Recommended Rotations
What other terms are useful? (updated 31.1.08)
When you are choosing your terms for PGY 1 + 2, consider the following recommended terms;
- Additional terms of surgery, particularly general surgery
- A term of urology
- A term of anaesthetics and ICU
- A term of medicine, particularly nephrology, general medicine, neurology, or geriatric medicine
A balance of the above terms broadens your knowledge and experience, and prepares you better for your career in Urology. You won't be helped by more than 1 term of urology or anaesthetics. An extra term of medicine or Emergency Department, or multiple terms in surgical specialties are helpful.
When choosing your clinical terms, you should note the Urology eligibility criteria listed above. Two terms in surgery is the minimum requirement. The majority of applicants will have spent between six and twelve months in surgical terms by the time they start SET.
What about a term in research, or as an anatomy tutor?
Everything is a trade-off. Doing a research term is certainly useful in developing insight into research methodology, statistics, and literature appraisal. It will also improve your CV, and your scoring ability in that aspect of your application. Conversely, it will prevent you from gaining clinical experience, which may impede your application and eligibility.
Likewise, a term as an anatomy tutor may help your study for the BSE exam, and enhance your CV, but will also prevent you from gaining clinical experience.
You need to choose for yourself, and there is no right or wrong choice.