Anyone hear about CNS abstracts yet?

Current M4 about to start sub-Is. I've struggled with whether or not to do a research year. Academically I feel comfortable -- honored most rotations, 260's on Step 2, etc. But I have ~10 research items and frankly, they are very overwhelming. Most are case reports, oral presentations, or weak retrospective studies.

The advice I've gotten from the director at my home program is that he thinks I'll be fine matching. However, it's a pretty bottom-barrel program and honestly, I don't want to do residency here or at another program as I haven't been at all impressed with what I've seen. Poor research opportunities/a research year that is basically spent just providing coverage, poor collegiality among residents, etc. At the end of the day you get to do neurosurgery but going to somewhere like this, I guess I just don't see myself having any other option than being a general neurosurgeon in the community. When it comes time to make decisions about fellowship/academic vs. pp, I want to have options/connections.

If I were to take a research year, I feel I could be productive because since I got serious about neurosurgery (beginning of M3), I've done pretty well with the opportunities I've had. I would intend to do it at a program with research already going on so I could (hopefully) just jump on existing projects instead of having to start from scratch.

Anyone know of any upcoming open PGY-2 positions?

If you are doing research with a top guy in the field (think research centers like Mayo/MGH/USCF/Columbia) then you will have a much easier time matching than if you do research with a guy at a low-tier place. So even though you put in the same amount of time/effort, you get 10X better results only because of your mentor. 

So that's why med school is so important. you get easy access to the top guys if you go to a top school. If you go to a bottom school, you won't have such access, and you will be doing meta-analysis and lit reviews on pointless things. 

So basically, your school is very important. So better get good GPA and MCAT if you want to do NS.

Current PGY-3 on a tough stretch of call and feeling very burnt out. Please withhold the unnecessary comments about being tough or how bad it used to be. I’ve been Q3 for most/all of residency. I think there was a lot of merit to taking call early on to get my bearings about how to manage patients. However, after the ED calling to “give a heads up” on the 4th CES rule out of the night, I can’t help but wonder if this could be done better. It seems so unnecessary for me to wake up for every one of these calls to see a patient with no imaging and then write a note, just to try to go back to sleep while waiting on said imaging.

I am interested in going into academics but am struggling doing research with how busy we are and all I want to do is sleep.

Residents at programs with mid level support, do you enjoy it? Is it helpful? Do you feel like you’re missing anything in your training?

Good day. 

I have been reading here with significant interest some assumptions regarding post-medical school research fellowships. These positions are sometimes offered at high-ranking institutes and generally attract top international graduates. Perhaps because of the demographic of the applicants, there has been speculation here and elsewhere that such programs are exploitative in nature. 

However, as someone who is acquainted with several such fellows and who has spent some time researching this, I do feel that these assumptions are grossly misplaced. Those who do these programs are from third-world, "shithole" countries where the standard of living in the USA is much higher. They often are working in wards for $100 or so a month in their native countries; here, they are offered a salary well above the American median, quality health insurance, unlimited academic resources, and of course all the opportunities that this great country affords its citizens. Furthermore, being post-med school grads, these individuals are offered "fast track" for a green card and citizenship. This, onto itself, is worth millions. 

Furthermore, these people--again, remember, from third-world "shitholes"--are given direct access to top surgeons, clinicians and researchers in their given field. Such ready access to top connections would be unthinkable in their native lands. They get the opportunity to learn from the best, to associate with great institutes, and to build up connections that most ordinary Americans can only dream of--and that most third-worlders can't even dream of. 

And lets not forget all the learning that occurs in such environments. Mentors--again, top guys in the field--spend significant amount of time teaching these people (and remember, most come from horrid institutions). This is all invaluable for future success. 

Now of course, folks here--most of whom, I should note, are abject failures at life, are part of the loser crowd--will point out that these research fellowship positions more often than not don't eventually match into physician positions. However, this view is myopic and ignorant--which is to be expected form the losers who occupy these internet spaces. 

Indeed, this focus on physician positions completely ignores the other 90% of the American economy. Many of these research fellows go into prestigious positions in finance, law, pharma, consulting, industry and academia. Indeed, credentials and training from top institutes are precisely what top financial and consulting firms are looking for. I have also seen many such fellows enroll into PhD programs at top universities, and then parlay that into successful careers that most of you imbeciles haven't even heard of. May I point out: many of these research fellows you deride for not matching will eventually outearn you (I only mention outearn, because money is the only thing most of you can comprehend). 

Of course, there are research fellows who squander this opportunity and end up failures and losers. But surely, it is their own fault? They are set up for success, but if they don't make use of it, who is to blame but themselves? Surely one cannot blame the system. (Of course, you blame others for your own failure... but is your world view really correct?)

The fact is, America is the land of opportunity. Every day, folks come here with nothing--not even the ability to read--and make million-dollar careers. These research fellows are given a solid salary, unlimited opportunity, the world's best education, top connections not even money can buy, and of course, citizenship to the USA. 

This demonizing of these positions only reveals your own ignorance, your own limited viewpoint, your own mental limitations. Simply put, these positions are springboards for success in the world's greatest nation.

Currently on the sub-I trail and disenchanted with what I’ve seen from majority of faculty. At both places I’ve been, the majority of faculty don’t give residents much autonomy — in many cases, just seems like they’re used as an overqualified suction holder and occasional bovie handler. Even being able to open without the faculty scrubbed in is reserved for the chiefs and that has been rare. Rarely are they the ones handling the drill. 

Is this just the standard everywhere due to fear of mishaps/trying to get through cases quickly? I understand you can’t just let the residents go loose and make mistakes but it seems like there should be some actual teaching going on and letting the resident learn from experience in some low stakes scenarios (eg, junior resident learning how to expose the lamina in a spine case). They could be learning so much faster this way. I want to shoot for somewhere like this — where I’ll understand through my own experience the ins/outs/nuances - rather than just some picky attendings variation without explanation. Anyone have a list?

This isn’t all faculty with this approach, but at both places it’s been the majority. I feel 7 years is too long to spend mostly as a glorified first assist and want to avoid having to do a fellowship just because I was never given legitimate operative experience.

To my knowledge, both of these places are regarded as clinically strong. I won’t name them to avoid being identified.

Hey all, I'm an M3 at a T40. I always saw myself as going into FM/IM, so my research is limited (5 abstracts/posters). I took a year off after M1 due to some significant health problems, failed/had to remediate an M1 class due to said problem. Otherwise I have honors across the board.

Just finished a week in neurosurgery, and it really landed for me in a big way. I'm well aware that I'm behind, but I wanted to quantify that a little. If I were to take a research year, honor rotations, and do well on Step 2, would I have a shot somewhere? I don't need a Top 10 program; I'd be happy anywhere. Any advice helps, and if I'm fucked just tell me

https://twitter.com/lola_chambless/statu...2455856130

You chuds should read these articles and learn something about scientific rigor.

Just finished Step 2 and doing a little studying before sub-Is so I don’t have so I know at least something. Honestly, it’s like starting at MS1 all over again, I feel like other than the anatomy/physiology and a few common disease processes (hemorrhages, stroke, etc), I have no real understanding. 


What’s the expected progression of knowledge and how do you avoid killing patients? I feel inclined to use the rest of M4 studying Greenberg so that I don’t go into intern year completely clueless, but not sure what’s expected of interns or how much residents have to study to outside the hospital to stay afloat (and how that changes by year). Maybe some residents can chime in on this.