US Clinical Rotations

What are US Clinical Rotations? 

The clinical rotations in USA for international students are like internships that you pay for. Being a part of such a program tells the NRMP that you have exposure to the US healthcare system. This enhances your chances of a match.  

There are, of course, some differences between a clinical rotation & an observer-ship/internship. When you pay for an Elective Clinical Rotation you get certain privileges that an intern/observer does not have.

Firstly, when you join the clinical rotations for foreign medical students in USA, you get access to electronic medical records of the patients which is really important from the perspective of scoring well in the USMLE. The test items in the USMLE steps require you to correlate the symptoms of a patient to his/her history and then arrive at a suitable course of therapy. The access to the medical records of the patients serves the purpose beautifully.

Most importantly, however, joining any of the clinical electives in USA for international students gives you the opportunity to actually physically examine a patient. This is a huge privilege because during an observer-ship you can’t even talk to a patient, let alone examine him/her. In short, the elective clinical experience gives you the real experience that is countable for NRMP.

Can IMGs do electives?

The answer is a big yes! In fact, IMGs should definitely do Clinical Electives in the US if they wish to have an advantage over others in getting a Residency Match during their Medical PG in US process after USMLE. Otherwise also, US electives for international medical students add greatly to your CV.

Right time to apply for Elective Clinical Rotation 

The basic requirement to get an opportunity to join clinical electives in USA for international medical students, is that you should be in the final year or should have completed your graduation (MBBS). Now, the application process itself takes 6-8 months. It is ideal; therefore, to keep that window in your mind and apply in such a way that you can fly off to the US after completing your MBBS.

No USMLE Step 1 Score needed

Many MBBS students have a concept that to join elective rotations for international medical students, you need your USMLE Step 1 scores. While nothing could be farther from the truth, having a good USMLE Step 1 score opens up certain options. You become eligible to apply for some ace Clinical Rotation programs. But you can definitely do an Elective Clinical Rotation in the US without appearing in the USMLE.

US Elective Clinical Rotation Fee 

The fee varies from specialty to specialty. To give you an idea, we can safely say that US Clinical Rotation fee starts from 75,000INR ($999).

Why do US Clinical Elective Rotation?

The reasons of choosing to do a US Clinical Elective Rotation are many –

• Doing an Elective Clinical Rotation enhances your eligibility and makes you a more suitable candidate for a residency match.
• Apart from having access to medical records and the allowance to physically examine a patient, you get some other privileges too. As a visiting student, you get the opportunity to work on specific cases, prepare cases, and attend conferences.
• A great incentive of attending a medical elective in USA is the kind of contacts you make. You will get an opportunity to interact with residents, fellows, foreign students, etc. Such contacts help you immensely during your USMLE journey and in securing a residency spot.
•  Most of the test items in the USMLE Steps require you to deal with clinical cases. The medical electives in USA give you the first hand exposure you need along with access to the medical records.
• Another crucial aspect of preparing a portfolio for your medical PG in US is the assortment of LORs you have. Attending an Elective Clinical Rotation is a great way to get valuable letters of recommendation.

Moksh Advantage 

We at Moksh are partners with quite a few ACGME accredited hospitals. We would be glad to guide you through the entire process. What we provide is a full Medical PG in US package. We can start with an Elective Clinical Rotation; continue through world class USMLE training right up to your getting a medical license in US.