Clinical Rotation Locations?

[zoopeda]

As a Portland native with a wife and kids, managing the logistics of the clinical year is a consideration for me as a 2014 applicant to OHSU.  Can anyone speak to the rotation locations for second year?  On average, what % are within a commute from Portland, and what % require a relocation?  I have the added concern (perhaps unfounded) that shifts will be in competition with MD students (i.e., surgical and EM rotations at OHSU facilities), potentially compromising the clinical experience for those rotations.  Any feedback about all of this would be greatly appreciated as I move through the application process.  

[EMEDPA]

I precept ohsu pa students for an em rotation at a rural site 3 hrs from portland where there are no md or np students.

all pa programs will have in town and distant rotations, regardless of what they tell you. expect to go out of state at least once.

[bleu]

Zoopeda, I can't speak from experience because I'm in a similar situation to you (applying to OHSU with a husband and kids), but one of the PAs that I've been shadowing in Portland graduated from OHSU about 5 years ago, and she told me that from what she remembers, they did try to work with people with families to try to keep them nearby. That being said, I'm sure that nothing is guaranteed, which I'm well aware of. In my situation for example, I'm not applying to Pacific because I know that they really send you all over the place and they really don't care if you have a family or not (per Leah the admission director there). OHSU however, it sounds like they "might" work with you a little more. The PA that I know that went to OHSU though was a young, single student (no husband or kids) when she was in PA school and told me the only places that she had to travel for her rotations were Pendleton and Bend. Either way, my impression is that no matter what the school, you have to be prepared for anything. You can only hope they can keep you nearby. Hope this helps.

[zoopeda]

Pacific doesn't make it easy, but they do allow you to set up your own rotations locally.  I shadowed a mom who did this as a PA student at PU, and ended up staying in Portland for about 75% of her rotations.  But there's such a huge spectrum between a school like Pacific that send you all over and other schools like DeSales in PA that keep you local for 100% of rotations (unless you request otherwise).  It sounds like the OHSU network and staff may make things a bit more flexible, so I'll follow up with the admissions folks should I get offered an interview.  Thank you both; good luck kmk!  

[IcuPAC]

I graduated in 2008 from OHSU. At that time my wife and I had a 2 year old, and a baby on the way. We lived in Vancouver WA (very close to school). My rotations were in Bend for 2 rotations, Baker City for one, Boise Idaho for one, OHSU for two, Portland for one, Salem OR for one, Vancouver WA for one, Beaverton for one. The nice thing (if they still do it) is that OHSU sets up your rotations for you, and arranges your housing. The downside is that you often go out of the area for rotations. As I recall, Boise was the farthest site from OHSU. Many of my classmates came to Medford Oregon, a 4.5 hr drive from OHSU. I did commute from Vancouver WA to Salem for 5 weeks, since the mileage wasn't far enough to qualify for student housing. That was three hours of driving a day, and a lot of gas money. The program was supportive of me and when our second baby was due my rotations were very close to home. I am not aware of having problems competing with medical students for rotations. Only at OHSU and Legacy Emanuel did I interact with MD students, and that was fine.