AZCOM 3rd and 4th year rounds options anyone?

[snooze7]

Hey everybody, I am just curious about the options we have at AZCOM for 3rd and 4th year rounds. In state/out of state, preceptor/hospital based options, etc. I've heard some different stories but would appreciate some info. from those who are there. This will, among other things, influence my housing decisions in AZ that I am in the process of lining up. Thanks.

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[referee]

isn't that really a question you should have asked before now?

 

[LukeWhite]

Originally posted by referee
isn't that really a question you should have asked before now?

The guy's chosen AZCOM because he's convinced it's a good fit regardless of the specifics of rotations, and is just trying to plan his housing situation. I bet if you asked the same question of everyone in our class, at least half of them wouldn't be able to answer correctly. If you're so on the ball with having asked the right questions beforehand, though, you could perhaps try to answer it for him instead of being flippant.

Snooze,

Here's some info from our intranet:

"You may do three rotations during the third year "out of system". In addition you may do any OB/GYN and Pediatric Core Rotation "out of system". Maximum time out would be six months."

So it looks like the "in addition" means that you've got five rotations you can do out of system. I'm not sure how they get six months from that given that the rotations are all a month long, but perhaps it includes vacation time.

As far as I know, you're allowed to do fourth year wherever you like. Something that would be worth confirming, though! The flexibility of the AZCOM is definitely an advantage. I'm looking forward to doing preceptor rotations that give me plenty of hands-on experience in 3rd year, which is rare, so that I can make a bit more of an imact and focus on refining rather than learning skills during 4th year audition rotations. It's a fantastic system--lots of people seem to shy away from the school while citing the clinical years, but I think the oddness of the setup is really one of the most compelling things the school has going for it.

 

[VentdependenT]

Above post is accurate. It can be financially taxing however to move around, but it ultimately is your choice. Fourth year at our school is probably one of the best fourth years out there. You can go anywhere you want the entire year. From the most name recognized health care systems to chillen on Miami Beach, the year is up to you. Do your first 3 4th yr rotations in fields of medicine you are seriously considering. Its best to rotate a well recognized place first, IMO, to land some good letters. Then do a rotation where you really want to end up at. Any rotation up until feb of your 4th year should be considered an audition rotation as far as I'm concerned.

Third year can be a bit more challenging to do out of system but persistence pays off and you can get some fine ped's/obgyn/ and surg rotations.

For your third year out of systems (I focused on the midwest) check out Internal medicine at St. Vincents in Toledo. It'll will show you what its like to work in a decent sized urban teaching hospital (600 beds). Lots of students rotated there, you will function as a sub-I even at the 3rd yr level. Look at Illinois Masonic if you want to do FP in Chicago. You can swing OB at St. Joes through Northwestern in Chicago too from what I understand. I did my first OBGYN at Henry Ford in Detroit area which was a clinically heavy service(truck loads of gyn surgery, c-sections, cool residents). I heard you can deliver more than 20 babies with just supervision at some of the rural rotations...can't beat that (no competition with residents for procedures).

The rural rotations for EM and Surg are very hands on from what I have heard(work up everything by yourself under supervision, lines, intubate, its all you in the 3rd year), but the cost is at the teaching level. However, no matter where you go you must solidify your learning by reading on your own. It can be a bit daunting at first because of the lack of guidance combined with the overwhelming amounts of clinical information, but you'll figure it out. I somewhat regret not doing a rural rotation in retrospect, but I am one hell of a scutmonkey now for having rotated at some large instituions. Enjoy.

Dropped a bit more info than I intended, hope it helps.
Last bit of advice, get your ERAS crap in ASAP in yer 4th year (however all of my letters where a bit late, but it didn't make a difference).

Vent
AZCOMer 2004
Soon to be scutmonkey intern and Gas pusher

 

[snooze7]

Thanks for the info. What I've heard in the past (from the beginning of the process) and what I'm hearing now is basically the same thing: Optional rounds in/out of state both 3rd and 4th years, with more opportunity 4th. This is such a great opportunity for those of us who aren't ready to "settle down" just yet and will offer more exposure to other methods of clinical procedure/thinking than other schools, whose rounds are already set up for the students, might. Thanks again, snooze.

 

[referee]

Actually Luke, the day of my interview I sat in the clinical ed office and got my questions answered about rotation. You can plan to fail or fail to plan.

Some schools don't have rotations in certain states, but you can set them up. Some of their required rotations were in locations I did not want to be in. I felt that was a big enough issue to warrent asking. Look at DMU, after Iowa a lot of students end up in Ohio.