How important is having the option of rotating at a VA hospital when picking residency programs? Can anyone speak to how valuable/not valuable the operative training is?

From their twitter

Don't forget to join us tomorrow (5/21) at 10am Eastern time for our inaugural virtual externship at The Ohio State University Department of Neurosurgery! Learn about the OSU program, interact with faculty and residents, and see some interesting cases!

https://osu.zoom.us/j/91666988509

It seems like a lot of people might be taking research years in order to avoid this cycle. What do you all think that will do for competitiveness this year? What about next year? How many rising 4th years reading this have decided to postpone their application a year?

Anyone successful after forced resign coming back to neurosurgery within a year or so?  What did you do to get in?

I plan on getting my MBA in the meantime, creating a startup and emailing programs q3months to see if they have an opening.  I’ll probably go to neurosurgery conferences and maybe hangout with a local department.  My thoughts are is it a waste for the opportunity cost of doing research or going to meetings if it’s not going to help get you in in the end?  Should I pursue another speciality?  

Thoughts?

Hey everyone 

Long time lurker here. Rising M4 at low tier US MD school with no home program or department. 

You guys don't seem like the types to like BS so i'll cut to the chase. I'm not sure if I should apply this year. 

Stats
Step 1: 243
Papers: 4 published, 3 more submitted, 1 in the works
Abstracts, posters, etc: 27 including 1 oral presentation at AANS
M3 grades: all HP except for sat in medicine. no honors
All the research above is in neurosurgery
Salient considerations: 

• Absolutely fell in love with neurosurg in M1. Trying to make it happen. Not sure I'd want to do anything else, but I'm above all things a pragmatic person and not going to shoot myself in the foot by trying to swim up a creek without a paddle so to speak.
  
• My school may limit us to 4 weeks away. Not sure if they'll make an exception yet. But we are allowed 1 away if we're applying to something competitive, such as neurosurgery  
  
• If approved, I'd be doing 1 away rotation at a strong mid-high tier program locally.
  
• Don't think a research year would be a good fit for me personally or professionally. 
  
• I would apply to every program if i did end up applying
  

Like many this past season I went unmatched. Any advice for reapplicants? Any successful reapplicants from past years willing to weigh in?

i notice a lot of grad doing endovascular fellowship but not open. Can any senior residents or recent grads comment on how useful/marketable this is for securing a PP/hospital-based practice? Do you have to do both to get an academic job?

Anybody know when we can expect to hear back about CNS abstracts?

Hey guys, anyone aware of open funded research fellowship spot in pediatrics, vascular, oncology or spine?

Is it me the only one feeling so bad after the board exam yesterday? I don't think I am going to pass. Plenty of gross anatomy and path slides.