Ok, I don’t know how common this is - but we get to at least request what hospital is our “base hospital” for our third year rotations.
The state of WV is divided into 5 “statewide campus” regions, and within each region there are at least 2 base site hospitals as well as some other sites (VA hospitals, rural health clinics, etc) at which one might do some of one’s rotations. The majority will be thru the base site.
There are site visits set up on the weekends thru the next several months so we can check out these sites. I’m going to visit the “north eastern” region, and the 3 base hospitals there this weekend. Trying to have a good idea of what things I should be looking for. What makes or breaks third year rotations? I’m already feeling like I might want to be at a smaller hospital without a residency program to get to "do " more, as I don’t really need to “see more” (I’ve seen enough!! 
Going to definately be looking at the community I’d be living in.
Any other suggestions of things to check out, questions to ask (of the program staff, about the hospital (they gave us the stats on # ED visits, inpatient beds, etc), or of the other students?
Thanks!!
kate
This is pretty common for DO schools.
There are advantages and disadvantages to smaller hospitals. My friends have done a little more in hospitals without residents (i.e. they get to be first assist in surgery), but friends at bigger hospitals have had more come at them. Major trauma stuff usually gets to head to bigger facilities. And the residents are often better teachers than the physicians.
We do the lottery system here. I get to request where I go, but ultimately the computers try to make the best match for everyone. I am shooting for a more middle sized area.
Thanks! We actually had site selection tonight and I went with a smaller hospital based on some of the site evaluation logs of previous students - sounds like they got an opportunity to do a lot. Think I will try to balance it with some rotations at larger hospitals for 4th year.
Kate
Congrats on making a decision, Kate! I’m SO excited for you as you begin your rotations next year … time is flying by!
Thanks, Lorien! I am excited, also! I feel good about the site - great site evaluation logs from previous students.
We had a talk yesterday by the president of the med school about his top 10 list for getting a residency spot. Fair amount of advice regarding things to begin doing NOW and in 3rd year. It never ends
Kate
Nope. In its own way, applying for residency is more stressful than applying for medical school!
i am right there with ya both.
although i am exceedingly jealous, we have not even chosen our tracks (they organize our rotations into various preset schedules) or our sites yet.
i am hoping we do so before the christmas holiday break.
not to hijack another’s thread but I have a question about the 3rd year rotations.
We have a lot more input regarding our 3rd year site, some are outpatient only and others are in hospitals. The outpatient sites are close to home while the hospitals are 1hr+ away.
Will it handicap me when applying to residency to take the outpatient-only site?
campel - I don’t know - curious to see what the response is. But SOME outpatient will be very helpful in the long run, I think. Outpatient ONLY I’d be leary of. I don’t see how you can get the core rotations in only outpatient settings.
Ours have a mix. The family med and peds rotations are primarily outpatient, although you round daily with the physician on their hospitalized patients. ER, surgery, internal medicine all or primarily inpatient. Ob/Gyn mix of outpatient(office prenatals/gyn) and inpatient (deliveries, gyn surgeries). It tends to follow the physicians. Critical care is obviously inpatient but I think that is a 4th year rotation.
kate
the feedback I’ve received from some physicians is that the mix of inpatient/outpatient isn’t as important as your scores and letters from 3rd year. So - I guess I’ll stop worrying about it.
Anachron: Is there a thread about older folks in residency programs? :confused
Anachron -
Yes, just look at the next forum down for Residents - osteopathic and MD. I posted in this forum because my question had to do with picking a clinical site for my 3rd year of medical school. Osteopathic medical schools in rural areas frequently have multiple sites for clinical rotations due to not be associated with a hospital large enough to take 200 students rotating. Hey, even UVA med school has some remote rotations.
Welcome!
Kate
- campkel Said:
We have a lot more input regarding our 3rd year site, some are outpatient only and others are in hospitals. The outpatient sites are close to home while the hospitals are 1hr+ away.
Will it handicap me when applying to residency to take the outpatient-only site?
It's interesting that an outpatient-only site is an option for 3rd year. My understanding (perhaps incorrect) was that certain rotations and experiences were required by the ACGME of all medical students, including things like surgery and internal medicine. I suppose it's possible that there are hospitals that do these things entirely on an outpatient basis, but that is ... foreign to my experience, I guess. Again, my limited experience isn't necessarily a great metric, so take this with a grain of salt.
If you're planning on going into something like family medicine, which is exclusively outpatient, I imagine this wouldn't be a big detriment. Otherwise, I feel like if I were an IM/neuro/surg/anesthesia/ whatever residency director, I'd be seriously concerned if an applicant had no inpatient experience.