Setting up your own Rotations

[bioteach]

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I've now completed all of my DO interviews and am in the process of deciding which one to attend. So what is the general consensus on this subject?

Some DO schools advertise that you "get" to set up your own 4th year rotations. Now this is always advertised as a good thing...the school is giving you more freedom than a traditional med school rotation schedule. However the traditional MD model is that all of your rotations are taken care of for you (minus some electives, if you want). I don't know if I like the idea of paying a school $40,000 and then have to set up my own entire year. What if I am not good at setting up my own rotations? Is this a difficult thing to do?

So which is better...going to a school that has it all set up for you or going somewhere that gives you the freedom to set your own schedule for the whole year? I'm sure this answer varies from person to person, so ALL opinions are welcome.

I'd love to know the pros and cons that are floating around other pre-DO students minds (or any current students as well!).

 

[DadAndPreDOinMO]

I only applied to one school so my experience is very limited. It is my understanding that in most rotations they will give you a number of required rotations with some elective rotations. You tell them your top choices for where you want your 'home site' to be. Then most of your rotations are done there, but some rotations can be done outside this hospital/clinic/area. So what I'm trying to say is that I think that there is some freedom in most cases.

Pros: You get to 'choose' (hopefully you get one of your top choices) your rotation sites. If you have a good number of electives you can spend more time in areas that interest you.


Cons: If you have A LOT of elective rotations and you spend most in 1-2 specialties that you think you want to do, but then you decide you don't want to do them, then it might be tough deciding where to do your residency.

 

[HrvatskiDoktor]

Another thing is that right now the only thing we really know about med school is how to get in. We all think we may know more than that, but really we don't. Every time I think of a new question and talk to a 2nd year student, they are like, "Oh, don't worry about that, they'll walk you through the process."

So, I guess what I am trying to say it that no matter how confusing and hard it sound to set up our own rotations, I'm sure that it is not. Or at least compared to studying for year's 1 and 2 and the COMLEX and/or USMLE it will seem really easy!

Personally, I wanted a school that would let me have more freedom to go outside of their system, as the region I would like to do residency is not very DO heavy, and I need to get some quality rotation time there to even think of matching there.

Good luck!

HD

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Every medical school gives you away rotations during 3rd and 4th year. This is not exclusive to DO schools.

 

[bioteach]

I know every school gives you a chance for away rotatations, but for example, I interviewed at UNECOM this past weekend. They state that our ENTIRE 4th year is up to us to schedule. They have no sites arranged for us. This is what triggered the question. I'm trying to determine if this is a good thing for me or a bad thing. So I thought I'd see what everyone else's take was on it.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I would love that. More opportunities to get face time at places you might want to do residency.

 

[scpod]

...They state that our ENTIRE 4th year is up to us to schedule. They have no sites arranged for us....

Talk to the existing students before you decide to see what it actually entails. People freak when they hear "set up your own rotations" but sometimes all that means is picking something from a list. Or, it can be more complicated. You won't have to get out a phone book and start calling people all over the country unless that's what you really want to do.

My school divides you in groups and requires that you do things in a certain order. That way, only about 12 people from my school are doing the same rotation as you at the same time. Finding a spot isn't that hard. Find out from UNECOM how they do it.

People who want competitive specialties like sugery or anesthesiology may very well want to rotate through a number of places to see what it will be like and as a kind of "audition" to show what they can do.

 

[DiverDoc]

I've now completed all of my DO interviews and am in the process of deciding which one to attend. So what is the general consensus on this subject?

Some DO schools advertise that you "get" to set up your own 4th year rotations. Now this is always advertised as a good thing...the school is giving you more freedom than a traditional med school rotation schedule. However the traditional MD model is that all of your rotations are taken care of for you (minus some electives, if you want). I don't know if I like the idea of paying a school $40,000 and then have to set up my own entire year. What if I am not good at setting up my own rotations? Is this a difficult thing to do?

So which is better...going to a school that has it all set up for you or going somewhere that gives you the freedom to set your own schedule for the whole year? I'm sure this answer varies from person to person, so ALL opinions are welcome.

I'd love to know the pros and cons that are floating around other pre-DO students minds (or any current students as well!).

