What if I don't get the 3rd year elective I want?

[GonefromTX]

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So at my school we go by a lottery system and we aren't guaranteed any elective. I'm interested in ortho and since it is such a popular elective at my school, there's a good chance I won't get it.

If that happens, how can I maximize my chances of getting a good letter? Should I just try to shadow an orthropod for a month and then try to (hopefully) secure at least a decent letter from him/her? Or is it too late to get a letter from an away rotation in fourth year?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Shark7500]

If you don't get ortho as an elective right off the bat, I would not be too worried. Get in touch with a surgeon in the department, do some research with him/her and get them to vouch for you in creating your own MS-3 elective working under that attending for the whole month. Alternatively, you could just hold out until after step 1 when a lot of the pre-clinical ortho bros who don't perform as well as they thought they would suddenly become interested in general surgery. At my school, we have fall/winter/spring breaks that are 1-2 weeks where we can do special topics courses with attendings. That may be an option for you, too. If you can't get ortho, can you at least schedule trauma? You could just follow the ortho team into the OR.

If you have a halfway reasonable administration and you're well-liked by the department, they will find a way for you to get exposure. Good luck.

 

[GonefromTX]

Our school has it pretty bad for ortho. We have a class of 240 students and like 20 of us this year are interested in ortho with only half of us getting to do an ortho elective off the bat. There's no trauma elective either. So the other 10 students are pretty much scrambling to find research with our ortho department.

Would schools normally allow away electives in third year? Like, I'm from Austin and I know that Dell medical school in Austin doesn't have a 2019 class and I can probably find an orthopod there that might let me do an away. Is it common for a student to use the elective slot to do an away rotation?

 

[joker2400]

Our school has it pretty bad for ortho. We have a class of 240 students and like 30 of us this year are interested in ortho with only half of us getting to do an ortho elective off the bat. There's no trauma elective either. So the other 15 students are pretty much scrambling to find research with our ortho department.

Would schools normally allow away electives in third year? Like, I'm from Austin and I know that Dell medical school in Austin doesn't have a 2019 class and I can probably find an orthopod there that might let me do an away. Is it common for a student to use the elective slot to do an away rotation?

Most institutions won't allow away rotators unless that student has completed all of their core rotations

 

[username456789]

Consider the fact that many/most(?) schools don't even offer electives at all during third year.

 

[GonefromTX]

Consider the fact that many/most(?) schools don't even offer electives at all during third year.

Then how do people get their letters? is 4th year too late for that?

 

[Amygdarya]

Then how do people get their letters? is 4th year too late for that?

Not too late - in fac, it's fairly typical to get letters from 4th year sub-Is, aways and electives. Fourth year typically starts in July and Dean's letters come out on October 1st - so you can complete 3 fourth year rotations before that. Of course you need to give your letter writers at least a couple of weeks before submission - so it's best to take rotations you hope to get letters from in July and August. But even sending (some of) your letters after October 1st most likely won't affect your application, as letters typically get read just before interviews, and interview invites are most often sent based on Step scores, grades and Dean's letters.

In other words, try to get an ortho rotation at your home institution in July and at one or two other programs you're interested in in August-September and you'll be all set.

 

[GonefromTX]

Not too late - in fac, it's fairly typical to get letters from 4th year sub-Is, aways and electives. Fourth year typically starts in July and Dean's letters come out on October 1st - so you can complete 3 fourth year rotations before that. Of course you need to give your letter writers at least a couple of weeks before submission - so it's best to take rotations you hope to get letters from in July and August. But even sending (some of) your letters after October 1st most likely won't affect your application, as letters typically get read just before interviews, and interview invites are most often sent based on Step scores, grades and Dean's letters.

In other words, try to get an ortho rotation at your home institution in July and at one or two other programs you're interested in in August-September and you'll be all set.

Thank you very much! Now I can concentrate on step!

 

[hunterjumper14]

It's nice that your school has an option for a 3rd year ortho elective, most schools don't even have that. So you won't be behind if you don't get into the elective. However, I would suggest trying to get to know a few faculty members through shadowing/research in the meantime. You can continue to work with these faculty members when you have random time off as a 4th year, and they can go to bat for you when it comes time to rank applicants. You can also offer to take call with the residents so that you will know them and their expectations before you begin your home subI/AI in June or July. Focus on step 1, and like was mentioned before, there almost certainly won't be 30 people interested in ortho after scores come back. Good luck!!