How to make the big decision: gathering information as an M3

1
How to make the big decision gathering
information as an M3?

• Owen Phillips, MD
• Associate Dean, Student Affairs

2
As 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

3
CiM Four Year Timeline
4
Reviewing 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?

5
Discover 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

6
Think 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

7
Gathering 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.

8
AAMC CiM Specialty Profiles

• Nature of the Work
• Personality Characteristics
• Residency Requirements- what is required to get
  in
• Match Data
• Workforce Statistics
• Compensation

9
Its 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.

10
Expand

• 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.

11
Other 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.

12
Be 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

13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
Specialty Associations

• Join the academies at reduced student rates
• Visit specialty Web Sites AAP, AAOS, etc.
• This and other information on your UT CiM site

16
Personal 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!

17
Surveying 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?

18
Try 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

19
Inoculate 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

20
Consider 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

21
(No Transcript)
22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)
24
(No Transcript)
25
(No Transcript)
26
If I know I want to go into a particular
specialty, should I schedule that clerkship first
or last?

• Two ways to look at it

27
First or near the beginning of the third year

• To see whether I do like it

28
Last or near the end

• In order to be experienced and excel
• And to be fresher on everyones mind and nearer
  to residency recruitment time

29
My 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

30
I 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

31
Third-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

32
Any 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

33
Advantages

• 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

34
M4 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.

35
How 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.

36
M4 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

37
What 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

38
Should I have research on my CV to be competitive

• Some programs are requiring research in the field
  to be competitive

39
Research

• 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)

40
Ask 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)

41
Ask 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

42
Ask 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.

43
What 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

44
The Process

• Early matches- neurology, ophthalmology, urology
• August- Early match applications due,
• interviews in Sept-Dec.
• October-For the rest, applications due
• interviews- Nov-Jan

45
M3

• Work hard
• Pay attention
• Have fun