The Match process is the dominant theme of a medical student’s fourth and usually final year of medical school. But when plotting the academic focuses of that year, the focus should likely be on what comes after the Match.
“The biggest mistake that I've seen students make is that their sole focus and purpose of M4 year is on the application process,” said AMA member Meg Wolff, MD, MHPE, an emergency medicine GME faculty member at an academic medical center in Michigan. “They kind of forget about everything else, or they don't take advantage of opportunities that their school might have in terms of preparing them for residency.”
Medical students are often given heavy sway in how they schedule their final year of undergraduate medical education, with most courses being electives. When planned effectively, a medical student’s fourth-year electives can be a springboard for resident readiness and specialty success. How can medical students plan their fourth-year courses for success in intern year? Here are a few dos and don’ts from faculty members.
Don’t: Do a mini residency
Your growth in your preferred specialty is the heavy focus during your residency training because of that, it is unnecessary to stack electives in your future specialty in your fourth year.
Maya Hammoud, MD, is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology who has worked closely with both medical students and residents as an academic coach. From a residency application perspective, she advises students to schedule enough electives in their chosen specialty to ensure they confirm they desire the specialty and they get the necessary letters of recommendation—and that may include away rotations.
Beyond that, Dr. Hammoud thinks students should look to gain broad knowledge in their fourth-year electives.
“Please don’t do a mini residency in your future specialty,” Dr. Hammoud said. “You want to approach your last year in a diverse way because you want to learn other things that you're never going to see again.”
Electives outside of your specialty are still likely to benefit you as a resident. Dr. Hammoud offered an example that she often advises students pursuing ob-gyn residency positions to do an elective in dermatology.
“You are probably going to see some patients with dermatological conditions,” she said.
Do: Challenge yourself
A medical student’s fourth year is likely going to be a bit less demanding than the year they spent on clerkship rotations. Still, it’s no time to take your foot off the gas.
“Your fourth year is not a vacation,” Dr Hammoud said. “It’s time to get prepared. Most students don’t realize that until they are about to start internship.
“Take hard electives. Learn as much as possible. Be a sponge”
In this AMA news article, medical students will get valuable information regarding:
- Why efficiency and prioritization should be a focus for fourth-year med students.
- The importance of subinternship rotations.
- What to do in your post-Match time in med school.
- How to understand your skill and knowledge gaps.
- The importance of seeking out patient encounters as an M4.
