Is Saba in the same boat as others? Wait time for clinical rotations?

[davidMD]

For the 3rd/4th yr students out there...have you had any issus with getting back to back greenbook rotations?

[darkmansaad]

Im not sure how it is now. But I finish my island time in December 2006. By January 2008 (13 months), I had taken Step 1, finished all my cores, 6 weeks of electives. Peds can be hard to get but if you schedule it early on and are flexible with moving around you should be able to finish everything on schedule

[golfman]

There seems to be a bit of a lag getting started with rotations. Once you get your first rotation, everything can go back to back if you choose. Most of the students that I know that are taking breaks in between want those breaks. I am going straight through without any problems at all. Hope this helps.

[KingMo]

I don't know how it is now...but I got off the island April 2008 and started in July. I noticed that generally, people who requested New York for rotations tended to start later than everyone else (ie: Septemberish, ~2 mos later).

Also, +1 to darkmadsaad...Peds is currently in highest demand and most difficult to secure. But once you start your first rotation, the rest tend to be scheduled back to back.

[darkmansaad]

oh i also forgot...your step 1 score will play a big factor in which rotatiosn are open to you and more importantly how easy you get your assignments. If you are completely open to moving whenever and have a high step score (and i've seen this in others i've rotated with) you have the least problems (Now that i think about it, it probably applies to residency as well haha so look at it as practice for the future)

[awelchnp]

Just to add my experience... Left Island Dec 07.... Wrote Step 1 Feb 18, 08..... Started rotations March 27th... Finished all cores plus Family Practice elective by March 13,09... All rotations were Greenbook by specialty.... Yes I moved for each rotation, But the clinical Coodinators in Gardner were very helpful.. Board scores matter, so do well on step 1. Attitude matters... be proactive while remaining respectful and flexible. You will be fine!!!!!!:D:D

[davidMD]

Thanks for the response guys!!

I've got about a month and I'm heading down there.
Anyone want to talk me out of it?:D

[wolfvgang22]

Im not sure how it is now. But I finish my island time in December 2006. By January 2008 (13 months), I had taken Step 1, finished all my cores, 6 weeks of electives. Peds can be hard to get but if you schedule it early on and are flexible with moving around you should be able to finish everything on schedule
I completely agree. Like he said, high step 1 only helps you also. Also, those who are least flexible with location tend to have the most problems.

It's important to keep in mind that New York or Chicago doesn't necessarily = best rotations. Many of my classmates have had a lot of wonderful things to say about Houma, Louisiana rotations, and in comparing notes with them I wish I had rotated there for internal medicine. So keep an open mind and talk with your mates ahead of you to find the best training.

[darkmansaad]

wolf is right...i can safely say that im from ny and my ny rotations SUCKED! my psych in louisiana, surgery in baltimore were awesome and now that im studyin for CK i am demolishing those sections. The other stuff i am gettin destroyed on and have to read kaplan to try and figure it out.....be open to good sites that you hear about from classmates...better to learn while your there than spend countless hours at home tryin to learn the material so you can do good on step 2 later on.

[davidMD]

@wolf, dark: completely agree. I'm from the NYC area as well, but don't necessarily want to do my clinicals there. I was thinking about Chabert, Rochester, Bridgeport.

Is psych greenbook at chabert? Or do I need to go North Carolina?

[SunDevilDoc]

I'll also give a thumbs up for core rotations at Chabert. No delay whatsoever. As for starting rotations promptly, I took Step 1 March 30th of 2008 and started Psych the next day. I was proactive and set up my own greenbook Peds rotation. Most students I've seen are very lazy about looking to set things up. They wait til the last minute for something to fall in their lap. Go out and set things up way in advance. The only gaps I've had in rotations were 4 weeks (involuntary) hurricane evacuation and then a break at the end of last year when my son was born (voluntary).

[wolfvgang22]

@wolf, dark: completely agree. I'm from the NYC area as well, but don't necessarily want to do my clinicals there. I was thinking about Chabert, Rochester, Bridgeport.

Is psych greenbook at chabert? Or do I need to go North Carolina?
Psych isn't greenbook at Chabert, but you can do a greenbook psych up in Shreveport, Lousiana. I really liked that rotation, very laid back and educational.

[DrFraud]

@wolf, dark: completely agree. I'm from the NYC area as well, but don't necessarily want to do my clinicals there. I was thinking about Chabert, Rochester, Bridgeport.

Is psych greenbook at chabert? Or do I need to go North Carolina?

If past is prolog, there is very good chance > 50% that by the time you get to clinic, the hospitals affiliated with each Carib. school that you are applying to will change significantly from the current lists. Actually, significant change can occur in a single year.

Unless things suddenly stop changing, which is doubtful, you should expect that what will be available to you will likely be different 3 years from now.

[wolfvgang22]

If past is prolog, there is very good chance > 50% that by the time you get to clinic, the hospitals affiliated with each Carib. school that you are applying to will change significantly from the current lists. Actually, significant change can occur in a single year.

Unless things suddenly stop changing, which is doubtful, you should expect that what will be available to you will likely be different 3 years from now.

Sorry, I have to disagree here in regards to Saba. Most of the hospitals affiliated with Saba now were affiliated with Saba when I started 4 years ago. I know that one in NY was lost, but word was that it was sub-par education there. By contrast, one terrific pediatrics hospital was added in Minneapolis. I didn't notice any huge gains or losses in hospitals associated with Saba otherwise.

[DrFraud]

A lot can change in 3-4 years in a Carib. program, especially when it comes to hospital affiliations.

[KingMo]

I know that one in NY was lost, but word was that it was sub-par education there. By contrast, one terrific pediatrics hospital was added in Minneapolis.

By contrast, we also added one shoddy peds rotation in Miami, where we send a lot more students versus Minneapolis. Things always balance out I guess. 8-(

[miasma]

haha yaa...peds in miami was shoddy AND shady...