Visiting Rotation

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2mny

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Hello everyone, first time member but long time lurker.

I had a visiting rotation question that I hoped you could help me with. I had to decline a rotation due to scheduling changes, and have had difficulty securing a new visiting rotation that works with my new schedule. If I don't end up securing one, how big of an impact will this have on my application.

I'm a competitive applicant from a mid tier MD school, good letters and research.

Thank you.

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I did one visiting rotation and found out that the program was not a middle of the road program but lousy. The program, I believe, did not like me either. The chair was ignored me and the program director was downright rude to me (but not everyone). Therefore, it was almost a case of not doing any away rotations. The question then becomes "how many medical students did a visiting rotation and got into that program as a result?"

I believe that if you are good looking or slightly better than average (this goes for men and women), an away rotation can help for one program. Or if you're ugly but do very well in a rotation. It's like betting on a horse.
 
I did one visiting rotation and found out that the program was not a middle of the road program but lousy. The program, I believe, did not like me either. The chair was ignored me and the program director was downright rude to me (but not everyone). Therefore, it was almost a case of not doing any away rotations. The question then becomes "how many medical students did a visiting rotation and got into that program as a result?"

I believe that if you are good looking or slightly better than average (this goes for men and women), an away rotation can help for one program. Or if you're ugly but do very well in a rotation. It's like betting on a horse.


Thank you, would anyone else be able to chip in? I'm not looking to do an away for a LOR, but rather to improve the my application and avoid the questions about not doing one. If this isn't an issue, I might reconsider doing one and look to take a research month instead.
 
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Plenty of people do not do aways and match. It certainly is not expected. I did two aways and one rotation at my home program. I ended up matching at a program that I did not rotate at. I do not think they considered my away rotations too much.
 
Not doing away rotations will not hurt your overall application, as long as you have the home ophtho rotation down.
 
Not sure if this applies, but from an IMS/IMG program standpoint it matters little. Granted, international students have way different academic backgrounds, match rates, etc. so this probably doesn't apply to a competitive US school student. I can only say based on personal experiences and what the clinical department of my school says. To that end, I've been told that elective visiting rotations are not weighed nearly that highly for match/applications and I am unaware of how this would effect you negatively. But completely different worlds.

Wish I could be more help, but I can only tell you the good and the bad from my away rotations. IMGs don't have "non-away" rotations as we don't have a university hospital to be affiliated with. Yet match is somewhere around mid- to high-70% despite the massive disadvantages. For a competitive student, I wouldn't think one away would be too negative. But I'd love to hear if I'm completely off base from those with more experience in the matter.
 
I would look at an away rotation as an opportunity to get to know a program more in depth that you feel you might be interested in or have a chance at matching at. Making the effort to do an away looks good on your app, and sure you may go there and hit it out of the park and end up loving it and match there... but thats not the norm, and doing an away isnt going to be critical from a requirement standpoint to match. I did an away because i felt like I had to, i enjoyed the experience, but felt like it made no difference overall and I actually ended up ranking that program 2nd to last. Finding out you dont like somewhere is even more valuable than finding out you like it. As was mentioned above, the away is much more significant if you dont have a home ophtho program.
 
Agree with prior threads generally saying aways are not that crucial. I am a US grad. I only did one away rotation at a place where I had little chance of getting an interview because I have no family/friends/personal connections to the region. I got the interview. Matched at a completely unexpected, fantastic program where I did not do an away rotation. Based on my experience, away rotations are only recommended if you want to get your shoes in the door, knowing you will shine, but it's generally optional.
 
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