What to do

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Doc 2b

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If you were going to give up a two months during the fall semester fourth year which should you definetly not do? I ask because our school as a mandatory two month rurual rotation and I've been assigned Sept/Oct of fourth year. I may be able to swith, but I'm wondering which other months are good, preinterview? I just feel that Sept/Oct are prime for Sub I's. I'm so ticked, I almost feel our school does this just to force us into Family Practice, as most of my fellow classmates are in the same boat.

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Actually, Sept/Oct may not be so bad - you could be stuck there in Nov/Dec during prime interview time! It's actually kinda nice to do sub-I's in Aug or so to be able to get a letter from it and be able to apply early. I had a friend doing ENT who did a sub-I in Sept then had a heck of a time getting the letter in by the deadline some of the ENT programs had of Oct 1. As long as you've got easy internet access at your rural site - most of late Sept/Oct was spent checking incessently if I had any new interview invitations!
Good luck :luck: !
 
I think August is ideal for a sub-I because you can get a letter of rec. I would say to do something in July related that will prepare you for your sub-I - like ICU, Trauma, or sub-specialty. Use your rural rotation to study for Step 2. And, it can get you ready to do the useless Step 2 CS.
 
If it has to be done pre-interview, Sept/Oct is probably the way to go. July/Aug is a good time for aways and finalizing your application, as stated earlier. And Nov/Dec is interview time.

I had to do one of these during 4th year, and I got stuck doing it in Nov/Dec. Although they gave me adequate time off for interviews, it still made life hell to try to interview and do a rotation in the middle of nowhere at the same time!
 
Well that makes me feel a little better. Thanks. I'm just really wondering how all this works. I thought I really need to do a Sub I at all of the places I put at the top of my list? Is this not the case? I really appreciate it, this is the only thing I've heard in the past few days that doesn't make me want to choke our school.
 
I would say that it is not necessary to do a sub-I at the program you are interested in going to. It can certainly help if you do well. Keep in mind, however, that if you do poorly or even if you do well but don't distinguish yourself relative to the students at that program, this can work against you.
 
Well that makes me feel a little better. Thanks. I'm just really wondering how all this works. I thought I really need to do a Sub I at all of the places I put at the top of my list? Is this not the case? I really appreciate it, this is the only thing I've heard in the past few days that doesn't make me want to choke our school.

Most people who match have NOT done a Sub-I at that particular program. There is no way you can do rotations at all the programs you are thinking about ranking highly.

I agree with the others above, that if you wish, arrange your Sub-I(s) in July or August, and do your rural rotation when the school has it scheduled (unless you can arrange to change it to the spring).
 
As others have said, Sept/Oct (or even Oct/Nov, assuming you're not going for an early match specialty) is perfect. Do a sub-I at home and an away elective at your presumptive top choice (keeping in mind that this will likely change...my presumptive pre-interview 1 and 2 went to 5 and 11 respectively when all was said and done) during July and August. Then go chill in the sticks for 2 months (seriously?!? 2 months? what the hell?) and start life up again in Nov. Something else to keep in mind is that prime interview season for regular Match specialties is really mid-November to mid-Jan. I only had 4 interviews before Dec, 12 in Dec and 2 in Jan. YMMV of course
 
Then go chill in the sticks for 2 months (seriously?!? 2 months? what the hell?) and start life up again in Nov.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Yeah it's actually 3 mos, just one is a selective, meaning I can do it when ever my Senior year. Not too bad for that, I'm thinking CO or Utah during March, perfect skiing time. I just wish I had them all in the spring I wouldn't have to worry about it. Somehow everyone one I know of got scheduled in the fall, like it's a conspiracy or something. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: Oh well I'll have to suck it up, you guys HAVE made me feel better though. I've thought my life was ending for the past two days.
 
Yeah, nothing much happens in Sept to late November, at least for IM. I think it's actually pretty good timing.
 
Also if you were to get stuck with it during Nov/Dec and having to leave for interviews - aren't flights more expensive from po-dunk-ville rather than from a bigger city?
 
Also if you were to get stuck with it during Nov/Dec and having to leave for interviews - aren't flights more expensive from po-dunk-ville rather than from a bigger city?
Yeah, but skipping a rotation you hate for interviews is awesome if you can get away with it.
 
Not sure if you are at UMD but, we have to do 2 months of AHEC. Many of my friends had theirs in Sep/Oct and they just did their sub-Is in July or August.

Actually getting Nov/Dec or Jan/Feb is the BEST time for AHEC b/c most of the preceptors are ULTRA cool and don't care if you have to miss a lot of time for interviews while many of the rotations at 'home base' (UMD) only allow a certain number of days for interviews.

You might be able to get one of your classmates to switch but, if not just get a sub-I done in July. I did my MICU in July and I didn't have any problem getting back into the swing of things (I ended 3rd year with OB/GYN and peds). Plus, the interns are new too and you will be learning things along with each other. Another recommendation I have is to get both of your sub-Is done early ... some of my classmates are doing sub-Is right now (one of my friends has one in July) while, I'm just chilling on easy rotations and enjoying the end of the year ;)
 
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