Best way to set up 3rd year rotations

[yanks26dmb]

..

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[AlteredScale]

So at our school, we can set up all of our core rotations on our own if we so choose. Ideally, I'd like to do my rotations back in San Diego (where I'm from) or at the very least, SoCal, if at all possible. My advisor told me to get the ball rolling sooner than later, because it can sometimes take a while to get the appropriate signatures.

My questions are...

1) How do I even go about doing this? Who do I need to speak to? Do I cold call hospitals?

2) Is it common to find a hospital that can host you for all of your core rotations..or is it more typical to find a rotation or two here, another one there, etc. ?

Thanks for any input...

My friend from Lecom-B did this and I'm fairly certain most of it came through cold calling. He did not rotate at a single health system. Instead he rotated through multiple clinics. I think rotating in-patient in San Diego is difficult through the main community systems like sharp and Scripps because they have such stringent regulations on clinical care and EMR.

I would dad shoot for them still but just don't expect to be on the wards. Try Alvarado as well as Ucsd.

Actually now that I think about, it'd be best to try in this order Ucsd>Scripps (green or mercy)>sharp>naval hospital in balboa>Alvarado.

Probably ask your school what forms preceptorship need to fill out and if you get a bite, send them those.

 

[phenobb]

This is a horrible idea. Suck it up and live away from home in rotations organized by your school. This presupposes that rotations have some sort of quality. Avoid a surgery rotation with residents and avoid OB with residents. Both are a waste of time, as you will pushed to the back of the bus and will learn nothing but supposedly vital (but actually useless) skills like "how to change a dressing"...

Your clinical training is the only place you will LEARN MEDICINE. Don't shortchange yourself and end up making copies for Dr. Overworked who doesn't want to hire a PA.

 

[Seth Joo]

So at our school, we can set up all of our core rotations on our own if we so choose. Ideally, I'd like to do my rotations back in San Diego (where I'm from) or at the very least, SoCal, if at all possible. My advisor told me to get the ball rolling sooner than later, because it can sometimes take a while to get the appropriate signatures.

My questions are...

1) How do I even go about doing this? Who do I need to speak to? Do I cold call hospitals?

2) Is it common to find a hospital that can host you for all of your core rotations..or is it more typical to find a rotation or two here, another one there, etc. ?

Thanks for any input...

This is the exact problem with so many Osteopathic schools, they do not have Clinical Education departments like MD schools, if you are at MD school the transition from your Basic Science years to your Clinical years is a painless process, and your usually in the same geographic locale, often not far from where you attended your lectures.

That is why I tell people to do some research about the school's clinical program before enrolling.

 

[Mad Jack]

This is the exact problem with so many Osteopathic schools, they do not have Clinical Education departments like MD schools, if you are at MD school the transition from your Basic Science years to your Clinical years is a painless process, and your usually in the same geographic locale, often not far from where you attended your lectures.

That is why I tell people to do some research about the school's clinical program before enrolling.

Very few osteopathic schools have free-for-all third years. LECOM-B and ATSU-SOMA are the only ones I know of that are this unstructured, but there's probably a couple more out there.

 

[Seth Joo]

Very few osteopathic schools have free-for-all third years. LECOM-B and ATSU-SOMA are the only ones I know of that are this unstructured, but there's probably a couple more out there.

I misread his question. But that being said, my school has San Diego 3rd year core rotations for those who want them . Most schools will allow you to go where you want in the 4th year.

Worst comes to worse he just has to spend one year in one location, and then in the 4th year he is free to go where he wishes.

 

[meliora27]

If a medical school can't ensure adequate, high quality, clinical training, it should be put on probation until it can, or be shut done.

Don't stand for this crap. You're paying top dollar for a medical education, demand a top quality product. Current students, stand up for yourselves. Work with your SGA, send letters to your dean/president/chair of the board of trustees.

 

[yanks26dmb]

This is the exact problem with so many Osteopathic schools, they do not have Clinical Education departments like MD schools, if you are at MD school the transition from your Basic Science years to your Clinical years is a painless process, and your usually in the same geographic locale, often not far from where you attended your lectures.

That is why I tell people to do some research about the school's clinical program before enrolling.

This isn't taking into consideration the 6-7 locations which provide all of the core clinical sites during third year. If we want the school to set things up for us, we can have that done..we just pick our top 2 locations.

