Choosing Rotation Order for Clerkship

[FingersCrossedPls]

Hi there, 

I am a second year pre-clerk at UofT and we are in the process of choosing our rotation order (due on Tuesday the 22nd!)

What I have gathered is that mainly the rotation order does not really matter in the grand scheme of things. I am just looking for clarity on 2 things:

1. I was advised not to select an order with my specialty of interest that would place it during the beginning of July since this is when resident tunrovers happen, and so you lose connections you make with people for letters, and also the residents are understandably quite busy and are figuring their own stuff out. Is this true? I am most interested in FM, but a few of the more favourable schedules place FM in this time period. This effectively rules out some of my choices of rotation orders if so. 

2. UofT has structured it so that Surg, IM, and EM/ANS/Ophtho/OHNS are all back to back. This brings this round of rotations to come to an end in late Feb/early March. I dont think I want to apply to Carms for any of these specialties, but I do want to get them over with earlier on in clerkship while I still have energy. Would it put me at a disadvantage to do my rotations of interest later on in March/April/May etc since elective bookings actually open in January (ie. should I try and do my specialities of interest before January?)

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Eudaimonia]

Hello, I'm not from UofT but can attempt to answer,

1. If you're interested in FM, you likely mostly work with staff during the FM block anyways, so don't worry about residents. You want letters from having worked with staff directly anyways. 

2. I personally agree to have those earlier, and having your important rotations in the later half of the academic year is perfectly fine. It does mean that you won't have had exposure to them before choosing electives, in case you later find out that they are not what you thought and dislike the specialty. Even in that case, finding alternative electives may be harder but not impossible as people change their minds all the time. 

[FingersCrossedPls]

3 minutes ago, Eudaimonia said:

Hello, I'm not from UofT but can attempt to answer,

1. If you're interested in FM, you likely mostly work with staff during the FM block anyways, so don't worry about residents. You want letters from having worked with staff directly anyways. 

2. I personally agree to have those earlier, and having your important rotations in the later half of the academic year is perfectly fine. It does mean that you won't have had exposure to them before choosing electives, in case you later find out that they are not what you thought and dislike the specialty. Even in that case, finding alternative electives may be harder but not impossible as people change their minds all the time. 

Thanks for the advice, and for clearing up question #1! I think because we have had very little exposure to clinical experience due to shadowing restrictions, I am just a bit worried to blindly book electives and have my specialties later on in the year. I didn't know that booking alternate electives/switching after you've booked was possible so thanks for that info as well, much appreciated!

[striders02]

At UofT rotation 2 is good if you’re interested in FM, you do ob, peds, and psych before family and then still do family before booking electives. 

[FingersCrossedPls]

8 minutes ago, striders02 said:

At UofT rotation 2 is good if you’re interested in FM, you do ob, peds, and psych before family and then still do family before booking electives. 

Yes I was considering this too, thank you for pointing out that option. I was just wondering if it really is important to do them before booking electives, or if it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things thats all! Ideally, I wanted to get the 8 week rotations out of the way first, but I'm just not sure if that is a bad tactic/ if it will work against me!