<p>I wonder if most schools are similar in the MS3&4 experience or not?</p>
<p>DD recently spent hours submitting her requests for MS3 clinical placements, they have the 12 months divided into multiple time periods of 6-8 weeks across which they have to place certain mandatory subjects plus electives. </p>
<p>I think it is impressive that the school allows the students to request various placements, but was amazed, they have over 30 sites available for some of the subjects, with a wide geographic diversity. She will learn this spring where she is placed when, but may very well be giving up an apartment, storing her bed & couch and move every 6-8 weeks for the next two years.</p>
<p>Some people are able to choose to remain in one area through certain programs or to request it based on family commitments.</p>
<p>Well, at my school if you have any significant reason for staying on campus (such as kids), you will be accommodated during 3rd year. Otherwise, you will not be required to do more than 2 5 week rotations off campus (mostly in the city, but also a couple that would require you to live elsewhere). You can do up to 4 away if you wish, however, during 3rd year. 4th year is essentially completely free (1 month electives) so long as you don’t do the same rotation more than once and don’t do the same specialty 12 times. Picking your 3rd year rotation order is done by lottery, and most people get their 1st or 2nd choice (>90%). 4th year rotations are first come first serve.</p>
<p>D. is far from MS3. The only fact that I am aware of and a bit surpised by is that MS3 will start in Feb. of next year. I have pictured it being later, like August, but I was wrong. I believe that she hopes to stay where she is now for all rotations as opportunites are tremendous at one of the best clinics in the world, but competition might be also tremendous, we have no idea what is involved at this point, she is only MS1.</p>
<p>Most MS3s rotate among the university hospitals & clinics (U has more than one hospital), the VA in town, the state mental hospital (about 50 miles away) and various clinics within a 100 miles radius (which around here is considered ‘close by’), although some family practice sites are farther away than that. Not sure if any student rotate thru the 2 state pens nearby, though they might on their psych rotation. Kids who are from the rural areas of the state are often send back to their hometowns to do some of their primary care rotations there. Individuals who are single parents get in-town priority, followed by married individuals with spouses/kids in town. The rest are assigned by a lottery, which then reverses the next rotation. (IOW, if you have #3 lottery place the first rotation, you’re #97 the second time thru.) The med school truly tried hard to keep most of its students either at the U or in their home town</p>
<p>I have no idea how MS4 works, but I do know there are OOS slots they do send students to for some specialties. But again the school tries very hard to keep most its students either in town, or at least in the state.</p>