Rotations at LECOM

[pineapple]

Hi,

I've been accepted to both LECOMs and will attend in PA if I don't get into UMDNJ (it's my home state).

My only worry about LECOM is all the moving during the rotations. How much is involved? By that I mean, how long are you in one place at a time? Is getting housing hard when you move?

Also, I got accepted to the ISP program which sounds pretty cool. I'm thinking of getting a puppy, and am trying to see if it would be doable during LECOM rotations. Training it in ISP sounds like it wouldn't be too bad.

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[sddoc]

Most people don't do much moving around during rotations. My friends either chose to do all of their rotations in Erie or to do all of their rotations in Pittsburgh. Due to some special circumstances, I was able to complete all of my rotations in Indianapolis. The only exception for most people is the rural month, but even that one can be completed with a minor commute in most cases. There are people who choose to be "floaters". They move around each month, but as I said this was entirely their choice.

Good luck!

 

[pineapple]

Most people don't do much moving around during rotations. My friends either chose to do all of their rotations in Erie or to do all of their rotations in Pittsburgh. Due to some special circumstances, I was able to complete all of my rotations in Indianapolis. The only exception for most people is the rural month, but even that one can be completed with a minor commute in most cases. There are people who choose to be "floaters". They move around each month, but as I said this was entirely their choice.

Good luck!

How much choice do you have in where you do the rotations? At my interview they said that there weren't too many spots in Erie.

As long as I can stay in once place that isn't really urban it's fine with me. Suburb or rural.

My parents said they would buy me a dog as a graduation present, between ISP for years 1 and 2 I think that would work out fine. For the rotations though I'm not sure, but as long as I don't have to look for new housing all the time I think it would be ok.

 

[sddoc]

You are in a group with 13 people, all of whom are doing the same rotation that you are doing (ie: IM, FP, surgery). At the end of second year, all 13 people get together and select which rotation spots they want. This process went relatively well for my group, but some other groups really went toe to toe over rotation locations.

I had 2 dogs and a husband in PBL... they all lived!

 

[pineapple]

You are in a group with 13 people, all of whom are doing the same rotation that you are doing (ie: IM, FP, surgery). At the end of second year, all 13 people get together and select which rotation spots they want. This process went relatively well for my group, but some other groups really went toe to toe over rotation locations.

I had 2 dogs and a husband in PBL... they all lived!

Haha I'm really glad they lived! Might be a bad way to start a medical career otherwise!

So all 13 people go to the same place? Or all 13 do IM, FP, etc at the same time but in different locations?

Sounds like it would be hard to get 13 people to agree on the same place. If all 13 go to the same place, does the school assign groups based on who wants to go where, or what order they want to do their rotations on?

Anyone do their stuff in the Philly area?

 

[sddoc]

Sorry, all 13 people do the same rotation at different places. I haven't had a lot of sleep lately, so I was probably really unclear!

 

[FieldDoc]

I know a lot of people have pets like cats and dogs (ok, and hampsters and stuff too). The one big warning that I would give you is that the nice townhome type apartments near the school won't allow pets. If you have a pet it significantly limits your housing options, this was why I didn't get a pet. My garage and short commute was more important to me, but to each his own. There's an SPCA right down the street from LECOM where you can go and play with puppies if you feel lonely

 

[Wolverines83]

Hi,

I've been accepted to both LECOMs and will attend in PA if I don't get into UMDNJ (it's my home state).

My only worry about LECOM is all the moving during the rotations. How much is involved? By that I mean, how long are you in one place at a time? Is getting housing hard when you move?

Also, I got accepted to the ISP program which sounds pretty cool. I'm thinking of getting a puppy, and am trying to see if it would be doable during LECOM rotations. Training it in ISP sounds like it wouldn't be too bad.

Super bump....

Any updates on the process? Significant changes? etc etc

 

[DocEspana]

Just want to point out, on a very serious note, anyone who intends to not move around (frequently) in medical school is either 1) completely naive or 2) consciously choosing to not maximize their potential success in exchange for having one mailing address.

