you definitely still have a shot... my advice would be to set up a few away rotations (apply now!) and work your ass off on those ortho months to get good letters of rec and make good impressions at those programs. Then apply early and apply broadly for the match!

good luck,
gamma

Just to emphasize...it really is important to apply for sub-I's now. I waited until mid-late March to apply last year and didn't get a rotator spot at 2 places I really wanted to rotate (both very popular). Maybe this was rare...I don't know. But it never hurts to be early.

just a quick question in regards to the last post. the two places i plan on applying to are pretty popular amongst us all (northwestern and harvard) and i was wondering how early i need to jump on those apps. i have emailed both program directors and the response i got was we'd love to have you but you need to wait until we get our own students situated. so my question is this, if anyone applied to these schools how early did you get your apps in, and in general how early were people applying for aways. thanks for the help!

Many programs "take care of their own" first. But instead of guessing or asking others what they've done in the past, why don't you just call the residency coordinators from both places (not the PD's), tell them you definitely want to rotate with them, and ask when is the earliest they are accepting applications. They are generally very helpful and it will reflect positively on you if you show that you are proactive and are interested.

Like I said above, I applied in mid-late March. I got my 1st choice away, but my 2nd and 3rd choices were already booked for the months I was free. So I was forced to go with my 4th choice which I ended up not liking very much. Maybe this is unusual, but its better to be safe than sorry and get your app's in as early as they are accepting them. There's no benefit to waiting unless you're just unsure where you want to be and plan on figuring it out in the next couple of months.

Check the web stie at these places, almost all have an application for visitng students that you must fill out (some even require a letter of rec for an away rotation). They always give first crack to their own and usually have a date that you cannot submit the application before hand but just get it all ready so you can be first on the pile once the date approaches.
Also, a word on the adjutant facility at a few of these places (I won't name names) most are great but some are so bad you have to call like ten times to get any word. You will feel the need to harass these people and it works but do it nicely because once you're in the crapper with these people you can't get out. "Oops, I'm sorry but you application was never recieved" ie I let it fall into the waste basket because you were a jerk.
And try and to get trauma if you can at an away, it's usually diffucult to get it at an away rotation because it gets taken by their own students but it's a better way to get yourself known and show your work ethic/ knowledge than if you land on sports or hand that basically have no inpts. Plus, not a lot of room for you to scrub and you always want to scrub every case but it gets old when your on sports and decked out in full battle gear for the 10th time and are twidling your thumbs. Lasty, while on an away get more letters than you think you will need because if you are depending on one and it nevers shows you're in trouble. That happens to a lot of people. And ask before the end of the rotation so they can see you in action and take a harder look at you with a week or so to go. Have your CV, personal statment, picture and some schools you will apply to want supplemental forms from all evaluators (Wash U and Vanderbilt and some others-do a search) ready to give them because remember once your gone there are many more on your heels.

meeda-
i rotated at harvard, and it was a huge pain to organize. the ortho dept is great, very helpful, but you have to apply through the registrar as a visiting student. they are very much "we're harvard and you need us more than we need you. i applied the week they began accepting apps for a rotation in sept. i had to call and email continuously for months (they won't tell you anything till their students are situated). finally, three weeks before (they're supposed to tell you 1-2mo before) i called the ortho dept and said, "i really want to come rotate, but if i don't buy a flight today, i am not going to be able to afford this, etc". they made some calls and i got my info. throughout, the registrar's office were absolutely atrocious. if you do get it, be prepared to work your butt off. it's a great rotation though-- i learned a ton, got honors and a rec.
cheers.
firegirl

I know I am going to get jumped on for this, but are you rotating at these programs because you want to get a letter of rec from a person at the school, or because you want to end up at the place (Northwestern or Harvard)????
I believe that if you are going to these schools because you want to match their, you might be better off trying a different school. I just can't see someone with a 227 matching at Harvard or Northwestern due to the fact they get amazing applicants and rotators.

Now, if your goal is to get a letter of rec you can use at other places, that's another story.

uhh..i actually wasnt the original poster. my step I score is a little higher but not by much. either way, i think that is the point of rotating, to mitigate some deficiencies in your app...go there, be enthusiastic, work hard, know your stuff and good things seem to happen, as i am sure many on this site will attest to. stop raining on peoples parades dude...thats lame.

so i did a harvard away this past fall, applied for it late june-ish. had no problems with the registrar- they were actually really pleasant. not sure why firegirl had such problems, i got an email about my rotation assignment about 6 weeks before the start date.

my step 1 was not much higher than 227 and i interviewed there and think that i'm going to end up there, but i'm not going to tell you why i know that. so definitely meeda, don't let jalby burst your bubble.

definitely think you should research any program's website before emailing the PDs. they have absolutely nothing to do with who gets aways. not that it's a bad thing to do, but what if you spell their name wrong, annoy them, etc. and they remember you for that, that's not so good you know? all of the programs who like having rotators have extensive website and application info for visiting students. maybe the PD will wonder why you haven't found that info for yourself.

i will say that some programs (for example, rush) definitely have a policy of screening their rotators. if your scores/grades aren't good enough for their cut-offs, they won't take you as an away. i've heard they just want to give people a realistic picture of their chances which i think is probably a good thing.

I rotated at Northwestern, and they have a very formal application process that is available on their Website. The issues with it are:
- costs $100
- requires a letter of rec, preferably from an orthopaedist

Make sure you read both the Orthopaedic Dept's page about externships, and Northwestern's. You apply to Northwestern, not the Dept.

I was going to apply really early, but they do not want to hear from you until like April 1. Check their Website for details.