aways

[Guest]

Any recommendations on where to apply for an away rotation this upcoming cycle? Favorites from this past year? Places to avoid? Places where they interview you on your away? Places that open up doors to getting more interviews?

[Guest]

^also to add to OPs questions does anyone know how many aways we can have? still only 1 or back to normal?

[Glioma]

There are multiple factors that you need to consider. Your qualifications, program tier and regional bias. If your school allows you to do 3 aways then go for it, if it allows you for 2 then 2...etc. Follow your school rules. AANS/SNS/CNS have recommendations but they are not rules.
If you get to do 3, ideally one at your home program. One at a place you are heavily interested in and a third in a different tier/geographic area. My program does not look much at where geographically or tier wise you did your sub-i's but many programs look at them during interviews invitation and even during ranking.
- If you come from a low-tier school or no home program with solid qualifications/high-tier school with moderate or less solid qualifications then you do one at your home program (or nearby program if no home program), one at a similar tier program in a different geographic area and a third at a competitive program/dream program.
- If you come from a high tier school with solid qualifications, do one at your program, one at a competitive/dream program in a different location and a third at a mid tier program in a location you would love to live in for 7 years.
- If you come from a low tier school with low scores/weak qualifications then think of a backup speciality unless you are willing to spend extra years trying with no guarantee. Your highest chances are at your home program, please everyone.
- There are exceptions to all the three general examples above. I have seen applicants with <220 in step 1 going to top programs and have seen some with > 250 fell through the cracks without matching for different reasons. Do your best because the process is unfair. This field is amazing and it's worth it so don't let the unfairness affect your thoughts

[Guest]

(02-03-2022, 10:59 PM)Glioma Wrote: There are multiple factors that you need to consider. Your qualifications, program tier and regional bias. If your school allows you to do 3 aways then go for it, if it allows you for 2 then 2...etc. Follow your school rules. AANS/SNS/CNS have recommendations but they are not rules.
If you get to do 3, ideally one at your home program. One at a place you are heavily interested in and a third in a different tier/geographic area. My program does not look much at where geographically or tier wise you did your sub-i's but many programs look at them during interviews invitation and even during ranking.
- If you come from a low-tier school or no home program with solid qualifications/high-tier school with moderate or less solid qualifications then you do one at your home program (or nearby program if no home program), one at a similar tier program in a different geographic area and a third at a competitive program/dream program.
- If you come from a high tier school with solid qualifications, do one at your program, one at a competitive/dream program in a different location and a third at a mid tier program in a location you would love to live in for 7 years.
- If you come from a low tier school with low scores/weak qualifications then think of a backup speciality unless you are willing to spend extra years trying with no guarantee. Your highest chances are at your home program, please everyone.
- There are exceptions to all the three general examples above. I have seen applicants with <220 in step 1 going to top programs and have seen some with > 250 fell through the cracks without matching for different reasons. Do your best because the process is unfair. This field is amazing and it's worth it so don't let the unfairness affect your thoughts

You mention your best bet is at home program, so it is a red flag if a program has few or zero residents from home institution?

[Guest]

Look at the applicant spreadsheet from this year and you will see a trend of where people tended to do away rotations. If you don't have a ridiculously competitive application, it may be best to avoid these places and go for the places that less people think of but are still excellent programs. Obviously this year it will be a little better since you can do multiple aways, but I think the principle is still true. Going somewhere where 20+ people rotate doesn't do as much for you as going to a program with 2-3 away students.