exchange clerkships

[goredsox]

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Forgive me ahead of time for being naive - I'm just about to start my first year in med school...

How do clerkships work if you want to do one at a school other than your medical school? It seems I will not be accepted by Boston University from the waitlist, as I was hoping, and I'm looking to visit Boston on maybe a clerkship or two as something to look forward to. Is it normal to do these exchange clerkships?? What are your thoughts on doing these?

I figure by my third year I'll be ready to get out of Rochester for a little while.

Any thoughts or flaming mockery are welcome...

and Go Red Sox!

 

[surgicane]

goredsox,

Most schools allow their students to spend their elective time at any institution, both in the US and abroad. By nature of what most schools' schedules are like, this mainly happens during your senior year. Some schools will even allow you to do some of your required 4th year rotations at other hospitals (ICU, ER, etc.)

As soon as you start planning your third and fourth year schedules, start doing some research into where you want to go and what you have to do. Most medical schools' websites have information and electives catalogs for visiting students. Also, talk to your upperclassmen as they may give you some good info.

When you decide when/what you want to do, request information and an application from the "away" institution. You will have to get approval from your academic affairs office, and they will take care of providing you with a letter of good academic standing and proof of malpractice insurance coverage. It's mostly a lot of paperwork...the toughest part for me was getting my schedule and "theirs" to line up.

It's way too early to start worrying about away electives at this point.....concentrate on having fun your first two years and kicking ass on the boards. You should have no problem scoring some good away electives later on. There were people in my class who spent only 2 months of our senior year in our hospital.

Good luck!

 

[goredsox]

Thanks surgicane! That's great info!!

Go Red Sox