I was wondering the same thing. For WVSOM, 4th years set up own rotations and can get out of WV if they want. It making my decision which school to attend, I called WVSOM and wanted to find out how this process worked and what was available to the student. I called twice and got no help. I wanted to know what my 46,000 was going to and they couldnt answer that. This helped me decide to go to KCUMB. 👍

 

[bigLing2012]

I was accepted and scheduled to attend WVSOM next year. WHen at the interviews they explained that they have places "on the hook" for clinicals but should you decide to rotate in Barcelona they will help you set it up. Now, what exactly this entails from your end is hard to tell. It could mean that you have to find a doctor to rotate under or it could mean you tell them where you would like to go and they find someone for you. I would suggest contacting the dean of grad medical education. I believe they handle both clinical rotations and residencies. Definately contact the students and find out more as well.

 

[JaggerPlate]

I was accepted and scheduled to attend WVSOM next year. WHen at the interviews they explained that they have places "on the hook" for clinicals but should you decide to rotate in Barcelona they will help you set it up. Now, what exactly this entails from your end is hard to tell. It could mean that you have to find a doctor to rotate under or it could mean you tell them where you would like to go and they find someone for you. I would suggest contacting the dean of grad medical education. I believe they handle both clinical rotations and residencies. Definately contact the students and find out more as well.

Are you really 27 with a masters, PhD, and now obtaining a DO??? Jeeze!!! Very nice👍

 

[scpod]

...I called WVSOM and wanted to find out how this process worked and what was available to the student. I called twice and got no help. ...

There's nobody you could call at my school and really get the answers you want. They could tell you about the clinical education handbook being on the website or give you a list of rotation sites. But, how the groups get picked, how you pick the sites, how many slots are in the core sites, can you do all your rotations in one place, which sites have free food and housing? Not even the people in the clinical ed office could answer all of them except the clinical dean, and he won't be taking your call. The people who CAN answer your questions are the students who went through it. Ask them because they know.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Every medical school gives you away rotations during 3rd and 4th year. This is not exclusive to DO schools.

No they dont. Some allow you to do an AI but that doesnt mean they ship you off somewhere. "Away" rotations during 3rd year are rare on the other side of the tracks.

I know every school gives you a chance for away rotatations, but for example, I interviewed at UNECOM this past weekend. They state that our ENTIRE 4th year is up to us to schedule. They have no sites arranged for us. This is what triggered the question. I'm trying to determine if this is a good thing for me or a bad thing. So I thought I'd see what everyone else's take was on it.

There is generally a lot of autonomy during 4th year. A my school there are a couple required rotations 4th year and then you are free to pursue research, do an AI or travel.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

There are schools that don't allow you the option of rotating at other sites for elective rotations?

 

[DrMidlife]

There are schools that don't allow you the option of rotating at other sites for elective rotations?

I'm big on international electives and applied to way too many allo schools (so I've looked hard at allo schools' 3rd & 4th year curricula). None of my 34 allo schools had any electives during 3rd year. Only about 6 schools had more than a month of electives during 4th year.

Just another reason, imho, to do DO.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Haha you said doo doo. Sort of.

 

[lacesoutdan]

I'm big on international electives and applied to way too many allo schools (so I've looked hard at allo schools' 3rd & 4th year curricula). None of my 34 allo schools had any electives during 3rd year. Only about 6 schools had more than a month of electives during 4th year.

Just another reason, imho, to do DO.

Every allo school I interviewed at has at least 13 weeks to half a year of electives 4th year.

 

[DrMidlife]

Every allo school I interviewed at has at least 13 weeks to half a year of electives 4th year.

n=?

 

[DrMidlife]

Haha you said doo doo. Sort of.

Also said I'm a ho. Sort of.

 

[Toohotinvegas33]

Every allo school I interviewed at has at least 13 weeks to half a year of electives 4th year.

We get 28 weeks of electives 4th year

 

[scpod]

We get 16 weeks of electives for fourth year and can be done anywhere, in any specialty. But, any international rotations or research rotations have to be done during an elective. We have to do a rural/underserved 4-week rotation as well that can be anywhere, as long as it is either rural or underserved. Everything else has to be done at a core site.

 

[RockfordWF]

I've now completed all of my DO interviews and am in the process of deciding which one to attend. So what is the general consensus on this subject?

Some DO schools advertise that you "get" to set up your own 4th year rotations. Now this is always advertised as a good thing...the school is giving you more freedom than a traditional med school rotation schedule. However the traditional MD model is that all of your rotations are taken care of for you (minus some electives, if you want). I don't know if I like the idea of paying a school $40,000 and then have to set up my own entire year. What if I am not good at setting up my own rotations? Is this a difficult thing to do?

