Is getting declined from a clinical affiliation normal?

[snake777]

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Just wondering since some of my classmates have been declined from the sites they had picked. It just seems weird that a school would have all these affiliations listed and then when time comes to choose you get declined d/t site is not currently accepting students/other reasons.

 

[DesertPT]

Yes, this is relatively common. Just because the school has a contract with a site doesn't mean they will always be in a position to take a student when the request is sent. Sometimes they just don't have anyone willing to be a CI available at the moment. It is indeed an unfortunate part of the way the clin ed system in PT is structured.

 

[callmecrazy]

Not unusual at all. Sites are often fielding student placement requests from many programs, including PTA programs. They can only accommodate so many at any given time, and personally, I prefer to not have a student under me all-the-time. My facility also plans far ahead. So we're already making arrangements with programs now for all students we'll be taking through at least Spring 2017, and possibly as far ahead as Fall 2017. That makes taking additional requests difficult or impossible if they come in later.

 

[starrsgirl]

Common at my school as well. Although my school secures the slot first, then have students pick (versus listing all sites where we have clinical afflictions in place). But even then, stuff comes up later after students pick that may require site changes.

 

[snake777]

Not unusual at all. Sites are often fielding student placement requests from many programs, including PTA programs. They can only accommodate so many at any given time, and personally, I prefer to not have a student under me all-the-time. My facility also plans far ahead. So we're already making arrangements with programs now for all students we'll be taking through at least Spring 2017, and possibly as far ahead as Fall 2017. That makes taking additional requests difficult or impossible if they come in later.

I like that it's planned far ahead though and I understand the limited spots. AFAIK the listings we were given seemed to be affiliations that you could potentially go to, but whether there were actually spots to begin with was a complete mystery (ex: classmate signed up for a spot only to get rejected later on with a "site is not taking students" e-mail from the DCE). I like starrsgirl's school's method in that the spot is secured; if something happens in between, then yeah sure I'd understand. But as I'm looking at my third year sites, it's just annoying to know that there are sites listed that aren't even taking students...

 

[callmecrazy]

I like that it's planned far ahead though and I understand the limited spots. AFAIK the listings we were given seemed to be affiliations that you could potentially go to, but whether there were actually spots to begin with was a complete mystery (ex: classmate signed up for a spot only to get rejected later on with a "site is not taking students" e-mail from the DCE). I like starrsgirl's school's method in that the spot is secured; if something happens in between, then yeah sure I'd understand. But as I'm looking at my third year sites, it's just annoying to know that there are sites listed that aren't even taking students...

I think things just "come up" more often than anyone realizes. I had to cancel on a student with only 2 weeks notice when I made a sudden job change. (I did feel terribly guilty!) Another clinic where I did PRN had a full staff turnover in a matter of months, leaving a clinic full of new grads that couldn't take any students at all for awhile. Maternity leaves, medical leaves, staff turnover are all constantly occurring. It's the downside to planning far ahead. What was "secured" one day is gone the next; it's unavoidable. I'm sure it doesn't make it any less frustrating though!