Best Setting for 1st Clinical Rotation?

[aagood8]

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Hi all,

I was just wondering, what is the best way to go about choosing a setting for my 1st clinical rotation? My program ensures we receive 1 acute care, 1 outpatient, and 1 rehab setting before graduating. I have an idea of wanting to attempt to get hired at an inpatient acute care hospital, so I am under the impression that it is best to do that setting later on down the road. As for my 1st clinical rotation, what are some pros/cons, experiences, or advice that you may have to help me decide? I would really appreciate your responses!

Thanks!

 

[kdubz7w7]

Hi all,

I was just wondering, what is the best way to go about choosing a setting for my 1st clinical rotation? My program ensures we receive 1 acute care, 1 outpatient, and 1 rehab setting before graduating. I have an idea of wanting to attempt to get hired at an inpatient acute care hospital, so I am under the impression that it is best to do that setting later on down the road. As for my 1st clinical rotation, what are some pros/cons, experiences, or advice that you may have to help me decide? I would really appreciate your responses!

Thanks!

My school encouraged us to try to do IP first because that setting is much harder to find, which may just be a geographical thing.

The general advice is to make your last rotation where you may want to work, I don't know how accurate that actually is - I think only two students in my cohort landed jobs in their final rotation sites.

How many rotations do you do? Can you fulfill those requirements and do a second rotation in an IP? Then you could do IP first and last. First will help you determine if you really do love it and will positively affect how you absorb further didactic information.

If your first rotation is shorter than the others (our first two were shorter than our final two), then do whatever setting you are the least interested in first.

I did my dream rotation second, at the end of my second year. I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me wishes I had done it last, so that I could have asked much higher-level questions and not still be grappling with basics (which is what I had originally wanted to do but my CE advised I do it sooner because she was not certain they would be able to secure further contracts (I was in an inaugural cohort so they were still sorting a lot of things out)). On the other hand, I learned so much that I was able to apply, practice, and build upon in future rotations.. If I could do it again I think I would have done it last.

These are more thinking-out-loud things vs solid advice lol, just points to ponder.

 

[aagood8]

My school encouraged us to try to do IP first because that setting is much harder to find, which may just be a geographical thing.

The general advice is to make your last rotation where you may want to work, I don't know how accurate that actually is - I think only two students in my cohort landed jobs in their final rotation sites.

How many rotations do you do? Can you fulfill those requirements and do a second rotation in an IP? Then you could do IP first and last. First will help you determine if you really do love it and will positively affect how you absorb further didactic information.

If your first rotation is shorter than the others (our first two were shorter than our final two), then do whatever setting you are the least interested in first.

I did my dream rotation second, at the end of my second year. I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me wishes I had done it last, so that I could have asked much higher-level questions and not still be grappling with basics (which is what I had originally wanted to do but my CE advised I do it sooner because she was not certain they would be able to secure further contracts (I was in an inaugural cohort so they were still sorting a lot of things out)). On the other hand, I learned so much that I was able to apply, practice, and build upon in future rotations.. If I could do it again I think I would have done it last.

These are more thinking-out-loud things vs solid advice lol, just points to ponder.

Thank you for responding! My program provides three 12-week clinical rotations, one for each setting. My primary goal is to save acute for last because I may want to eventually work in a acute care hospital. I was just wondering if what I plan on doing is wise. Assuming one were to get a really big name facility or hospital on their first rotation, does the chance for landing a job in that facility decrease if a) your skills and knowledge are not up to par due to it being your very first clinical experience and/or b) because it is your very first clinical experience, they may not remember you or too much time has passed before you graduate?

 

[kdubz7w7]

Thank you for responding! My program provides three 12-week clinical rotations, one for each setting. My primary goal is to save acute for last because I may want to eventually work in a acute care hospital. I was just wondering if what I plan on doing is wise. Assuming one were to get a really big name facility or hospital on their first rotation, does the chance for landing a job in that facility decrease if a) your skills and knowledge are not up to par due to it being your very first clinical experience and/or b) because it is your very first clinical experience, they may not remember you or too much time has passed before you graduate?

No problem!

Woof. 12 weeks is a lifetime. We were supposed to do two 8's and two 10's, which turned into 2 8's and one 14 d/t covid, and that 14 week rotation was an eternity.

A) No. You're there to learn, not just work for free, and they know it. If you in general are unprofessional or unsafe or whatever, then yes that'll obviously negatively impact your chances of being hired. But simple lack of knowledge*/skills/experience, nah, you're there to learn. *outside of what you've already learned in didactic. They'll know what courses you've taken and what you haven't.
B) Maybe? If you do a great job and make a great impression AND stay in touch with them throughout the rest of school, then you'll stay on their radar.

I don't think it'll be a huge deal-breaker no matter what you decide.