Medical Milestones — The Great Divide  

The Great Divide is the system in which the medical class is divided into a certain rotation track for the third year which begins 1n August and ends in July of the following year. The whole class meets in the Medical Ampitheatre and is asked to divide into two large groups depending on whether you want the A track or the B Track

A track = Pediatrics, Surgery, OB/GYN (not necessarily in that order)
B track = Medicine, Family Medicine, psychiatry (not necessarily in that order)

The two sides are evened out so there are only enough people on each side to fill the spaces available. They first ask for volunteers who would get preferences in their specific track and if still needed, they pick names "from a hat" who then have to switch. Then on each side everyone goes to the more specific track they want:

(Given in Order they are Taken)

A1 = Pediatrics, Surgery, OB/GYN
A2 = OB/GYN, Pediatrics, Surgery
A3 = Surgery, OB/GYN, Pediatrics
B1 = Medicine, Family Medicine, Psychiatry
B2 = Medicine, Psychiatry, Family Medicine
B3 = Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Medicine
B4 = Psychiatry, Family Medicine, Medicine

They then use the same system for dividing people up as they did for the first divide, and ask for volunteers first, who get preference and then pick names "from a hat."

At the end of January, when each group is done with their A or B track and is going to switch to the other, there is something called THE RESCRAMMBLE where within your next track you have to split up into the smaller tracks listed above.

Below are some of the comments from members of the class of 2001 on how they recommend choosing a track:

  1. Remember that you have more energy at the beginning of the year and you burn out as you go along, so use this in deciding which track you want.
  2. Although you might be good friends with some people, make sure that you are able to work with these people, because in some of your rotations, like OB/GYN part of your grade is a group grade, where you are graded not only on how well you do, but the group as a whole.
  3. The A Track is more time consuming and difficult
  4. An example of opinions on where to put the rotation that you are most interested in doing for a career. EXAMPLE USED IN THIS CASE IS SURGERY. If you are interested in Surgery it is not as good to do it from the start because this is also when the new interns start and they want to do everything, and also because this is your first rotation you will not be given as much opportunity to get "your hands wet". Also if you do your surgery rotation later, you would have more of a knowledge base to work off of. If you are NOT INTERESTED in surgery, it may be good to do it earlier becuase you are not expected to know as much early on and also you would get it out of the way before you enter burn-out.
  5. Regardless of track, you all get equal vacation time, although these times do vary sometimes.
  6. You are given your class schedule are the start of each rotation and depending on where you are doing the rotation, your rotation schedule.
  7. For Family Practice, Peds outpatient, and Medicine, you can often rank the location you want to be at, but that does not mean you will get it. You will have a better chance if you hand deliver your ranks and talk to the coordinator.
  8. For Family Practice, you get weekends off and no call
  9. For Psychiatry, you get MOST weekends off
  10. For Medicine, you are on call every 4th night
  11. For OB/GYN you lose your life. on call every 4-6 night depending on where you are.
  12. Unlike the first two years where grades are mostly OBJECTIVE, grades in your rotations are mostly SUBJECTIVE, except for the tests (20% of grade usually). These tests are usually at the end of the rotation and are board-like exams.
  13. You DO NOT have to get a pager, if you need one, it will be provided by the hospital
  14. Recommended books to have for your rotations are SANFORD (Antibiotics) which you will get from a drug rep, PHARMACOPIA (common names of drugs) which you will also get from a drug rep, CURRENT CLINICAL MODALITIES, which is a review series for each rotation and gives treatment modalities for diseases (Bookstore), and a MUST HAVE is the MAXWELL'S QUICK MEDICAL REFERENCE, also available at the bookstore. The little plastic cards by the stethoscope display in the bookstore are also handy.
  15. Going into 3rd year, they recommend you master Pharmacology, the side effects, and the emperic treatments (DOC) plus pay attention during ICM, it will really become helpful next year.