 

[Seth Joo]

This isn't taking into consideration the 6-7 locations which provide all of the core clinical sites during third year. If we want the school to set things up for us, we can have that done..we just pick our top 2 locations.

I was mainly wondering because I would love to get back to San Diego (or SoCal) for residency...and it seemed doing all of my rotations in the area would be better for matching purposes down the road.

That is what is called a lottery, you are not guaranteed what you want in that case. Even if you did your core rotations in Northern California, you could still do your electives in the 4th year and still have a good chance for residency in Southern California, which is much more DO friendly than NorCal. So you really got nothing to worry about.

If you want to go back to Southern California I got good news for you, its not hard at all.

My school has most of its core sites in AZ, but we got sites in CA too both in NorCal and SoCal.

 

[yanks26dmb]

That is what is called a lottery, you are not guaranteed what you want in that case. Even if you did your core rotations in Northern California, you could still do your electives in the 4th year and still have a good chance for residency in Southern California, which is much more DO friendly than NorCal. So you really got nothing to worry about.

If you want to go back to Southern California I got good news for you, its not hard at all.

My school has most of its core sites in AZ, but we got sites in CA too both in NorCal and SoCal.

Yeah, it is a lottery, but luckily they give preference to people with homes in a specific area, family in a specific area, kids, or married people. If you've got one of those four, you've got first dibs. Leaning towards arrowhead right now, as I've heard its a pretty good hospital to learn in. Have you heard anything about it?

Glad to hear getting back to socal isn't hard during clinical years...though I'd imagine it's significantly more difficult trying to land a socal residency..

 

[Seth Joo]

Yeah, it is a lottery, but luckily they give preference to people with homes in a specific area, family in a specific area, kids, or married people. If you've got one of those four, you've got first dibs. Leaning towards arrowhead right now, as I've heard its a pretty good hospital to learn in. Have you heard anything about it?

Glad to hear getting back to socal isn't hard during clinical years...though I'd imagine it's significantly more difficult trying to land a socal residency..

Well as you yourself so stated, if you work hard, get excellent board scores, anything is possible. I do not think getting a residency in Southern California as DO is hard, it depends on the field you want to enter. Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Psychiatry, etc are all pretty doable in there as a DO.

Northern California is another story, its much harder, mostly because there are fewer residency positions, and there is a stronger MD bias. Boston where I am from is even more MD biased, I would say its harder to get a residency as a DO in Boston than LA.

 

[Sweetpotatoguy]

My friend from Lecom-B did this and I'm fairly certain most of it came through cold calling. He did not rotate at a single health system. Instead he rotated through multiple clinics. I think rotating in-patient in San Diego is difficult through the main community systems like sharp and Scripps because they have such stringent regulations on clinical care and EMR.

I would dad shoot for them still but just don't expect to be on the wards. Try Alvarado as well as Ucsd.

Actually now that I think about, it'd be best to try in this order Ucsd>Scripps (green or mercy)>sharp>naval hospital in balboa>Alvarado.

Probably ask your school what forms preceptorship need to fill out and if you get a bite, send them those.

Thats MEEEEE!

It's nearly impossible to get rotations at UCSD or VA during 3rd year. Contracted with UCSD so literally no room. All rotation stuff is online. I actually called the clinical education department of UCSD asking for a rotation my third year and they asked "how did you get this number?" Yeah...I'm that good. hahaha

Do your research. The hospitals usually have a person of contact for general medical education.

Yes. If I could do it all over again, the biggest thing I would say is CONNECTIONS.
Here's what I would do.

1) Cold call for your first couple of rotations. Just go on SHARP.com and start calling. I had to call >100 places. I tried Sharp, scripps, kaiser, and alvarado.
2) Check out Arrowhead hospital website. You can literally get all of your rotations there but get a couple months there so you get connections.
3) ASK ASK ASK your attendings who they would recommend you rotate with.
*4) See if your attendings have connections across the border (MEXICO). On your time off (weekends or whatever), GO! Great experience there. More hands on experience too.
5) Don't be afraid to go to different states. Travel a bit. You can find someone to live with for each rotation. Live out of a suitcase.

*I do not endorse #4 or admit to have done rotations across the border. I have connections (friends and family) over there and this is what they tell me. Consult with your clinical education department regarding international rotations.

PM me if you have more questions.