Unless you have a ring on your finger or a directly family member that is completely dependent on you, you should be expecting to make serious geographic moves at least 3 times in medical school IMHO, likely closer to 5, for some people its way way way over 5. I realize some people desire to be in a location. Thats good, but that desire almost always comes at the expense of limiting your future opportunties

 

[scotchtapetest]

Just want to point out, on a very serious note, anyone who intends to not move around (frequently) in medical school is either 1) completely naive or 2) consciously choosing to not maximize their potential success in exchange for having one mailing address.

Unless you have a ring on your finger or a directly family member that is completely dependent on you, you should be expecting to make serious geographic moves at least 3 times in medical school IMHO, likely closer to 5, for some people its way way way over 5. I realize some people desire to be in a location. Thats good, but that desire almost always comes at the expense of limiting your future opportunties

Not necessarily true! I know many people who didn't move at all or only moved once their entire medical school with no dependents/SO and they turned out fairly successful. Also know many who moved around.

Most people who move around either do it as a chance to get to see different places or they are applying to some competitive residency especially the AOA-type.

So, this is actually very important for pre-meds who don't want to move around to ask these questions during their interview to see if they would have the opportunity to stay at one place if that's what they want.

Also, don't you go to Touro? Half of the country's hospitals are in NYC [exaggerating here]. Why would you move during medical school?

 

[Wolverines83]

Just want to point out, on a very serious note, anyone who intends to not move around (frequently) in medical school is either 1) completely naive or 2) consciously choosing to not maximize their potential success in exchange for having one mailing address.

Unless you have a ring on your finger or a directly family member that is completely dependent on you, you should be expecting to make serious geographic moves at least 3 times in medical school IMHO, likely closer to 5, for some people its way way way over 5. I realize some people desire to be in a location. Thats good, but that desire almost always comes at the expense of limiting your future opportunties

I see where you're coming from. I, as a lowly first year, have no factual basis upon which to agree or disagree. However, I think it's just another example of prioritizing. For me, moving my wife around 5+ times is not worth the toll it would take on us and her. Do I give something up in my education? Perhaps...but I'd rather that than ignore my marriage. But that's a valid concern.

 

[DocEspana]

Not necessarily true! I know many people who didn't move at all or only moved once their entire medical school with no dependents/SO and they turned out fairly successful. Also know many who moved around.

Most people who move around either do it as a chance to get to see different places or they are applying to some competitive residency especially the AOA-type.

So, this is actually very important for pre-meds who don't want to move around to ask these questions during their interview to see if they would have the opportunity to stay at one place if that's what they want.

Also, don't you go to Touro? Half of the country's hospitals are in NYC [exaggerating here]. Why would you move during medical school?

I can't think of any area that would give you everything you would need as a DO student. At some level (number or variety of AOA residencies, ability to match into ACGME residencies) there is a deep deep flaw in the area from a DO student point of view. So yea I go to Touro, but anyone with too much ambition in NY can tell you that NYC (and surrounding areas) have very very few "competitive" AOA spots and close to no chance of getting a competitive ACGME spot. Though we swim in a sea of still pretty damn impressive AOA and ACGME spots in "not-overly-competitive" fields. I can't think of any area (except for MAYBE Michigan) where there is a good amount of opportunity for any field without a major relocation given you have the qualifications.

Sometimes its small. Using my school as an example: you live in manhattan, then Long Island or Jersey for 3rd year. Then you move back to manhattan (and almost certainly at least 1 more move at some point) for 4th year rotations. Thats the bare minimum for someone who is willing to move at all. 4 moves, 3 if you already lived in manhattan to begin with.

But honestly, the AOA spots are too spread out across the country and yet simultaneously also too concentrated in major cities for many people to just stay in one area unless they are considering FP/IM/Peds (no offense to those) *and* decide they are content with the training available right around them. I personally feel that anyone who says they are content with the training available nearby them is selling themself majorly short. Perhaps I'm wrong. And that applies all the way down to FP/IM/Peds. And ACGME spots can honestly fill in the gaps, but if you start thinking about higher echelon places you start having to move around a lot to engage in either the strategy of going where you can match, or going to the best places out there and using the LORs to parlay into a great chance at places you could actually match.

