Setting Up Your Own Clinical Rotations

[bedr]

Ross doesn't have any affiliations with any hospitals in the San Francisco area, where I would like to go for clinical rotations once I get off the island. I was wondering if I set up my own rotations (as long as they are greenbook), if that would negatively affect being able to get licensed in any states, specifically California, New York or Massachusetts? Are there any rules requiring that I do rotations only at hospitals where the school has an affiliation? Are there any nuances I should know about? Also, if any IMGs or students have any experiences setting up rotations in the San Francisco area, I would love to hear about them. Thank you for your help.

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[Dreamstoo]

I feel if you ask this on ValueMD, you would get a lot more feedback especially on the Ross subforum there. Check it out.

 

[Skip Intro]

You should check with the school directly.

I did some external rotations, some set-up by myself, but that was over 12 years ago. The biggest concern, if I can recall correctly, was with the AOA vs. ACGME sites. In other words, some of the rotations were osteopathic residencies. This could've had a potential license impact in some states. This should (theoretically) no longer be a problem once the GME merges.

Long story short, check with the school. Make them supply you an answer - in writing - based upon where you want to go. You're paying them a lot of money for this education. This is part-and-parcel to the services you should expect in return.

-Skip

 

[the argus]

Each state has it's own specific rules when it comes to these things and licensure. I'm not sure about California or Massachusetts. It mostly has to do if the hospital has a residency/fellowship in the specialty you are rotating in (i.e. greenbook). Some states have the family medicine umbrella rule for cores, some don't.

NY does have a rule about non-affiliate rotations done in NY state when it comes to licensure in NY, no more than 12 weeks are allowed. You can do as many non-affiliate rotation weeks as you want in total, but only 12 of those can be in hospitals located in NY state. You have to get pre-approval for all non-affiliate rotations in NY, so in theory they wouldn't clear you for any more than 12 so it shouldn't ever be an issue. But if somehow you were able to do 15 weeks of non-affiliated rotations in NY, when it came time for applying for a NY license they could potentially decline you.

I agree that you should ask the school, but I would also double-check any information they give you. The "trust, but verify" mantra applies here.

 

[Skip Intro]

I agree that you should ask the school, but I would also double-check any information they give you. The "trust, but verify" mantra applies here.

No doubt.

But, Ross (and SGU... and maybe one or two others) have a specific exception - one that you must seek and be granted from the NY Dept of Education - via letter that states you can do more than the aforementioned 12 weeks.

"Trust, but verify." Good advice. (Go Reagan!)

-Skip

 

[fhq691]

Well nothing can be done about cores because those are all completed through a track program. There are only two tracks in California and they are not in SF. Your clinical advisor will probably provide you with a list of hospitals that are non affiliates but have accepted Ross students for electives in the past. You can also call around and ask if they accept IMGs yourself. I recommend falling the clinical dept to get all of those questions answered. They are usually pretty helpful.

 

[the argus]

No doubt.

But, Ross (and SGU... and maybe one or two others) have a specific exception - one that you must seek and be granted from the NY Dept of Education - via letter that states you can do more than the aforementioned 12 weeks.

"Trust, but verify." Good advice. (Go Reagan!)

-Skip

That letter is for affiliated hospital rotations and yes it allows you to do unlimited rotations in NY in affiliated hospitals. For non-affiliated hospitals you must get a separate letter for each rotation, and you are limited to 12 weeks of such rotations.

Each Caribbean school has a list of hospitals that they have a formal teaching affiliation with (in the eyes of the New York State medical board), and students of that school are free to do as many rotations in those hospitals as they want. Any rotation done at a hospital not on the school's list counts towards the 12 week cap, and you must get pre-approval for.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Some hospitals will require that you go through the medical school to arrange a visiting student rotation. Although US MD schools allow students to do so for free with each other, some (? many) of the US medical schools have started charging IMG's fees to do so -- often thousands of dollars.

 

[the argus]

Some hospitals will require that you go through the medical school to arrange a visiting student rotation. Although US MD schools allow students to do so for free with each other, some (? many) of the US medical schools have started charging IMG's fees to do so -- often thousands of dollars.

Ross reimburses the student any money paid for an away rotation since you have already paid tuition to Ross. Not sure about other schools. Having setting up multiple non-affiliated rotations as a caribbean grad, I can attest that it's probably more common to be charged for a rotation (often $1000-$2000 for 4 weeks) than not.

 

[muqalia]

Friends of mine have rotated at UCSF fresno