Away rotations as a resident

[nori!]

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My program is limiting their residents' opportunity for an away elective at outside locations - we are allowed to rotate at outside places only if we don't have in-house availability for it. As an example, I am allowed to do hemepath (or derm, or BB, or whatever) outside, only if my own program doesn't have a hemepath rotation, etc..

This is ridiculous crap, as now we cannot use these electives as audition rotations, which can be key for the more competitive fellowships - even if I don't get into the fellowship, I can still get a nice letter from a well-regarded individual.

My question is, have any of you residents out there heard anything like this? If so, is your program enforcing it? I am having a hard time believing that this is some mandate coming down from ACGME/CAP (or some other organizational body) down to all residencies - rather, I'm thinking that it's from my own program (or the medical center since it's in a financial pit), and that my own program director isn't doing squat for residents' interests.

 

[yaah]

That's a little bizarre - even if you are using your own elective time? I can see them restricting outside rotations say if you are taking time from your heme training at your program to do heme training at other programs. But your elective time should be just that.

I highly doubt that the ACGME is behind this. Part of the problem with away rotations though is that to get credit for them you have to apply well ahead of time and get approval, etc, but I don't know a ton about it. But there are a lot of regulations involved in residency training which do make away electives difficult to get at times.