Importance of core family rotations in applying to FP

[Peanutters]

Hi all,

I am from a 3 year school and I am leaning towards internal medicine but I am considering family. We are trying to choose our clerkship rotation tracts and there are some tracts that only have electives OR family med core rotation before the carms deadline. Is it necessary to have the family med core rotation prior to carms to be competitive for family?

Thank you all so much for your help!

[Jochi1543]

I think you're ok if you can't do the core rotation before CaRMS, I'm sure they understand that at some schools, like U of C, it can be a challenge to fit in your core before the application deadline. But I'd strongly suggest doing 4 weeks of FM electives before, so they see that you know what you're talking about when you say you want FM. If you haven't done your core OR electives in FM, then it'd certainly affect your chances.

[HycrestJIT]

I think you're ok if you can't do the core rotation before CaRMS, I'm sure they understand that at some schools, like U of C, it can be a challenge to fit in your core before the application deadline. But I'd strongly suggest doing 4 weeks of FM electives before, so they see that you know what you're talking about when you say you want FM. If you haven't done your core OR electives in FM, then it'd certainly affect your chances.

 

 

Agree.

 

When it comes to ranking applicants, not having a "demonstrated interest in Family Medicine" puts you lower on the list than someone who has those things. So, not having electives or a core in FM on your CaRMs application would put you lower on a rank order list. Gotta find a way of stratifying people somehow, and the performance in both FM core rotation time and elective time is important for making that distinction.

 

That being said, FM is a hugely diverse field, and elective diversity is also highly praised.

 

In terms of being competitive, it depends on what (where) you want and how badly you want it (to go there). Ultimately, a person who would be very happy doing FM will very likely get into a FM program. Again, your chances of getting in where you'd like all depend on those things that make applicants competitive, including: rotations, electives, performance and references from within that discipline.

[tooty]

if we have done a core fm rotation before carms, how much higher in the rank list will another 2-week off-site fm elective put me?

[HycrestJIT]

if we have done a core fm rotation before carms, how much higher in the rank list will another 2-week off-site fm elective put me?

 

Depends on the evaluation of the core and your FM reference. If both were really good/above avergage, then you'd likely be ranked competitively anyway, regardless of the elective.

 

If the core rotation and/or LOR was average, then the elective and it's performance would be much more important for creating a competitive ranking.

 

Most peeps who want FM will get it, and likely one of their top 3.