4th year rotations question

[BlueHens66]

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We just received our rotations for the 4th year and can attempt to make changes to the schedule from now until March 11. I am very happy with my schedule with one minor exception. I did not get my #1 of number one choices.

My questions is, do you think it would be ok to call the preceptor and briefly explain my situation, tell her why I want the rotation, and ask if she could open up a spot for me? I don't think anyone will be dropping this rotation so this may be my only chance.

Another possibility is to meet with the Director of Experiential Education at my school next week and ask her to talk to the preceptor on my behalf. I'd rather go the former route because I am realizing that I can't depend on the administration at my school from previous experience (not this particular person but others in the main office).

What do you guys think I should do? Anyone have experience with this situation? Thanks!

 

[KARM12]

We just received our rotations for the 4th year and can attempt to make changes to the schedule from now until March 11. I am very happy with my schedule with one minor exception. I did not get my #1 of number one choices.

My questions is, do you think it would be ok to call the preceptor and briefly explain my situation, tell her why I want the rotation, and ask if she could open up a spot for me? I don't think anyone will be dropping this rotation so this may be my only chance.

Another possibility is to meet with the Director of Experiential Education at my school next week and ask her to talk to the preceptor on my behalf. I'd rather go the former route because I am realizing that I can't depend on the administration at my school from previous experience (not this particular person but others in the main office).

What do you guys think I should do? Anyone have experience with this situation? Thanks!

I wouldn't call the site. All arrangements need to be made through your school. I think getting all your choices except your #1 is pretty good and I would be happy with that. You can't always get everything you want.

Asking a preceptor to take on another student is asking a lot. Students take up a lot of time and as a preceptor, I know that if I am agreeing to take a student, I want to be able to have the time to teach them.

What is the reason for wanting this rotation site?

 

[BlueHens66]

I am interested in a fellowship in the industry and this is an industry rotation for a major pharmaceutical company.

 

[deleted205891]

Blue Hens? So you're from DE? If it's AstraZeneca, you have to realize that other schools also have rotations there. If it's another company, I'm sure same thing.

 

[BlueHens66]

Blue Hens? So you're from DE? If it's AstraZeneca, you have to realize that other schools also have rotations there. If it's another company, I'm sure same thing.

I did my undergrad at UD. They don't have a COP.

I am pretty sure this company only takes students from our school at this particular site as they have sites through out the state. The nearest pharmacy school is at least 3 hours away.

 

[KARM12]

I really wanted an ID rotation when I was a student and didn't get one. I still became an ID pharmacist with no problem. It will be ok.

If anything, I would think industry was more structured with the amount of rotation students then take. I think you might just have to accept what you were given. You can talk to your school coordinator, but I would not call the preceptor.

 

[BlueHens66]

I really wanted an ID rotation when I was a student and didn't get one. I still became an ID pharmacist with no problem. It will be ok.

If anything, I would think industry was more structured with the amount of rotation students then take. I think you might just have to accept what you were given. You can talk to your school coordinator, but I would not call the preceptor.

I will talk to my course coordinator next week. I sure as hell am not going to just give up. I'm a very good student and paying a sizable tuition. The least they can do is talk to the preceptor for me. If accommodations cannot be made, I'll know that I tried all I can and move on.

I love ID. I am taking my required hospital rotation in ID and an advanced ID elective. I am very excited about these rotations.

 

[mustang sally]

Do you guys have a trading policy at your school? Maybe you could switch with someone. Though if it's a popular rotation with just a few slots, maybe not.

 

[BlueHens66]

Do you guys have a trading policy at your school? Maybe you could switch with someone. Though if it's a popular rotation with just a few slots, maybe not.

They can drop the rotation and I can add it. I only know 1 person who has the rotation and I don't think they want to drop it. I am offering a bribe to anyone who is indifferent to and would drop the rotation. This is my last resort.

 

[p-rog]

They can drop the rotation and I can add it. I only know 1 person who has the rotation and I don't think they want to drop it. I am offering a bribe to anyone who is indifferent to and would drop the rotation. This is my last resort.

Exhaust all your options to get an industry rotation if you want to do an industry fellowship, especially if you have no other industry experience. Then, you'll also be able to talk about what you went through to make sure you had an industry rotation when you get interviewed for fellowships. You may still be able to get a fellowship without any industry rotations or experience, but it's not going to be easy.

 

[janeno]

I would go to Experiential Education coordinator and explain to her the situation. You have to keep in mind that you might have to give up your other rotation in order to accommodate this one. I was in a similar situation last year. I wanted oncology rotation, and I didn't get one. I explained to my experiential education coordinator that oncology is one of my main interests, and that I would really like to have it before I graduate. She was able to arrange one for me but I had to give up other things and I ended with 2 rotations that were not even on my ranked list. It still was totally worth it!

 

[Dalteparin]

Since you're allowed to trade rotations, go ahead and ask the person who has the rotation you want if they'll trade. You can't know for sure if they really want the rotation until you ask.

