When did you decide?

[redruby]

I'm curious about when most of you decided you wanted to go into Ortho? From the people I've talked to, it seems that a lot of med students have known for some time and have planned accordingly. For example, I know of one guy who took off a year for research and is writing some book chapter.

I'm curious because I'm an MS3 who initially mapped out my core clerkships with the idea that I'd go into Peds. Well, having finished my first semester, I'm fairly certain that primary care is not for me. I haven't done my surgery rotation yet but have already done two elective surgical subspecialties (my school is weird), including Ortho, and I really enjoyed it. However, it seems that I may already be somewhat behind the game. My board scores clear the average Ortho scores, preclinical grades are excellent, clinical grades will be a mix, probably, no research in med school....

The thing is, I'd really prefer to not take a research year, and the idea of not matching and having to scramble is sort of terrifying. So do people who go into these super competitive surgical subspecialties come to med school already equipped with the knowledge of what they want to do in the future? Some people may not even have exposure to a specialty until late 3rd, early 4th year, when their peers may have already scheduled aways, stocked up on LORs, etc... is everyone else just screwed?

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[Bones2008]

...is everyone else just screwed?

not at all. if you think you might be interested in ortho, contact one of your faculty and try to get involved in some research. your LOR's are primarily gonna come from your M4 sub-I's, so don't worry too much about that now. in terms of away rotations, most places don't even begin accepting applications for aways until april/may. if you have good board scores and grades, then you're already on the right track, so don't sweat it.

realize that if you've already done an ortho month, your general surgery clerkship is unlikely to change your opinion of it. about the only thing that general surgery and ortho have in common is the fact that they cut on people. you may find you like general surgery more, but just don't expect gain some huge insight on the surgical subspecialties while you're on it.

sounds like you've been doing all the right things so far. good luck.

 

[ddmo]

99% of applicants do not take a year off to do research for ortho. If you have above ortho avg scores, good grades, some involvement in any research project, and do well on your ortho rotations you will be fine.

Too late would be if you decided this time next year that you liked ortho. At this point you're still on the ball.

 

[lattimer13]

i was pretty focused on EM going into 4th year. did an ortho rotation early on cause i thought it would be good for my EM rotations. ended up loving it and then did my EM month and absolutely hated it. mid to late september i finally made up my mind to go with ortho. had absolutely nothing on my application ortho related except my two ortho grades, personal statement explaining how i came to ortho, and my letters of rec...3 from home school faculty ortho, 1 general surg, 1 medicine.

some of us are late bloomers and finally come to see the light just in the nick of time.

good luck.

 

[GoodMonkey]

i have lattimer's story here, as well. ER from the get-go. did my ER month and hated it. had a friend do one of those "hey, check out my specialty," dealies (he was a pgy-3 at the time) and i took some call with him, talked to some residents and faculty, spent some time in the OR and absolutely loved it. this was around dec/jan of my m3 year.

i was the polar opposite of the ortho-from-the-womb that everyone seems to be sometimes. my friends remind me of when i used to laugh: "meh, not like i'll ever go into ortho or anything. national average on step 1 is fine by me."

and you may find it very common to meet other residents who not only decided a little later in the game, but who also don't meet the typical AOA, >240 step I, lots of research, jock ortho stereotypes.