VSAS 2017 Thread

[throwaway33]

How many students did they have per month?

Here is some info from last year after talking with some people in my class.

UCI: 1-2 away spots/month when available since all UCI students do 2 weeks in the ED and they have home students. Scheduling is done automatically by the coordinator, but you can request days off.
Brown: Students heard back real early about their applications if they were given a spot. They reserve the early months for their home students.
Georgetown: Home and away rotate together. There are two cohorts of students on any given rotation. They do have a step cuttoff, but if you are really interested and don't make the cuttoff, follow up with a personalized email. You need to improve drastically on step 2 to be competitive on their rank list even with a good rotation.
UMD: 8-12/month depending on home students and month. There is also the Mercy campus and the EM/IM both of which do not result in a residency affiliated SLOE. If you are interested in EM/Peds, you can request a couple peds shift on the EM rotation. UMD does have a home only month (July I think). Your SLOE ranking will be based on all the rotators throughout the season, not just your month, so the SLOE won't be sent in until late September/Early Oct.
Mount Sinai: Very chaotic ED and large program making scheduling easier than other programs.

All give rotations to home students before away students. If you email the coordinator, most places will tell you how many rotate at a time, but they may not tell you how many home rotators vs away rotators they have. I don't see much value in doing this though as it has no impact on whether you get a spot or not.

That is all I got.

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[doggydog]

Open Spots for Away Rotations

Stay strong, little homies.

 

[BigGAC1]

Open Spots for Away Rotations

Stay strong, little homies.

HOLY CRAP!!!

You're doing the Lord's work, sir!

 

[gruemd]

Just trying to see if there is any hope of July apps processing still, anyone heard from:
Maryland
Miami
Denver Health
Virginia
Cincinnati?

I have heard back from Cincinnati, for multiple dates.
Have also heard back from OSU, Utah, Peoria, and Vegas.

 

[AlgernonMed]

I have heard back from Cincinnati, for multiple dates.
Have also heard back from OSU, Utah, Peoria, and Vegas.

So for Peoria, what month were you accepted for? A friend of mine heard from them that they were full July-September but had openings for the October-November block. I haven't heard from them yet, accepted or denied.

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[Aquab1ll]

I have heard back from Cincinnati, for multiple dates.
Have also heard back from OSU, Utah, Peoria, and Vegas.

Just to update:
Heard back from Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, Cincinnati

Miami just starting to process now

I would recommend applying to Florida Gainesville if you need a rotation, heard there was some sort of a weird situation with their coordinator and may have spots still open

 

[gruemd]

So for Peoria, what month were you accepted for? A friend of mine heard from them that they were full July-September but had openings for the October-November block. I haven't heard from them yet, accepted or denied.

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They offered one in September. This was a couple weeks ago though so they could be full by this point.

 

[runthiscity]

They offered one in September. This was a couple weeks ago though so they could be full by this point.

Just chiming in here. I heard back from Peoria as well. I was offered August. I'm off their schedule by two weeks though so I believe I might be doing two weeks with the people who start July 17 and then two weeks with those whom start August 14 (or something like that...)

 

[rkmoto121]

I have heard back from Cincinnati, for multiple dates.
Have also heard back from OSU, Utah, Peoria, and Vegas.

For what month did you hear back from Vegas and when did you hear? My app has said "under host institution review" for like two months.


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[gruemd]

For what month did you hear back from Vegas and when did you hear? My app has said "under host institution review" for like two months.


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They did sort of a "tell us when you want to come and we'll schedule it" sort of thing, by their phrasing it looks like it would be sent out in batches until they were full.

 

[runthiscity]

Heard back from MCW this afternoon! For those of you who were also waiting, I hope you got good news too!

 

[kittykattat]

Has anyone heard if Kaiser SD still has spots open?

My info in exchange for yours:
-denied from UCSF this week, all months full (July, Aug, and Sep that is)
-offered Maryland this week

Thanks

 

[MelMcT2009]

What are you guys doing for housing at Peoria? If anyone is interested in splitting a place for July shoot me a message

 

[em20178]

anyone heard back for August and beyond for St. Joseph, Hofstra Northwell, or other NY sites? I'm wondering if they are scheduling month by month because at those places my application is still "pending"

 

[AlgernonMed]

anyone heard back for August and beyond for St. Joseph, Hofstra Northwell, or other NY sites? I'm wondering if they are scheduling month by month because at those places my application is still "pending"

St Joseph in Paterson, New Jersey?

