Clinical Rotations by School

[Dr. Death]

Smaller class size doesn't really exist in DO world.

Several schools hover around 115-135. I would say that's pretty small.

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[apr27]

Didn't feel like typing it out, but this is where KCU (formerly KCUMB) have sites for next year. I know we share sites with MSU, DMU, PCOM, and few others. I would be curious to know how the sites are viewed at your school, if you any of you wish to talk more about. Of course, if anyone knows anything about these sites, please share.

 

[hexane19]

LUCOM please?

 

[hallowmann]

LUCOM please?

They haven't sent any students to rotations yet, and I imagine any rotation site lists are tentative at best.

For your sake its best to assume the worst, and make your decision based on that, that way if rotations end up being good, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[abbeyroad35]

RVUCOM?!

 

[CaffeinatedForLife]

Does anybody know if the rotations at TUCOM are ward based? Are there year long rotations? 2 year sites?

I know this is a super-late reply, but I really wanted to know the answer to this question, too. It seems particularly difficult to get information about rotations at this school, so I thought I'd share what I found out during my interview. There are 12 core rotation sites throughout the Bay Area, one site in New York, and one in SoCal. You are assigned your 3rd year rotation site by lottery, although they accommodate you if you don't want to/can't relocate to NY and you are assigned that rotation.

He also said that all the rotation sites are a mix of hospital/ward-based and preceptor-based. You will be moving around to different locations within your site.

4th year rotation sites are set up purely by the student.

Hope this helps you and anyone else thinking about this school!

 

[Oh_Gee]

LMU-DCOM

Length at core site (OB, gen surg, peds, psych, IM 1&2) - 6 months. Lottery system to determine site location and if you do core 1st or 2nd semester of 3rd yr. FM + 3 selectives (pre-approved by DCOM) + 2 electives of ur choosing are done in the other semester.
Clinical sites are spread across the Southeast area and there is no preference given if u have ties to a certain location. U get what you get unless another classmate will switch.
Yes, students set up their own rotations (except core at ur assigned site). If you are pleased with the training u get at ur core site, u can usually pick up electives there too. However many sites are rural and don't offer much variety.
We often don't find out if our rotation is confirmed until a couple of days before you're supposed to start, so u always hafta have a backup plan.
There are no academic hospitals or residencies affiliated with us. If you're not in a small community hospital with an attending, ur in a clinic. You may get lucky and get to learn from a random resident here & there if u get a core site that's within an hour of a residency program.

I knew when I chose DCOM that there wasn't a home hospital and I'd hafta move to get my 3rd & 4th yr training. But I did not know the training would be so insufficient and I'm very worried about how I'm gonna stack up during auditions with other students, even DO students who had academic hospitals to train in.
There does seem to be a small portion of my class who are being educated, challenged, and getting their money's worth at their core site, but way too many of us are not.
I'm hoping the electives that I'm able to choose for myself will bridge some of the giant gap that my core rotations should've provided.

what are the good sites you've heard about
Also, are the admins at school receptive or care about this issue at all

 

[Oh_Gee]

I'm seriously considering LMUDCOM and these responses are very concerning.

lol me too

 

[Late Bloomer]

what are the good sites you've heard about
Also, are the admins at school receptive or care about this issue at all

They're really good with smoke & mirrors, no follow thru

 

[Oh_Gee]

They're really good with smoke & mirrors, no follow thru

i was deciding between this and ACOM. do you think it would be better if i went to ACOM?

 

[DO2015CA]

.

 

[sunealoneal]

i was deciding between this and ACOM. do you think it would be better if i went to ACOM?

I can't comment on any other school, but ACOM has a very robust clinical apparatus. I can't recall the number of sites, but every student gets assigned one with the promise that any rotation will not be outside of a 50 mile radius.

There seems to be at least a couple IM and family med residencies amongst the sites. In terms of education quality I've heard very good things. Didn't seem to be many/any preceptors who did not care. They were even very eager to hook me up with research in the niche field I'm currently interested in. I don't know what other questions you might have, I may or may not have to ask a 3rd year for anything more specific.

 

[Oh_Gee]

ACOM yes the rotation sites are solid. Alabama Medical Education Consortium has been around for 10+ yrs and that is where the sites run through. You can do a google search if you want know more. The rotations are solid because the governor backs AMEC 100% and is still trying to make it grow. There are 19 core sites and growing with the majority of the sites having medical students rotating there for almost as long as AMEC has been around. Also, the clinical dean overseeing all the sites has been involved with/ran residency programs up north. They are constantly doing a check and upgrade for each site that they don't think is up to par. They really are really proactive in everything they do here. If they notice something isn't up to their standards they change it.

