FP bound, what ms4 electives are important?

[larryj]

I am currently planning my 4th year schedule, and trying to decide which electives I should/need to take. I am planning on doing an FP residency, hopefully one strong in OB and procedural training.

I am already planning to do:
Cardiology
ER
OB (a second rotation)
FP Sub-I Inpatient

Here are some rotations I am considering adding, although time constraints will not allow me to do them all:
Dermatology
Radiology
Anesthesiology
Orthopedics
Pulmonology
ICU

I have had none of the above as a 3rd year. I had also thought about another surgical rotation? Maybe some additional Peds? Peds subspecialty? Even more OB (a third month total?)?

Any tips you may have would be great.

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[edfig99]

Don't tailor your fourth year to prepare you for residency -- you will have plenty of time to learn all the things you need to once you start residency. If ya start your residency during your fourth year of med school, there's always the potential of early burnout.

Your 4th year of med school is really the last time you will have to explore some of those weird areas you haven't had much exposure to, without having any responsibilities associated with it. Take stuff you want to, stuff you think you'd enjoy... derm is always a good rotation, for anybody...but other than that, you don't need to go torturing yourself with too many other hard core rotations....

just my 2cents.

 

[Newdoc2002]

While it can be fun to take a couple of easier or "weird" rotations, I would highly recommend you take this time to sharpen your skills and advance your training within the "safety" of medical school.

I'm an intern in FP now and I took it harder than most my 4th year and I'm not burning-out. On the contrary, because I took extra ER, ICU and OB rotations with multiple more inpatient FP service rotations, I am more comfortable in my internship than many of my peers and I am avoiding much of the stress associated with residency.

Internship from 4th year is a big leap in responsibility and the better prepared you are, the better your patient care will be and the less internship will affect your mental, physical and social health.

Do take time off during your fourth year, especially before internship and stay healthy!! Good luck and welcome to FP.