FM elective-rural or urban

[Lew]

Hi all,

 

I have an opportunity to do a rural OR an urban elective. Which should I do? What would be more competitive for Carms? This will be the only FM elective that I will do (last minute decision).

 

Thanks!

[Lew]

As a back up, yes. Unfortunately I can only spare one 2-week elective to show interest. I'm open to both rural and urban programs.

 

Which elective, rural or urban, would open more doors for me in FM?

[Amadeus89]

*awaiting a classic brooksbane anti-FM comment*

[apache]

You know, he may say rural, because really he's just against a 2 year long res being called a specialty, I think fm should be 3-4 years min too, prob 5... Extrapolating, he prob values competency, and may say rural as you learn a lot more since you handle more.

 

*awaiting a classic brooksbane anti-FM comment*

[Jochi1543]

I think rural would be better. Pick wisely, though, you want a site that's not so big that you'll just refer everything out (e.g. Fort MacMurray here in AB), but not so small that you basically can't do anything so it ends up being same as urban (like my rural FM core location - all they had was X-ray, not even a functioning L&D room).

[rmorelan]

I would second a carefully selected rural FM elective.

 

Actually in general I find community medicine a) more educational and likely more like what many or even most of us will end up practising.