Away rotation basics

[makesomerheum]

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Hi everyone,

I am looking plan an away rotation but it needs to be only 2 weeks long in pediatrics
1. How do I find out what programs have this option? Does my school have this info?
2. Is it best to go in July-Aug of 4th year?
3. Is it best to do a subspecialty, consult service, or subI?
4. How far in advance do you apply for these rotations?
Thanks so much.

 

[Plinko]

Hi everyone,

I am looking plan an away rotation but it needs to be only 2 weeks long in pediatrics in Southern California (prefer UCLA or CHOC).
1. How do I find out what programs have this option? Does my school have this info?
2. Is it best to go in July-Aug of 4th year?
3. Is it best to do a subspecialty, consult service, or subI?
4. How far in advance do you apply for these rotations?
Thanks so much.

1. Contact the office at the medical school in question that deals with visiting medical students--Office of Curricular Affairs, Clinical Education, etc.--if it is a medical school you are dealing with. If you are dealing with a hospital with a residency program contact the Department of Graduate Medical Education. Go to the AAMC website for med school websites or Freida Online for a list of hospitals with residency programs in your field of interest.

2. Depends on if you are doing a sub i for the purposes of "auditioning" for an residency spot. If not, then I don't think it matters. If so, definitely prior to Decembe when interviews are ordinarily granted.

3. Sub I's are the norm but that depends on your circumstances.

4. The standard is two months/eight weeks prior to the start of the rotation, but that can vary according to the site.

I think this link will help you out:

http://www.medstudent.ucla.edu/visitingstudents/namer.htm

 

[SleepIsGood]

Hi everyone,

I am looking plan an away rotation but it needs to be only 2 weeks long in pediatrics in Southern California (prefer UCLA or CHOC).
1. How do I find out what programs have this option? Does my school have this info?
2. Is it best to go in July-Aug of 4th year?
3. Is it best to do a subspecialty, consult service, or subI?
4. How far in advance do you apply for these rotations?
Thanks so much.

went into Anesthesiology but here's my take

1. Call them out, best way to find out. forget about websites, they're usually not updated and are useless...go to the SOURCE
2. I'd say the later the better, only cuz they remember you. I did mine in November of my MS4. I worked my butt off, and eventually matched into where I rotated at.
3. Depends....this is specialty dependent. But, if i were going into peds I would do a consult month. Why? consult usually gives you extra time to other things. Spare time is good. You can network/get to know other attendings/residents at the program. you can also 'stay late'. do the extra little things that will score you points.
4. if it's a competitive spot that you are looking at...APPLY NOW!!

 

[trkd]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the difference between a normal elective and a subI. I know some electives are listed as subI but if it is not, could I not still be "auditioning". 😕 "SubI" is not always an option in the electives catalog for some specialties.

Thanks!

 

[RuralMedicine]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the difference between a normal elective and a subI. I know some electives are listed as subI but if it is not, could I not still be "auditioning". 😕 "SubI" is not always an option in the electives catalog for some specialties.

Thanks!

