Post application electives

[thebouque]

Hi

Electives done after the application to carms but before the interviews, what are they worth? (december-beg of January)

 

Thanks

[JJ1985]

Hi

Electives done after the application to carms but before the interviews, what are they worth? (december-beg of January)

 

Thanks

 

If it is at a school you are seriously considering in your desired field then it is a fantastic reminder to them of hopefully how fantastic you are, easily putting a name to an application before the interview.

 

I think that is a critical elective space. After interviews they are worthless and the ones really early on can be difficult for the staff to remember you properly.

[Lactic Folly]

Depends on your reason for the elective.. diversification? bolster your backup plan? see one more program in detail?

If it's a place you're interested in, they won't have met you at the time of your application, but will see that you have an upcoming elective with them, so it will help somewhat (if they're the type of program that cares about on-site electives, that is). And if they reject you in Dec before your elective in Jan, that's some money you can save

[NLengr]

Put the schools you really want before the interviews come out (December or earlier). You want the impression to be made already so that you get an interview.

 

January may be useful for programs that are lower on your wish list.

 

Personally my electives after XMas had nothing to do with my specialty. They were all fufilling diversification requirements.

[Lactic Folly]

I think the message is to convey that you are genuinely interested in and well-suited for choice X as well as choice Y.. "I like X, but I also like Y." Programs may have experience with people who have done well despite matching into a less preferred specialty. You do not want to come across as someone who will be unhappy and try to switch out at the earliest opportunity, so I would not be too forward about the backing-up part, as it will already be suspected from your application. Just my opinion.

[NLengr]

I flat out told my back up program that I was backing up with them prior to applying. I wanted to make sure they were ok with it (which they were). But I also knew going into CaRMS that I had made a real good impression on the program during my core rotation.

 

I made a more detailed post in another thread about backing up.

[NLengr]

I was just careful to make sure I emphasized that I was telling them up front so that if they were not willing to consider me given my position, they wouldn't have to interview me and waste both their and my own time.

 

Most programs know how the game is played. My back up appreciated the honesty.

[Lactic Folly]

But I also knew going into CaRMS that I had made a real good impression on the program during my core rotation.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the difference here is that this is a home program who knows the candidate well and is very interested in having them stay. However, the question was about doing electives in a backup specialty, implying approaching programs to which the candidate is not well known. I did do an away elective in a program, which I suppose had encountered others backing up in that specialty before. They asked me if I had applied to anything else, and I answered yes. My perception was that they were a bit disappointed by this. I'm not sure if it contributed to a somewhat less interested tone during the interview. Let us know how your experience was at the end of CaRMS - it would be interesting to learn from.