Fourth-year medical student rotations and the "pre-residency syndrome"

To assist medical students who wish to pursue a residency training program in obstetrics and gynecology in planning senior-year rotations, a questionnaire was sent to university Department Chairs. Each Chair was asked to construct a curriculum consisting of ten 4-week rotations. The respondents described a balanced general medical education consisting primarily of internal medicine, surgery, and pediatrics. Thirty percent of respondents believed these students should not take any rotations in obstetrics and gynecology, and 47% felt that one rotation in obstetrics and gynecology was sufficient. A "pre-residency syndrome" has been described in the literature, wherein fourth-year medical students take multiple rotations in the specialty in which they are seeking residency training. The majority of university Department Chairs supported a balanced general medical education during the fourth year of medical school rather than a narrow curriculum in which students take multiple electives in obstetrics and gynecology.