For residency applicants, picking a specialty can be a very stressful process. I remember feeling the weight of my future career on my shoulders before I selected emergency medicine.
This “most-emailed” New York Times article “Follow a Career Passion? Let it Follow You” should make residency applicants feel better about the decision-making process.
Here‘s a NYT piece by Pauline Chen, MD regarding changes in medical school training at Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Minnesota, among other institutions. I’ll also add to Dr. Chen’s point: Not only does the current system of third-year rotation blocks reinforce fragmented care, but it also does not allow students adequate time to make informed decisions about their future specialties.
I recently heard about two open EM positions – one PGY-2 and one PGY-3 – at the University of Michigan and Harbor-UCLA, respectively, starting July. (The positions were open at the time or this writing, but I cannot guarantee how long they will be available, of course.) The information I have is public, but I suspect some candidates might have trouble accessing it.
For Michigan, the administration will consider both EM trainees who have completed a year of residency or trainees from other disciplines at ACGME accredited residencies. Contact is bkulp@med.umich.edu.
For UCLA-Harbor, candidates must have completed their PGY2 year in a 1-3 program or their third year in a 1-4 program or 2-4 program before July 1. Contact is fernandez@emedharbor.edu.
As those of you who have worked with me or have heard me lecture know, I use Evidence-Based Advising in mentoring my clients. Just like we use data to drive good clinical practice, I have developed the concept of Evidence-Based Advising to use facts to drive strong application decisions.
In previous blog entries, I’ve discussed the utility of the NRMP Program Director Survey and the NRMP’s Charting Outcomes in the Match in helping to make solid, informed application decisions.
The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates’ (ECFMG) data on Match results is another piece of information that can be helpful. For those contemplating applying to an international medical school or for those International Medical Graduates (IMGs) approaching this year’s application cycle, understanding IMGs’ performance in the Match is important. The current data just came out and is available here.
Of course, basing your decisions only on numbers is not adequate. When we provide excellent clinical care, we use experience, as well as the literature, to make our decisions. (This necessary combination is what makes managing patients during medical school and residency so hard.) For those of you interested in strategy based on years of admissions experience, coupled with Evidence-Based Advising, please contact me for one-on-one help.
I’ll continue to publicize useful sources of data for applicants.
Thanks to everyone who attended my AMSA lecture. We had a standing-room only crowd. Your support is appreciated!
Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital. She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter! |
||
|
Dr. Michelle Finkel, a former Harvard residency admissions officer, uses her expertise to provide individually-tailored advice to candidates applying to medical school, residency, fellowship, post baccalaureate and dental school programs. Years of candidate selection at Harvard taught Dr. Finkel what characteristics comprise a desirable applicant and how even bright candidates make mistakes that undermine their admissions success. Dr. Finkel is a practicing Emergency Physician with nine years of experience training medical students, residents and fellows. Read more
