Originally posted by sunystudent
😀 I have been accepted at AZCOM and three other schools but really liked the students, faculty, and program at AZCOM the best.
I was however kind of unclear on how the clinical years go. I asked the clinical coordinator and she told me one thing but another individual told me a completely different story. They told me that you have to find all of your own rotations, set them up yourself, and that none of them are in a hospital setting. What is the real deal with year 3 and 4?😕 😕 I loved your school and really would like to go there. If you have any input please try to clarify this for me🙂 😀 😛 
Thanks 👍
This is not totatally correct, though in the ballpark. As I understand it your clinical years are mostly set-up by you with the administration sending out the necessary paperwork and such. There are a few rotations that the office can set up for you however, there are very few spots reletive to the total number of students. They do have rotations, some in hospitals, in AZ. AS for the hospital setting, during certain rotations you will get hospital time, i.e. surgery, IM, and ob/GYN. Also, most of the hospital rotations are for fourth year students.
THere are advantages and disadvantages of the system. My overall feeling is that I enjoy the fact that I can set up rotations all over the country and get a feel for where I want to practice. In addition I think that it gives you more flexibility to find the really good doctors to educate you. THe other benifit is that spending time doing a rotation in a clinic gives you more one on one time with the doctor and you are 1st assist on all procedures, meaning you get to do more. Also, if the doctor your rotating with goes to the hospital for any reason you are first assist there as well. You don't have to wait behind the residents, fourth year, then you to get some procedures.
I think that the disadvantages lay in the amount of leg work that you are required to do to setup your rotations. It is going to be alot of work setting them up and doing your second year work as well as studying for the boards.
All in all I am glad I am going to azcom and I think that by making the most of the system I will be better prepared and get greater enjoyment from my clinical rotations.
I will be attending AZCOM in the fall, so this information is a compilation of information that I have been able to gather from these boards and the clinical coordinator, so take it for what it's worth. See you in Aug. and congratulations, I had the exact same impressions of the school.