So which is better...going to a school that has it all set up for you or going somewhere that gives you the freedom to set your own schedule for the whole year? I'm sure this answer varies from person to person, so ALL opinions are welcome.

I'd love to know the pros and cons that are floating around other pre-DO students minds (or any current students as well!).

It depends on your priorities. If you like being told what to do and doing rotations you don't like, then you are good to go. Do you want the freedom to customize your education or not?

It depends on how motivated you are vs. lazy you are.

 

[MacGyver]

Every medical school gives you away rotations during 3rd and 4th year. This is not exclusive to DO schools.

Wrong. The vast majority of MD programs guarantee your required rotations either at their medical center or at a medical center in the same metropolitan area. As for electives, MD programs offer plenty at the home site that you can take to fulfill your graduation requirements. If you want an elective thats not offered there, then you can set it up on your own at an outside institution.

The bottom line is that about 90% of MD programs (and the DO programs that have their own medical centers) allow you to get 100% of your clinical rotations done either on-site or at another medical center in the same city.

 

[MacGyver]

There are schools that don't allow you the option of rotating at other sites for elective rotations?

No. EVERY SCHOOL in the country allows you to do off-site rotations.

The real question here is does your school guarantee the availability of clinical roations on-site if you so desire?

All MD programs do this. DO programs generally do not, which is a total sham because they are charging you for services not rendered.

 

[MacGyver]

It depends on your priorities. If you like being told what to do and doing rotations you don't like, then you are good to go. Do you want the freedom to customize your education or not?

It depends on how motivated you are vs. lazy you are.

Thats crap. Every good MD and DO program lets you do outside electives just about wherever you want. The good schools force you to do basics at approved rotation sites, because its the only way to guarantee consistent education.

The crappy MD and DO programs force you to set up your own outside rotations, notice I said FORCE, not optional. Thats a BS setup, because it forces you to move away to other cities for portions of your schooling, usually to ****ty small community hospitals that arent very good for teaching med students.

A mark of a good medical school (DO or MD) is that they are well-established enough to guarantee 100% of your clinical rotations on-site. That doesnt mean you HAVE to do them on-site, but it gives you teh option. It means they have a good medical center with lots of patients available.

 

[MacGyver]

Notice that out of all of these 30 something new med schools that are opening up, virtually 100% REQUIRE you to do off-site rotations. Thats a good indicator of a crappy program. They're all ****ty programs with no good access to medical centers. Think about this, do you really want to spend 1 month in 15 different cities spread across the country? Talk about a nightmare. Furthermore, most of these "off-site" rotations are in very small community hospitals where you got hundreds of other off-site rotators from other crappy med schools competiing for the same patient care responsibilities.

Of course they still charge you 30k or 40k per year for doign absolutely NOTHING to further your education.

Next time you interview at these programs, ask them why they are forcing you to pay 30k per year when they arent teaching you anything. Thats payment for services not rendered jack

The AAMC and the DO organizations should make it mandatory that eveyr accredited program guarantees 100% of their clinical rotations on-site. If they cant do that, it means they dont need to have a medical school in that location.

 

[RockfordWF]

Thats crap. Every good MD and DO program lets you do outside electives just about wherever you want. The good schools force you to do basics at approved rotation sites, because its the only way to guarantee consistent education.

The crappy MD and DO programs force you to set up your own outside rotations, notice I said FORCE, not optional. Thats a BS setup, because it forces you to move away to other cities for portions of your schooling, usually to ****ty small community hospitals that arent very good for teaching med students.

A mark of a good medical school (DO or MD) is that they are well-established enough to guarantee 100% of your clinical rotations on-site. That doesnt mean you HAVE to do them on-site, but it gives you teh option. It means they have a good medical center with lots of patients available.

Be careful with generalizations, my friend. Many of the "better" programs require you to do rotations where you are with many other students and residents and do not get to participate in patient care, do procedures, etc. Those that allow those opportunities are not necessarily "worse."

You will find that the programs which have large medical centers need more students to do scutwork and thus less elective time. If you think the mark of a good medical school is the size of it's medical center, then you are falling into a trap.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I know for a fact that not all MD schools offer the option of doing every single rotation "on-site".

 

[Coastie]

I agree. If you can't provide the clinical stuff on-site 100% of the time, shut down the school. We don't need anymore University of Phoenix medical schools popping up!