Starting day 1 they are teaching students how to rotate well (through clinical encounters) so that they can learn to audition well.

There are sites all over Alabama and the north florida at some pretty boss hospitals.

have you started rotating yet or have you heard about anything from 3rd year students?

 

[Oh_Gee]

I can't comment on any other school, but ACOM has a very robust clinical apparatus. I can't recall the number of sites, but every student gets assigned one with the promise that any rotation will not be outside of a 50 mile radius.

There seems to be at least a couple IM and family med residencies amongst the sites. In terms of education quality I've heard very good things. Didn't seem to be many/any preceptors who did not care. They were even very eager to hook me up with research in the niche field I'm currently interested in. I don't know what other questions you might have, I may or may not have to ask a 3rd year for anything more specific.

i guess i'm just looking for first hand accounts from students who are rotating right now. i prefer the scenery around LMU but if i would get a better clinical education at ACOM, then i'll probably pick that

 

[deleted564680]

You all are probably aware of this...but your clinical rotations should be your #1a/1b reason for picking a medical school. So many DO schools offer sub-par rotations/make you set up your own. Please do yourself a favor and look into this heavily before matriculating.
The biggest reason MDs/ACGME have been discriminating against DOs is due to the fact they know a lot of us have poor rotations compared to them. Everyone agrees years 1 and 2 are basically equal at every school.

 

[DO2015CA]

.

 

[hsk013]

Can someone please post for DMU? Thanks!

 

[postbacpremed87]

Does it matter where you do clinical rotations if you are interested in a non-clinical specialties like pathology?

 

[IslandStyle808]

Does it matter where you do clinical rotations if you are interested in a non-clinical specialties like pathology?

From looking a the 2014 NRMP survey, pathology programs don't put that high a value on the clinical grades. However, a large amount of other specialities do. If you change your mind about pathology and want to pursue another specialty, then it is would be best to do well in 3rd year just in case. So try to see if you can get the best clinical rotations possible.

 

[hal1109]

Can someone chime in for DMU? Thanks!


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[Dustbowl12]

single most imp thread, please update. anything on ATSU SOMA

 

[TheaterOfTheme]

Yeah this is pretty important! Let's get Touro and COMP!

 

[ortnakas]

I already wrote up mine so I don't have anything to add, except a plea to please not just fill this thread with pages of requests! I'm sure students at the schools will write something up if they want to, and it would be a shame if the useful information posted so far gets drowned amid the update requests (like the "Rate your DO School" thread).

 

[jtm0021]

GA-PCOM was requested earlier, but I would like to see it as well.

 

[deleted564680]

ATSU-SOMA does their rotations at community health centers since it's a "primary care focused" school.
Here's the website that lists their 11 sites.

http://www.atsu.edu/soma/medschool_future/community_health_centers.htm

 

[CLAF211]

MU-COM anyone?

 

[MADNEMO]

ACOM

I am an OMSII at ACOM so I cant speak from firsthand experience about our rotations, but I can give some general information. That being said, we are hearing overwhelmingly positive feedback from our upperclassmen. While ACOM is a newer school, many of our rotation sites are 11 years old with experienced preceptors. Previously to ACOM opening our rotations were used by PCOM-GA, LMU-DCOM, and NSU-COM

Length at each site: 2 years – complete 3rd and 4th year

How is site determined?: Match system that uses an algorithm to try and give each student their highest possible number, you rank ten total sites. For my class, 94.5% got one of their top three choices. 60% got #1 choice.

Do students have to set up their own rotations?: No, unless they want to go outside the ACOM network. If you want to do a rotation at a different site within the ACOM network your site coordinator should help to get that set up.

Freedom to do rotations outside of designated site?: Yes., core rotations are encouraged to be at your core site. Selectives/electives can be away.

States/Sites: Alabama (all major cities and most smaller cities) and Florida (Tallahassee and Panama City)

Home Hospital: Yes – Our school was opened by the regional medical center which is a mile away.

Residencies offered: In progress. expected to have IM in 2017

Residencies at core sites: One ACGME FP that I know of.

Number of Core Sites: 20 (with 2 more in the works). All rotations are within a 30 minute drive from the core hospital. The majority of our core sites have all your required rotations in house.

 

[deleted407021]

ACOM

I am an OMSII at ACOM so I cant speak from firsthand experience about our rotations, but I can give some general information. That being said, we are hearing overwhelmingly positive feedback from our upperclassmen. While ACOM is a newer school, many of our rotation sites are 11 years old with experienced preceptors. Previously to ACOM opening our rotations were used by PCOM-GA, LMU-DCOM, and NSU-COM

Length at each site: 2 years – complete 3rd and 4th year

How is site determined?: Match system that uses an algorithm to try and give each student their highest possible number, you rank ten total sites. For my class, 94.5% got one of their top three choices. 60% got #1 choice.

