3rd year Clinical rotation questions

[CharlieBrown]

Hi all,

I had a few questions for the 3rd years and up regarding clinical rotations.


How does the school decide which students go to NY, NJ, CA, etc.? Is it via a lottery, grades, or some other criteria?

Did you guys and gals find it was more helpful to stay at one hospital for your clinicals core rotations or to instead jump around and try out different hospitals, i.e. to do several in NY and several in CA?



Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Right now I'm still just a 2nd termer, but it's the summer and i'm curious.

[stephew]

Hi all,

I had a few questions for the 3rd years and up regarding clinical rotations.


How does the school decide which students go to NY, NJ, CA, etc.? Is it via a lottery, grades, or some other criteria?

Did you guys and gals find it was more helpful to stay at one hospital for your clinicals core rotations or to instead jump around and try out different hospitals, i.e. to do several in NY and several in CA?



Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Right now I'm still just a 2nd termer, but it's the summer and i'm curious.basically by student preference. people differ in terms of if they like to "travel" versus "Stay put".

[clinicalso]

Keep your living arrangments in mind during this "travelling around" time, if you choose to do that. Don't consider it if you have a family, and I wouldn't even if you're married. But if you're single, you could manage. It's not easy unless you travel to hospitals with their own housing (there are only a few who do this), most places want you to sign a year lease- ESPECIALLY in NY. Also, if you feel you have had some frustrating experiences with Bayshore in the past, just think how it is when you have to communicate with Bayshore AND the hospitals (which most program coordinators in NY and NJ are of Caribbean origin) about where you are and where you'll be and when you can be there. (Scheduling electives if you start in August is tight and you have little room to mess around. You don't want to miss graduation because your schedule didn't pan out. But January starters would have no problem with this).

But like Steph said, it comes down to personal preference. Some people love the travelling around and not knowing where they'll be in a few months. And you get a variety of experiences. You never know who you might rub shoulders with, or who might love you and want you to do a residency at their hospital. It's all a game of planned luck.

As for what hospital you get assigned to while in St. Vincent, it is basically a tweaked lottery. You name 3 hospitals you want, in order of preference, and write a little reason why you chose them, and they take that into account (if it works out with how many other people want what). Most people get one of their three choices (and many get their first choice). I only knew a few who didn't get one of their choices, but no-one's sure what the exact formula is. I think for the most part, they try to give people what they want (except MI, CA, and one NJ hospital, which are all quite competitive). Also, not every hospital is offered to every term, so don't set your heart on something until you get your placement.

[lp378NJ]

Which NJ hospital is really competitive?

thanks

[Nimitt]

I dont think the NJ hospitals are competitive to get. What you have to keep in mind is that in NJ you have to have your Step I scores in before you start your rotations. So you have to plan on taking the step accordingly. If you dont have them in you lose your spots and the school and essentially stick you wherever there is a spot available.

Nimitt
4th year
SGU SOM

[helpfulgrad]

hi...
Congrats on your progress. Clinicals will be an exciting time and you'll feel like a real doc after being mostly stuck in a classroom for 2 years.

1) Regarding how clinicals sites are designated...this has been addressed already. In Vinnies you basically rank 3 places you would like to be at in the order of your preference and the school tries to place you there. It usually works out for most people.

2) Regarding moving around. I personally did all but one of my cores at one hospital and ended up staying to do most of my electives there also. I think when you stay at one place it gives you stability and you avoid the hassle of having to look for a new place to live etc. The advantage of moving around is you get to see how different hospitals operate and you get to network yourself more....but this comes at the expense and sacrifice of dealing with the woes of moving. The decision is really up to you however.

good luck

HG