Timing of Explore and Focus Rotations
Most students interested in Pediatrics or Medicine/Pediatrics take E&F rotations in the spring, summer and early fall. The timing of these rotations helps with career selection and obtaining letters of recommendation. However, not everyone can do all the desired rotations early in the E&F phase! This is NOT a problem. Please do not worry if you don't get the "perfect" schedule (there isn't one) with your initial scheduling. People often change their minds about career choice as the clinical phase progresses and the late spring and early summer is a big time for drop/adds.
In particular it is fine to do rotations at Seattle Children's Hospital through mid-January in order to be better known by the residency program at Seattle Children's for purposes of residency selection.
You will need to leave enough time to interview (typically about 6-8 weeks). Remember that during a 4 week elective, you can only miss 2 days of the rotation and you can not miss any days of a 2 week elective. You have to make the time up or drop the elective. Also, when planning your schedule for 4th year, not all programs offer a lot of interviews between Christmas and New Years.
Rotation/Course selection
In general, 4 week rotations are preferred for maximal exposure to the field. If you do only 2 weeks, you will likely not have enough time with an attending to get a letter of recommendation (if that is your goal). Students who completed their peds clinical clerkship in WWAMI should try to schedule another rotation (even a two week rotation) at SCH before doing an Advanced Patient Clerkship or Sub I.
Completing a Sub Internship is NOT a requirement for applying to pediatric residencies.
All the courses we offer will help prepare you for residency. Choose ones that interest you. Here are some rotations commonly chosen by students who are applying in pediatrics or medicine/pediatrics:
Advanced General Pediatrics (Sub I)
NICU (4 weeks is a Sub-I)
PICU (Sub-I)
Infectious Disease
Pulmonary
Nephrology
Heme/Onc (4 weeks is a Sub-I)
Endocrinology (4 weeks is a Sub-I)
Pediatric ER rotation (APC)
Adolescent Medicine
Behavioral Pediatrics (4 weeks)
Free Teen Clinic (6 weeks-one day/week)
Pediatric Boot Camp (2 weeks-Spring only)
Other electives that students who are applying in Pediatrics or Medicine/Pediatrics often also take:
Genetics
Pediatric Cardiology (2 or 4 weeks)
Pediatric Surgery Sub I (also great for letters of recommendation-will count as a surgery selective too)
Pediatric Psychiatry
Pediatric Neurology
Final selection of electives should be modified by your own interest and conversations with your career advisor.
Letters of recommendation from peds rotations
You should plan on having 2 letters of recommendation from pediatricians when you apply to pediatric residency programs. One of these letters can be from the department chairman. In addition, letters from your third year clerkship are acceptable. For Med/Peds programs you will need a chairman's letter from both departments. It is NOT expected that all of your letters will be from pediatricians.
Electives that allow you to have significant patient care and direct interaction with attending physicians over a prolonged period of time are rotations appropriate for obtaining letters of recommendation. The electives listed above (commonly chosen electives) all meet these criteria.