Fourth year of medical school... ahhhhh.... I get more relaxed just thinking about it.
The general timeline of fourth year is:
August- submit application to residency (check)
September and October- receive interview offers (4 so far!!)
November thru January- interview at programs (expensive flights that time of year...)
February- rank programs
March- find out where you matched.
To keep us busy in between all of those things, we have electives and some other requirements that we have to fulfill.
I'm currently on a required rotation called "Community Health". It's a 6-week elective where I have about 3 hours of lecture a week, and I spend the rest of my time working on my "project". One of my classmates' "project" is to make a pamphlet for pediatricians' offices about ADHD. No joke. 6 weeks to make a pamphlet? AWESOME. As a 3rd year, I was expected to throw together hour long lectures on one day's notice. As a 2nd year, I was expected to learn everything there was to know about the human body in 4 weeks for the boards. As a 1st year, I was expected to memorize ridiculous amounts of anatomy in a few hours of lab time. But as a 4th year- I've got 6 weeks to make a pamphlet.
Here's another funny 4th-year-quirk that I've noticed. The process of receiving interview offers is strange. There are rumors about programs that send out email invitations to more candidates than they have spots for. And many programs offer interview dates on a first-come, first-serve basis. So 4th years are majorly obsessed with checking their email CONSTANTLY, for fear of losing an interview spot because they were slow to respond. When we are in community health lectures, everyone has their smart phone out on the table, and isn't shy about checking it every few minutes for interview offers. I've seen 2 of my classmates get up and walk out of the room to call a program back in the middle of lecture. That would've been SOOO inaappropriate any other year of medical school- but now it's the norm.
Basically, I'm on a $40,000 vacation in lovely New England this year. I'll send you a postcard.
A letter to the woman in the post office
2 years ago
This blog was created by RV Designs using elements by Libby Weifenbach.
Come visit us in NOVA!
ReplyDeleteHaha, since I'm in the "memorize ridiculous amounts of anatomy" year, this sounds like one $40,000 vacation I can't wait for. Looking forward to hearing about those interviews! :)
ReplyDelete6 weeks to create a pamphlet? Try that in a corporate environment where everyone thinks they have a say in the contents and everyone thinks they have great arts and crafts skills. Try having multiple bosses that have different ideas but yet have to all bless the final product. Stock photography and production expenses have to be dealt with. 6 weeks can turn into 6 months pretty quickly. Enjoy the luxury of autonomy. Dad.
ReplyDeleteYes. Visit, please?
ReplyDelete