I know USP and Temple only allow 3 days missed for midyear if you're on rotation at the time, so I know we're all going December 3-7 or 4-7. You can just explore New Orleans in the morning of the 7th and then get an evening flight. By the way, if you haven't booked yet, seems like prices are going up, so it's better to do it ASAP.
Also, if you like to save money and aren't paranoid, look around at deals that aren't on the ASHP website. I booked a hotel for $79 for a 2 double bed room per night (including taxes). Granted that this is not the best place in New Orleans, I also saw nice hotels, one with an airport shuttle, for $120/night or less. You just have to look around at what's available. For flights, it seems like it's good to look at the flight prices over a few and on multiple websites days before buying, since prices fluctuate so much. TripAdvisor is a good start for flight prices.