If you are interested in a particular field and want to do an away rotation, should you wait until after match to contact program directors/coordinators or should you contact them earlier?
Away Rotations
- Thread starter TGAmed
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just for clarification - i assume you mean as a 3rd year waiting for them to finish the senior classes rank to start contacting directors for rotations to do when you are a 4th year. and really it should matter too much - the earlier the better though if its a competitive field/away rotation to make sure you get it. also most clerkships are not run by the residency program director, look at their med school website to find out who the contact person is. if you just contact the residency program director they might not be nice enough/have the time to redirect you to the correct person.
i started contacting an away program probably around march to schedule an away rotation, but applied to VSAS (i think it was due sometime in april). i found that classmates who waited until june/july to start applying couldn't get spots at good med schools because they were full.
i started contacting an away program probably around march to schedule an away rotation, but applied to VSAS (i think it was due sometime in april). i found that classmates who waited until june/july to start applying couldn't get spots at good med schools because they were full.
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You should not be contacting program directors/coordinators for this.
Each school will have an approved channel for scheduling away rotations. Step 1 is to look in VSAS, step 2 is to use the medical school's website (e.g. google "UCSF away rotation" or "UCSF visiting student"). There will be an application, probably some fees, and then a waiting period before you find out if the program has room for you.
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It depends on the school and the department. What you should do is figure out where you want to go, then go to the school's website and read the instructions for visiting students. It will tell you how to apply, who to contact with questions, and when they start accepting apps for aways. Like other people already said, a lot of places use VSAS, but not all of them, so you really should look at the school's website.
