Smokescreens

My classmates and I are undergoing a selection process to choose our electives for next year. Early, I know. We choose from a list of electives and locations and hopefully we get one of them. Process aside, it's forced us to think hard about what specialty we want to persue. And yes, family practice IS a specialty...it's only 2 years long instead of 5. Anyhoo, something interesting is happening in our class. People are using what some of us are calling 'smokescreens' to fake out others in our class.

Example #1: A classmate who has been openly hardcore into ophthomology since before Day 1 was overheard telling someone that he's super keen on plastic surgery. I suppose the purpose is to deceive others so they won't pursue the same field. (I don't get this logic)

Example #2: A classmate who is keen on anesthesia was asked if she had any of her electives together for next year. She replied that she had only just started to contact some people...as she slowly stuffed a stack of applications addressed to different programs into her bag. Clearly she already had dates and locations arranged. I call BS on that one.

I understand the need to play your cards close to your chest with faculty because often students are interested in more than one specialty and it's hard to narrow it down so you seem keen in one of them. But to be deceptive with classmates...come on! That's why our school reverted to the Pass/Fail system...so we wouldn't be competing with eachother. We are competing for residency positions but I don't see why people have to be deceptive about it...the truth will come out in the end when we begin interviewing for spots. I just don't get it...will someone enlighten me?

My smokescreen will be neurosurgery or maybe pediatrics. In time, I'm sure I will love it.

On another note, another classmate of mine has a secret admirer. She was sent flowers to the hospital where she is working with a note asking for a date. This person was a patient at some point. Thing is...she doesn't have a clue who it is! "you know how many people I see every shift??" I think she's torn over how to feel over this; flattered that someone took the time to send a beautiful bouquet, and creeped out that a patient would do that (he must have some boundary issues). PS Dating patients is a no-no and she's not gonna go there. I will keep you posted on the developments.