potato Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Hi everyone. I've been reading the forums for a while...this is my first post. I'm an MSIII at a smaller Canadian university. I'm interested in a certain field that does not have a major representation at my school. I also have had very little success in switching my electives around to get more time in this field. I have had to resort to community electives since ones at major institutions have been filled already. I'm concerned that I will not make enough contacts to help me get matched. I've never been a networking type: I'm from a little factory town where people don't network. How do I start? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooty Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 I'm surprised this thread didn't get any interest, seeing as how important networking is in matching. I found a good thread on SDN that had some nice pointers. Share some of your advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted June 27, 2009 Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 Hi everyone. I've been reading the forums for a while...this is my first post. I'm an MSIII at a smaller Canadian university. I'm interested in a certain field that does not have a major representation at my school. I also have had very little success in switching my electives around to get more time in this field. I have had to resort to community electives since ones at major institutions have been filled already. I'm concerned that I will not make enough contacts to help me get matched. I've never been a networking type: I'm from a little factory town where people don't network. How do I start? Disclaimer: I'm not a med student, but, I think the basics are universal. I can relate to your post as I am originally from a rural area, where conversations are about the weather and crops, haha! In addition to what tooty posted, do a search on the internet for "networking tips" or "networking basics". I just did and I found loads of websites. Further, talk to other med students, residents, and maybe any career advisors / profs at your school that you are comfortable with. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satsuma Posted June 27, 2009 Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 I also have had very little success in switching my electives around to get more time in this field. I have had to resort to community electives since ones at major institutions have been filled already. I'm concerned that I will not make enough contacts to help me get matched. Community electives will show your interest but will do little to get you LORs from "important" people that the admissions committees might know at the various schools you are applying to. You are usually 3 LORs to submit though, so 1 really good community reference can still be a really good thing. Just you want to try and get ones from people others will know, so usually from academic centres. Try contacting preceptors directly, bypassing the application process for outside electives. If there is a preceptor who will take you, then just apply after officially. Sure, this is frowned upon, but others do it...and if you don`t even have 1 elective at an academic centre, then what do you have to lose by at least trying. If you really can`t get an elective ANYWHERE....then at least try and meet with some program directors at the schools you are most interested in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Rock Posted June 27, 2009 Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 I think things you could do to help yourself would be to do as Satsuma says and arrange electives with certain preceptors and then apply. Although it is frowned upon, there are certain major centres and certain programs where this is the way to get things done. You could also try to set up an observership during your school's time off this summer with a faculty member at a university of your interest. It won't count for credit, but it would be for all intents and purposes very similar to an elective; many docs have shadowing and research students do histories and physicals in the clinics and scrub in during ORs. Failing that, email program directors and say that you'd like the opportunity to meet with them or some faculty/resident representatives of the program to learn about it and get some face time. Offer to come for a couple days or a weekend to work with the on-call resident(s). Sure, it's going to cost you the flights and accommodation, but maybe it's what you need to do. I know this method has been used for example by people who go skiing for a week in BC/AB during Christmas break and visit people in those provinces for a couple days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjowais Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 your link is not working any more mate.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Microbiodude Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 your link is not working any more mate.. no...it should still be working. I was able to connect to the SDN thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alnew Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 There is a 12 parter series written by Steve Pavlina on the subject: How to network with busy people. Its quite broad but its definitely worth a skim and I found his tips v. helpful, you could definitely apply it to your situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomprecision Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Wow, that's a long series! I skimmed over it and it looks pretty good. I'm not sure how much this applies to the medical community, but online networking is becoming more popular in academia. If you read the blogs of popular social networkers like Chris Brogan for instance, you'll learn a lot about what's working for businesses and apply it to yourself, since you're really an entrepreneur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 I wish I had a pair of stainless steel precision balls! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackJack Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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