Where are clinicals done?

[Pa2Doc69]

I am currently preparing to apply to medical school next summer and I am curious how clerkships/clinicals work. I was under the impression that you were mostly localized to the hospital/school where you did your first two years; however, I have recently found information that suggested that you may be able to do some of your rotations at different hospitals.

For example, I read that various hospitals in Wyoming offer clerkships, and I know that Wyoming doesn't have any medical schools. Does that mean that you could go to medical school at somewhere like Michigan but do rotations somewhere else like Colorado or Utah? Does it vary from school to school?

I am asking because I would be interested in attending a school that would give me the opportunity to visit different hospitals and see what medicine was like in a different state or region of the country.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[pms_testosterone]

Everyone has the opportunity to do "away" rotations at other schools during the time set aside for electives (the amount of time given for electives varies by program). These are by application, though, so the popular ones can be hard to get.

Edit: and here's an explanation of the Wyoming clerkships. They're part of a program through the University of Washington which allows Wyoming students to complete years 1,3 and 4 of med school in their home state. https://www.uwyo.edu/wwami/

 

[Crayola227]

look into WICHE if you are from Wyoming

also, I would prioritize selecting as many medical schools as you can afford that offer you the highest chance of admission, before any and all other factors

that being done, go to all interviews, and then let factors like you are discussing guide you should you get more than one offer

 

[Crayola227]

Keep in mind there can be various disadvantages in not having the chance to "stay home" for clinical rotations, and some schools the set up where they send you out to various locations can have downsides

The ideal is a school where the majority of your core clerkships are done at the main university hospital that provides excellent training, but also has relationships with other sites (often the VA comes to mind, but also other hospitals) where some students may be assigned/elect to go, and then that 4th year you can do a few aways.

What you want is the strongest clinical training and exposure, going off in other directions is least important, believe me.