To clarify things for DCOM....yes, a vast majority of CORE rotations will be done in Knoxville, with other rotation spots within 60 miles of your CORE site. They also plan to have some rotation spots in Chatanooga. But like scpod said, things can change. The school is in the process getting all their plans finalized and the 2011ers will have their rotation spots assigned before Christmas. As for selectives, they can be done with any adjunct doc in most specialties and most of them are around DCOM. As for electives, they can be done anywhere in the country with any doc, as well as internationally.
So yes, we will be the guinea pigs for rotations, but I am very confident in DCOM and the product they will give us. The adjunct docs that have given us some lectures have been outstanding and I am looking forward to rotating with them. And like camel said, altho DCOM is new, the people running the school are not. We have many people who have been, not only teaching for many years, but have been in administrative positions as well. Does this mean we won't have any bumps in the road, of course not, but if rotations go anything like the 1st year has, the bumps will be few and minor.
Let me add to what ND has said and also let the cameljockie know not to argue with an actual student who is getting ready to start rotations, even if at another school, about how rotations work.
First of all, cooper, Knoxville is anywhere from 1 - 1.5 hours away from campus, depending on destination...sorry.
Camel the rotations are very fluid in nature. The school cannot account for hospital buy-outs, closures, or a variety of other variables. Scpod is correct in that the admissions is only repeating what they have been told. Granted, our head of admissions is pretty knowledgeable in what is happening with the school. Since I do not know what you were told during your interview, which I guarantee will change, I will not go into that.
Now, the school is trying to set up core hospitals in many locations, not just Knoxville. The majority of core hospitals are in the Knoxville area but there are several about 130-200 miles away, and a few ~250 miles, and even as far away as ~350+ miles. I will not discuss locations so don't ask, since it will probably change. Also understand that there will probably be more slots available than will be used by our whole class.
Now, our school has discussed a "lottery" system after which we can swap. So if you want a particular area, it should not be difficult to go there. Also the core is only, I may be wrong, six months. So even if you don't particularly like it there, go somewhere else after your core.
I apologize for the long post since all I really wanted to say was that if you're a pre-med, don't argue with those that are going through it, even if at other locations.