How to explore a career if your school doesn't offer it

[Kirsteen]

Hi there,

Do any of you have any advice for career exploration in the event that your school does not offer a formal program in a given area of medicine? For example, one bailiwick of medicine that seems interesting is urology; however, my school does not offer a residency program in urology. If any of you have faced this in the past, e.g., for those of you with an interest in ENT, derm or ophthalmology perhaps (where the number of residency programs, cross-country, is small) what did you do to gain exposure to that field? :)

Cheers,
Kirsteen

[CaesarCornelius]

Hey

There must be urologists in calgary. You could always arrange non-school-related electives with a community urologist. You would have to approach them and see if they wouldn't mind you tagging along.

Thats what they told me to do here in halifax when I was loooking into ophthalmology. (the program here is full of clerks/residents/elective students from away and can't take 1st/2nd years).

CC

[aneliz]

I agree...that is what UWO people interested in dermatology are doing. There is no dermatology residency program here, but there are still dermatologists in London! People interested in derm simply contacted the community dermatologists, several of which are quite happy to have students and have been spending time in their clinics ever since.

Another option is to do a summer elective at another school that does have the specialty in question...there are few people that have gone that route as well.

[bananacreampie]

Hi,

I know somebody in U of C that just finished his Urology elective for his clerkship, so it is definitely a way to get exposure, they must just not have a residency program. By the way, he loved his rotation in urology, might be worth checking out?

Calgary urologists may have lots of tips about the career path even if there aren't any current residents around. So much to learn....

cheers, bcp

[Kirsteen]

Hi there,

Thanks for all of those tips and advice--I appreciate it. :)

Kirsteen

[Ian Wong]

Floating back to the top...

Ian