JMann Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Need a little guidance from some EM folks... I did a search on this, read the few threads that came up and just wanted to see if there are any additional opinions. I've enjoyed this forum although I've never posted in this particular one. I'm in PA school at Univ. of TN in Memphis and we are selecting our elective rotations for our clinical year that begins in January and I wanted to get some opinions about what my two electives should be. I worked for the fire dept. here in Memphis as a FF/medic for 8 years prior to starting this adventure and my intentions are to do a EM residency when I get done with school. I am wanting to position myself to best learn and get exposed for a career in EM. Our clinical year consist of 4 week rotations through family med(2), internal med(2), OB/GYN, general surgery, EM, Peds, Psych and our two electives. I'm attempting to get my peds rotation in the ED since that just makes since given my goals. I'm thinking an additional EM rotation and an Ortho rotation. What say you?? We do have the unique opportunity here to rotate in the burn center at the level 1 trauma center. Useful or should I focus on the other rotations? Thanks for the input. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen0508 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I found my ortho clinical was pretty helpful. I did a sports medicine rotation, so we saw a lot of acute stuff. I did a GI elective thinking it would be helpful. Not so much. I actually found the general surgery rotation to be more helpful in learning GI stuff for the ED I personally would do another EM rotation instead of Burn center. I felt I learned a lot during my last (elective) EM rotation. Thats when everything came together. I can count on one hand how many burns have come through our ED in the past 2 years I have been there (other than minor second degree burns or sunburns). However, I'm at a small community ED. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 15, 2014 Moderator Share Posted July 15, 2014 trauma surgery was my best rotation by far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akdEM Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I would also recommend trying to time your rotations so that you have at least one of your EMs at the very end. You will get way more out of it that way. Your first few rotations are such a whirlwind of information. Like jen said, it will really come together during your last 2 or 3 rotations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMann Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 Thanks for the info! jen- It seemed to me that the burn rotation would be very specific and less useful than a more generalized rotation. Just thought it was an interesting option. E- The trauma center here is neck deep in residents and med students. While I would prefer to do a trauma rotation, the fight for pt. time and procedures would be more frustrating than useful. akdEM- Thanks for the heads up about the timing! That's good info you usually only find out after the fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatswain2PA Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Also think Cardiology. Especially if you think you will eventually be practicing solo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted July 15, 2014 Moderator Share Posted July 15, 2014 Thanks for the info! jen- It seemed to me that the burn rotation would be very specific and less useful than a more generalized rotation. Just thought it was an interesting option. E- The trauma center here is neck deep in residents and med students. While I would prefer to do a trauma rotation, the fight for pt. time and procedures would be more frustrating than useful. akdEM- Thanks for the heads up about the timing! That's good info you usually only find out after the fact. I think you are making the right decision there if it's loading with residents and other students. I did trauma surgery with residents and it was a pitiful experience. Personally, I found my ortho elective of immense value. It was my first rotation. I knew there was a knowledge gap in ortho for me, but I was amazed at the size of it. Now I get compliments and great remarks on how awesome my ortho skills on just about every rotation and I'm just doing the basics! Apparently a lot of providers have a gap here. Try to work the clinic more than the OR. Learned tons there. Cardiology would probably be helpful if you are weak there, but I came from a cardio background so I decided ortho over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 15, 2014 Moderator Share Posted July 15, 2014 another avenue is to look at an away rotation for trauma surgery. I highly recommend washington hospital ctr in DC (medstar team). I was the only pa student there and there were no med students on my team.all the residents were very experienced and very cool and let me do whatever skill I wanted to learn. I have also heard Hurley medical ctr in flint, MI is a good site for pa students to do a trauma rotation. I did an em rotation that included some "acute care ortho" which was fairly worthless. I watched an ortho doc pre-op pts for a few afternoons and then quickly talked my way out of that portion of the rotation and onto the burn service, then back into the main e.d. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMann Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 Thanks so much for the input guys. ONeal- I also feel that ortho would be of greater benefit to me in the long run. My splinting experience is minimal thus far and I would love to get lots of exposure there. We'll be doing ortho rotations at Campbell's Clinic here in Memphis so there will be plenty of opportunity for exposure, I just hope we are able to utilize it fully. I guess that is one of the issues with being in the inaugural class at a school. E- Apparently part of the universities accreditation stipulates that we only rotate within the state so away rotations are not an option. There are rotations at Erlanger hosp. in Chattanooga where PAs are apparently well utilized, but a wife and three kids will keep me here till I graduate. After that relocating for better opportunities is an option for us. What would be the benefit of a cardiology rotation over a second EM rotation? Or would there be a benefit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 16, 2014 Moderator Share Posted July 16, 2014 you can learn cardiology on your own and in the course of er practice. do the 2nd em rotation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMann Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbrothers98 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Do your 2 electives last if you can. Do both in the ED. The only way you will get what you need out of ortho is if your rotation is with the junior ortho resident who is carrying the ED beeper (the tumor). Otherwise you may spend 4-6 weeks casting and/or holding retractors on knee replacements in the OR. Contact the ED residency programs you are interested in and inquire if you can do the electives with them, if you can afford to travel, afford to stay there and if your program will allow you that far from the program. This is based upon my observation of many 4th year medical students visiting a residency and being on service for a week or 2 as a trial run prior to applying. Good luck. G Brothers PA-C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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