Just wondering, how much of your clinical rotations are in downtown chicago as opposed to the north "burbs" around RFU? I think I told you this before but they mentioned during the scholl interview about more rotations in the north chicago/lower wisconsin area and less downtown. One of the attractions of the school (for me) was doing rotations in chi-town so I hope they are not doing something too drastic. Let me know what you think. Thanks!
Great question. Well, looking back, you honestly learn more at the "downtown" chicago rotations than any school "clinics". This is hard to explain because at all schools (not just SCPM), you will learn most of your clinical skills on elective externships rather than any College Podiatry Clinic. the majority of College Podiatry Clinic is just nails and routine care. Again, it is important, but you shouldn't have to be doing that your 4th year at all (some schools require you to go back to clinic your 4th year.... ouch!!)
I talked to Dr. Yorath at the SCPM residency fair in Sept. They are adding and eliminating rotations, but not what you are thinking. Some of these are in Internal Medicine, ER, etc, but not the rotation itself, but the location. Example: I went through St. Joseph's Internal Medicine rotation and it was terrible. This was downtown and i learned nothing. The guys that went to the Cook County or North Chicago VA or other sites learned a hell of a lot more than me. however, i was able to travel and goof off more downtown since I lived there, but looking back, i wasted an entire month of tuition.
There are a lot of choices for these "required rotations" like Internal Med, ER, General Surgery, etc and more hospitals are being added while the ones that are crappy are being dropped. There is a review that they do in committee that looks over our evaluations and decides whether to continue a contract with a certain site or whether to go with other options. In my year, we "did" and "did not" have a choice to where we went for these. "Did not" as meaning we were assigned each rotation for each month, but "did" meaning some ppl were allowed to switch. however, you need to find someone willing to switch that same month and in the same field, so it's pretty hard, but still it's been done.
Lastly, SCPM one of the few integrated with MD/DO systems of "4-week" rotations. This is good and bad. Almost all residencies in the nation are based on "week-rotations" like 4 weeks in medicine, peds, 2 weeks ER, etc. However, most Podiatry residencies are based on Months not weeks (I dont' know why, but that's teh way it is). So for elective rotations, you may be entering in the middle of the month when other students have already been there for 2 weeks and you will stay until your 4 weeks is complete. This is a negative at some programs, but most of them don't mind.
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