Notice that out of all of these 30 something new med schools that are opening up, virtually 100% REQUIRE you to do off-site rotations. Thats a good indicator of a crappy program. They're all ****ty programs with no good access to medical centers. Think about this, do you really want to spend 1 month in 15 different cities spread across the country? Talk about a nightmare. Furthermore, most of these "off-site" rotations are in very small community hospitals where you got hundreds of other off-site rotators from other crappy med schools competiing for the same patient care responsibilities.

Of course they still charge you 30k or 40k per year for doign absolutely NOTHING to further your education.

Next time you interview at these programs, ask them why they are forcing you to pay 30k per year when they arent teaching you anything. Thats payment for services not rendered jack

The AAMC and the DO organizations should make it mandatory that eveyr accredited program guarantees 100% of their clinical rotations on-site. If they cant do that, it means they dont need to have a medical school in that location.

 

[RockfordWF]

I agree. If you can't provide the clinical stuff on-site 100% of the time, shut down the school. We don't need anymore University of Phoenix medical schools popping up!

Most residencies have at least 1 rotation outside of the hospital. This is true for almost all medical schools as well.

You would be shutting down almost all of them. If you only rotate at one facility, you will not get a very good education----especially if that place is full of other students and residents.

 

[Coastie]

I wasn't saying all within one hospital. We're talking about places that farm medical students out and about to many places, including doctor's offices and community hospitals, in order to meet clinical rotations. Oh, and the students SET IT UP THEMSELVES! Sucks!

I think we can all look at the spirit of what was said and figure things out from there regarding what med schools past muster, and which don't.. Remember, it's against forum rules to speak out against specific schools once people have started an "interviewing at XXX-COM" thread and they post how much they "love it, and how it attracts top applicants 😍"

Most residencies have at least 1 rotation outside of the hospital. This is true for almost all medical schools as well.

You would be shutting down almost all of them. If you only rotate at one facility, you will not get a very good education----especially if that place is full of other students and residents.

 

[Krisss17]

We get 16 weeks of electives for fourth year and can be done anywhere, in any specialty. But, any international rotations or research rotations have to be done during an elective. We have to do a rural/underserved 4-week rotation as well that can be anywhere, as long as it is either rural or underserved. Everything else has to be done at a core site.

scpod, can you tell me what you mean by a core site? When it is time for me to apply for medical school, LECOM-B is my first choice. I currently live in B'ton and would really like to do most if not all of my rotations in this neck of the woods.

thanks!

 

[MacGyver]

I know for a fact that not all MD schools offer the option of doing every single rotation "on-site".

Well all of the decent schools do. I cant speak for the ****ty new MD programs that have just started opening up over the past 5 years or so.

The rotations arent necessarily in the same on-site hospital, but they are located within the same city.

If a school does not have agreements iwth hospitals in teh same city to provide all of your rotations, you need to ask why. Its probably because its a poorly run crappy medical school in a location thats not large enough to support med students.

You are going to be paying 30k per year for school. Why would you pay that outrageous amount of money when they dont even set up your rotations for you? Thats an absolute joke.

These schools that force their students to farm out around the country are pulling a bait and switch. They know that their matriculants are desperate to get accepted, so they conveniently forget to tell you that you will be spending the last 2 years of school spread out around the country.

If a med school cant support its own students at its own medical center or at least at other hospitals in teh same city, then that medical school doesnt need to exist.

 

[scpod]

scpod, can you tell me what you mean by a core site? When it is time for me to apply for medical school, LECOM-B is my first choice. I currently live in B'ton and would really like to do most if not all of my rotations in this neck of the woods.

thanks!

Core hospitals are ones we have an agreement to take x number of students per month for each rotation. Most of my classmates are staying locally, but we have tons of people from out of state, so they all don't want that. You can do them all here, but you might have to go to more than one hospital. If you get a spot at Suncoast, you will do everything there. But if you go to Northside (in St. Pete), since they don't have an OB rotation, you'll have to do it elsewhere. But Bayfront (also in St. Pete) does only OB. St. Pete General doesn't have peds or psyc, but they do have 12 IM spots per month for us. Not many places have psyc, but Mannatee Glens has 8 psyc spots per month for us....so, in theory, they could handle 2/3 of the psyc rotations for my class alone. You could go to Brandon, or Arcadia if you wanted to. They are pretty close by. You can also do some of your rotations with a bunch of local preceptors that are on a list we have if you want.

