How many aways should I do?

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WildEMDoc

WildEMDoc

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Hi!

I'm a 3rd year MD student getting ready to apply to aways. I've currently allowed time for 2 away rotations, but I'm wondering if I should only do 1 or stick with 2?

My stats:
Step 1 - 240
Rotations - 2 Honors (Peds, IM), the rest HP, might end up with a P in OB/GYN
2nd quartile

I go to school in the southwest, and might want to stay in the area, and was planning an away in TX. But reading that thread on away locations, it makes me think I probably don't need an away in TX to "unlock" that region. Would I be right?

If that is the case, I think it would be better for me to do my 1 away in another region I'm considering going to?

TL;DR
1 or 2 aways?

If 1, would I be okay getting interviews in my region, even if my away is another region?
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Yes, 1 away is enough especially given your stats. If you have home EM plus 1 away, I think this is plenty enough to get interviews (assuming you'll do well on those rotations and get great SLOEs). Doing 3+ EM rotation is bit excessive, unless you are not very competitive to start with, since it gives you a good shot at those programs you rotated at. I didn't do an away rotation and received invites from majority of places I applied to regardless of region. Cali programs may be competitive, if you really really really want to go cali programs, then another away at one of the programs there wouldn't hurt.
 
Does your school have its own EM residency program? If it does, then one away + your home institution's EM rotation will suffice.
But reading that thread on away locations, it makes me think I probably don't need an away in TX to "unlock" that region. Would I be right?
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What exactly did you read? I wouldn't say this is entirely true, unless of course you have an outstanding application.
 
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Cali is the toughest region to "unlock" (as the above poster mentioned). I'm from a med school in the Southwest as well and only got 1 interview in Cali. I incorrectly thought that living in the West and going to med school in the West would get me in the door. My classmates who did an away in Cali got tons of Cali invites. I did an away on the East coast and subsequently 2/3 of my interviews came from the East coast. Do aways in the region you want to end up in. If you are going to apply broadly and have the means to do two aways, do each one in a different region.
 
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Cinematographer said:
Does your school have its own EM residency program? If it does, then one away + your home institution's EM rotation will suffice.

What exactly did you read? I wouldn't say this is entirely true, unless of course you have an outstanding application.
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Yeah we have an EM program here.

It was someones post about locations they got interviews which directly correlated to the place they did an away and their home school.

I go to school in a state next door to Texas so that is why I was thinking I'd be okay without an away in Texas?
 
Part of a SLOE is to know the person who wrote it (mentioned by several of my interviewers). You're more likely to know those in your region.

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I did one away which was sufficient, but had a friend of mine that did 1 away (4 weeks) and 2 different 'short rotations' (2 weeks each), and he ended up getting 3 different interviews from his aways. So, in retrospect, I might have done that. Agree with those saying cali is near impossible but you dont know till you try.
 
EMNation said:
I did one away which was sufficient, but had a friend of mine that did 1 away (4 weeks) and 2 different 'short rotations' (2 weeks each), and he ended up getting 3 different interviews from his aways. So, in retrospect, I might have done that. Agree with those saying cali is near impossible but you dont know till you try.
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If OP decides to go this route, there is one thing to keep in mind: Some schools will not give credit for completing 2-week rotations, only 4-week ones (i.e., a 2-week rotation may not be eligible for credit hours towards graduation).
 
My advice to my underclassmen is two auditions max, if your heart is set on a third, do something different like EM Ultrasound, Tox, etc. at a program you're interested in, and get a plain old LoR from that.

I did three, and I was completely burned out having to turn on my "happy face" at my third audition, a place I ended up not liking.

2 SLOEs, 1 EM LoR (non-SLOE), and another letter from whatever other doctor you choose.
 
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Cinematographer said:
If OP decides to go this route, there is one thing to keep in mind: Some schools will not give credit for completing 2-week rotations, only 4-week ones (i.e., a 2-week rotation may not be eligible for credit hours towards graduation).
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Yeah I'm nearly 100% my school does not give credit for 2 week rotations.
 
What regions of the country tend to not require aways? California and the NE seem to like aways, but is the SE and MW still open without a rotation?
 
