How Are Des Moines University's Clinical Rotation

[coloradoguy]

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I am going to be a first year at Des Moines University next year and I am interested in how graduates and current 3rd and 4th years feel about the clinicals that Des Moines University set up for them. I have heard a mixed bag of opinions in regards to the Des Moines rotation sites. Below are a few questions I have. If you have opinions in regards to any of them please share.

-Were you able to get the rotation sites you wanted? Which ones did you want?
-How hard is it to get your third year at Ohio, Michigan, or another teaching hospital?
-How did you feel about the structure of the rotations?
-Overall, how did you feel about your clinical rotations experience during your third year and did you feel that they adequately prepared you in comparison to students from other schools during your fourth year audition rotations?

Thanks

 

[hawkeye pierce]

I'm only a second year about to be a third year, but I know most people got one of their top choices for rotations in our class. The people who didn't mostly wanted the Des Moines sites.

 

[coloradoguy]

Thank you Hawk Eye, that was very helpful. Anybody else have some good insight?

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

I've heard there is a big push to add more spots in Iowa. Which is cool, but one reason I'm choosing DMU is the ability/possibility of doing my clinicals back home at St. Vincents in Toledo, OH. Any news on out of state rotations going forward?

 

[Mosonik]

This comment is not DMU specific but you will definitely not want to hang everything on a possible clinical site for a few years from now, especially one in Ohio since Ohio has for the last few years and is continuously begun squeezing out of state DO programs from their sites in Ohio. A friend at AZCOM told me they are losing all of their spots there and I have heard rumors of this happening at other schools that traditionally have been able to rotate in Ohio affiliates through CORE

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

No you're definitely right. I should say it's an added bonus.

 

[BabyDoc86]

This comment is not DMU specific but you will definitely not want to hang everything on a possible clinical site for a few years from now, especially one in Ohio since Ohio has for the last few years and is continuously begun squeezing out of state DO programs from their sites in Ohio. A friend at AZCOM told me they are losing all of their spots there and I have heard rumors of this happening at other schools that traditionally have been able to rotate in Ohio affiliates through CORE

I don't know where you're getting this information, especially since Ohio proudly says they love having other schools in their sites. They've never said anything about being squeezing out schools. Maybe AZCOM voluntarily pulled out, for whatever reason.

 

[Mosonik]

I wasn't intending to knock Ohio and my remarks were not specific to the school in Ohio (OU-HCOM) and I have no idea why AZCOM lost their spots so I won't speculate. What I do know is, Ohio has and will continue to be a popular state for osteopathic student rotations and with two new campuses of HCOM opening in the state, I don't think it's far fetched to say Ohio won't be able to offer the same amount of spots for OOS programs as before (unless they create more).

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

I wasn't intending to knock Ohio and my remarks were not specific to the school in Ohio (OU-HCOM) and I have no idea why AZCOM lost their spots so I won't speculate. What I do know is, Ohio has and will continue to be a popular state for osteopathic student rotations and with two new campuses of HCOM opening in the state, I don't think it's far fetched to say Ohio won't be able to offer the same amount of spots for OOS programs as before (unless they create more).

Well the good thing is I'll be a year ahead of the first new OU students.

 

[Hajime]

First off, congrats on beginning a new journey. I have for the most part enjoyed my time at DMU. I am looking forward to graduating at the end of the month and beginning residency.

- Pretty much for my class (2013) 3rd year was split between those who wanted to stay in "central Iowa" and those who went to Ohio and Michigan. The two other state sites were determined by lottery. I am not sure if that system has changed maybe a current 3rd year has better insight since I have not really been on campus for the past few years. I opted to stay in Iowa for third year since my wife worked at Broadlawns the county hospital and I knew that I would be gone for a good chunk of 4th year.

- If you want a teaching hospital, I would suggest either trying for the year long site at Mercy in Des Moines (have a family medicine tract or gen surgery tract) or go to MI or OH.

- At a teaching hospital you will have the most structure. I spent much of 3rd year at clinics or smaller hospitals. The structure for me, was often up to me. I spent time with the clinician then went home (if close enough) and studied up on what I had seen and for shelf exams.

- From my own experience, much of 3rd year is what you make of it. It is different from being in the classroom. The wards are now your classroom. If possible, I would suggest doing time at teaching hospitals and private clinics/ hospitals. I found it helpful to learn the structure of how a hospital functions from residents, but for procedures it is nice not to be under residents so you can get as much hands on experience as possible.

Hope this is helpful. If you have any more questions about DMU I am happy to help as best I can. On a separate note, I cannot believe it snowed today in Des Moines. I previously lived in MN, but I must say Iowa has some of the strangest weather patterns I have ever lived in.

-

 

[hawkeye pierce]

DMU has made a few changes for the lottery. All sites are chosen by lottery, but you can also write a letter to a site and they can select up to half their spots from the letters.