If that doesn't work, you're probably stuck. Some schools don't allow trading and a lot of students only get one or two of their #1s, so just be grateful you have a lot of the rotations you wanted.

 

[p-rog]

Since you're allowed to trade rotations, go ahead and ask the person who has the rotation you want if they'll trade. You can't know for sure if they really want the rotation until you ask.

If that doesn't work, you're probably stuck. Some schools don't allow trading and a lot of students only get one or two of their #1s, so just be grateful you have a lot of the rotations you wanted.

F that noise... if you wan to do an industry fellowship and you ranked an industry rotation as your number 1 rotation and didn't get it, you should be pissed.... This isn't a residency situation where you can still get the experience you need on your other rotations or through your general PGY-1 residency rotations.

 

[BlueHens66]

Thanks for all the advice. A spot opened up in June for the rotation and I was able to get it.

Before the opening, I met with the Director of Experiential Education and she told me I could not contact the preceptor as per the APPE manual at our school. I had to wait until the very last day of add/drop when I would drop an elective rotation. Then, she would call the preceptor for me and see if the preceptor would be willing to take an extra student. If the preceptor could take me on the month I dropped the elective, I could add the rotation. 😕

This approach seems ridiculous and unaccommodating for the student. Thankfully, it didn't come down to this; however, I am very disappointed with my school's APPE processing. 1.5 more years...

 

[PharMed2016]

I will talk to my course coordinator next week. I sure as hell am not going to just give up. I'm a very good student and paying a sizable tuition. The least they can do is talk to the preceptor for me. If accommodations cannot be made, I'll know that I tried all I can and move on.

I love ID. I am taking my required hospital rotation in ID and an advanced ID elective. I am very excited about these rotations.

Lucky. I wish I got ID. I ended up with IM, Crit Care x2 (Adv. Hospital and Inpatient -- wanted to switch out the inpatient for ID), community chain, and Oncology x2 (AM Care and Inpatient). Not very interested in oncology but figured its not every day that you get a chance to go do rotations at a world renown facility (Roswell Park).

 

[PharMed2016]

Thanks for all the advice. A spot opened up in June for the rotation and I was able to get it.

Before the opening, I met with the Director of Experiential Education and she told me I could not contact the preceptor as per the APPE manual at our school. I had to wait until the very last day of add/drop when I would drop an elective rotation. Then, she would call the preceptor for me and see if the preceptor would be willing to take an extra student. If the preceptor could take me on the month I dropped the elective, I could add the rotation. 😕

This approach seems ridiculous and unaccommodating for the student. Thankfully, it didn't come down to this; however, I am very disappointed with my school's APPE processing. 1.5 more years...

15 more months! Time does fly.

 

[KARM12]

This approach seems ridiculous and unaccommodating for the student. Thankfully, it didn't come down to this; however, I am very disappointed with my school's APPE processing. 1.5 more years...

The fact of the matter is that the school cannot accomodate every single request. There simply are not enough quality sites/preceptors for this. They don't want you to contact the preceptor yourself because there are certain contracts/agreements that need to be in place before you can go there.

 

[BlueHens66]

The fact of the matter is that the school cannot accomodate every single request. There simply are not enough quality sites/preceptors for this. They don't want you to contact the preceptor yourself because there are certain contracts/agreements that need to be in place before you can go there.

This preceptor and site are already setup for next year and have been around for at least the past 3 years so these contracts are already in place. I would think that a preceptor wouldn't mind talking to a student for five minutes about his/her enthusiasm to attend the preceptor's site. What's the point in being a preceptor if you don't want to inspire students to become interested in your sector of pharmacy?

All I wanted was five minutes to speak to a preceptor. Since I pay >$20k a year to attend my school, I think that my director should be a bit more accommodating to my requests. It's not like I was going to demand the preceptor open a spot for me. I made this clear when I met with my director, who was still unable to give me a good reason as to why I could not contact the preceptor.

 

[BlueHens66]

Lucky. I wish I got ID. I ended up with IM, Crit Care x2 (Adv. Hospital and Inpatient -- wanted to switch out the inpatient for ID), community chain, and Oncology x2 (AM Care and Inpatient). Not very interested in oncology but figured its not every day that you get a chance to go do rotations at a world renown facility (Roswell Park).

I think ONC would be very interesting. I've been told there is always a need for a good oncology pharmacist, especially if you get the board certification in the discipline. If you end up liking it, you could definitely make a career of it. I tried to get an ONC rotation but they were all too few and far away.

I ended up with hospital: ID, community: anti-coagulation, and electives: industry; academic; drug info; geriatrics (which is a nursing home-to-nursing home consulting rotation); and advanced ID (at a state hospital with a bunch of non-compliant TB/HIV patients). I got stuck with the geriatrics elective but I have been told that the preceptor is very nice and a very good teacher so I kept it.