for potential IM candidate

[snips44]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am a final year med student studying in asia...i'm gonna go for visiting electives in the US this winter. here's the dilemma: i've applied at a top tier west coast school for an anesthesia clerkship, since its the only one they offer for international students. i'm also in the process of applying to big east coast schools like yale, harvard, cornell, since they take international kids for IM clerkships. I just found out that the west coast program has accepted me for the anesthesia clerkship.

Now the question (finally)- would it be deterimental for me to take the anesth. spot in california [keep in mind that it is about $300, whereas the yale/harvard people charge $2000-$4000] if i want to pursue a career in IM and eventually cards? I know that US experience is always a good thing, but would i be shooting myself in the foot by taking an elective in a field that i am 99.9% sure i won't go into? i am only hesitant to say "f no" to the cali program, because it is cheap and close to family and a very highly regarded program.

sorry for the long ass post, but any and all help would be appreciated. i just want to get an idea of what IM PD's look for in terms of a student's visiting elective experience.

 

[Adcadet]

Why would the anesthesiology rotation be shooting yourself in the foot? If it will be fun and educational, I say go for it. Some of my best rotations in med school were very much outside of IM.

 

[atsai3]

Now the question (finally)- would it be deterimental for me to take the anesth. spot in california [keep in mind that it is about $300, whereas the yale/harvard people charge $2000-$4000] if i want to pursue a career in IM and eventually cards?

No it would not be detrimental. If you took 5 consecutive sub-I's as your 4th year electives, they would probably look at you like you had a third eye. The point is that your medical school education should be well rounded.

-AT.

 

[snips44]

Thanks for the responses....I was only concerned because I will likely be doing only 1 US rotation during my med school career....i dont know if its wise to use that time in a dept of anesthesiology rather than an IM dept. I assume an LOR from an IM or IM-sub specialty attending would look better than one from a Gas attending. Am I wrong?

 

[ocean11]

Thanks for the responses....I was only concerned because I will likely be doing only 1 US rotation during my med school career....i dont know if its wise to use that time in a dept of anesthesiology rather than an IM dept. I assume an LOR from an IM or IM-sub specialty attending would look better than one from a Gas attending. Am I wrong?

I think an IM attending LOR would look better than an anesthesiologist LOR, what you can do, is see if you can do a two week rotation AFTER your anesth rotation, even if it dosn't count for credit. Or once you're there, talk to the chief of medicine in that hospital tell them you're interested in their program. Try to get to know as many people as you can when you're there. Its definetly NOT a waste of time to do what you're doing, but IM would have been better. Still though enjoy... you never know maybe you'll want to go into anesth.

Good Luck

Ocean11

 

[snips44]

Thanks Ocean, I appreciate the help. I'll see if I can pull off the 2-week clerkship with the dept. of med.