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[em20178]

St Joseph in Paterson, New Jersey?

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Yes, in Paterson, NJ.

 

[AlgernonMed]

Yes, in Paterson, NJ.

I heard back from them this past week for August - September.

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[drbaby]

I heard back from them this past week for August - September.

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I heard back from St Joseph's in Paterson two weeks ago for Aug-Sept but turned down my spot this past week. Maybe you got my spot

 

[AlgernonMed]

I heard back from St Joseph's in Paterson two weeks ago for Aug-Sept but turned down my spot this past week. Maybe you got my spot

Haha probably. They initially offered me one for much later in the season and for when I was already booked, so thanks for opening up a spot for me!

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[LostinLift]

Has anyone heard if Kaiser SD still has spots open?

My info in exchange for yours:
-denied from UCSF this week, all months full (July, Aug, and Sep that is)
-offered Maryland this week

Thanks

Last I heard full through October

 

[em20178]

Last I heard full through October

drbaby and Algernonmed... did you apply immediately to St Joe's as soon as the application process came out? I applied a few days after the application process opened up and that's why I was wondering if that was still in the waiting. Thanks.

 

[AlgernonMed]

drbaby and Algernonmed... did you apply immediately to St Joe's as soon as the application process came out? I applied a few days after the application process opened up and that's why I was wondering if that was still in the waiting. Thanks.

I submitted the application within an hour of it opening. That said, I had emailed them several weeks before the application opened expressing interest and I met with the program at SAEM...they've been high on my list since last October at ACEP and I think these things made a significant difference in getting the rotation. (I'm not the most competitive of applicants....haha)

 

[em20178]

I submitted the application within an hour of it opening. That said, I had emailed them several weeks before the application opened expressing interest and I met with the program at SAEM...they've been high on my list since last October at ACEP and I think these things made a significant difference in getting the rotation. (I'm not the most competitive of applicants....haha)

Thanks for the response.

 

[drbaby]

I'm pretty sure I applied the day they opened

 

[BigGAC1]

Have any DOs heard from KU (Kansas)? It says on VSAS that they don't even process DO apps until June 1 so I'm wondering if they even take any DOs for July/Aug/Sep. Mine still says pending host institution review.

 

[em20178]

Anyone hear from Hofstra northwell? Mine still says pending host institution review. Unfortunately nearly all of my VSAS applications say that.

 

[em20178]

I'm pretty sure I applied the day they opened

Thanks!

 

[runthiscity]

Has anyone heard anything from University of Wisconsin by any chance?

 

[Status Sciaticus]

Has anyone heard anything from University of Wisconsin by any chance?

heard back about a week and a half ago.

 

[runthiscity]

heard back about a week and a half ago.

Positive news? And what month if you don't mind me asking.

 

[Status Sciaticus]

Positive news? And what month if you don't mind me asking.

yes. check your pm

 

[Johansef]

Has anyone heard if Kaiser SD still has spots open?

My info in exchange for yours:
-denied from UCSF this week, all months full (July, Aug, and Sep that is)
-offered Maryland this week

Thanks

Yeah they said they're full for the remainder of audition season and have waitlists.

 

[kittykattat]

Last I heard full through October

Yeah they said they're full for the remainder of audition season and have waitlists.

Thanks friends!

 

[MelMcT2009]

I declined a July spot at LSU BR, so they should have an opening (they're listed on the CDEM site). Hope it goes to one of y'all needing one!

 

[avgjoe3920]

Anyone hear back from UT Dell?

 

[BigGAC1]

Anyone hear back from UT Dell?

Nope... Still "Pending Host Institution Review" for me...

For any class of 2019ers out there stalking this thread for next year - heed my advice, apply for VSAS aways widely and like your life depends on it.

 

[PianoMedic]

Nope... Still "Pending Host Institution Review" for me...

For any class of 2019ers out there stalking this thread for next year - heed my advice, apply for VSAS aways widely and like your life depends on it.

