When should you apply for 4th year electives?

[keeping-it-real]

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MS3 here. How early should you apply for 4th year away electives so that you make sure you get a spot? thx.

 

[EctopicFetus]

different places have difft rules on when you can do it. Apply early spots at most places fill super quickly..

 

[keeping-it-real]

different places have difft rules on when you can do it. Apply early spots at most places fill super quickly..

is "early" now or in a few months... like april? thx.

 

[lucky_deadman]

is "early" now or in a few months... like april? thx.

Early as in now. Get your entire application in order now and completed. But wait to send it in till just after the match as the programs are busy sorting out their match.

BTW: Start looking now at the requirements. Some programs require strange titers to be drawn or other out of the norm stuff. You need to get these done now.

 

[Interpolfanclub]

I applied for an away at what most people would consider an extremely competetive program and had my application finished in March. That means personal statement and a letter of recommendation from faculty. The website also said they had board score standards (which I did not meet) but I applied anyway and got a spot. So I basically had my ERAS personal statement done in March which was nice.

Here are a couple things which almost tripped me up so that you are aware:

1. My medical school adviser told me that I would be fine applying for away rotations as late as May. Wrong, do not wait this long. I would have been SOL had I waited this long. Most competetive places fill by May.

2. When applying for an elective, most residency coordinators say they will not take applications before April 15 (or whenever, can't remember) but if you call ahead and express interest they will take yours early. At least they did for me.

3. My medical school also said that other schools would take students off-schedule, since my school was off from the rest of the country by one week. I found this to be untrue as well, many schools were not willing to take me off schedule and this seriously limited my choices. So look at your schedule and see when the other schools' blocks begin and find out if they take students off-schedule.

Hope this helps

 

[CS_22]

Early as in now. Get your entire application in order now and completed. But wait to send it in till just after the match as the programs are busy sorting out their match.

BTW: Start looking now at the requirements. Some programs require strange titers to be drawn or other out of the norm stuff. You need to get these done now.

So I too would definitely apply early, BUT keep in mind that a lot of places right now are trying to finish their match rank lists. If I were doing it all over again now, I would do this -- I would call and express interest today in the 2 or so places your wanting to rotate. And at that time, I would get a feel if they would be willing to take you application early.

If they'll take it early, great, but they're all going to have an application -- maybe letters/CV -- that they want done too. So if you get a sense that they don't really want to deal with getting rotations together now, then take the next couple weeks to get your application completed, and then give them a call immediately after the Match.

Earlier is definitely better in this game, because a lot of programs do make it first come, first served to be fair.

CS

 

[monkeyarms]

i did an away at one of the most desired/competetive places and called/applied in late april. by the time i got in touch there was one spot left in august and two in either september or october. so yeah, earlier is better, but you should be able to get a spot somewhere if you wait until april...remember there are still a lot of people riding the fence about specialty choice.

 

[deleted109597]

I applied for an away at what most people would consider an extremely competetive program

i did an away at one of the most desired/competetive places

Where are these magical places? Because of my wonderful school neglected to actually send out my letters to a few programs I applied to (moral here, don't let your school do anything, get your own transcript, etc), and I had to apply late. As in, 3 weeks before the rotation started late. And didn't have any problem at either of the 2 places that this happened at.

Although, rumor is that Vanderbilt is very hard to get an away rotation at now, because they started absorbing the Meharry students into their hospital. I'm sure other places it is tougher.

To echo above people, early is good, too early is not.

 

[Hard24Get]

Early as in now. Get your entire application in order now and completed. But wait to send it in till just after the match as the programs are busy sorting out their match.

BTW: Start looking now at the requirements. Some programs require strange titers to be drawn or other out of the norm stuff. You need to get these done now.

BUHAHAHAHA!!! I applied to my 1st choice rotation Monday night, and yesterday the director just happened by and approved my application to rotate in August!!! I may have been an early bird spaz but I am sitting pretty now with a housing application already submitted. 🙂

So, I say the sooner the better, no one forces them to review the apps right away - maybe if I'd waited till after the match the director would have had more time to take with my app and rejected me

Check out the SAEM website tonight!

 

[Dr.Evil1]

I applied for an away at what most people would consider an extremely competetive program and had my application finished in March. That means personal statement and a letter of recommendation from faculty. The website also said they had board score standards (which I did not meet) but I applied anyway and got a spot. So I basically had my ERAS personal statement done in March which was nice.

Here are a couple things which almost tripped me up so that you are aware:

1. My medical school adviser told me that I would be fine applying for away rotations as late as May. Wrong, do not wait this long. I would have been SOL had I waited this long. Most competetive places fill by May.

2. When applying for an elective, most residency coordinators say they will not take applications before April 15 (or whenever, can't remember) but if you call ahead and express interest they will take yours early. At least they did for me.

3. My medical school also said that other schools would take students off-schedule, since my school was off from the rest of the country by one week. I found this to be untrue as well, many schools were not willing to take me off schedule and this seriously limited my choices. So look at your schedule and see when the other schools' blocks begin and find out if they take students off-schedule.

Hope this helps

I could not agree with this post more.

Early is good, but don't just send in your app. and think that everything will be good. Give them a call every so often to remind them that you are waiting to hear back from them.