meh.. Ive done mostly rural rotations, a few big academic rotations, and a handful of rotations at various residency programs. I am on auditions at the moment. I hated the big academic inpatient rotations.. always at the back and it was boring AF. Ive loved my more rural rotations and they honestly have proven to be immensely useful for auditions for doing procedures and jumping in when appropriate. After doing a handful of intubations, dozens of lac repairs of varying difficulty, central lines, art line, vaginal deliveries, and etc., on the more 1 on 1 rural rotations or working with 3rd year residents who already have their procedure numbers have made auditions a breeze.. In the last week on an audition, Ive done 3 intubations, multiple lac repairs, and central lines without hesitation. Ive been killing it in the ICU with the max patients allowed for auditioners and collaborating with the resident before rounds on their more difficult patients- this is far more engaging and Ive learned more with these types of experiences than any pimping on rounds.
Maybe Im just lucky and have had exceptional preceptors and residents on my smaller/rural rotations, but I wouldn't have changed a thing. I think you have to be aware of what rotations you have chosen if you go smaller so that you get the best bang for your buck. Its BS of "learning to work as a part of a team" as a reason to go for big academic center rotations only.. You learn to work as a team in grade school, not medical school.. If you are just now learning that, you probably have more problems than you realize.