Question By: Nick
Hi there; first of all, great site and info!
So, I’m an MS4 and decided to do an away rotation in IR at a Midwest school which starts in a couple of weeks (I’m at an east coast med school). My wife will be starting vet school at this Midwest school, which is one of my main reasons for wanting to do the rotations. Otherwise, I have performed as an average applicant, and the school that interests me sits in the middle of the pack. My questions: how to approach 1) trying to make the best impression I can in the month (major do’s and don’ts; how to interact with residents/attendings/residency coordinator, etc.); 2) how to approach informing them that my wife will attend school there and that I obviously will want to stay near her for the next four years. I do not precisely know how to “play” this card. Yet, I don’t want to sound desperate even though I feel that way (who wants to live away from their wife!). Thoughts?
Thank You!
-Nick
Director’s Response:
Part 1
First of all, I would like to welcome you to our website. You are the first person to post a question on this page, and it is a great one!!
So, to begin… Let me tell you a story about two trainees that did an away rotation through the interventional radiology department. One did everything right, and the other our department never wanted back again. I will start with the desirable trainee first.
The Desirable Away Rotation Resident
On day one, he got along well with all our interventional attendings. Without fault or complaint, he would share the procedures with the other residents in our department. He would always do his fair share of consent work (even though considered scut). Through the month, he got to know each attending and let them gradually feel comfortable with his work. So by the end of the rotation, each radiologist felt excited to have him participate in almost all the procedures. And he arrived early and stayed late. He went above and beyond when it came to patient care. And, of course, he knew all the pertinent details about each patient. In addition, he befriended everyone and could make a great conversation. Our department wanted to hire him. Unfortunately, however, he would have to live too far away from his family to join our practice.
The Undesirable Away Rotation Resident
On the other hand, we recently had an away rotation trainee who was ultra-aggressive. He refused to do consents and still tried to get in all the cases. All too often, he made many requests from our residency coordinator, which prevented her from getting her residency work done. Finally, he also argued constantly with his fellow medical students and, unbelievably, the residents he worked with. Meanwhile, he had an impressive list of research papers and academic qualifications that dwarfed most other medical students and residents.
Finally, the time came for the medical student to apply to our residency program. And I have to say, I have never seen such an outpouring of violent no votes from attendings, residents, and even technologists! We could not take him into our program, regardless of his academic qualifications.
Part 2
So for the second part of the question, I will assume that your wife will attend veterinary school at the same site as your desired residency. In our residency program, we like our residents to have local family connections such as spouses, parents, or good friends in the area or hospital. Residents with significant ties to the site are happier and less likely to change programs. So, it is a net positive.
I would also tell the program director and attendings at your away rotation that your wife will live nearby. And that you are motivated to stay in their program. Of course, you must also show them that you like the program and the staff. On away rotation, make sure you perform like the resident we wanted to hire, not the student we despised!!!
