VCOM College Catalog and Student Handbook

VCOM third- and fourth-year students also have the opportunity to do a VCOM International Medicine month in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, or El Salvador as a medical selective or elective rotation. A student may request an International rotation that is sponsored by an organization outside of VCOM as an elective rotation; however, the rotation must be affiliated with a medical school or a federally sponsored organization. Students must include the name and credentials of the supervising physician, must be able to demonstrate in country approval for the site (usually by the minister of health), and be approved in advance. OMM is integrated into the OMS 4 curriculum. The didactic and hands-on osteopathic manipulative medicine curriculum is integrated into the required rotations in the 4th year curriculum to ensure students continue to develop their OMM skills and ability to apply osteopathic principles and practices in the provision of high-quality patient care. The OMM objectives are integrated into each syllabus and students must attend the monthly, regional OMM workshops while on a VCOM required rotation in a VCOM regional site. The Associate Dean for OMS 4 and GME must approve all rotation schedules. Students who have difficulty in scheduling their fourth year should meet with the Associate Dean. Students should also contact and meet with the Clinical Chair in their area of career interest for advice. Formal, scheduled opportunities exist for students to meet with Clinical Chairs such as when students return to campus for Hospital Day and when a student returns for competency testing. Students may also contact the Clinical Chair directly via email at any time. OMS 4 Rotation Selection The scheduling of 4th year rotations is very important for the student in both obtaining a broad-based education and in assuring exposure to residency programs of interest. Students are required to meet with the Associate Dean for OMS 4 and GME for planning. Students are also strongly encouraged to meet with the Discipline Clinical Chair(s) in the area the student is interested in for residency and practice. Fourth year students complete a Clinical Rotation Schedule Form in the spring of the OMS 3 year. The form identifies at least two and up to three areas the students are interested in for residency. The student then ranks their areas of interest or has the option to indicate equal interest or undecided as to rank. Once completed, the student submits their form to the Director of Fourth Year Clinical Rotations for approval. Students are required to turn in the rotation schedule for the first semester of the OMS 4 year no later than March 1 of their OMS 3 year and their rotation schedule for the second semester of the OMS 4 year no later than May 1 of their OMS 3 year to assure the student will be able to schedule their elective rotations in time. The Associate Dean for OMS 4 and GME will meet with students in the spring of their OMS 3 year by phone or in person to review the student’s choices and approve the schedule. The Associate Dean for OMS 4 and GME must approve the student’s 4 th year schedule. For those students located away from campus and who wish the meeting to be in person, the student should attempt to schedule the meeting to occur when returning to campus for COMPE or during other times convenient for the student. The Associate Dean may also meet with the student by teleconference. Students must consider factors such as the ability to obtain suitable, financially affordable housing; transportation; impact on significant others; impact on ability to interview at other programs; weather; workload; and board dates in advance of scheduling the OMS 4 year. Some non-VCOM elective or selective sites may charge a rotation fee, parking fee, or other administrative fee and it is the student’s responsibility to make sure they are aware of these fees. The financial burden associated with these fees will not be considered a reason to change a rotation as this should be determined in advance.

102