What were your 3rd year electives?

[Waysensei]

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My school allows me 8 weeks of electives in year 3 and in the process of setting them up. I'm wondering what you all picked for electives in year 3. In particular, my 2nd block is an elective and I'd like to do something that won't be overwhelming with my experience.

Do teaching hospitals allow 3rd years to take electives or are they mostly reserved for 4th years?

Thanks!

 

[ShyRem]

Many are reserved for fourth years. However, see if they'll let you do radiology. Do you have selectives you have to do? (i.e. rural med, etc.) Those might be good too.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

I would agree with rural med/family med, or something like ER as hands-on as possible. Simply learning how to take an appropriate blood pressure, suture, draw blood, or lumbar puncture can give you loads of confidence going forward. You need to know how to do the procedures sure, but I've found that simply doing stuff helps take away the mystique and allows you to say to yourself, "That's it? Hell I can do this" about everything else you'll encounter this side of the EP lab.

 

[Depakote]

My school lets 3rd years do some electives.

ER wouldn't be bad, it would give you exposure to a good variety. Radiology is another good one to get some early exposure to.

I did Anesthesiology pretty early. I didn't have enough experience to get as much out of it as I might have at the end of my 3rd year but it did make me decide to take some 4th year electives.

 

[Guile]

What are you most interested in? This should be the number one question you're asking yourself as you set up electives. You are guaranteed exposure to peds, IM, OB/GYN, surgery, and psychiatry. Do something that you wouldn't otherwise do and have an interest in. EM is a good choice, or if you're interested in surgery or something surgical, then check out a surgical subspecialty like ENT or urology.

 

[Waysensei]

I'm interested in Neurology.

I'm considering Pediatric Neurology, E.R., or Neurology for my 2 3rd year electives. However, I will have an Emergency Medicine and a Neurology rotation during year 4, so I'm wondering if it's necessary to do an extra one in year 3. Also, if I do Neurology during year 3, I think it will probably be an office-based preceptor rotation - is that ok?

I'm considering Pediatric Neurology for my 2nd block, but I'm a bit concerned about having it so soon in the year. I won't have done Peds by then - the only rotation I'll have completed will be FM, so I'm worried about being unprepared.

Where could I do a E.R. rotation during year 3? I will be doing my cores in Salinas, California. Most of the teaching hospitals I've sent emails to don't accept students into year 3 electives, and Arrowhead is flooded with requests, so I shouldn't expect much luck there.

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

We had none 🙁 Major curriculum flaw, IMO

 

[Captain Fantastic]

We had none 🙁 Major curriculum flaw, IMO

Same boat. 👎

 

[45408]

I had one month for electives, and I did a month of EM, because I was trying to decide between that and surgery. I chose surgery, but it was still a good month.

 

[lacrossefiend73]

Same boat. 👎

Yikes, CF, really? We get 10 weeks of them.

 

[Guile]

I'm interested in Neurology.

I'm considering Pediatric Neurology, E.R., or Neurology for my 2 3rd year electives. However, I will have an Emergency Medicine and a Neurology rotation during year 4, so I'm wondering if it's necessary to do an extra one in year 3. Also, if I do Neurology during year 3, I think it will probably be an office-based preceptor rotation - is that ok?

I'm considering Pediatric Neurology for my 2nd block, but I'm a bit concerned about having it so soon in the year. I won't have done Peds by then - the only rotation I'll have completed will be FM, so I'm worried about being unprepared.

Where could I do a E.R. rotation during year 3? I will be doing my cores in Salinas, California. Most of the teaching hospitals I've sent emails to don't accept students into year 3 electives, and Arrowhead is flooded with requests, so I shouldn't expect much luck there.

I think you should try to do a neurology rotation during third year. You should try to get exposure to things that you are interested in as early as possible. Don't worry about it being primarily office-based. That is what neurology is most similar to in practice. You will do a lot of in-patient neurology during your main clerkship and during residency should you decide to do it.

 

[christina30]

We had none 🙁 Major curriculum flaw, IMO

Wow, what schools were these that you guys had no electives? How rude.

 

[Guile]

Wow, what schools were these that you guys had no electives? How rude.

Not having electives until fourth year isn't that uncommon, sadly.

 

[SeminoleFan3]

Not having electives until fourth year isn't that uncommon, sadly.

Nope. We don't get any either.

 

[histobob]

With an interest in Neurology a PM&R rotation couldn't hurt. Try and find someone that does EMGs or maybe a spine specialist.