Post by drdrizzle on Mar 24, 2007 9:49:59 GMT -5
Try to take Internal medicine early. The first or second block. I understand that you might want to take it later b/c you think you need some experience so you don’t make a fool of yourself and get a bad grade. I was thinking the same thing, but unfortunately I got a very poor lottery number so I took it second block. Looking back, that was very fortunate for me. Taking it early has more advantages than later. First, they expect you not to know what you are doing and don’t expect that much out of you. Therefore, if you do well, you will get an even better evaluation. Second, its easier to get recommendations lined up and maybe start some research or papers (see my other posts). The sooner the better. And third, you can use your elective to do a Medicine subspecialty consult rotation and get the chance for more good recommendations and papers. The only major disadvantage is the medicine shelf final. I think it is the hardest one of them all. So you risk a B if you don’t do well on it.
Second try to do your Medicine rotations at MCG, including fourth year students. There are more patients and the attendings are better teachers in general. Some of the VA attendings mainly work in ambulatory care and do wards maybe once a year. Therefore they rarely write letters of recommendation and therefore you risk them thinking highly of you, but it failing to translate to the letter. I didn’t use one of mine b/c I was afraid of this very reason. MCG attendings are members of the faculty and sit on residency selection committees and interview prospective residents, so I think they have a better idea of how to write really good one and they have more practice over time. Green (ID attendings) and Yellow (renal) are the best teaching services. I went to Liz jones, Dr. szerlip’s coordinator and specifically asked to be on Green b/c I was interesting in ID. She was happy to do it. Just go see her early before the schedule is made. She is very nice and will help you with whatever.
And last, almost all of the students in my class that wanted to do internal medicine could have matched into specialties that are considered much more “competitive.” It was never our fall back choice. Our reasons for doing internal medicine as just as good, if not better, than as any surgeon wanting to be in the OR all day or a derm wanting a good lifestyle. Personally, I like how Internists try their best to diagnosis and manage their patients until they are well again. We don’t give up on our patients, we don’t try to transfer them to another service. We do everything we can to help our patients, to their end, if we have to. Its very demanding but rewarding. Be a pre-internist and be proud.
I said the last part, b/c i get tired of other students/residents negative comments when you tell them you want to do internal medicine.
Second try to do your Medicine rotations at MCG, including fourth year students. There are more patients and the attendings are better teachers in general. Some of the VA attendings mainly work in ambulatory care and do wards maybe once a year. Therefore they rarely write letters of recommendation and therefore you risk them thinking highly of you, but it failing to translate to the letter. I didn’t use one of mine b/c I was afraid of this very reason. MCG attendings are members of the faculty and sit on residency selection committees and interview prospective residents, so I think they have a better idea of how to write really good one and they have more practice over time. Green (ID attendings) and Yellow (renal) are the best teaching services. I went to Liz jones, Dr. szerlip’s coordinator and specifically asked to be on Green b/c I was interesting in ID. She was happy to do it. Just go see her early before the schedule is made. She is very nice and will help you with whatever.
And last, almost all of the students in my class that wanted to do internal medicine could have matched into specialties that are considered much more “competitive.” It was never our fall back choice. Our reasons for doing internal medicine as just as good, if not better, than as any surgeon wanting to be in the OR all day or a derm wanting a good lifestyle. Personally, I like how Internists try their best to diagnosis and manage their patients until they are well again. We don’t give up on our patients, we don’t try to transfer them to another service. We do everything we can to help our patients, to their end, if we have to. Its very demanding but rewarding. Be a pre-internist and be proud.
I said the last part, b/c i get tired of other students/residents negative comments when you tell them you want to do internal medicine.