 

[ocwaveoc]

Basically, this is the impression I got

MD schools
You'll drive/move much less than the DO school rotations for the 3rd, and
4th yr rotations

DO schools
3rd yr
Some schools like Western have all of its rotations in the greater LA area
Some other schools like Touro Ca, you'll have to literally move around
4th yr
ALL DO schools require that you find the rotation sites. They tell you that
the school helps you find places......not sure how much of help they give
you. This really is the part I dislike about the DO school. I'll be happy if
if we are allowed to give the school a list of places you want to do the 4th yr rotations at and the school finds contacts the sites and finds housing for you. If not, I think I'll be a bit pissed off.
The DO schools like to call this "audition rotation". But, it's really a nice way to tell you, you'll just have to find places you'll want to rotate at. MD schools gives you the OPTION of doing the audition rotations or staying in their system.

In my opinion, the DO schools sort of screw you in comparison to the MD schools since in DO schools you don't have the choice but have to move around during the 4th yr. It sucks, in my opinion.

 

[Playmakur42]

In my opinion, the DO schools sort of screw you in comparison to the MD schools since in DO schools you don't have the choice but have to move around during the 4th yr. It sucks, in my opinion.

You really shouldn't paint all DO schools w/ the same brush. With some of the DO schools, you could stay in the same area for all 4 years. With a little bit of research, you can find out which osteopathic medical schools will let you achieve that goal.

The DO schools like to call this "audition rotation". But, it's really a nice way to tell you, you'll just have to find places you'll want to rotate at. MD schools gives you the OPTION of doing the audition rotations or staying in their system.

Audition rotations are vital. It allows you to impress the programs you want to do your residency at, while also showing you the environment you could be working in. I totally agree that I would not want to be a vagabond for the entire 4th year, though, so I chose to attend a school that has alot of hospitals in it's vicinity. good luck!

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I am told that there are some residencies that will simply not rank you, no matter what, if you don't have face time at the program.

As for the way the DO schools do their rotations... I like it. I feel like I get to customize my education.

 

[Krisss17]

Core hospitals are ones we have an agreement to take x number of students per month for each rotation. Most of my classmates are staying locally, but we have tons of people from out of state, so they all don't want that. You can do them all here, but you might have to go to more than one hospital. If you get a spot at Suncoast, you will do everything there. But if you go to Northside (in St. Pete), since they don't have an OB rotation, you'll have to do it elsewhere. But Bayfront (also in St. Pete) does only OB. St. Pete General doesn't have peds or psyc, but they do have 12 IM spots per month for us. Not many places have psyc, but Mannatee Glens has 8 psyc spots per month for us....so, in theory, they could handle 2/3 of the psyc rotations for my class alone. You could go to Brandon, or Arcadia if you wanted to. They are pretty close by. You can also do some of your rotations with a bunch of local preceptors that are on a list we have if you want.

I saw on the school website that Manatee Memorial Hospital is one of the sites...do you have classmates that are doing rotations there? Is it possible for a nonstudent to get the names of the local preceptors or do we have to wait. I personally would love to do a couple of rotations as Sarasota Memorial.

Kris

 

[RockfordWF]

Basically, this is the impression I got

MD schools
You'll drive/move much less than the DO school rotations for the 3rd, and
4th yr rotations

DO schools
3rd yr
Some schools like Western have all of its rotations in the greater LA area
Some other schools like Touro Ca, you'll have to literally move around
4th yr
ALL DO schools require that you find the rotation sites. They tell you that
the school helps you find places......not sure how much of help they give
you. This really is the part I dislike about the DO school. I'll be happy if
if we are allowed to give the school a list of places you want to do the 4th yr rotations at and the school finds contacts the sites and finds housing for you. If not, I think I'll be a bit pissed off.
The DO schools like to call this "audition rotation". But, it's really a nice way to tell you, you'll just have to find places you'll want to rotate at. MD schools gives you the OPTION of doing the audition rotations or staying in their system.

In my opinion, the DO schools sort of screw you in comparison to the MD schools since in DO schools you don't have the choice but have to move around during the 4th yr. It sucks, in my opinion.

Your generalization has gone too far. In any school (MD or DO), you will do audition rotations at your top residency choices.

There are DO schools that require to do rotations at the school's hospital in your 4th year. I won't name names, but you are dead wrong. In addition, at some DO schools, you can do 100% of your rotations in their medical system, just like an MD school.

 

[RockfordWF]

I am told that there are some residencies that will simply not rank you, no matter what, if you don't have face time at the program.

