Question about UCSF Psoriasis Away rotation

[Anita Shirley]

Has anyone done it (DERM 140.06: PHOTOTHERAPY AND PSORIASIS THERAPY)? What is it like? How much clinical time do you get and do you get to know Dr. Koo or another faculty member well enough to get a letter? Did you feel like doing the rotation helped your chances of getting an interview or acceptance?

I originally wanted to do the 2 or 4 week gen derm rotation (DERM 140.01: CLINICAL CLERKSHIP) but it was all filled up so I applied for this one. I don't have a special interest in psoriasis, but wanted to do an away rotation there so I could show interest in the program/help my chances of getting an interview. Does anyone know if UCSF actually shows preference to people who did aways/cares about this? Or is it not even worth doing it if I couldn't get the gen derm rotation?

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[dermie1985]

Has anyone done it (DERM 140.06: PHOTOTHERAPY AND PSORIASIS THERAPY)? What is it like? How much clinical time do you get and do you get to know Dr. Koo or another faculty member well enough to get a letter? Did you feel like doing the rotation helped your chances of getting an interview or acceptance?

I originally wanted to do the 2 or 4 week gen derm rotation (DERM 140.01: CLINICAL CLERKSHIP) but it was all filled up so I applied for this one. I don't have a special interest in psoriasis, but wanted to do an away rotation there so I could show interest in the program/help my chances of getting an interview. Does anyone know if UCSF actually shows preference to people who did aways/cares about this? Or is it not even worth doing it if I couldn't get the gen derm rotation?

UCSF does not give any real preference to away rotators. If you're looking for a good rotation with excellent pathology, I'm sure Dr. Koo would be great to work with. It will likely have little to no impact on their decision to invite your for an interview though. Cheers.

 

[PatsyStone]

UCSF does not give any real preference to away rotators. If you're looking for a good rotation with excellent pathology, I'm sure Dr. Koo would be great to work with. Cheers.

This is worth emphasizing again because there have been numerous people throughout the years who have pointed out that rotating at UCSF probably does not help you get an interview. If you look in Frieda, UCSF interviews about 3 people for each spot, while most programs interview 5-7 or even 8, 9, or 10 people per spot in the match. Hell, even among the small number of people they interview, they call then ones they want. Point is UCSF either wants you or they don't. That being said, this sounds like a great opportunity to learn a lot.

 

[Anita Shirley]

haha okay, thanks guys! Yeah, I agree it's a great opportunity to learn a lot and I've heard amazing things about Dr. Koo, but it's not at a convenient time for me so if it is likely not going to help, it's probably not worth rotating there for me. Thanks again!

 

[Tamahawk]

haha okay, thanks guys! Yeah, I agree it's a great opportunity to learn a lot and I've heard amazing things about Dr. Koo, but it's not at a convenient time for me so if it is likely not going to help, it's probably not worth rotating there for me. Thanks again!

Maybe I'm missing a joke, but I hope that Anita Shirley is not your real name. Don't bother rotating there in that fashion. Harvard or Mayo would be better.

 

[PatsyStone]

Maybe I'm missing a joke, but I hope that Anita Shirley is not your real name. Don't bother rotating there in that fashion. Harvard or Mayo would be better.

Why spend a month in SF when you can spend it in Rochester, MN.

 

[Anita Shirley]

yes, it's not my real name... but then again, I doubt tamahawk is yours and not it's not a joke, just a random name I chose

 

[Tamahawk]

yes, it's not my real name... but then again, I doubt tamahawk is yours and not it's not a joke, just a random name I chose

It would be pretty awesome if that was my name tho...
Lol. And yeah, Rochester sucks as a city, but it's a great place to rotate and they interview most rotators. The letters of rec from Mayo also help, wherever you apply.

 

[ratherbefishing]

From what I noticed this year, several of the matched UCSF people had some tie to UCSF (student, rotator, research, etc).