Do students have to set up their own rotations?: No, unless they want to go outside the ACOM network. If you want to do a rotation at a different site within the ACOM network your site coordinator should help to get that set up.

Freedom to do rotations outside of designated site?: Yes., core rotations are encouraged to be at your core site. Selectives/electives can be away.

States/Sites: Alabama (all major cities and most smaller cities) and Florida (Tallahassee and Panama City)

Home Hospital: Yes – Our school was opened by the regional medical center which is a mile away.

Residencies offered: In progress. expected to have IM in 2017

Residencies at core sites: One ACGME FP that I know of.

Number of Core Sites: 20 (with 2 more in the works). All rotations are within a 30 minute drive from the core hospital. The majority of our core sites have all your required rotations in house.

Awesome! Thanks a bunch!

 

[Theseus]

UNECOM?

 

[UTsksk]

UNTHSC/TCOM (Fort Worth, TX)
JPS Hospital in Fort Worth - main teaching hospital, 537-bed, Level 1 trauma
Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth - for peds rotations, 429-bed
Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth
Plaza Medical Center in Fort Worth
Alternate sites for students wanting to go outside Fort Worth or wanting to be near family:
Methodist Dallas Medical Center in Dallas
Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi
Plus regional hospitals in Baytown, Conroe and Corpus Christi.

Corpus rotations..

Christus Spohn Memorial - where the poor people go, has level 2 ER

Christus Spohn Shoreline - where the insured go and want a view of the water

Driscolls - for pediatrics, coverage from San Antonio to the RGV, we might be able to ride in a helicopter

Bay Area - no clue what happens there, just know we do part of our family rotation there

There's also some involvement with clinics. Think we do our required OMM rotation at a clinic near one of the hospitals.

Only 12 TCOM students go to Corpus for the year so there's not a lot of competition for things to do.

 

[SLC]

ATSU-SOMA does their rotations at community health centers since it's a "primary care focused" school.
Here's the website that lists their 11 sites.

http://www.atsu.edu/soma/medschool_future/community_health_centers.htm

Not entirely true. I did numerous ward based rotations at ATSU-SOMA, there are some at CHC's, the majority of outpatient rotations are this way; but it's not all CHC's all the time.

 

[deleted564680]

Not entirely true. I did numerous ward based rotations at ATSU-SOMA, there are some at CHC's, the majority of outpatient rotations are this way; but it's not all CHC's all the time.

Okay, what are those sites?

 

[madb0x]

Can anyone offer info for OU-HCOM?

 

[deleted407021]

GA-PCOM was requested earlier, but I would like to see it as well.

Second this request.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

KCU Rotation sites:
https://www.kcumb.edu/academics/college-of-osteopathic-medicine/clerkships/clerkship-sites/

You get assigned a rotation site based on the lottery. Doesn't matter if you're at the top of the class or at the bottom. The computer assigns you a spot. You rank 2 spots and there is 90-95% chance you will get one of those.

 

[NVO]

KCU Rotation sites:
https://www.kcumb.edu/academics/college-of-osteopathic-medicine/clerkships/clerkship-sites/

You get assigned a rotation site based on the lottery. Doesn't matter if you're at the top of the class or at the bottom. The computer assigns you a spot. You rank 2 spots and there is 90-95% chance you will get one of those.

What's the consensus on which sites are better? For example the multiple sites in FL, OH, MO or CO. I've been asking around but it's hard to get any definite answers. Thanks!

 

[docdionne]

UNECOM
*I'm not totally sure I'm doing this right, I just wanted to contribute.

Length at each site: Just third year core rotations

How is site determined?: we had the option for a match “lottery” or a student committee assigning sites anonymously allowing for family, education, medical factors, etc. People can still switch, but it didn't happen that often.

Do students have to set up their own rotations?: A 2 week third year elective, and ALL of fourth year is set up by the students

Freedom to do rotations outside of designated site?: All of your core rotations have to be at your assigned site

States/Sites: Maine, New Hampshire, Mass, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania

Home Hospital: Nope.

Residencies offered: Yeah I don't know how to answer this - the school itself doesn't have any residencies, but various sites do.

 

[mhorn01]

UNECOM
*I'm not totally sure I'm doing this right, I just wanted to contribute.

