Title: How to make the big decision: gathering information as an M3
1How to make the big decision gathering
information as an M3?
- Owen Phillips, MD
- Associate Dean, Student Affairs
2As M2s
- You have had a preceptor experience
- You have had personal experiences
- You may have preconceived notions- some may be
true, some may be false - You need information
3CiM Four Year Timeline
4Reviewing your Careers in Medicine Protocol?
- Visit the Careers in Medicine website?
- www.aamc.org/careersinmedicine
- www.aamc.org/students/cim
- Did you get to know yourself by completing the
self-assessment sections on the site?
5Discover your own CiM website
- OLSEN on the UT COM page
- Specialty Profiles
- Departmental information-
- Program director
- Chair
- Other faculty members willing to help
- If you want more information
6Think back to the Critical factors
- Autonomy
- Caring for Patients
- Continuity of Care
- Diversity
- Focus of Expertise
- Innovative thinking
- Intellectual Content
- Interacting with other Physicians
- Manual/Mechanical Activities
- Pressure
- Responsibility
- Security
- Sense of Accomplishment
- Status among Colleagues
- Patient Characteristics
- Types of Illnesses
7Gathering Information
- With that review, you know what you want in life
and in medicine, its time to find what specialty
will fit your needs - Go to the Specialty Profiles in the CiM website
- This is a great place to start exploring your
many choices.
8AAMC CiM Specialty Profiles
- Nature of the Work
- Personality Characteristics
- Residency Requirements- what is required to get
in - Match Data
- Workforce Statistics
- Compensation
9Its a start
- You think you really like Peds but you also like
procedures as well. - The specialty profile shows that procedures are
very low in Peds - But this profile doesnt take into account
neonatology, Peds cardiology, Peds ER and Peds GI
which all are very high in procedures.
10Expand
- Dont just evaluate one profile - do the same
exercise with other similar profiles. - You may learn that you are a closer match to
similar specialty than the one you first
considered. - Also, make comparisons in specialties you never
considered you may be surprised.
11Other Online Resources
- AMA-Freida- AMAs Fellowship and Residency
Electronic Interactive Database Access - Provides statistical information about each
specialty, information about GME programs, and
institutional offerings by specialty and
geographic location.
12Be vigilant about your career choices
- While an M3---
- Talk to clerkship directors, residents,
physicians you come in contact with - Try it on- tell people you are considering
- Ask questions
- Electives- UT gives flexibility to do some
electives early - Be realistic
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15Specialty Associations
- Join the academies at reduced student rates
- Visit specialty Web Sites AAP, AAOS, etc.
- This and other information on your UT CiM site
16Personal Contact
- Clerkships
- Summer Experience
- Faculty Mentors (see CiM website)
- Private Practitioners
- Residents
- Friends
- Be aware of the variable reliability of each
source - There are many misconceptions out there!
17Surveying the Alternatives
- Canvas and wide range of alternatives
- Be open to new alternatives as you have different
experiences on clerkships - Talk to the residents do you look like them do
you like what they do?
18Try it on
- Discuss your ideas with others
- Just like trying on clothes
- Dont commit too soon- it could make it harder to
change your mind
19Inoculate yourself
- After youve made your decision, review the
negatives - This will inoculate you against overreaction and
criticism to your decision - It will help you during negative experiences
during residency
20Consider Alternatives Realities
- Some specialties are hard to match into
- Plastic surgery - Neurosurgery
- Urology - Otolaryngology (ENT)
- Dermatology
- Orthopedics
- AAMC- match information
- Consult the program director, talk to me
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26If I know I want to go into a particular
specialty, should I schedule that clerkship first
or last?
27First or near the beginning of the third year
- To see whether I do like it
28Last or near the end
- In order to be experienced and excel
- And to be fresher on everyones mind and nearer
to residency recruitment time
29My experience
- UT students are ready from the first clerkship
and the excellent, interested students shine in
the first rotation - Faculty and residents have good memories- if you
are a good student, the impression of you will
last
30I want to take as many third-year rotations in
Knoxville or Chattanooga as I can
- Will this limit my ability to get into any
residency programs
31Third-year rotations away
- Knoxville and Chattanooga programs give excellent
experience - Your residency choices will not be limited
- We encourage students to take rotations at our
other campuses - If you do your rotations in KN or CH, you can
always do an M4 elective back in Memphis
32Any advantages to doing rotations at Chatt or
Knox.
- Course directors from there will speak to that
- Ask M4s who have had experience there
- Some clerkships are community-based and give an
educational experience that is really best for
you
33Advantages
- Smaller residency programs- usually 2-4
residents/year - Faculty involvement may be private doctors who
are affiliated with the residency - Patients may be private patients
- May be more one on one with a faculty member
34M4 Away Rotations
- Some residency programs are very competitive and
you will need to do a rotation there to even be
considered - It is a good way to get an insiders look at the
program - The department chair should know the scoop on
such programs and will be able to advise you.
35How to schedule away rotations
- Talk to UT, Memphis chair or program director
- Will need to get a signature on the UT form
(available in the catalog) - Go to the websites of the outside colleges about
procedure and contacts - Get this ball rolling in Jan. or Feb.
36M4 Away rotations
- Pitfalls
- If you dont shine while away, you may have
done yourself harm - By the time you learn the new system, you may not
match up to the home boys (or girls) - Got to get into Harvard
37What about fourth year electives here at UT
- Again, discipline-dependent
- For Ob, your best impression was as a third-year
clerk. We would rather see you take dermatology
or radiology than do an elective - For Orthopedics, you may need the visibility.
- If you did your clerkship in Kn or Ch, you may
wish to have Memphis exposure - You should ask
38Should I have research on my CV to be competitive
- Some programs are requiring research in the field
to be competitive
39Research
- Difficult to do meaningful research during
third-year - Programs where this an issue are the competitive
fields Otolaryngology, Urology, Neurosurgery - Find a professor-level faculty member and ask for
advise (CiM website has research mentors listed)
40Ask for advice
- Thinking it is either Peds or Med-Peds
- Talk to the clerkship director or another faculty
member - Will help you sort out your thinking process or
suggest opportunities that will help (a shadowing
experience in a private office)
41Ask for advice
- Pretty sure its Med-Peds
- But have some questions about my competitiveness
and need to stay in Memphis - Talk to the program director
42Ask for advice
- Once you have committed to a specialty, you
should talk to the chair of the department call
the office and make an appointment. Email may not
be best - You will need a chairs letter for your ERAS
application.
43What about the residency interview process
- May- Strolling through the Match- an orientation
- We will talk about
- When and how to schedule deans letters
- Other letters of reference
- Preparing a personal statement
- Preparing your CV
- The timeline
44The Process
- Early matches- neurology, ophthalmology, urology
- August- Early match applications due,
- interviews in Sept-Dec.
- October-For the rest, applications due
- interviews- Nov-Jan
45M3
- Work hard
- Pay attention
- Have fun