<p>Can someone please provide info on clinical rotations and why they are needed?</p>
<p>uhh, because that's where you actually learn to apply the science concepts you've learned during the pre-clinical years...</p>
<p>Most physicians will tell you that they diagnose illnesses based on prior experience, a similar set of symptoms, complaints and histories. You have to have some place to learn those signs in a rather consequence free environment. Being a junior or senior medical student is where that "database" begins to accumulate, while you have multiple steps of supervision above you to make sure you don't miss anything...</p>