Where am I going to do my core rotations?

[Newhorizons21]

Hello,

I'm a second year med student who is currently helping a few people in their application process. One of the things that I never considered in my decision making process when I applied was that many schools send you to affiliated hospitals in different cities for some of your required rotations. I'm an older non-traditional student and when I found out at interviews that some schools assign locations by lottery with no exceptions (Penn State for example) they completely fell off my list. Does anyone know of/have a solid list of where schools send people for rotations (also is it on the MSAR)?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Mad Jack]

Hello,

I'm a second year med student who is currently helping a few people in their application process. One of the things that I never considered in my decision making process when I applied was that many schools send you to affiliated hospitals in different cities for some of your required rotations. I'm an older non-traditional student and when I found out at interviews that some schools assign locations by lottery with no exceptions (Penn State for example) they completely fell off my list. Does anyone know of/have a solid list of where schools send people for rotations (also is it on the MSAR)?

This information is so specific that it's hard to find without contacting schools directly. Most have a list of where you can end up, without details of how things are assigned.

 

[Newhorizons21]

This information is so specific that it's hard to find without contacting schools directly. Most have a list of where you can end up, without details of how things are assigned.

Yeah, it's a frustrating thing. Again using Penn State as an example, I spent hundreds of dollars on primary and secondary fees and interview travel/lodging and they wasted an interview slot and an acceptance on me, when I would never have applied knowing that the average student spends half of 3rd and 4th year hours aways from the medical school. I just checked their website and I can't find any information about clerkship location on their applicant page. The only thing I can find are PPTs presented to current students telling them where they might end up on each rotation. Really wish there was a more systematic way this kind of information was collected, but I guess the med schools have the power.

 

[candbgirl]

Sorry you feel your Penn State experience was disappointing, but things can and do change. No school could possibly guarantee where you'll do your rotations three plus years down the road. I'm not sure why you think they could. And I'm not sure I'd say the Med schools have the power but maybe they do. They are dealing with hundreds of students and must accommodate all of them.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[Gilakend]

Yeah, it's a frustrating thing. Again using Penn State as an example, I spent hundreds of dollars on primary and secondary fees and interview travel/lodging and they wasted an interview slot and an acceptance on me, when I would never have applied knowing that the average student spends half of 3rd and 4th year hours aways from the medical school. I just checked their website and I can't find any information about clerkship location on their applicant page. The only thing I can find are PPTs presented to current students telling them where they might end up on each rotation. Really wish there was a more systematic way this kind of information was collected, but I guess the med schools have the power.

How does this work if someone has kids? Or to a lesser extent a spouse, are they just away from each other for 6 months? Furthermore, where do people live when they have rotations so far away, you'll still be paying rent where you live close to the school, no?

 

[Newhorizons21]

Sorry you feel your Penn State experience was disappointing, but things can and do change. No school could possibly guarantee where you'll do your rotations three plus years down the road. I'm not sure why you think they could.

Seriously? You think a school shouldn't be able to tell applicants where they will do their core clerkships? I know they can because of the six schools I got accepted to 3 of them guaranteed that I would not have to leave for rotations (and I'm attending one of them now). I understand that maybe Penn State couldn't do that, but if they were just upfront on their applicant website and said "3rd year rotation location will be determined by lottery and the student may be assigned to Harrisburg, York, State College etc." it would be much better.

 

[Newhorizons21]

How does this work if someone has kids? Or to a lesser extent a spouse, are they just away from each other for 6 months? Furthermore, where do people live when they have rotations so far away, you'll still be paying rent where you live close to the school, no?

The school I'm at allows me to do all my rotations at my home hospital because I have children. Most schools provide housing for people assigned to "away" rotations

 

[Goro]

SDNers are always advised to check on these thing in the school specific threads, and ask about at interviews

Yeah, it's a frustrating thing. Again using Penn State as an example, I spent hundreds of dollars on primary and secondary fees and interview travel/lodging and they wasted an interview slot and an acceptance on me, when I would never have applied knowing that the average student spends half of 3rd and 4th year hours aways from the medical school. I just checked their website and I can't find any information about clerkship location on their applicant page. The only thing I can find are PPTs presented to current students telling them where they might end up on each rotation. Really wish there was a more systematic way this kind of information was collected, but I guess the med schools have the power.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I would never have applied knowing that the average student spends half of 3rd and 4th year hours aways from the medical school

This why it is so important to do research before you apply. Moving a few hours away for rotations isn't bad, some schools ship you to another state.

 

[Newhorizons21]

This why it is so important to do research before you apply. Moving a few hours away for rotations isn't bad, some schools ship you to another state.

Absolutely, I was just surprised how buried this information is for most schools

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Absolutely, I was just surprised how buried this information is for Penn State

FTFY. Honestly most schools are pretty open and the info is there on the website if you look for it. I don't think PState is the norm.