A "SubI" basically gives you the opportunity to function as an "intern" for the month (albeit with more supervision and less responsibility). Usually you work directly with the resident as an "additional" intern on the team following your patients independently without another intern. Other electives may give you the opportunity to do similar work but not call it a SubI (ie on subspecialty services that admit and follow their own patients) or you may function more as a consultant. My cardiology rotation as a 4th year was a glorified subI as the intern on our service and I split admissions and consults, at this particular hospital on the cardiology service there usually were not residents so I worked directly with the attending and he was cool even though I wasn't sure that cardiology was my calling in life. From an auditioning standpoint I think their can be advantages to both options. I think you probably get a better evaluation of the actual residency program and get to know the residents better because you spend time with them on the floor/ in the unit etc. You may learn the things that perhaps don't come out in (or are intentionally covered up) an interview day.
-One place I did a Peds Sub-I (in November-December-early RSV season) I was impressed to see the director of the PICU come in and to function as an "extra intern" on a particularly busy night. He just appeared in his scrubs and tapped my stressed senior on the shoulder to say he was there to do the next admission. He banged out 3 admissions and made a point to bring in bagels the next morning.
-I did an ICU Sub-I at an institution where I realized that the IM residents could not get along (and I don't believe you have to be best friends with your residency class but if you can't have a profession working relationship patient care will suffer). They also spent way too much time trashing the EM residents and ironically the EM residents seemed a lot more competent and together as a group than they did (not that it would have been appropriate regardless but I suppose it just made them appear more pathetic). However, I did interview there as I was invited early and they had been nice enough to schedule it during my month so I wouldn't have to make a special trip. This program pulled themselves together quite nicely on interview day and had I not already spent three weeks there I might have considered ranking them. You may ask why I bothered to interview--it kind of seemed rude to not since they had tried to be so accomodating. It was much easier to just be polite, go to the interview, and then not rank the program which is what I did.
If you take the consult/sub specialty option you may get more direct attending contact which can give you one person who knows you really well and could write a strong letter if needed. If there are any residents at the program who attended your medical school you might be able to ask them what they would recommend. Current 4th years just finished with the interviewing and matching process could also be a good resource. Good Luck!

 

[Arginine]

Hi everyone,

I am looking plan an away rotation but it needs to be only 2 weeks long in pediatrics in Southern California (prefer UCLA or CHOC).
1. How do I find out what programs have this option? Does my school have this info?
2. Is it best to go in July-Aug of 4th year?
3. Is it best to do a subspecialty, consult service, or subI?
4. How far in advance do you apply for these rotations?
Thanks so much.

FYI, the vast majority of 4th year electives affiliated with UCLA are (for some bizarre reason) 3 weeks long. They start accepting applications from non-UCLA students around mid-June (after the UCLA students finalize their 4th year schedules). Application fee: $100

 

[KBCoch]

I'm doing an away rotation at the University of New Mexico from Oct. 9th-Nov. 5th. Anyone know of any central exchange where med students from different schools can sublet eachother's apartments while they're gone? I don't have any connections in NM, so is my best bet just to email student affairs and ask them to forward an email to the class for me?

 

[cabinbuilder]

I'm doing an away rotation at the University of New Mexico from Oct. 9th-Nov. 5th. Anyone know of any central exchange where med students from different schools can sublet eachother's apartments while they're gone? I don't have any connections in NM, so is my best bet just to email student affairs and ask them to forward an email to the class for me?

I rotated at UNM last summer as a visiting fourth year. The lady who is the student contact and takes care of the rotation paperwork has a list of possible housing options. I ended up renting a room from an intern. I shared a bathroom with another student and we all used the kitchen. I didn't have a car so I walked to the hospital from there. I paid $300 for the month. Sorry, I don't remember her name.

 

[MR1]

I will be at the University of Oklahoma, does anyone know of good places to stay that are close to the Eye institute there.
Thanks

 

[nabeya]

doing an away rotation at Univ. Of OKla or as a actual student? How long?

I will be at the University of Oklahoma in Sept, does anyone know of good places to stay that are close to the Eye institute there.
Thanks

 

[MR1]

I am doing an away rotation at Oklahoma and will be there for 4 weeks.

 

[nabeya]

I know some people that did an away rotation and stayed at the student dorms.

I am doing an away rotation at Oklahoma and will be there for 4 weeks.

 

[PeePoe]

I have heard mixed opinions on DO students being allowed to rotate through alopathic institutions. Some say they are not allowed while others say they have never seen any restrictions. Is this a case by case situation or in general have many of you seen DO students rotating through?

 

[cabinbuilder]

I have heard mixed opinions on DO students being allowed to rotate through alopathic institutions. Some say they are not allowed while others say they have never seen any restrictions. Is this a case by case situation or in general have many of you seen DO students rotating through?

I am a DO student. I rotated through allopathic hospitals

UMC - Las Vegas
UNM - Albuquerque
FMH - Fairbanks, Alaska
Hamot - Erie, PA

You just have to do the paperwork and get it through as a medical student, don't emphasis the MD/DO part of it. They either say yes or no.