The Away Rotation & What it Means for Your Residency

I get a lot of 4th year medical students in both Chicago and New York that are doing rotations away from their home institution. I don't think all medical students realize what opportunities an away rotation presents, so I thought I'd jot down some notes on the topic:

1. An away rotation, first and foremost, is your best opportunity to see if you have a fit with a particular city and more importantly, with a particular hospital or medical center.
2. This opportunity also gives the medical student an inside track, if they take advantage of the opportunity, to make an impression on those that will later be reviewing applications when it is time to match. Make sure you are unforgettable (in a good way) and that you've met as many people as possible in the department(s) you will be applying to.
3. If you think you are particularly interested in a specific city and hospital, be sure to at least attempt getting a second rotation at a second hospital. The first hospital may greatly under-perform your expectations (I've seen this a lot in Chicago with my medical students...and in some cases it has even changed the overall direction of their specialty).
   
4. Plan ahead to make sure you make the most of any downtime you might have during your rotation. Make sure the city you are in is right for you by taking in the culture and social scenes in the city.
   

As always, happy hunting and don't work too hard!