Can someone explain Rotations?

[DblHelix]

Ok, everyone talks about clinical rotations and going other places for the rotations, etc. I always thought that the school you went to provides a strict schedule of rotations for you to go to.

Is this not the case? You get to pick where you go? Is it competitive to get different rotations?

How are some schools better than others then when it comes to the third and forth years?

How does the system work? Thanks everyone!

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[DOtobe]

Schools have different rotation groups that follow a certain rotation order. You usually have to choose from the school's list of rotation sites for your core rotations, but you can do electives anywhere. Certain away rotations can be competitive - elective rotations at larger teaching hospitals, for example.

What makes some schools better than others regarding rotation sites is the number of rotation sites and the quality of the hospitals. You aren't going to get much learning doing rotations at a school where most of the hospitals are in Podunk, USA. Rotations at larger hospitals that have residency programs are typically better, because the attendings are used to teaching, but some community hospitals can offer quality rotations as well.

Hope that helped!

 

[DblHelix]

Schools have different rotation groups that follow a certain rotation order. You usually have to choose from the school's list of rotation sites for your core rotations, but you can do electives anywhere. Certain away rotations can be competitive - elective rotations at larger teaching hospitals, for example.

What makes some schools better than others regarding rotation sites is the number of rotation sites and the quality of the hospitals. You aren't going to get much learning doing rotations at a school where most of the hospitals are in Podunk, USA. Rotations at larger hospitals that have residency programs are typically better, because the attendings are used to teaching, but some community hospitals can offer quality rotations as well.

Hope that helped!

Is there a difference between DO and MD schools in terms of rotations?
How do you know if a school has good rotations? How would I find this out?

 

[happy5]

Is there a difference between DO and MD schools in terms of rotations?
How do you know if a school has good rotations? How would I find this out?

the only way to really know a hospital is to work there (big help, right....sorry). There are good hospitals and bad hospitals in the MD and DO side I assure you, but the reallity is; its the people that will make or break the experience. one good clinical instructor can make the rotation.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Ok, everyone talks about clinical rotations and going other places for the rotations, etc. I always thought that the school you went to provides a strict schedule of rotations for you to go to.

Is this not the case? You get to pick where you go? Is it competitive to get different rotations?

How are some schools better than others then when it comes to the third and forth years?

How does the system work? Thanks everyone!

OSU-COM assigns the core rotations (OB/GYN, Surgery, & Internal Medicine) at 1 of 2 hospitals in either Tulsa or Oklahoma City. The rest of the required rotations are in the area and are assigned to you. There is a lottery to determine who gets Tulsa vs. Oklahoma City.

There are 8 months of elective rotations over the 3rd & 4th years, and they can be done ANYWHERE you want.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Is there a difference between DO and MD schools in terms of rotations?
How do you know if a school has good rotations? How would I find this out?

The differences include additional primary care rotations and a possible OMM rotation for DO schools.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Is there a difference between DO and MD schools in terms of rotations?
How do you know if a school has good rotations? How would I find this out?

LECOM likes you to do the core rotations at affiliate hospitals (the list is very long over many states) you pick which one. This is not set in stone as there are so many students at LECOM that if you want a rotation elsewhere they usually approve it. Your rotations are as good as you make them to be. I have had good ones and bad ones mostly due to attendings and/or the fact that I couldn't stand the specialty. LECOM has 4 week rotation blocks with 12 weeks of IM, 8 weeks surgery, 8 weeks ER. There are also certain hospitals that have to be filled by a LECOM student for each rotation. But remember that there are 13-15 students per group and only one has to be at the required. We all share the burden of filling the required hosptials depending on the rotation and what folks were trying to do for residency.

Most of the MD students I know have 6 week rotation blocks with less electives.

Here are the rotations I had 13 blocks for each year:

Third year: FP, Sur,Sur,Core select, Vacation, Psych,Elec,IM,IM,IM, OB,PED,Elec.

Fourth year: Sur elec, Elec, AMB, AMB, Vac,Elec, ER,ER,Elec,Primary care elec,Rural/Underserve, Elec, Med Elec.

 

[DblHelix]

LECOM likes you to do the core rotations at affiliate hospitals (the list is very long over many states) you pick which one. This is not set in stone as there are so many students at LECOM that if you want a rotation elsewhere they usually approve it. Your rotations are as good as you make them to be. I have had good ones and bad ones mostly due to attendings and/or the fact that I couldn't stand the specialty. LECOM has 4 week rotation blocks with 12 weeks of IM, 8 weeks surgery, 8 weeks ER. There are also certain hospitals that have to be filled by a LECOM student for each rotation. But remember that there are 13-15 students per group and only one has to be at the required. We all share the burden of filling the required hosptials depending on the rotation and what folks were trying to do for residency.

Most of the MD students I know have 6 week rotation blocks with less electives.

Here are the rotations I had 13 blocks for each year:

Third year: FP, Sur,Sur,Core select, Vacation, Psych,Elec,IM,IM,IM, OB,PED,Elec.

Fourth year: Sur elec, Elec, AMB, AMB, Vac,Elec, ER,ER,Elec,Primary care elec,Rural/Underserve, Elec, Med Elec.

When you guys say you "pick" which rotation and hospital you go to, is that difficult to do? Do the schools help you out? Can you get rejected?

 

[(nicedream)]

When you guys say you "pick" which rotation and hospital you go to, is that difficult to do? Do the schools help you out? Can you get rejected?

For affiliated hospitals, they have a standing agreement with the school to take a certian # of students for each block on each service. You compete with your classmates for those. For rotations at non-affiliated sites, you apply to those hospitals/programs and they have to accept you for the requested time period and service. Obviously certain programs electives are in high demand and are very difficult to get.

 

[DblHelix]

For affiliated hospitals, they have a standing agreement with the school to take a certian # of students for each block on each service. You compete with your classmates for those. For rotations at non-affiliated sites, you apply to those hospitals/programs and they have to accept you for the requested time period and service. Obviously certain programs electives are in high demand and are very difficult to get.

So do any med students ever find themselves without a rotation? How do they choose you?

 

[cabinbuilder]

So do any med students ever find themselves without a rotation? How do they choose you?

Yes you can end up not getting a rotation you want. I tried to get one in Santa Barbara but was turned down. You just have to keep trying. You have a better chance at hospitals that are used to taking students or know someone personally there. I got "fired" from a rotation once and scrambled for something else quickly. It's not that hard.

You always find something even if it wasn't your first choice. I have been bumped a few times or a rotation got cancelled so you just have to get on the phone and start asking around.

We schedule our rotations up to a year in advance so anything can happen. The affiliates don't "choose" you, you just sign up and go. The others its up to you to apply and get your own rotation. Their criteria is their own.

 

[BMW19]

Can anyone at PCOM-Philly tell me how your lottery system works? I am at the GA campus and our rotations are still being hashed out, but our Dean said it will be a system similar to Philly. If you get a core rotation hospital and want to trade with someone can you do that?

BMW-

Yes you can end up not getting a rotation you want. I tried to get one in Santa Barbara but was turned down. You just have to keep trying. You have a better chance at hospitals that are used to taking students or know someone personally there. I got "fired" from a rotation once and scrambled for something else quickly. It's not that hard.

You always find something even if it wasn't your first choice. I have been bumped a few times or a rotation got cancelled so you just have to get on the phone and start asking around.

We schedule our rotations up to a year in advance so anything can happen. The affiliates don't "choose" you, you just sign up and go. The others its up to you to apply and get your own rotation. Their criteria is their own.