Doing clerkships away from your medical school...how does this work?

[funshine]

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So from what I understand, almost all medical schools give you the option to do some of your clerkships at another location that is unaffiliated to your medical school. So for instance, if you attend Vanderbilt but really really want a radiology residency at UCSF, then it'd be wise to do a radiology clerkship at UCSF. Right? Can you do any of your other clerkships at another institution? Does it work so that there a minimum # of hours you must fulfill at your home institution and after that, you're free to apply and go elsewhere? Are only 4th years allowed to do their clinical rotations elsewhere, or do 3rd years get ot do this too? Is it different for each institution? How do I tactfully ask about this during interviews without making it seem like I'm going to leave their med school as soon as I can?

Hopefully you guys can shed some light on this.

Oh, and clinical rotations = clerkships, right?

 

[njbmd]

So from what I understand, almost all medical schools give you the option to do some of your clerkships at another location that is unaffiliated to your medical school. So for instance, if you attend Vanderbilt but really really want a radiology residency at UCSF, then it'd be wise to do a radiology clerkship at UCSF. Right? Can you do any of your other clerkships at another institution? Does it work so that there a minimum # of hours you must fulfill at your home institution and after that, you're free to apply and go elsewhere? Are only 4th years allowed to do their clinical rotations elsewhere, or do 3rd years get ot do this too? Is it different for each institution? How do I tactfully ask about this during interviews without making it seem like I'm going to leave their med school as soon as I can?

Hopefully you guys can shed some light on this.

Oh, and clinical rotations = clerkships, right?

Hi there,
Fourth year medical students can go elective rotations at institutions that are not clinical affiliates of their medical schools. If you elect to to this, be aware that many places have deadlines for applications for visiting medical students (Mayo Clinic for example) so you need to get information and get your application in on time.

You DO not have to do an elective rotation in order to match at a particular place. In some cases, this can backfire if you do not do well or if something unfortunate happens during your rotation. If you believe you are something of a long-shot for a particular residency program, then you can potentially enhance your application by doing an outstanding job in an elective but again, this can be a double-edged sword too.

Third-year students do not rotate at other institutions that are not clinical affiliates. By being clinicallly affiliated with your medical school, your third-year rotation slot is providing an education for you. By fourth year, you should not have more than one or two required rotations and thus you are free to do electives anywhere that will accept you.

njbmd 🙂

 

[dynx]

Third-year students do not rotate at other institutions that are not clinical affiliates. By being clinicallly affiliated with your medical school, your third-year rotation slot is providing an education for you. By fourth year, you should not have more than one or two required rotations and thus you are free to do electives anywhere that will accept you.

njbmd 🙂

I agree with the rest of your post but this last paragraph is not technically true. At most places (at least that ive heard of) 3rd years can do an away rotation if they defer a required rotation till fourth year. This is ussually only recommended to those doing an early match specialty who want a letter early.

 

[DoctorWannaBe]

What's involved in applying for rotations at other schools? Do you have to write essays, get LOR's, etc.?

 

[emack]

So for instance, if you attend Vanderbilt but really really want a radiology residency at UCSF, then it'd be wise to do a radiology clerkship at UCSF. (...) How do I tactfully ask about this during interviews without making it seem like I'm going to leave their med school as soon as I can? (...) Oh, and clinical rotations = clerkships, right?

Isn't it a bit early to be deciding not only what you want to specialize in, but where you think you should do it? Don't go through med school with blinkers on... you might come across some amazing opportunities you never would've thought of.

 

[funshine]

hey njbmd and others, thanks for answering my questions. Emack, I didn't mean to suggest I definitely had my heart set on UCSF. In fact, I don't. I just wanted to give a concrete example. Thanks all.

Hi there,
Fourth year medical students can go elective rotations at institutions that are not clinical affiliates of their medical schools. If you elect to to this, be aware that many places have deadlines for applications for visiting medical students (Mayo Clinic for example) so you need to get information and get your application in on time.

You DO not have to do an elective rotation in order to match at a particular place. In some cases, this can backfire if you do not do well or if something unfortunate happens during your rotation. If you believe you are something of a long-shot for a particular residency program, then you can potentially enhance your application by doing an outstanding job in an elective but again, this can be a double-edged sword too.

Third-year students do not rotate at other institutions that are not clinical affiliates. By being clinicallly affiliated with your medical school, your third-year rotation slot is providing an education for you. By fourth year, you should not have more than one or two required rotations and thus you are free to do electives anywhere that will accept you.

njbmd 🙂

 

[sportsman]

i have a similar question...if you know you want to do your residency in a particular spot and want to do a rotation there to help your app, when should you do the rotation? summer after 3rd?

 

[ocean11]

question: do you have to pay extra to rotatate away? what about foreign countries like Canada?

 

[rainymonday]

Here is a link that would be useful for anyone who are planning their aways:

http://services.aamc.org/eec/student.cfm

For most part your school has "rules" for away rotation. Mine only allowed 12 weeks out of state. Just beware that some places has different scheduling sequence. As a rule there is application fees and some schools have strict physical/immunization record requirements.

Also don't forget there are some international aways available. Some of my classmates did India and Peru (to name a few) and Hawaii is popular for their Path and Rad rotation (usually in Spring time).

I planned out my aways in mid-late May and completed 2 so far and will be starting my final one next week. I choose my first two because I wanted letters/interest and 3rd just to go live in NYC for one month.

hope this helps.

 

[Surgeongirl]

I agree with the rest of your post but this last paragraph is not technically true. At most places (at least that ive heard of) 3rd years can do an away rotation if they defer a required rotation till fourth year. This is ussually only recommended to those doing an early match specialty who want a letter early.

yeah I second that. Im about to start UIC and they allow 3rd years (according to their webpage) to do away rotations. Drexel does this too. Im hoping its true cause I would like to do rotations at pitt where my SO will be.

 

[_ Aquarius _]

yeah I second that. Im about to start UIC and they allow 3rd years (according to their webpage) to do away rotations. Drexel does this too. Im hoping its true cause I would like to do rotations at pitt where my SO will be.

Hey, Christina Yang... hey. 😵

 

[Surgeongirl]

Hey, Christina Yang... hey. 😵

lol heeeyyy to you

 

[MSTP18]

jesus christ, this thread is old enough to have started puberty