Does anyone know what 3rd year rotations are like at Penn State? Are they mostly done in Hershey or at surrounding hospitals in the area that are within driving distance or do some students have to relocate? I was just admitted and this wasn’t really talked about in my interview day
I saw your PM to me (sorry im studying for step 2 rn lol) but I'll put my answer here for everyone to see!
Just finished my third year - ALL of my rotations outside of one I requested to be outside of PSU were at the Hershey hospital, which was very convenient since I live on campus. The furthest I ever had to drive for a rotation was a little under 30 minutes to UPMC Harrisburg. I will say for Family Medicine you will be assigned an outpt clinic outside the hospital, mine was luckily in Hershey, but people frequently got locations in Hershey, Elizabethtown, Harrisburg, Camp Hill and Mechanicsburg, all of which are 5-30 minute drives from the hospital. There are some locations for FM in particular out in Washington and Indiana PA, but I ranked those low and did not get them (the occasional few people do, but they provide housing!) I did my psychiatry rotation at Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute in Harrisburg (also owned by Penn State). I heard that they may be moving closer to Lancaster in coming years but i am not sure what is going on with that. They'd still be owned by Penn state, just a different/updated building.
Otherwise, the farthest people normally have to go is St. Joe's in reading, PA, which is just under an hour drive. A significantly less common rotation to get than getting a Hershey rotation but something that happens nonetheless, usually if you do get a Reading rotation you're not getting more than one rotation out there. Almost every rotation (outside of the one I did at UPMC Harrisburg at my request, they give free breakfast and lunch) is done in-system at Penn State home sites so you are always working within the academic medical system and never being outsourced. It's nice and preceptors know what to expect of you. St. Joe's and Lancaster are Penn State affiliate hospitals/owned by them!
I had a great third year and had the good luck to get Honors on all of my rotations - it's definitely possible and I felt everyone was very supportive, willing to help, and willing to accommodate me. I had some health problems the past year and was in and out of doctor's offices for my own issues and everyone was super nice and willing to work with me, and I was still able to get the grades I wanted. Course directors for all the rotations (especially surgery, actually!) were very helpful and responsive. Expectations are clear and laid out.
I had several friends get pregnant during rotations, and they were EXTREMELY accommodating - even to the point of allowing delayed shelf exams/make-up rotations for morning sickness, etc.