Length at each site: Just third year core rotations

How is site determined?: we had the option for a match “lottery” or a student committee assigning sites anonymously allowing for family, education, medical factors, etc. People can still switch, but it didn't happen that often.

Do students have to set up their own rotations?: A 2 week third year elective, and ALL of fourth year is set up by the students

Freedom to do rotations outside of designated site?: All of your core rotations have to be at your assigned site

States/Sites: Maine, New Hampshire, Mass, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania

Home Hospital: Nope.

Residencies offered: Yeah I don't know how to answer this - the school itself doesn't have any residencies, but various sites do.

How do you feel about having to set up all of the 4th year rotations by yourself?

 

[docdionne]

How do you feel about having to set up all of the 4th year rotations by yourself?

It's honestly pretty stressful, but like the weekly oral quizzes, it will probably be good for me in the long run. And it allows me to move back to my home state for fourth year. The only major thing is whether or not to do sub-i's. I keep reading that most people do sub-i's at their home hospital, but we don't have that option. All of our sub-i's have to be away, which people will either tell you is a good thing to do or a terrible thing to do. I haven't done them yet, so I can't tell you my opinion.

 

[FCMike11]

ACOM

I am an OMSII at ACOM so I cant speak from firsthand experience about our rotations, but I can give some general information. That being said, we are hearing overwhelmingly positive feedback from our upperclassmen. While ACOM is a newer school, many of our rotation sites are 11 years old with experienced preceptors. Previously to ACOM opening our rotations were used by PCOM-GA, LMU-DCOM, and NSU-COM

Length at each site: 2 years – complete 3rd and 4th year

How is site determined?: Match system that uses an algorithm to try and give each student their highest possible number, you rank ten total sites. For my class, 94.5% got one of their top three choices. 60% got #1 choice.

Do students have to set up their own rotations?: No, unless they want to go outside the ACOM network. If you want to do a rotation at a different site within the ACOM network your site coordinator should help to get that set up.

Freedom to do rotations outside of designated site?: Yes., core rotations are encouraged to be at your core site. Selectives/electives can be away.

States/Sites: Alabama (all major cities and most smaller cities) and Florida (Tallahassee and Panama City)

Home Hospital: Yes – Our school was opened by the regional medical center which is a mile away.

Residencies offered: In progress. expected to have IM in 2017

Residencies at core sites: One ACGME FP that I know of.

Number of Core Sites: 20 (with 2 more in the works). All rotations are within a 30 minute drive from the core hospital. The majority of our core sites have all your required rotations in house.

In my interview group they emphasized how they want to give students as much elective time as possible for audition rotations.

But you are saying 4th year you can stay at your core basically if you do not want to branch out? Was just slightly concerned looking at 4th year- how much support would I have when setting up my rotations.

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[EmergDoc2B]

ACOM 4th year student:

I'm applying ACGME EM just to frame my comments a bit. I used VSAS for 2 away rotations and set up 1 rotaion on my own (really was the easier ofthe 3 to set up). It's not a 100% guaranteed to get a spot at the site just because you apply in VSAS. Also, there is a fair amount of paperwork needed to apply; shot records, step 1 scores, misc bs like parking information. At ACOM you have most of this stuff loaded up in a program called e-value. The school helps you get it transferred to the audition specific paperwork or the canned VSAS documents, whichever your away rotation requires. Coming from a DO school I needed to do aways at bigger academic institutions and thankfully they just so happen to be my top 3 programs.
For EM you need SLOE's not SLORs and the need to be compared to a much bigger pool of students requires you to venture out of your core site. But this is going to be variable depending on the core site location and specialty you choose or specialties you're deciding between.

The match process for us to get to core sites was explained perfectly in a previous post. I was one the 9o+% that got their first choice.

 

[FCMike11]

Can anyone comment on what students with family (spouse/kids) who have core rotation sites (any school) that is not in the same city as the school? I know we will be very busy during 3rd & 4th year, bu the idea of living away from my kids would be hard to handle.

Do students just "suck it up" so to speak (acquiring an apartment or such for themselves) or do they move their family for their core site?

 

[EmergDoc2B]

Families move together from what Ive seen.

 

[ctran019]

This thread is a goldmine. Also are there any info on RVU's rotation sites?

 

[ShowtimeKaner88]

Can someone please post for DMU? Thanks!

Can someone chime in for DMU? Thanks!


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Varies a little bit from year to year, but here is the link to the most recently updated list of the year long sites (meaning they take you for your whole third year and schedule everything for you). As opposed to the non-year long option which allows you to do some scheduling yourself or you can schedule your whole third year if you have that many connections.

https://www.dmu.edu/com/clinical-affairs/