VSAS and Externships Thread

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DrAcula_MD

DrAcula_MD

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Hey all. I'm an MS3 getting ready to apply to externships. Hoping to use this thread to get other students experiences with the application process and the actual rotations. First of all, these applications are driving me crazy.

I'll start by asking has anyone rotated at Duke, or know anything about the program? On VSAS they do not specify a professional insurance amount required. After digging around, I found under their FAQs that they require $3million/$5million. True or false? My school covers for $1mil/$3mil. Since they don't specify it on their VSAS page or their Visiting Students page, I'm confused.

Others feel free to post random [frustrated] questions on here too.
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Does anyone know how long schools can take before they give you a decision on your vsas application for a rotation? I submitted one the day a school's opened almost a month ago and they officially started reviewing the applications this week.
 
From what I've seen, some schools will give you a time estimate on their VSAS page or visiting students website. For example, UNC states that they start placing visiting students in electives only after their students have completed drop/add in June.
 
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DrAcula_MD said:
From what I've seen, some schools will give you a time estimate on their VSAS page or visiting students website. For example, UNC states that they start placing visiting students in electives only after their students have completed drop/add in June.
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Awesome... UNC is one of the ones I've applied to. I'm not a UNC student... but I'm instate... doubt that matters though.
 
I am a third year -> fourth year looking to do an AI at UCI but I need to get the dates of the 4 week blocks and cannot seem to find it through VSAS. Starting in June what are the dates of starts of the 4 week blocks?

I know that May 26 is the start of the first 4 week block. I do not know when the breaks in your schedule are. I would like to know the June- October schedule so I can plan my away rotation accordingly as best as possible to work with my school's schedule.

Thanks in advance!
 
Dr Optimistic said:
I am a third year -> fourth year looking to do an AI at UCI but I need to get the dates of the 4 week blocks and cannot seem to find it through VSAS. Starting in June what are the dates of starts of the 4 week blocks?

I know that May 26 is the start of the first 4 week block. I do not know when the breaks in your schedule are. I would like to know the June- October schedule so I can plan my away rotation accordingly as best as possible to work with my school's schedule.

Thanks in advance!
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Search the actual electives you want, and the dates are listed in a box on the right hand side once you've clicked on the elective you are interested in. Hope that helps.
 
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Yeah applied to UNC too. Any word on MUSC's elective catalog? That May application date is getting close
 
Supposedly UCSF starts processing today. Not sure how soon to expect a response, whether it will be in the next few days or more along the line of weeks...:xf:
 
brave new world said:
Yeah applied to UNC too. Any word on MUSC's elective catalog? That May application date is getting close
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I applied UNC when they opened as well. I've been able to see the electives I'm interested in at MUSC on VSAS, they've been up there for some time now.
 
Heard back from a UNC elective I applied for today. Its a toxicology elective in Charlotte, so they may be operating different from everyone else (not sure). But I'm still extremely excited
 
brave new world said:
Thanks sooo much. That URL has been broken for me the entire time, and nothing from the MUSC website worked either.
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You're welcome! The links aren't working for me either, but luckily I stumbled upon it when I was searching their site relentlessly.


normtheniner said:
Heard back from a UNC elective I applied for today. Its a toxicology elective in Charlotte, so they may be operating different from everyone else (not sure). But I'm still extremely excited
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Congrats! I hope I hear back from them eventually, I would love to check out the program. Did you select your own elective dates?
 
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DrAcula_MD said:
You're welcome! The links aren't working for me either, but luckily I stumbled upon it when I was searching their site relentlessly.




Congrats! I hope I hear back from them eventually, I would love to check out the program. Did you select your own elective dates?
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Thanks! Our block calendar and UNC's calendar is the same so I just went with their listed one. I'm still waiting for the UNC office to process everything now that the EM department has approved the dates... Still waiting on that part. I hope you get the rotation! I think they have a lot of volume to get through and that's why it's taking so long....
 
normtheniner said:
Thanks! Our block calendar and UNC's calendar is the same so I just went with their listed one. I'm still waiting for the UNC office to process everything now that the EM department has approved the dates... Still waiting on that part. I hope you get the rotation! I think they have a lot of volume to get through and that's why it's taking so long....
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Yea some of their rotations had tons of spots available, and I applied to about 3 in Charlotte and 2 in CH. Fingers crossed!
 
UCSF appears to be accepting audition elective students on a per-department basis. Friends who applied in Medicine and EM have heard back, but OB/Gyn won't be making a decision till next week.
 
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Heard back from Wake Forest this past week. So far I got every rotation I really wanted. I think the key is just knowing the date the application opens and sending it in asap
 
Yeah heard back from MUSC. I think it's just important to get the application the day it opens. Though I wasn't really going for a very competitive field. Really just doing it for interest in a specific location and S.O. is doing a field with limited spots
 
brave new world said:
Yeah heard back from MUSC. I think it's just important to get the application the day it opens. Though I wasn't really going for a very competitive field. Really just doing it for interest in a specific location and S.O. is doing a field with limited spots
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Hmm, I applied MUSC early morning of the first day but my app still says "Pending host institution review" as opposed to "Under host institution review". I wonder if it goes by department and the dates you select.
 
I have a question about VSAS/away rotation etiquette: In the process of applying to aways, I realized that I really wanted to do a rotation at school A. However, school B's application opened much earlier and I already heard back from them and accepted an away rotation there. Since I only have time for one away rotation, is it considered bad form to cancel my away rotation at school B if I get one at school A? Thanks
 
Update: I got one of my top three at MUSC. I heard back a little later than they said on VSAS. Coordinator was good about explaining information and getting us the proper paperwork. We were going to do another away, but due to an event at the end to the year decided not too. Most schools have housing websites or something on rotatingroom that is signficantly cheaper than Extended Stay hotel or the like. Try to get rotation where you work with residents or description makes it sound like the course is structured, but if you interact with people at conferences and are a friendly person it should be good.

On the note of away rotations in general: For pediatrics (my interest), probably not necessary unless looking at top 10 school that is known to be very very competitive. Unless you just absolutely love a school, I don't think there is a big need for it. If your record is good and you aren't weird in interview, hopefully you can get in without the away. If you have some things that might bring you down (or just want to check out a cool city), go for 1 away. I feel like this probably applies to medicine and family too. I've heard of some doing them for med-peds given the restriction in class size at most places.

And if you have to do an away because of competitive speciality (derm, ENT, anesthesia, combined surgery, ortho) or ER, don't be picky about which place. Heard of people holding out for one specific place and never applying to others. Might not get a geographic location you like

Best of luck and relax
 
I am still waiting to hear back although I wont be there till october so maybe its just how late the externship is. Its more so to get a feel of the program than to use it for LORs
 
Had anyone heard from Rush for September? I'm still waiting!
 
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