joints vs. hand

I would say joints... just for the fact that you can see something during the cases and scrub in. I think people would be more inclined to let you do things during a joint case... as opposed to risking the possiblity of the student cutting the median nerve...

Just my 3rd year opinion.
-WISCite

joints, hands down (pun SO intended)

the amount of information expected of you for joints (anatomy, approaches, etc) is much smaller. No one is going to ask you much about biomechanics, etc.

hand is infinitely more complicated from anatomy to surgeries to all the stupid eponyms hand surgeons love to mentally masturbate about (see the 66 page manifesto on wrist terminology from JBJS Aug 2002).

do joints; know your anatomy work hard

On the other hand
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, a hand surgery rotation, particularly at an academic center, will likely have a large variety of cases, from trauma to congenital to carpal tunnels and trigger fingers. Certainly more interesting than doing the same case 5 times a day. And nobody will expect you to know much beyond basic anatomy, and there's an opportunity to really show your smarts if you did read about the case. As far as getting to do stuff, as a medical student you're unlikely to get to do much beyond skin closures, and you'll probably get to do that on hand as well.

Also, you probably will not have to round on too many patients on the hand service (hence no waking up at 4am), but you might be able to show how hard you work in the clinic.

From personal experience - the most I got to do on joints cases was close skin and subcutaneous tissues, and had to stand around holding the leg, which sucks. But I also did a hand rotation, and saw cool cases, drilled / put in screws for DR fractures, poked around a wrist with a scope, and injected trigger fingers in clinic - overall a much better experience for a med student.

Still, the most important consideration would be the prominence / importance of attendings you would work with, and whether or not you would be working with a chief resident - they are the ones making decisions on applicants.

Agree with BobAEPi, from a previous similar post I responded to. All things being equal pick the rotation you are more interested in or think you may learn more. BUT, at this point in your career you should be interested in meeting the influential players and getting known and liked, period. If they are hand guys...guess what? peds...guess what?, etc. You can work hard on call. You have one month to meet the guys with big sticks.

I just have one thing to add ... MORE COWBELL!

I gotta have more cowbell.

thanks for the advice. Also, who is the better to try and work with: PD or Chair?

funny, my wife just ordered a "more cowbell" shirt last night off the internet. and yes, i'm just like you guys, i put my pants on one let at a time, the only difference is when i'm done, i make gold records.

I got a FEVER - and the only prescription....is MORE COWBELL.

I'll keep this in mind when I'm the intern on service overnight and the nurse tells me Mr. Smith's temp is 38.8.

I guess this thread has been hijacked for more cowbell.

I bookmarked that T-shirt site a couple of months ago. I was meaning to order the t-shirt, but hadn't gotten around to it yet. That was probably one of the best SNL skits in the last ten years.

It is crazy that the spoof has grown to cult-like status six years after it was shown for the first time on SNL in April of 2000.