akm
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 218
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I just had an interview today at the VA hospital and they offered me an opportunity to do an Observership there (I'll not be allowed to have patient interaction, ...but I will attend rounds etc...and I will get an LOR)......
However, instead I can do an externship at the private clinic of a physician (hands on patient interacton), ...
So,...is it better to do an observership at a major hospital like the VA (which is affiliated with UCLA, Cedars, and USC)...or do a hands on externship at a private clinic, or do Cardio research ?
I have done 2 previous externships at a Private Hospital (hands on experience...conducted interviews, wrote soap notes, did PEs, etc)...I did 5 weeks in IM and 4 weeks in Psychiatry,...so I have 2 US LORs from there...I need one more though...and thats what I'm referring to (about doing an observership @ VA or externship @ private clinic)
I have to decide by this week....I want to get this last LOR by working for 4 weeks (Jul-Aug),...then take 5 weeks off and take my last step,...the step 2 CK (in Sep)...
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!....Don't have any other forms of guidance...Thanks again for stopping by a reading this post
Good Luck everyone!
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| akm
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 218
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Oh...i forgot to mention that someone offered me a voluntary research position in a Cardio Lab,....but i will not be doing that since to do any meaningful research thats worth anything,....one must be at it for quite a while...not just a month like I am planning.....I'm just considering doing the observership or the externship...
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| Justice
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 117
Posts: 2,324
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Can you do both?
If VA hosp is affiliated with any ACGME-certified residency programs, I would do the obs-p there...
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| akm
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 218
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I should mention that the Observership that I am considering is affiliated with ACGME residency programs (Cedars, UCLA, USC),...but they are in California and I will not be applying to any California programs....so it will not be of any use for me trying to get into that particular program...but yeah,...I can see that being part of an ACGME program will be beneficial....simply because of the reputation.
No hands on patient interaction....But a great reputation......decisions, decisions...
Thanks for your post Guru.....i'm getting a better idea of what to do now...
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| akm
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 218
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I meant Justice.....lol ...I just read your forum rank as you name by mistake
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| hottie99
Forum Guru
Topics: 32
Posts: 652
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hey u! i remember u from the step 1 and u were seeking how to approach ur ck exam.. since u have the other 2 hands on letters from private clinics, why not get one from the insides of a hospital even if it is observership? then all 3 wont be from private practice places u know?? they know u did that with the other 2 letters, so this one can be from ur observership just to learn the workings of the inside of the hospital (it all depends on the programs u apply to regarding observershp vs. externship, so i would just broaden ur horizon on ur usce experiences u know??) that's wat i would have done.. best of luck, hope that helps!!
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| akm
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 218
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Yeah I'm still weighing out my options....my other two externships were actually at Private Hospitals,...not clinics (in Psychiatry my experience was inpatient in a 70 bed Psych ward of the Hospital,...in IM it was a mix of the Clinic and the hospital and ICU....)....But, even though the hospital is quite big, its not a teaching hospital...and its not ACGME....but the experience was awesome (though both were at the same hospital)
I agree with you Hottie....instead having all three from the same hospital,...mixing it up may be a good idea.......even though its an observership and may not count as USCE,..the other 2 months of externships would......
Thanks again for your input!.....Even though I love being in the hospital I can't wait to finish all the LOR requirements and finally get the whole day to study for the CK.....sad isn't it?..lol
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