I'd also add for the 2019ers that you should try to have a Step 1 score back before VSAS applications start up. Some programs require a Step 1 score, some have a minimum Step 1 score even. So if you're a DO, take Step 1 (unless it looks like you might fail or just barely pass). If you're at an MD school that takes Step 1 after third year, I would try to take it early if possible.

 

[repititionition]

.

 

[Status Sciaticus]

anyone have thoughts on doing two aways? I've heard from several directors and CORD that we are supposed to do 1 home 1 away, but i frequently see people do two aways on SDN.

 

[SamtheWise]

anyone have thoughts on doing two aways? I've heard from several directors and CORD that we are supposed to do 1 home 1 away, but i frequently see people do two aways on SDN.

I would say it varies from person to person. I did one away and had no issues with interviews or matching. However, some people want to check out other types of programs or try and get their foot in the door in specific regions or at specific programs.

The way I looked at it however was that there are significant downsides to doing multiple away rotations. First of all, in a year in which rotations are incredibly difficult to obtain you are taking a spot that could go to someone else. Don't underestimate how exhausting and expensive away rotations are; I was financially and emotionally drained at the end of mine. Similarly, the more aways you do, the more you are opening yourself up to potentially negative or damaging evals in SLOEs, the SLOE is a harsh document and every year people don't match into EM purely because of comments made in SLOEs.

These are my thoughts, but remember, YMMV.

 

[BigGAC1]

anyone have thoughts on doing two aways? I've heard from several directors and CORD that we are supposed to do 1 home 1 away, but i frequently see people do two aways on SDN.

... As a DO with no home institution and a mediocre application, I'm doing 5. (2 AOA + 3 ACGME)

Balls to wall, boys!

 

[avgjoe3920]

Nope... Still "Pending Host Institution Review" for me...

For any class of 2019ers out there stalking this thread for next year - heed my advice, apply for VSAS aways widely and like your life depends on it.

anyone have thoughts on doing two aways? I've heard from several directors and CORD that we are supposed to do 1 home 1 away, but i frequently see people do two aways on SDN.

I'm stuck in the same predicament. I accepted a rotation for August at a new residency program but then I heard back like two days ago from a program I really want to rotate at to rotate with them in mid September. Was unsure if I should cancel the first one or just do both.

 

[Status Sciaticus]

I'm stuck in the same predicament. I accepted a rotation for August at a new residency program but then I heard back like two days ago from a program I really want to rotate at to rotate with them in mid September. Was unsure if I should cancel the first one or just do both.

I would say it varies from person to person. I did one away and had no issues with interviews or matching. However, some people want to check out other types of programs or try and get their foot in the door in specific regions or at specific programs.

The way I looked at it however was that there are significant downsides to doing multiple away rotations. First of all, in a year in which rotations are incredibly difficult to obtain you are taking a spot that could go to someone else. Don't underestimate how exhausting and expensive away rotations are; I was financially and emotionally drained at the end of mine. Similarly, the more aways you do, the more you are opening yourself up to potentially negative or damaging evals in SLOEs, the SLOE is a harsh document and every year people don't match into EM purely because of comments made in SLOEs.

These are my thoughts, but remember, YMMV.

Yeah thats the issue. Opening up a geographic area vs opening yourself up for negative comments.
Its also an issue of being a 6th seed player, possibly playing at a 1st or 2nd seed institution.

 

[SamtheWise]

Yeah thats the issue. Opening up a geographic area vs opening yourself up for negative comments.
Its also an issue of being a 6th seed player, possibly playing at a 1st or 2nd seed institution.

I was anxious about the same thing, but SLOEs are so important. Work your butt off, don't be a jerk and consider this your opportunity to turn yourself into a 1st or 2nd seed player. I know people who were aggressively mediocre on paper and matched at top programs because of their clinical skills (or rather, SLOE skills). Recognize the game for what it is and play it well.

 

[Medfall2013]

Minority students should be cautious with Highland. there is a Dr. Miller there that can be a bit racist and the clerkship director is also passive aggressive toward minority students. I had a friend that said she never really felt welcomed at highland when she rotated there.

 

[alpinism]

Minority students should be cautious with Highland. there is a Dr. Miller there that can be a bit racist and the clerkship director is also passive aggressive toward minority students. I had a friend that said she never really felt welcomed at highland when she rotated there.

That's weird since they're well known for filling their classes with minority Ivy league students.