Is it feasible for someone to spend their entire 4th yr OUTSIDE their base rotation site?

[PuffBlueCat]

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TLDR: Is it feasible to complete all my 4th yr electives (about 44weeks worth) in a geographic region completely different than my base rotation site?

For background, I am about to start my 3rd yr clinical rotations at one of the original 5 DO schools. My school sends us students around the country for years 3 and 4, and I was assigned to a base rotation site in the Western U.S. I will finish up my core 3rd yr rotations next March, then will take Step/Comlex 2, and complete some 4th yr "core" rotations that are required to be completed in-region at my base site. All this should wrap up by the end of June (i.e. the end of our lease), and then I plan to be off for audition rotations.

For 4th year, we students are required to make our own schedules/set up all of our own rotations (about 44wks worth). We are allowed to complete our 4th yr electives outside our "base" region.

I am dead-set on returning to my home state, Wisconsin, for residency. I am like 97% certain I want to specialize in Psychiatry (the other 3% being IM/FM). With all this in mind, what is stopping me from scheduling ALL my electives IN Wisconsin (or in the same region i.e. Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, or Michigan)?

A large part of my motivation for this, is so my wife and I can move back to WI, be closer to our family, AND live in an area with a vastly lower COL compared to where we are located right now. I would be able to use our truck/camper setup to stay in during my electives (or stay with family/friends around WI/IL), and we could save cost on travel (no flights), and not paying double rent for months at a time.

I think this sounds like an adventure - I love to camp and the outdoors (INCLUDING winter camping!), and I love to drive. Overall, if what I have laid out is feasible and won't break the bank, I think I totally am up for it. I am looking for good, honest feedback, and hopefully this thread could be a resource for any students in the future who are curious about this.

Sorry for the wall of text, and thank you in advance for your thoughts.

Cross-posted to MD student forum for greater visibility - mods please delete if inappropriate.

 

[FootballAndSkiing]

I went to a school in the western region, and did most of 4th year at home in a Northeast city. The rest were auditions that were within a days drive of the city. I had to do 38 weeks.

 

[JBM16BYU]

I went to school at TCOM in Fort Worth, TX, however, spent my entire 4th year in the Northeast and West Coast with family. Totally doable as long as you get permission.

 

[PuffBlueCat]

I went to school at TCOM in Fort Worth, TX, however, spent my entire 4th year in the Northeast and West Coast with family. Totally doable as long as you get permission.

I went to a school in the western region, and did most of 4th year at home in a Northeast city. The rest were auditions that were within a days drive of the city. I had to do 38 weeks.

Thank you both for your input! I guess I just wasn’t sure if this scenario was common (or possible). My school allows 4th yr electives to be completed “out of region”, so this sounds like I’ll be good to go, which is exciting.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Most DO schools will cry tears of joy that they have a student willing to pay tuition in exchange for nothing. You’ll be fine. Talk to your program coordinator now because there will be a ton of paperwork that the school, you, and your future preceptors in WI have to do to make this happen.

One thing you should be aware of is that your school likely won’t pay your WI preceptors a dime. So you have to find a years worth of free preceptors unless you’re trying to do all aways at academic centers.

 

[FootballAndSkiing]

It took a lot of work to find rotations. I applied to a ton of places on VSLO. Felt like waste of money, but 15 bucks for a chance to save on travel/airbnb/rent was worth it. I also looked at all the local hospitals, especially the ones that the local DO students rotate at. Only one rotation was with a family friend, the rest I found. A lot of hospitals did not respond to me, just have to figure out who is willing to take you. At the end of the day, I ended up turning down some rotations. One thing to consider which did make it a little more difficult, is the breaks that youll need to take because different hospitals are on different 4 week schedules, it gets worse after thanksgiving. I tried to do interviews during those gaps.