Clinical Rotations - Which are the best?

[Pdom73]

I'm a PA student, and I'm getting ready to choose my elective clinical rotations. I get to choose two. As a practicing PA, are there two in particular that you would recommend?

 

Thanks!

[charlottew]

Too vague of a question. And probably belongs in the PA student section.

 

If you really want us to answer, you need to tell us about your background, and your interests.

[Pdom73]

I posted it here, because I wanted advice from practicing PAs who have experience instead of from other students. I'm leaning toward working in family practice or pediatrics, and I was hoping to find out what extra clinical experience would be the most beneficial for me once I start practicing. Cardiology? Ortho? Endocrinology? I have very little healthcare background prior to PA school. I worked as an MA in a derm office, so I don't think I want to do a derm rotation.

[RuralER/Ortho]

Sorry for previous post ... I overlooked a sentence.

 

What are you weak at? Do you need procedure practice? Chronic med management. The scope of FP is limitless and most fields will have some application.

[moestown1016]

Cardiology would help you tremendously

 

 

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[south]

Well, your goal right now is to be able to pass your rotations and the PANCE with little trouble, with a side goal of exploring different things.  I say this because I remember being able to get questions right and understand things more easily while studying based on my experience while on rotations.

 

(Before someone else points it out - YES the pance and other exams can be wrong / different from the real world ) .

 

I don't think there's enough of a connection from an elective to practice.   It could be several months apart (or more) and expectations are low starting out anyway; you'll learn what you need to when the time comes.  

 

It's true that some people's preferences and tastes change once they are exposed to something; you could get quite a surprise, something is much better or worse than you thought once you start doing it, sometimes radically.  Or learn something about yourself.  Keep an open mind.  

 

As far as just sort of like random electives go, my vote might go to Cardiology.  Really understanding / working with CHF / vascular issues is important in a lot of ways, not to mention CV is a large part of the PANCE (16% if memory serves, which is 48 questions).  

 

Of course, avoiding trouble like difficult preceptors or super long commutes is a consideration.  Bother the hell out of the class above you for intel. 

 

Otherwise, follow your interests, it's the one chance you will have to be exposed to most of this stuff unless you go into it.  Good luck.

[SedRate]

I would recommend choosing rotations based on your deficits and/or your interests. If you want to gain more experience in a certain area or check out what a certain field is about, this is your chance. If you plan on going into peds or FM, as the above posters suggested, cards would be beneficial.

 

Also consider your plans after graduation. Some of these places might be hiring and/or help build connections.

[sk732]

Sports medicine is a useful one for primary care.  I wish my anaesthesia rotation could have been longer to learn different blocks, besides the extra intubation time.  Canadian military PA's have to do a 2 week dentistry course to deal with things when we're in Ungabungalands - I find it useful in EM for blocks, identifying oral pathology, etc.

 

SK

[SHU-CH]

The advice above is good. I usually recommend that students select at least one elective based on an area they feel weak in. Unless you do a residency program, PA school is perhaps he last time where you will have an intense (yet somewhat sheltered) opportunity to focus on an area that needs improvement. If you have any concerns about cardio, that is a good one for the reasons stated above.

 

If I know a student is going into primary care, I also ask them to consider what they can do to really bring value to a practice - what is your unique interest?. Be your practice's guru on something - derm, diabetes care, etc. Find your niche, get some intense training in it, and make yourself indispensable to your practice.

[jwells78]

Cant go wrong with elective rotations in Internal medicine (hospitalist), Trauma/Crit care, IR, or radiology.

 

The more pathology/ higher acuity you can fit in your rotations, the better.

 

Of course, I am an ER/ Trauma guy, so take my biased opinion as you will.