Clinical rotations in North America in 4 year programs

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

vikingviolinst

New Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Hello,

I am from the US and will be applying to US and four year Irish programs for Fall 2010 admissions. I may also apply to a few Caribbean schools.

Anyhow, I am very confused on how students in FOUR YEAR GRADUATE ENTRY programs do clinical rotations (as electives, I know you can't do the last two years in full in the US/Canada like SGU, etc) in North America. Is the only time to do them the summer before fourth year? If so, that's not much clinical experience in North America.

Please, any information would is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Members don't see this ad.
 
You have the same opportunity at an Irish school to do rotations in the US as you do getting rotations in Ireland if you're at an American school. :)

The Irish schools aren't offshore US schools like the Caribbean ones are. You're expected to do one away rotation during the summer before final year and this is an official elective (you get documentation from your school, insurance, etc).

As for the previous summers, it is possible to set up electives but you'll be doing it entirely on your own. It seems each year this is harder and harder to do since North American programs are getting stricter about only taking students entering their final year for clinical electives. You can always set up a research elective or an observership though.

I think for you making your decision, it's really important to understand that the Caribbean schools are highly motivated in seeing you get experience/a job in the US because that's what they're there for and they want to attract more US students. The Irish schools care more about their wallpaper then they do about you getting a job back home. That's not a criticism of them - they're right in their thinking. Their job is to get students ready to work in the Irish system and they will help you as much as possible with that. But don't expect any assistance (even stuff like time off to go home for an interview) in your quest to go back to the US.

Again - this isn't a criticism of the Irish schools because their priority isn't becoming an offshore medical school. I just wanted to point out this difference one more time for anyone applying to both countries. Personally I'd encourage anyone to apply to the Irish schools - just have the proper expectations about what to expect when you come over.

Best of luck with your applications.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Regarding electives... yes, it means summer before your final year...and in some cases, during your final year (without the school's knowledge). If you can secure an elective before then (ie. summer of 3rd year), that'd be good but many places require you to be in final year with step 1 scores nowadays. This means that it is a stressful time crunch and you should be prepared to give up your holidays in your more senior years. I did my 3rd elective after my final exams when the rest of my class were partying in thailand, and then had no break from hospital before I started my intern job. Yeah, it sucks but you gotta do what you have to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
I have read that some Irish medical schools have clinical elective agreements pre-arranged with hospitals/universities in the US (i.e. with UPenn, UKansas, Emory). Has anyone reading this done a rotation in the US through one of these programs? In what year of medical school and in what specialty/area of medicine was it? Do many students obtain clinical elective placements through these programs or are we talking about 1 person every 3 years or so that is able to make use of this after much fighting and insisting!

Thanks, as always, for your insight!
 
I have read that some Irish medical schools have clinical elective agreements pre-arranged with hospitals/universities in the US (i.e. with UPenn, UKansas, Emory). Has anyone reading this done a rotation in the US through one of these programs? In what year of medical school and in what specialty/area of medicine was it? Do many students obtain clinical elective placements through these programs or are we talking about 1 person every 3 years or so that is able to make use of this after much fighting and insisting!

Thanks, as always, for your insight!

It varies slightly with each school, but at UCD there are pre-arranged electives every year at a group of US schools (Emory, Ukansas, Wash U, etc). UCD provides around 2000E in travel/living expenses as well. The electives are competitive and applicants must write an essay describing why they are the best candidate.

Your other option is to arrange them yourself, which is what I did. I ended up doing an elective at Emory that I organized myself.

Hope it helps!

Jocks
 
Trinity has an agreement with Columbia university and it's hospitals but it requires getting your name on the waiting list. Also it may have a connection with johns hopkins, 1 spot. You'd have to double check these because things may have changed from when I went there, also, i never went through trinity's agreement programs to do my electives. Columbia is definitely still there Sind I run into tcd students when I'm working at the Columbia hospitals. A few tcd students have also done rotations at Maimonides .
 
Could someone plz post any link to the Irish schools' clinical electives in the US ?
 
Top