IDK. I guess all the rhetoric boils down to this. My direct family (myself included) have gone through 3 medical schools in NYC and one in Touro-CA. I was told by the three older than me that moving around 5-6 times is not unusual and pretty much everyone does it. I thought with all of my heart that I'd find a way to tap into NYC's supply of medicine opportunities (which, i think everyone admits, is massive), and yet I'm looking at *at least* 6 moves in my 4 years of medical school. And thats just how many times I will definitely have to move to get to February (when I'll be done with all of my required rotations and can do whatever i want til graduation). I'm applying my experience to everyone, sure, but it's hard to argue that there are places with more opportunities than NY. We do train over 1/7th of all the residents in America and have two different DO schools.

 

[DocEspana]

I see where you're coming from. I, as a lowly first year, have no factual basis upon which to agree or disagree. However, I think it's just another example of prioritizing. For me, moving my wife around 5+ times is not worth the toll it would take on us and her. Do I give something up in my education? Perhaps...but I'd rather that than ignore my marriage. But that's a valid concern.

Oh completely. I don't mean to say that not moving gives up *a ton* but it is about prioritizing. There will be some opportunities missed or only half embraced. But there is more to life than getting the best rotations and chasing every option aggressively. The education will be there if you have other obligation that necessitate as few moves as possible.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

So Doc, it's okay since I'm married for me to not move around I want to do my residency in Denver because it makes sense, husband works here, why move? I do want to do a rotation back home in MN so I can see my family, and if I could do one anywhere else maybe I would....

 

[st2205]

I think this necessity in moving is being way overplayed. At KCOM we rotate through all of Ohio and Michigan, so perhaps there's a bias in being able to be exposed to any AOA spots, so obviously Touro runs things much differently. Also, where you do rotations and the effect that has on residency is also greatly exaggerated on SDN. If you only want to move once in school, most schools will work that way. I'd be skeptical of any school that has you moving more than once. At KCOM, a handful of people stay there for all 4 years, for better or worse. We opted to go to a location probably 400 miles from the nearest AOA residency. Of the current fourth years I know out here, one matched to ophthalmology, one took a prematch for radiology at KU, two others want allopathic peds and got all the interviews they wanted, another is going for allopathic orthopedics and had some pretty impressive interviews (UCSF, Mayo, etc.), another failed to match ortho and scrambled, and two others going for OB.

if you want to get known at programs you spend a few months on auditions. Theres no need to move more than once in medical school and I'd venture to guess that the stress and distraction would actually be a larger detriment to your education than it could possibly help.

 

[Shadeblueracer]

Pineapple,

In the class of 2014, we were offered Harrisburg, PA and York, PA 13's. I believe they were the closest sites we could get to New Jersey without moving all over the place.

 

[scotchtapetest]

I think this necessity in moving is being way overplayed. At KCOM we rotate through all of Ohio and Michigan, so perhaps there's a bias in being able to be exposed to any AOA spots, so obviously Touro runs things much differently. Also, where you do rotations and the effect that has on residency is also greatly exaggerated on SDN. If you only want to move once in school, most schools will work that way. I'd be skeptical of any school that has you moving more than once. At KCOM, a handful of people stay there for all 4 years, for better or worse. We opted to go to a location probably 400 miles from the nearest AOA residency. Of the current fourth years I know out here, one matched to ophthalmology, one took a prematch for radiology at KU, two others want allopathic peds and got all the interviews they wanted, another is going for allopathic orthopedics and had some pretty impressive interviews (UCSF, Mayo, etc.), another failed to match ortho and scrambled, and two others going for OB.

if you want to get known at programs you spend a few months on auditions. Theres no need to move more than once in medical school and I'd venture to guess that the stress and distraction would actually be a larger detriment to your education than it could possibly help.

Completely agree with above post and I can't emphasize the bolded parts enough. Having attended a DO school I know how much pressure there is about "audition rotations" and I can tell you that their value is completely overblown at DO schools and on SDN. Also the underlined part of last paragraph in the above post is EXTREMELY important which is usually forgotten by people.

I can't think of any area that would give you everything you would need as a DO student. At some level (number or variety of AOA residencies, ability to match into ACGME residencies) there is a deep deep flaw in the area from a DO student point of view. So yea I go to Touro, but anyone with too much ambition in NY can tell you that NYC (and surrounding areas) have very very few "competitive" AOA spots and close to no chance of getting a competitive ACGME spot. Though we swim in a sea of still pretty damn impressive AOA and ACGME spots in "not-overly-competitive" fields. I can't think of any area (except for MAYBE Michigan) where there is a good amount of opportunity for any field without a major relocation given you have the qualifications.