I'm doing 3 aways across US.

Either 3 AI's or.... 2 AI's and 1 ultrasound.

See how the app's turn out.

Good excuse to explore some new areas of the country.

For whatever it's worth, "average numbers" student (OP's grades/scores are better) at a NE top 20 school.

A lot of my classmates aren't doing any aways. Everyone has different circumstances.
 
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So overall 2 EM rotations is enough - 1 home and 1 away - for the most part?


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MackandBlues said:
So overall 2 EM rotations is enough - 1 home and 1 away - for the most part?


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Correct. I personally did three EM rotations (all aways, since I had no home EM program) and felt that the 3rd away rotation probably didn't help a whole lot in securing more interview invitations (I completed said rotation mid October, and the letter came in >1.5 months after ERAS had opened). With that said, I'm pretty certain that the extra SLOE mattered when programs were finalizing their rank lists.

Disclaimer: this post is mostly applicable to US MD students. Not sure about the recommended number of away electives for DO students who wish to participate on both the AOA and ACGME match.
 
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Cinematographer said:
Correct. I personally did three EM rotations (all aways, since I had no home EM program) and felt that the 3rd away rotation probably didn't help a whole lot in securing more interview invitations (I completed said rotation mid October, and the letter came in >1.5 months after ERAS had opened). With that said, I'm pretty certain that the extra SLOE mattered when programs were finalizing their rank lists.

Disclaimer: this post is mostly applicable to US MD students. Not sure about the recommended number of away electives for DO students who wish to participate on both the AOA and ACGME match.
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What if the home rotation was 3rd year? I was planning an AI at an affiliated hospital and 1-2 aways.
 
KinesiologyNerd said:
What if the home rotation was 3rd year? I was planning an AI at an affiliated hospital and 1-2 aways.
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Absolute best answer to your question: ask the current MS4s at your school. They just went through the application process and can provide you with valuable advice specific to your case.
 
Cinematographer said:
Correct. I personally did three EM rotations (all aways, since I had no home EM program) and felt that the 3rd away rotation probably didn't help a whole lot in securing more interview invitations (I completed said rotation mid October, and the letter came in >1.5 months after ERAS had opened). With that said, I'm pretty certain that the extra SLOE mattered when programs were finalizing their rank lists.

Disclaimer: this post is mostly applicable to US MD students. Not sure about the recommended number of away electives for DO students who wish to participate on both the AOA and ACGME match.
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Do you think this applies to a DO going for ACGME match?
 
If you're a DO going into the ACGME match, do at LEAST 2, and as many as you possibly can that you can do well. If you perform crappily at an audition, it will sink you. Remember that this is a double edged sword. As long as you think you'll be able to do well and land a good impression, then do as many as your schedule (and school) will allow. EM residency directors mostly only care about how you did in your EM rotations, and that is gauged by your SLOE. Compared to that, a letter from another service is mostly useless. Rotate well, and get stellar SLOE, and it will only help you, even if you've done a ton.
 
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Still fairly new here, but figured it would be better to bump this older thread than starting a brand new one on the same topic (correct me if I'm wrong). The original OP was a pretty decent applicant judging by scores alone and the advice seemed to be that 2 EM rotations would be plenty. I'm on the weaker side (227 step 1; haven't gotten step 2 back but should be over 240+ at least) so would that general advice still apply to me? I was accepted to one away through VSAS but couldn't accept it because they offered it in the middle of my home rotation. I did get one away though in my home state for the end of August through September. Will these two be enough? Thanks guys
 
3 max, pick your 2 best SLOEs unless you believe you did well at all 3. Any more than 3, you'll burn the **** out.
 
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So because I couldn't get a third, 2 (one home and one away) is sufficient? Thanks!
 
Also, we should have the 2 SLOEs secured by mid october at the latest? Or can i apply with one SLOE and send in my 2nd SLOE to programs later on in like mid November?
 
str8cashhomie said:
Also, we should have the 2 SLOEs secured by mid october at the latest? Or can i apply with one SLOE and send in my 2nd SLOE to programs later on in like mid November?
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Yes. Ideally you'd have a second one by October, but most programs will invite based on a single SLOE as long as its a good one.
 
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