Reasons why you should do Clinical Electives in the US

So, you have heard time and again how clinical electives are very important in strengthening your application. Clinical electives are a subset of the several types of United States Clinical Experience (USCE) that you can gain while you’re still a ‘student’ – this means before you graduate, that is, the day you receive your “MBBS” degree. USCE is ANY experience that you get in the US health system. USCE is not optional and is, in fact, one of the many filters used by many programs while evaluating your application.

The more clinical experience you have, the better.

So why should you do these clinical electives?

Experience

Pretty straightforward, as the name suggests, this will help you understand firsthand how the US Health system works. When you go for electives, you will be treated as a ‘visiting student’. This means that you will do everything that is expected from a 4th year US medical Student. This includes attending rounds and conferences, working up cases, taking a history and physical exam as well as presenting cases on rounds. That is a huge advantage as opposed to observerships where you are only allowed to ‘observe’ what the other people are doing.This experience goes a long way in helping your application. By the time you join residency you will have a fair idea of how things work!

Building Contacts

Networking is extremely crucial in this process. You will meet a lot of people, right from attendings, fellows, residents, other students (Both American and International). Talking to people will give you an idea of how to go about USMLE from whatever stage you are in. You will get an idea of what people all over the world are doing. Some of these contacts may even help you get a residency spot in the future! But above all you will make friends, sometimes even the best of friends.

Practice for Step 2 CS

As an international medical graduate, we are very unaware of how to deal with patients in the US clinical setting. The Step 2 CS exam tests just that. This exam, which is a practical exam, focuses on a student’s ability to take a good history, perform a thorough physical exam, write a good patient note, speak fluent English and have basic bedside manners. I recommend that you try to give your CS exam after you complete your electives as when you are doing those electives, you pick up the simple clinical habits which your examiners expect of you in the Step 2 CS Examination. You may also meet others who are giving the exam making for good study partners!

The Step 2 CS is a practical exam and having a study partner is always better (Another advantage of networking!)

Letters of Recommendation

Most people consider this to be the MOST important goal, but trust us, keep this as secondary. Instead try performing your best.

Get in early, leave late, participate in conferences and seminars. Give them a chance to know the best version of you so that they write a personalized letter rather than just a generic one given to everyone else.

Of course, towards the end of your rotation, you could always politely ask if they would be ‘comfortable’ giving you a ‘strong’ letter of recommendation.

Independent living

This will also probably be the first time a lot of you will be living by yourself in a foreign country, and though short, this will be an invaluable experience for you to grow as a person. Also, it will teach you the ways of living in a country that you are looking to potentially live in for 3 years, if not more.

Vacation

Above all, you have worked hard through the year. Although clinical electives are academically demanding, you do get spare time for yourself. Spend some time roaming the city and go for a mini vacation to unwind. (You need to be super charged for the long road to USMLE that lies ahead).

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This article has been written by Dr. Rohit Nathani who is an intern at Seth GS Medical College and Kem Hospital, Mumbai, India. If you have any questions you can ask him in the comments section below.

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