If any of you are considering MetroHealth/Case Western University in Cleveland for any of your elective rotations.....please beware. This is an excellent hospital with great rotations and very nice staff in medical education BUT........they are very, very inefficient in getting paperwork sent in a timely fashion. I did rotations there last Sept and October and when it came time for me to graduate in April, they still could not send AUC my clinical evaluations......it took repeated phone calls pleading with them that I needed my diploma etc, etc. Finally after more than 6 months of waiting, I received the evals for my rotations.

Now here is my new nightmare. The state of PA requires a graduate training license and for part of the process they require clinical verification forms from each clinical site (a good reason to do rotations at one location). All of the other hospitals sent my paperwork within days.......MetroHealth on the other hand has taken 9 weeks and my paperwork still is not in to PA. All this again after repeated phone calls/emails/voicemails pleading with them to have the paperwork sent (asking very, very nicely by the way). At this point I am in severe danger of not being able to start my residency on time since the application process is so lengthy...which means I will not start getting paid, will not be able to make my mortgage payments on the house I just bought etc, etc. I am not sure why they take so long, but it really is unfortunate.

So please think of this when you are planning out your elective rotations. I am very sorry to have to post this about such a great hospital to train at.......I just think you should all be aware of the potential problem.

Thanks for the tip. I just X'd them off my rotation list.

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Formerly known as "AUCDOCTOBE"

Actually this should be forwarded to the Dean. It is completely unacceptable that AUC would send students to such a place. Additionally, it is also unacceptable that you should be stuck alone in having to get your papers, AUC should have stepped in and represented your interests.

Good Luck & thanks for the heads up!

WantMD :-)

Sorry to hear about all the troubles leofalcone. Hopefully, it'll all work out for you. Congrats on finishing AUC by the way.

You went to Kern for your clinicals right? Where did you end up doing your electives besides the MetroHealth?

IMHO: It's an elective clinical site/rotation so no AUC affiliation with them at all. They won't be able to do much. It's more of the hospital's fault than anything.

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Finally beat Super Mario Bros within 7 mins.

WantMD.....you have good points. The fact of the matter is that this really is a very simple thing. I have hesitated to say anything to MEIO because I am not so sure it would have helped matters. I am trying to figure out how to handle the situation as to not ruin things for future AUC students who may want to rotate at MetroHealth.....somehow I have to delicately write a letter of concern to a higher up in their medical education department. The fact is that it is a privilege for us as visiting medical students to do rotations at some of these hospitals. It is my feeling, however, that if they are going to allow visiting medical students to rotate through various departments, they need to make the commitment to ensure that paperwork gets handled efficiently ie evaluations and licensure documents. If they cannot handle the workload.....they should not have a visiting medical student program. I cannot nor do I really want to say this to them as I don't want to have them respond by saying, o.k. then from now on no AUC students can rotate at our hospital....I would hope they would not do that, but you never know. On the other hand, they need to know that this is a major problem. I would have never done my rotations there if I would have known that this was going to happen.

Also, AUC does not "send" students for electives anywhere in particular......you, as a student, are on your own for electives for the most part and must make out application after application...yes more paperwork....Phil and the folks at MEIO are rather efficient in doing their part, fortunate for us.

Frankly, I have not had a single problem with MEIO.....everything from day 1 has been very smooth....everything from financial aid to clinicals to graduation etc, etc. They sent ECFMG my diploma status within days and when applying for my PA license, AUC had my paperwork in very, very promptly. So, MEIO really has been great for me the whole way through. I realize this information may be contrary to popular belief, however. I am sure some have had problems but for the most part they will get the job done for you.

Microphage.....yes I did my cores at Kern. Electives at the following......EM at St. John, Detroit...Cardiology and Neurology at MetroHealth...EM at Sinai-Grace, Detroit...ID and Radiology at St. John...FP at Kern.

what?


send students to "such a place"?this is a great place to train.....with a screwed up office. Fix the office problem. I agree, but don't avoid the chance to rotate there

Rather than avoid a potentially fantastic place to train, students can really benefit from having the knowledge that forms need to be in hand at the end of the rotation.
have the attendings sign your verification forms.

just take care of things in advance. don't avoid a really great learning opportunity, and the chance to get a LOR from a well-respected program

I cannot wait to do my rotations at Metro. I know many of the doc's there. In fact the doc that delivered me still works there with my mother (who is an NP there in the Women's Clinic). I have heard MANY stories very similar to this and can say that they are definitely TRYING to get things straightened out. Give them a chance in the future if you are still thinking about doing electives there. I am currently a fourth semester and truly hope that they can clear up these messes soon, before I get there.

Later,
Nagy

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Officially an AUC GRAD - DR. NAGY!!! I'm done until June 16th!!! WOOHOO... Jan and I just have BOUGHT a house in Kalamazoo. SOoooo excited.

...Winners don't even realize they are in a race... they just like to run.

MetroHealth is the only level 1 trauma center in Cleveland. It is a great place to train if you get a chance. They have taken many AUC grads as residents there in anesthesiology and internal medicine. It's probably one of the nicest county hospitals you will come by too.

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GasJockey, MD (AUC alum 1999)
Board Certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

just finished grad school at case and metro is a great place- hopefully things will be straightened out by the time i hit rotations. plus cleveland isnt the poorest city in the united states anymore, so thats a plus. go tribe!

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the browns are back in 2005!