VCOM College Catalog and Student Handbook

Clinical Assignments and the Clinical Match Third year students are assigned to a clinical site. While the placement is an assignment, VCOM utilizes a Match System to attempt to make clinical site assignments based on the best match for students. Within the Match System, students rank their hospital choices and provide a written reason for their top choices. Students should be aware that the site assignments are made to provide the largest number of students with their first choice collectively and to assure meeting the student’s educational needs. Students who feel their circumstances meet criteria for hardship or special consideration may complete a separate form and provide necessary documentation. All students participate in the match for core sites associated with their campus. A student-to-student trading mechanism is provided for student use after a preliminary match is announced. Hardship, special consideration, and trade requests are adjudicated by the selection committee and approved by the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and the Campus Dean. All decisions are confidential and private. The Office of Clinical Affairs then performs the match. VCOM attempts to match students in their top choices; however, this is dependent on the capacity of site. When the number of students exceeds the capacity of a site, a committee composed of the Dean, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, the Director of OMS 3 Clinical Rotations, and additional members as appointed by the Dean; places the students according to need, desire, and capacity. Students receive their match assignment to the site in the spring of their OMS 2 year and receive their clinical rotation schedule prior to the first day of orientation to the OMS 3 clinical site. Orientation to The Clinical Site The DSME and the Clinical Site Coordinator arrange an orientation to the clinical site. The orientation is mandatory and often includes information on how to utilize the electronic medical systems, academic event schedules, and other materials necessary to begin rotations. Missing orientation may result in a delay in the student’s academic year.

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