Sometimes its small. Using my school as an example: you live in manhattan, then Long Island or Jersey for 3rd year. Then you move back to manhattan (and almost certainly at least 1 more move at some point) for 4th year rotations. Thats the bare minimum for someone who is willing to move at all. 4 moves, 3 if you already lived in manhattan to begin with.

But honestly, the AOA spots are too spread out across the country and yet simultaneously also too concentrated in major cities for many people to just stay in one area unless they are considering FP/IM/Peds (no offense to those) *and* decide they are content with the training available right around them. I personally feel that anyone who says they are content with the training available nearby them is selling themself majorly short. Perhaps I'm wrong. And that applies all the way down to FP/IM/Peds. And ACGME spots can honestly fill in the gaps, but if you start thinking about higher echelon places you start having to move around a lot to engage in either the strategy of going where you can match, or going to the best places out there and using the LORs to parlay into a great chance at places you could actually match.

IDK. I guess all the rhetoric boils down to this. My direct family (myself included) have gone through 3 medical schools in NYC and one in Touro-CA. I was told by the three older than me that moving around 5-6 times is not unusual and pretty much everyone does it. I thought with all of my heart that I'd find a way to tap into NYC's supply of medicine opportunities (which, i think everyone admits, is massive), and yet I'm looking at *at least* 6 moves in my 4 years of medical school. And thats just how many times I will definitely have to move to get to February (when I'll be done with all of my required rotations and can do whatever i want til graduation). I'm applying my experience to everyone, sure, but it's hard to argue that there are places with more opportunities than NY. We do train over 1/7th of all the residents in America and have two different DO schools.

You are assuming that people can only match at places they rotate at which is not true especially for ACGME residencies. Most ACGME residencies don't require an away rotation as a precondition for you matching there (and if they do, they are probably not going to take you anyways). If you want to move around do it by all means (and many others do as well). But like anything else this is not a one size fit all situation. Not moving will NOT make you any less competitive than your colleagues in most situations (exception: You want to do some completive AOA residency).

As I've said before there are only four situations that require you to move around during fourth year:
1) You are set on some really competitive/semi-competitive AOA residency.
2) You want to learn about your programs of interest.
3) You have some red flags (failed classes/boards/clerkships/etc.)
4) You live in the middle of nowhere where there is less than 1-2 hospitals within driving distance.

 

[scotchtapetest]

Pineapple,

In the class of 2014, we were offered Harrisburg, PA and York, PA 13's. I believe they were the closest sites we could get to New Jersey without moving all over the place.

You do realize that this thread is from 2006 and Pineapple hopefully finished medical school by this time.. right!

But good info. for current pre-meds!

 

[Shadeblueracer]

Haha, that one went completely over my head. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[equilibrio]

Can anyone explain how the rotation selection process works? Is there a finite list from which students pick their sites? How easy/difficult is it to get the ones they want? I heard that since LECOM doesn't pay the hospitals, sometimes the rottions are dropped last minute and makes it a bad day for the students. How often does that happen?

 

[DuxburyPembroke]

Can anyone explain how the rotation selection process works? Is there a finite list from which students pick their sites? How easy/difficult is it to get the ones they want? I heard that since LECOM doesn't pay the hospitals, sometimes the rottions are dropped last minute and makes it a bad day for the students. How often does that happen?

There is a finite list from which students choose their rotations. Depending on your area, there may or may not be a lot of competition for the better hospitals. The Pittsburgh people in my year got very little in the way of desired rotations, but the upstate NY people were unhindered; eastern OH was variable by group, but eastern PA lost a lot of sites between years. There is a lottery for some of the students (10% maybe?) to be able to do all of their rotations within one hospital (which is obviously the best thing, especially if you can get in on a university hospital, and it sure makes finding electives and doing research vastly easier). The other students do have to fill some rotations (~3 in MS3 and 2 in MS4) at mandatory spots (i.e. spots that are not allowed to go unfilled, like everything at LECOM's hospital in Erie as well as some other community hospitals which wanted a constant student presence in return for providing housing and education coordination).

