IHS Rotation - New Mexico

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pharmdcoming

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Hello,
I just got a rotation with the IHS in New Mexico. Has anybody here been there before? Any advice on what to expect? bring?
Thanks

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where in nm?
 
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Hey there, I was an IHS pharmacist in Gallup, NM. I'm sorry to say I've never heard of a site at San Fidel, which is weird b/c I've been to most of them. Anyhow, whatever you do- embrace this amazing opportunity! IHS is awesome and you will learn a lot from the pharmacists and the patients. Good luck, and have fun!
 
Hey there, I was an IHS pharmacist in Gallup, NM. I'm sorry to say I've never heard of a site at San Fidel, which is weird b/c I've been to most of them. Anyhow, whatever you do- embrace this amazing opportunity! IHS is awesome and you will learn a lot from the pharmacists and the patients. Good luck, and have fun!

Did a mini-rotation in Chinle AZ, not far from Gallup. It was awesome and I learned a ton.
 
Thanks for your reply...I think the location is in Acoma, New Mexico. I am very excited about the opportunity. What do you suggest I bring with me? I am only going to be there for a month. Thanks

Hey there, I was an IHS pharmacist in Gallup, NM. I'm sorry to say I've never heard of a site at San Fidel, which is weird b/c I've been to most of them. Anyhow, whatever you do- embrace this amazing opportunity! IHS is awesome and you will learn a lot from the pharmacists and the patients. Good luck, and have fun!
 
something to do at night. Make sure you have a Netflix membership or something. It's pretty desolate.

I went to UNM but didn't do any IHS rotations. But I know that Acoma is aways from much of anything.
 
I did a rotation in San Fidel, NM a couple years ago, is Wil Darwin still the preceptor? I enjoyed it, stayed on reservation in the townhouses. It was nice to walk about 20 feet and be at the clinic. We did anticoag/diabetes management and general ambulatory care pharmacy stuff.

I spent most of my time exploring, chaco canyon, white sands, angelfire/taos, abq, carlsbad, santa fe. My roommate and I spent several nights driving into ABQ to the Flying Star for internet and dinner, or Grants for Wal-mart and chinese food. I miss him, he was an awesome roomie.
 
I did a rotation in San Fidel, NM a couple years ago, is Wil Darwin still the preceptor? I enjoyed it, stayed on reservation in the townhouses. It was nice to walk about 20 feet and be at the clinic. We did anticoag/diabetes management and general ambulatory care pharmacy stuff.

I spent most of my time exploring, chaco canyon, white sands, angelfire/taos, abq, carlsbad, santa fe. My roommate and I spent several nights driving into ABQ to the Flying Star for internet and dinner, or Grants for Wal-mart and chinese food. I miss him, he was an awesome roomie.

Would you consider working for IHS?
 
Hello,
I just got a rotation with the IHS in New Mexico. Has anybody here been there before? Any advice on what to expect? bring?
Thanks


I'll be doing a rotation in San Fidel, NM also but I think that'll be sometime in March 2011. I'm really excited and can't wait!!! When will you be doing yours?
 
I'll be going in November, actually one of my classmates will be there in March for her rotations.

I'll be doing a rotation in San Fidel, NM also but I think that'll be sometime in March 2011. I'm really excited and can't wait!!! When will you be doing yours?
 
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I enjoyed my rotation with IHS this previous year.

I absolutely would NOT work for the IHS however...

Come on....you can not say something like that and not give the reasoning...I would love to hear it, seems like all I hear is how wonderful IHS is. I want the down and dirty.:)
 
Where was your IHS rotation?

It was located in Browning, MT

Come on....you can not say something like that and not give the reasoning...I would love to hear it, seems like all I hear is how wonderful IHS is. I want the down and dirty.:)

The IHS does it's very best to recruit professionals to come and serve remote locations and indian tribes. To promote social improvement, the IHS uses what is termed as Indian preference to help local Indians excel. This is a program similar to affirmative action, only more so, such that a job can only be offered to a non-indian if: 1 no indian has applied or; 2 any indian that has applied has been found completely unsuitable for the job. The result is an institution filled with less than stellar staff.

Now, the pharmacists I worked with were great and I learned a lot. The technicians were ridiculous however - Staff outside of the pharmacy that was not commissioned corps was far worse. I wont go into specifics here - pm if your interested...

All in all, it was a great learning experience - but I would advise against making it my career choice (unless you happen to fit the demographic...)
 
I'm bumping this thread.

It's time to think of where we're going to go for rotations, and I've given the IHS New Mexico rotation (at Crown Point) some thought. Everyone says it's a great learning experience, but is it worth all the money you put into it? I would have to drive 2000 miles to get there (though I'd probably go with someone else from my class) and I hear you spend a lot of money there exploring all the nearby places. Of course the exploring is optional, and of course I would want to do it, but someone told me to expect to spend at least $2000 on the whole experience. So is it worth it?

Also, how are the IHS Alaska rotations? And would I also expect to spend a lot of money there?
 
I did my IHS rotations in 1994. Fifteen people listed it as their first choice, and I and one of my friends had our names drawn out of a hat. I did mine in Zuni, 40 miles south of Gallup, and had a great time and met some wonderful people during the 2 months I was there.

All my travel expenses were out of my own pocket, although Zuni did provide housing (they had two mobile homes for students and locums) but it was worth every penny!
 
IHS is an adventure. You learn a lot while you are there and you see outpatient pharmacy practiced in an amazing way. You will be a better pharmacist from the experience. Your ambulatory care experience will vary greatly from site to site. Some sites may have clinics run by pharmacy and others may not and even the ones who have clinics may barely ever have anyone showup.

I personally did an IHS rotation to find out if the Public Health Service would be a good fit. The people are great, they are dedicated to students development, advanced pharmacy practice, and patient care.

If you are at all considering the IHS as a future or a residency, make sure to check them out, so you will not have to wonder "what if". I have not met a single student who regretted an IHS rotation. Alaska, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Arizona: I have heard great things about them all.

I barely spent anything on my IHS rotation: just food when i was outside the hospital and gas money. The housing was free and the adventures were free, just had to split gas with other students. Hiking, site seeing, and fishing are cheap!
I'm bumping this thread.

It's time to think of where we're going to go for rotations, and I've given the IHS New Mexico rotation (at Crown Point) some thought. Everyone says it's a great learning experience, but is it worth all the money you put into it? I would have to drive 2000 miles to get there (though I'd probably go with someone else from my class) and I hear you spend a lot of money there exploring all the nearby places. Of course the exploring is optional, and of course I would want to do it, but someone told me to expect to spend at least $2000 on the whole experience. So is it worth it?

Also, how are the IHS Alaska rotations? And would I also expect to spend a lot of money there?
 
I barely spent anything on my IHS rotation: just food when i was outside the hospital and gas money. The housing was free and the adventures were free, just had to split gas with other students. Hiking, site seeing, and fishing are cheap!

Nice. My friend said he spent $2000 (regardless that the housing is free) and other people on the rotation spent up to $8000, as there wasnt anything in the area and they went to Grand Canyon, Vegas, etc...If I didn't see such an expense with it I'd definitely go.
 
My biggest "expense" came from quitting my job, and since I only had a month before graduation when I returned and the uniforms changed at the restaurant in the meantime, I didn't return to that job and by graduation time did have a couple thousand in credit card bills. Worth every penny, too.
 
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