Thread: My old posts on setting up 4th year rotations

Here is a summary of old posts on setting up 4th year rotations. I set these all up alone. Your BEST option is:
1. Dont suck. Get good marks in 3rd year.
2. Have a great step 1 score BEFORE starting third year.
3. Complete step 2CK after your last rotation third year... study for this test and do well.
4. Go to the University affiliated hospital of your choice (wearing a suit and tie) and walk up to the department you want to work in with a folder that has your curriculum vitae, list of hospitals and rotations you have completed, copies of your official USMLE scores (this will only work if your three digit score is 200 or better... at least 220 is ideal since the average score is 217).
5. Find an attending physician, either a program director or the director of medical student education... if he is not in, either wait or ask what time he is in his office and make an appointment.
6. Ask to do a rotation


This strategy only works if your command of the english language is exceptional.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to be okay with hearing "no" and to simply try, hospital after hospital until you hear "yes". I set up my whole 4th year this way at exceptional academic medical centers.

Good luck


My old posts:
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IF you have completed your basics: Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, OBGYN, Psych, and passed step 1 then this will apply.
I simply drove to the academic medical center I wanted to rotate in (UT-Southwestern in Dallas and UT-Houston in Houston). At southwestern in Dallas, I simply went to the various departments that I wanted to complete a rotation in and asked random faculty members that happened to be in their offices if I could rotate there. I told them a bit about myself and what my clinical experiences had been like and why i was interested in rotating with them and then competed paperwork that their secretary had me fill out.
In houston I had to go see Jamie Munsinger in the office of student affairs and fill out paperwork which she forwarded to the department. UT-Houston rotations cost $250 to apply, UT-Southwestern rotations cost $25.
UT Houston needed original paperwork that Mr. Reddy has to sign and send snail mail back so if you want to rotate in houston get on the ball early because it takes about a month for the Windsor to get your paperwork mailed back.
In any case, this model probably works in one permutation or another at various other institutions, I'm currently trying to set up a rotation at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL - a little more complicated since they have a no non-LCME student policy.
In any case, when you get a rotation set up - WORK YOUR BUTT OFF! - I definitely worked harder than any of the UT-Southwestern medical students (anticipate always arriving at or before 5-6am and never leaving until after 6-7pm) and now i have 2 letters of reccomendation for my Neurology application. Also, if you get a chance to take the NBME Shelf exam - study your butt off for it but definitely take it. Its yet another chance to show that program that you know your stuff.

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Baylor College of Medicine Department of Family & Community Medicine
Awesome ambulatroy family medicine rotation. Check this one out if you want to spend a month in houston... also check out UT-Houston for a great 4th year neurology rotation.
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Its hard to do a rotation in the Gator Nation (Shands hospital - Gainesville)
UF
"As a general rule, the College of Medicine has a policy of not accepting students from non-LCME approved medical schools for clerkships or electives. However, if a faculty member has a personal reason to sponsor an international student, the faculty member should contact Dr. Pat Duff in the Office of Student Affairs, who will assist faculty in following the guidelines on the handout. A copy of this policy statement will be emailed to all College of Medicine faculty"

Similar to my experience at the University of Texas - Southwestern (Dallas), I laid out my case in a well constructed email to the neurology program director listing my rotation experience and step 1, 2CK and CS scores and why I wanted to rotate there last night.
Just got an email back this morning indicating I have a sponsor and can rotate at Shands. So 3 months from now I'll drive a 1000 miles to florida from dallas and work my tail off.


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Neurology Core Rotation - BCM Medical Students - Education - Neurology - Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
at the bottom:
Enrollment
Any Baylor or Non-Baylor student is welcome to enroll in the Neurology Core Rotation, provided they meet certain basic requirements. For further information, please contact Cindy Torres by email at [email protected] or telephone 713-798-6151.
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-San Antonio 4th year surgery rotation-
If you are a senior medical student seriously interested on surgery, we offer a two to six months rotation in surgical specialties. Our institution – University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio – is a level 1 trauma with all specialties including transplant, cardiac and pediatric surgery as well as minimally invasive procedures.
For further information go to our site:Visiting International Students Program - SURGERY - University of Texas Health Science Center - School of Medicine