Sites do get dropped; it's hard to say how often or for what reason. Some people have had three rotations dropped, some none, just bad luck, really. As for why, I think it's different every time. Sometimes attendings at the community hospitals just stop wanting to deal with students, sometimes sites are having trouble financially, and sometimes they make arrangements with other schools. The community hospitals are largely taking students at a loss as a means of recruitment to the area, I think. I don't know if those places would really get paid by other schools. I don't know why they let us in at the larger hospitals, honestly, except that they are contributing to the profession and it makes the interns feel better to have someone in the mix who is more clueless than they are! Hope that helps.

 

[JRjcu08]

Can anyone explain how the rotation selection process works? Is there a finite list from which students pick their sites? How easy/difficult is it to get the ones they want? I heard that since LECOM doesn't pay the hospitals, sometimes the rottions are dropped last minute and makes it a bad day for the students. How often does that happen?

In August/ September you rank the schedule and location you want and turn this into your class president, who will work with everyone's preferences and break you up into a group based on sequence. Within the group there will be people of all location assignments but who all have the same rotation sequence. In October you will meet with your group and discuss/fight about who gets to go where, and who will occupy the mandatory spots that must be filled by students in each time slot.

For core rotations (IM, Surg, ObGyn, Peds, Psych) they must be at a LECOM affiliate, you will be given a list of the offerings to chose from. Again there are mandatories in each category that must be filled each month. 3rd year you have a core selective that has to be in one of the 5 above topics but can be anywhere you want. 4th year you have rural/underserved medicine, ambulatory and ER that are core rotations that have to be at affiliates, and you also have several selectives (medical, surgical, primary care) - these all also have to be at affiliates. Your electives can be done anywhere you want.

I wouldn't say it is necessarily difficult to get what you want unless you are in an area with a lot of people (ie, Pittsburgh). You will have to work with the people in your group and location to compromise on who goes where. Also there are groups called "13s" where you can do ALL of your rotations in the same place. These are in Cleveland (very hard to get into), Scranton, York Pa, Buffalo..and some others- I'm not sure of all the locations.

Personally I've already had 2 rotations dropped for 3rd year and rotations haven't even started yet. I know of several people who are going through the same thing. I've heard horror stories of people getting their rotation dropped the week before it was supposed to start, and then getting threatened by LECOM that they will fail it if they can't find a replacement on their own. Most of the time if your core rotation is dropped and you have to pick a new one, you must pick from whatever affiliate spots are still left over- which often means you get what nobody else wanted.

 

[ChiDO]

I did all my rotations at one main hospital of my choosing. I got 1st choice hospital and rotation schedule (group). I had to go back to Erie for 1 rotation only (mandatory one in my group - we drew names out of a hat), then only moved for audition rotations, however, all of the places provided housing (except Chicago Olympia Fields).

None of my rotations were ever dropped, no conflicts, ect.

 

[equilibrio]

Thank you all so much for your reply!
I'm interested in surgery. I heard that in order to go into surgery, one needs to do surgical research and have publication(s). Is this true for every school? How does LECOM prepare its students for surgery residencies compared to, say, PCOM?

 

[st2205]

Thank you all so much for your reply!
I'm interested in surgery. I heard that in order to go into surgery, one needs to do surgical research and have publication(s). Is this true for every school? How does LECOM prepare its students for surgery residencies compared to, say, PCOM?

1. No.
2. No.
3. Both (and any) will train you as a physician. Your residency will train you as a surgeon.

 

[equilibrio]

1. No.
2. No.
3. Both (and any) will train you as a physician. Your residency will train you as a surgeon.

I see. I'm not familiar with the residency matching process. I know it depends on how well one does on the board exam. What else play a role in matching into a specialty i.e. surgery?

 

[bleeker10]

I see. I'm not familiar with the residency matching process. I know it depends on how well one does on the board exam. What else play a role in matching into a specialty i.e. surgery?

Board scores, clinical clerkship grades, audition rotations (especially important in the osteo world).

 

[ChiDO]

Board scores, clinical clerkship grades, audition rotations (especially important in the osteo world).

+grades for all 3 years
+class rank
+activities/volunteering
+LORs

basically your ERAS application for residency has everything on it just like your AMCAS for med school. But as bleeker said, AUDITION ROTATIONS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>everything else (especially competitive specialties in the DO world.)

