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| Guidance for Aspiring EM Physicians |
| Before you start your EM rotation, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the department itself. This would include knowing the nitty-gritty in terms of where supplies are kept, who the nurses are, the appropriate codes to use, the paperwork to fill out, etc. I found that a good way to give yourself such exposure is to work closely with the department before actually working on the EM rotation itself. If your school has a trauma department, consider doing an elective or sub-internship in trauma surgery, and working really hard during this time because the ED attendings will notice. You get to hang around the ED a lot, learn about the details of how things are run, and meet a lot of the staff. Even if you don't have such an elective, consider doing a few tag-a-longs or shadowing sessions with any of the attendings or residents prior to beginning your rotation. Not only does this show a sincere interest in the field, but if you get to know the department inside out, you will be able to shine a lot more when you are ready to be evaluated during the real thing. Getting to know the staff entails a lot more than just learning names. Try to figure out which of the nurses are willing to teach. Get to know the radiology personnel because they always turn out to be invaluable resources. Also, figure out which residents you can approach and maybe even look up to as a mentor. Preparation is the key, and anything you can do to prepare yourself for the experience will make you stand out! Beth Gee EMRA Medical Student Committee |
Disaster Plan: Understanding The Scramble As Match Day draws closer and anxiety grows, it is important to think about your contingency plans. One of the most alarming events for fourth-year medical students is finding out that they have not matched. This brief tutorial will give you the important things to know about the Scramble and most importantly push you to start thinking now about "what if..." This year (2002) Match Day is on Thursday, March 21st. Every year, on the Monday preceding Match Day, the NRMP notifies students who have not matched in the residency application process. This year, students will be able to check their status on the NRMP R3 Website at Noon on Monday, March 18, 2002. While a scary moment for each candidate, it is crucial to check your status as soon as possible after it is released so that you can stay ahead of the curve in the Scramble. At the University of Pennsylvania, students are encouraged to come to the Dean's office immediately if they find out they have not matched for counseling and strategy planning. It is important to find out NOW where you should report if the unthinkable occurs. Monday afternoon is a time to think about your options and decide on a plan of action for the coming days. In short, your options are: 1) Try to scramble into any open spots in emergency medicine 2) Consider changing specialties to one less competitive with open slots 3) Consider taking a year off for research and/or travel, and reapplying next year In recent years, emergency medicine has gotten increasingly competitive and consistently has only a single digit number of spots open for the Scramble. According to NRMP data, 995 of 1001 spots were filled in 2001 through the match, with 966/971 in 2000. It is important to think about the above three choices before Match Week so that you are not pressured to make a potentially life-altering decision on the spur of the moment. As Monday afternoon progresses, your medical school administrators will receive a regional listing of open slots in each specialty (e.g. 2 EM spots in the Northeast U.S.). This will help you understand the likelihood of scrambling into another open spot in your desired geographical area. You also should start collecting the following materials for the Tuesday Scramble: * Dean's Letter * Transcript * A copy of your NRMP Universal Application * Your CV * Any letters of recommendation that you have copies of Often times, programs that historically do not fill will send brochures to your school prior to Match Week to aid you in your decision about which programs to pursue. The Tuesday of Match Week is the official Scramble Day or Unmatch Day. Your school will be notified about which programs have open spots and how many. At U.S. schools, you will likely be advised to visit with your school's academic coordinators from the field in which you are trying to match. At Noon, they will begin calling open programs and lobbying for your acceptance. Foreign medical graduates usually must make these calls for themselves. Residency programs with open slots will frequently ask for the above-mentioned materials, needing them faxed immediately. It is important that you and/or your school have quick access to a fax machine. Spots can go very quickly, with many available positions filled by 2PM on Tuesday. Offers will be made over the telephone. If given an offer for a scramble position that is not your first choice, you should always ask how long you have to accept. Keep in mind that a bird in the hand is worth a couple in the bush. Often times, there are positions available at very prominent residency programs. It is not uncommon for these residency directors to be more methodical in filling their open positions. Usually, they will organize interviews for later in the week or month, and make a decision thereafter. Match Day is an important time for every future physician. Fortunately, many students will get one of their top choices and move onto residency with great anticipation. However, there are others who must endure the Scramble to secure their intern spot. It is not a reflection of you when you don't match, but more commonly ill-advised program selection or bad luck. Many students emerge from the Scramble with highly sought after positions with still others who purposely waited for Unmatch Day to find a transitional year program. With your rank list turned in, the most important thing you can do is think about your contingency plans for the future. Good luck inthe Match! Matthew D. Bayley, MS III University of Pennsylvania Member EMRA Medical Student Committee |
| The Scramble |
| Pre-Rotation Preparation |
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