Advice for clinicals

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

I talked to my coordinator today and was told I can start IM in December and go straight into Surg at Huron in Clevland. I'm thinking that I would like to start earlier, and wouldn't mind having breaks in between my clinicals. I have heard that IM and Surg are the toughest ones, and to go back-to-back with these 2 might end up hurting me, especially being in one place for 8 months straight.

I dunno, what do you guys who have experience with this suggest? Is Huron worth it to wait until December to do IM and Surg one right after another?

[rynobuddy]

I think it is better to start off with those two back to back. I unfortunately got dealt Surgery then IM as my last two cores and I though it stunk. But I am sure everyone else has their preferences. Getting those two back to back is quite an advantage cause those two are offered the least amount of times per year due to the length of the rotations. Just my 2 cents.

[Junito]

Staying at one place for eight months or more months is not going to necessarily hurt you. I would wait if the rotations are worth it. Try to see if you can get something scheduled in the mean time. Something like Path or radiology. Study for Step 2 during your time off. Good luck.

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

I think it is better to start off with those two back to back. I unfortunately got dealt Surgery then IM as my last two cores and I though it stunk. But I am sure everyone else has their preferences. Getting those two back to back is quite an advantage cause those two are offered the least amount of times per year due to the length of the rotations. Just my 2 cents.

Yeah I think IM then Surg is the best way to go for the very 1st rotations, but I'm pretty hesitant on just taking Surg after no break. I may start to go a little whacko after a little while. Or I just need to grow some balls?

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

Staying at one place for eight months or more months is not going to necessarily hurt you. I would wait if the rotations are worth it. Try to see if you can get something scheduled in the mean time. Something like Path or radiology. Study for Step 2 during your time off. Good luck.

Yeah, I would rather enjoy not moving around every 4 months or so, so that's a plus. But the issue is whether or not it's worth the wait. From your thread on Huron hospital, someone said it's in a pretty shady neighborhood, but they teach quite well.

I will definitely try to see if I can get some other electives scheduled in the mean time. I was told I can do 4 weeks of FM during the wait, but I'm not sure if I should save FM as a recap of everything right before Step 2.

[azulpanther]

Yeah I think IM then Surg is the best way to go for the very 1st rotations, but I'm pretty hesitant on just taking Surg after no break. I may start to go a little whacko after a little while. Or I just need to grow some balls?


dont worry about it and do it. You do get weekends off. usually

[Junito]

Yeah, I would rather enjoy not moving around every 4 months or so, so that's a plus. But the issue is whether or not it's worth the wait. From your thread on Huron hospital, someone said it's in a pretty shady neighborhood, but they teach quite well.

I will definitely try to see if I can get some other electives scheduled in the mean time. I was told I can do 4 weeks of FM during the wait, but I'm not sure if I should save FM as a recap of everything right before Step 2.

Family medicine will not be a good recap, at least 4 weeks of it. I learned more on a FM Sub-I than the core rotation. I say get the FM rotation out of the way, and if you have more time in between, try to get an elective done. Hit me up with a PM, or look up my experiences with certain electives. Good luck. Don't waste time. By the way some of the best rotations will be located in crappy neighborhoods. I did one in Toledo, Ohio, and that was one of the best rotations I had.

[rynobuddy]

Yeah don't worry about the neighborhoods, a lot of the hospitals are not in the greatest of areas. That said I have never had one bit of trouble in Baltimore or Chicago.

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

Awesome, thanks guys for the advice.

[UFTim]

If they give you those two back to back, I would do it.

[chaiyyachaiyya]

hey i was wondering the same thing...i was assuming from my talk w/ the coordinator that they don't have ANYTHING til November/December so I am not so sure wat to think...i was also offered the Huron thing but nothing about the Surgery rotation...just Internal Medicine...my coordinator is really confusing me now...I wanted to start by September so its disappointing to me that they dont have enough spots for anybody when they said in their newsletter the wait time is at least a month or so...speaking of Step 2, how does one go about studyin for it? also...we can do path and radiology electives before starting a core??? thanks

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

From Juni's post that's what I can assume. It makes sense too, from a purely outsider perspective I can see Path and Rads being the most basic sciences-oriented rotations out there. But Rads residency is real competitive so we'd have to make sure we blow the rotation out of the water if we want to keep chances of matching alive, so I would rather take Path as a start.

[azulpanther]

prolly alot of students are transferring to Ross or AUA. I know I am looking into it. If i wait till december I'll be in danger of missing the 2010 match. If I start in late sept I should be relatively safe of missing the 2010 match

[chaiyyachaiyya]

but don't those schools recommend that you re-take their 5th???

[UFTim]

prolly alot of students are transferring to Ross or AUA. I know I am looking into it. If i wait till december I'll be in danger of missing the 2010 match. If I start in late sept I should be relatively safe of missing the 2010 match

September is still cutting it a little tight. I started clinicals in May last year and will be done just before graduation in May. I have friends that started in September and they're missing 2009 match. It's REALLY tough to do green rotations back-to-back.

[UFTim]

we can do path and radiology electives before starting a core??? thanks

Most elective rotations want AT LEAST internal med, but Rads and Path are not usually included in that discussion.

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

prolly alot of students are transferring to Ross or AUA. I know I am looking into it. If i wait till december I'll be in danger of missing the 2010 match. If I start in late sept I should be relatively safe of missing the 2010 match

While missing the match seems pretty bad with average Step 1 scores increasing every year, I think it give us an opportunity to do some research. Having solid, worthy research under our belts probably weighs more than a slightly lower comparative step 1 score. At least this is what I'm hoping for. Transferring seems too risky with the "Oh, we'll get in you in faster than they will" lines.

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

September is still cutting it a little tight. I started clinicals in May last year and will be done just before graduation in May. I have friends that started in September and they're missing 2009 match. It's REALLY tough to do green rotations back-to-back.

You know, after watching all this from the sidelines for the past 5 semesters I didn't think it was so bad. It sucks to sit around and do nothing.

[ace101]

Considering the problems we face with clinical placement it is most likely that we will miss the 2010 match. So Does anyone have any advice when we should start studying for step 2 and what cores do we have to complete before taking step 2? Also, what research opportunities are available for us? Can carribbean students do research at US hospitals?

[M.E the MD]

SO we are basically missing the residency match for 2010? Why are they lying in the news letter they sent out stating contrary to rumors, rotation assignments are given with in a week of request. Why is there such a ridiculous back up? Some of us students have studied hard, took our STEP ontime and now we have to wait because of students before us. This annoys the crap out of me. :twisted: What are we suppose to do for a year???

[rynobuddy]

A lot of places have no requirements to do an Anesthesia elective, so that is also another possibility.

The wait sucks I know....when I figured out I was going to miss the 2008 Match I was mad. I had some long gaps between core rotations and that is what killed my timeleine. Unfortunately by the time I was told by the school I was going to have these gaps finding electives at the last minute was almost impossible (but they are out there). I finish up next month and I am gonna have September-June off. Gonna try and do some research somewhere, if not will enjoy some time off before residecndy starts.

I know the school can sugarcoat all they want about placement of students in spots, but there is a shortage in some of the specialties, mainly peds and ob.gyne. Even if you are not picky about location, there will be some gaps and lost time. Thats just the way it is.

[azulpanther]

While missing the match seems pretty bad with average Step 1 scores increasing every year, I think it give us an opportunity to do some research. Having solid, worthy research under our belts probably weighs more than a slightly lower comparative step 1 score. At least this is what I'm hoping for. Transferring seems too risky with the "Oh, we'll get in you in faster than they will" lines.




Great advice. Doing research during our time off would be very beneficial