As for the way the DO schools do their rotations... I like it. I feel like I get to customize my education.

This is 100% true for many AOA programs.

This is not true at all for ACGME programs.

 

[MacGyver]

I am told that there are some residencies that will simply not rank you, no matter what, if you don't have face time at the program.

As for the way the DO schools do their rotations... I like it. I feel like I get to customize my education.

there may be a few crappy programs who do that, but thats not true in general. None of the top residency slots in any field require you to do rotations there to match.

Every school lets you "customize" your education. They all offer electives to one degree or other. There's a difference between that and FORCING you to do rotations in cities spread around the country.

 

[MacGyver]

Your generalization has gone too far. In any school (MD or DO), you will do audition rotations at your top residency choices.

Thats not true at most allopahtic progams. Audition rotations are much less common than you are making them out to be. Most people use them when they are a subpar candidate trying to get extra attention. For well-qualified applicants, auditions dont help you that much.

In addition, at some DO schools, you can do 100% of your rotations in their medical system, just like an MD school.

And those DO programs are far superior to the DO schools that farm you out all over the continent.

 

[Toohotinvegas33]

MacGyver, how is it that you know everything? I wish I were as smart as you. I have never met anyone who knew the ins and outs of every medical school and the quality of all there rotations, I bet you could even give me a list of the hospitals with the greatest pathology academic or community based.

 

[doc2010]

MacGyver, how is it that you know everything? I wish I were as smart as you.....

If he can do all this, then he probably knows all about med schools too.

[YOUTUBE]http://youtube.com/watch?v=l1uw40An-A4&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Coastie]

He is right. A good school will have a solid hospital base, not requiring community and office-based rotations, where the teaching is sub-par to an academic institution.

Additionally, you face increased costs as a medical student when you have to be shipped everywhere. Just ask the carribbean folks..

MacGyver, how is it that you know everything? I wish I were as smart as you. I have never met anyone who knew the ins and outs of every medical school and the quality of all there rotations, I bet you could even give me a list of the hospitals with the greatest pathology academic or community based.

 

[RockfordWF]

Thats not true at most allopahtic progams. Audition rotations are much less common than you are making them out to be. Most people use them when they are a subpar candidate trying to get extra attention. For well-qualified applicants, auditions dont help you that much.

I'm not sure where you get your information, but you are dead wrong. The only difference possibly is what they are called. MD students do "away" rotations as electives. It is MOST COMMONLY at places where you are interested in a residency. This is common at ALL schools. I'm not sure if you are or ever attended medical school, but ask any allopathic student in the country if they did at list one away rotation at a program of interest, and it is almost certain they will say yes.

In fact, on the residency interview trail, I commonly discuss with allopathic students where they did their away rotations.

And those DO programs are far superior to the DO schools that farm you out all over the continent.

The fact that these programs do exist means we cannot generalize about all DO programs as a whole.

 

[RockfordWF]

He is right. A good school will have a solid hospital base, not requiring community and office-based rotations, where the teaching is sub-par to an academic institution.

Additionally, you face increased costs as a medical student when you have to be shipped everywhere. Just ask the carribbean folks..

You are way off. All schools require ambulatory care rotations. These can only be done in a clinic.

In addition, all DO schools require family medicine rotations, which will require some community based learning.

The misconception that learning at an academic institution is best is often misconstrued. This is not always the case. You will find that standing and watching a procedure while upper level residents do all the work is less fulfilling than being first assist on all surgeries with an attending and no residents at a community hospital.

You tell me which has better learning. Please.

As far as the "increased costs" --> some medical schools fully fund your travels.

 

[Coastie]

Obviously I know about ambulatory rotations. I'm talking about people who have had surgery rotations in the community, etc.

You are way off. All schools require ambulatory care rotations. These can only be done in a clinic.

In addition, all DO schools require family medicine rotations, which will require some community based learning.

The misconception that learning at an academic institution is best is often misconstrued. This is not always the case. You will find that standing and watching a procedure while upper level residents do all the work is less fulfilling than being first assist on all surgeries with an attending and no residents at a community hospital.

You tell me which has better learning. Please.

As far as the "increased costs" --> some medical schools fully fund your travels.

 

[RockfordWF]

Obviously I know about ambulatory rotations. I'm talking about people who have had surgery rotations in the community, etc.

Read the rest of my post. You learn more as first assist than as a "retractor holder."