 

[WDeagle]

Thank you all so much for your reply!
I'm interested in surgery. I heard that in order to go into surgery, one needs to do surgical research and have publication(s). Is this true for every school? How does LECOM prepare its students for surgery residencies compared to, say, PCOM?

I didnt go to PCOM but I am very impressed by the hospitals they rotate through in Philly. Awesome school. I wouldn't turn down an acceptance there if I had one.

 

[equilibrio]

+grades for all 3 years
+class rank
+activities/volunteering
+LORs

basically your ERAS application for residency has everything on it just like your AMCAS for med school. But as bleeker said, AUDITION ROTATIONS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>everything else (especially competitive specialties in the DO world.)

Board scores, clinical clerkship grades, audition rotations (especially important in the osteo world).

Thanks a lot guys. Just trying to think ahead and consider things that may help me decide where to go and that might benefit me in the long run.

 

[bleeker10]

The school will give you the opportunity, but it's up to you to do well. If you look at the list we provided, every single factor is based on your effort and how you perform. You may have better connections at school X or be in a better city with school Y, but if you work hard all 3.5 years (not counting the time after rank lists are submitted) than the sky is the limit (as far as DO matching goes). If you want allo, then that's a different story with its own set of obstacles and challenges.

 

[equilibrio]

The school will give you the opportunity, but it's up to you to do well. If you look at the list we provided, every single factor is based on your effort and how you perform. You may have better connections at school X or be in a better city with school Y, but if you work hard all 3.5 years (not counting the time after rank lists are submitted) than the sky is the limit (as far as DO matching goes). If you want allo, then that's a different story with its own set of obstacles and challenges.

I hope I'm not wasting your time here, but if any of you don't mind, can you give me the brief overview of the differences between applying to osteopathic and allopathic residencies? I know the two board exams are very different, so I'd probably have to spend 2x the time than people who are only taking the COMPLEX. Why do DO students apply to allopathic residencies? To increase their chances of getting into their preferred specialties?

 

[equilibrio]

I didnt go to PCOM but I am very impressed by the hospitals they rotate through in Philly. Awesome school. I wouldn't turn down an acceptance there if I had one.

I like PCOM too. I'm in the biomed program there now and I've only heard good things about the school from the DO students. What's your reason for choosing PCOM over LECOM?

 

[MilitaryMed]

I like PCOM too. I'm in the biomed program there now and I've only heard good things about the school from the DO students. What's your reason for choosing PCOM over LECOM?

I think almost every med student (DO and MD) would say PCOM is better than LECOM

 

[scotchtapetest]

I hope I'm not wasting your time here, but if any of you don't mind, can you give me the brief overview of the differences between applying to osteopathic and allopathic residencies? I know the two board exams are very different, so I'd probably have to spend 2x the time than people who are only taking the COMPLEX. Why do DO students apply to allopathic residencies? To increase their chances of getting into their preferred specialties?

1) It is COMLEX; There is no "P"; Sooner you learn this, the better!

2) You don't have to take USMLE to get into allopathic residencies. However, if you are shooting for highly competitive specialty, then it is highly recommended. If you do decide to take USMLE, you don't have to spend twice the time, as the content is very similar. The mechanism of action of Furosemide is the same for COMLEX and USMLE. However, you do have to pay an extra $500 and waste an extra day....

3) DO students apply to allopathic residencies because SOME are better than AOA ones and some students are interested in large academic places.

 

[DuxburyPembroke]

Why do DO students apply to allopathic residencies?

There are many reasons why DO students choose to apply to allopathic only, osteopathic only, or both (as well as why they choose whether to take the USMLE) - better to read through those threads, which abound.

 

[equilibrio]

1) It is COMLEX; There is no "P"; Sooner you learn this, the better!

2) You don't have to take USMLE to get into allopathic residencies. However, if you are shooting for highly competitive specialty, then it is highly recommended. If you do decide to take USMLE, you don't have to spend twice the time, as the content is very similar. The mechanism of action of Furosemide is the same for COMLEX and USMLE. However, you do have to pay an extra $500 and waste an extra day....

3) DO students apply to allopathic residencies because SOME are better than AOA ones and some students are interested in large academic places.

Haha thank you. That was a typo.

 

[equilibrio]

There are many reasons why DO students choose to apply to allopathic only, osteopathic only, or both (as well as why they choose whether to take the USMLE) - better to read through those threads, which abound.

OK, thanks

 

[timmaycakes]

I was accepted at LECOM-Erie and have a few questions about their rotations. Hopefully current students can help me out . I'm trying to learn as much about the program as possible before committing to it. Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I couldn't find many recent discussions for my questions.

1) I've heard that your choice of rotations is limited if you have less than a certain GPA. Is this true?

2) For current students, how do you feel about the quality and availability of rotations? For class of 2017 and beyond, do you see availability and quality of rotations increasing or decreasing in LECOM?

3) Anything you would think a potential c/o 2017 student to know about LECOM?

 

[Slane]

I was accepted at LECOM-Erie and have a few questions about their rotations. Hopefully current students can help me out . I'm trying to learn as much about the program as possible before committing to it. Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I couldn't find many recent discussions for my questions.

1) I've heard that your choice of rotations is limited if you have less than a certain GPA. Is this true?

2) For current students, how do you feel about the quality and availability of rotations? For class of 2017 and beyond, do you see availability and quality of rotations increasing or decreasing in LECOM?

3) Anything you would think a potential c/o 2017 student to know about LECOM?

1.) You may get put in a certain group that has an elective/vacation first month. This allows them to put you in their board review program, you get to choose whether that first month is your vacation (no grade) or elective (grade based on how well you do on the boards.) Location is not limited though. Although, if you end up getting off schedule for failing shelfs or boards something like that, expect to be stuck at Millcreek Community Hospital in Erie when you're making them up.
2.) Quality varies pretty dramatically depending on the region and specific hospital. It'd be impossible to comment on them all, but pretty much all of the regions have a mix of both. Not one region is going to have excellent rotations in every field (and even if they did, you'd never be able to work it out in your group that you got every single one of those.) Plus, there are "mandatory" rotations that have to be filled before anything else is picked. Those are usually less desirable, so pretty much everybody gets screwed a little bit somewhere. Availability should increase if recent trends are an indicator, my class had more 13 options than any previous, and LECOM seems to be adding new affiliates every year. Whether they're quality additions or not, who knows.
3.) Understand well in advance that the policies/rules LECOM puts in place are pretty much set in stone. The administration is absolute and bends for nobody. Don't expect that you'll be able to have any kind of wiggle room from the get-go, fall in line with everyone else, and you'll do fine.

 

[timmaycakes]

Thank you Slane. That was very informative!

 

[ShabNasty]

Can any current student(s) comment on the rotations in Michigan? Is it possible to do all your rotations there? What are some of the sites? Thanks!

 

[joeDO2]

So we are currently in the rotation process....question for those who have gone through already from Bradenton-
I know Bradenton gets the picks of northern sites after erie & seton hill get their picks. My question is what do the left over spots look like? I hear there are "plenty" but are these mostly quality rotation sites or are they "bottom of the barrel" type sites?

 

[Slane]

Can any current student(s) comment on the rotations in Michigan? Is it possible to do all your rotations there? What are some of the sites? Thanks!

Regardless of your location, you're pretty much 100% guaranteed to get mandatories that bring you back to the Erie area (the majority of which are IM, psych, and surgery spots at MCH.)

So we are currently in the rotation process....question for those who have gone through already from Bradenton-
I know Bradenton gets the picks of northern sites after erie & seton hill get their picks. My question is what do the left over spots look like? I hear there are "plenty" but are these mostly quality rotation sites or are they "bottom of the barrel" type sites?

Expect bottom of the barrel. At least that's all that was available last year after we made our picks.

 

[paintballguy]

Regardless of your location, you're pretty much 100% guaranteed to get mandatories that bring you back to the Erie area (the majority of which are IM, psych, and surgery spots at MCH.)

Expect bottom of the barrel. At least that's all that was available last year after we made our picks.

I chose to be a 13, so I didn't need to do any mandatory rotations. I did decide to do psych at millcreek because I heard it has gotten a lot better since changing management and I figured what the hell. All my other rotations are in Harrisburg, which is awesome.

 

[joeDO2]

Expect bottom of the barrel. At least that's all that was available last year after we made our picks.

hmmmmm doesn't sound very encouraging. i've heard that the hospitals are generally better for the northern affiliates since there are more teaching institutions but I can see it being a problem if this is true.