I experienced very little pimping at my home institution, maybe one or two anatomy questions the whole month (and both were the "if you don't know it don't worry about it" not your basic anatomy stuff, more FYI kind of things).
I only did one away (at Mayo) and it was about the same. A little more pimping on basic anatomy or differential (maybe 5-6 questions the whole month ?). All very laid back, oh by the way kind of questions.
I don't know what everybody else got, although I havn't heard anybody I know say they got heavily pimped (seems like most ortho people are a little more laid back, no general surgery 20 questions every case stuff).
That said, it's always better to be over-prepared, and it really makes a case alot more useful (and fun) if you have some clue what you're looking at.

pimpin aint easy.........i rotated at tufts on one service for the whole month and was continually pimped by one attending during most of the cases.....just anatomic questions though.....not "what would you do next or what hardware would you use?"......know your anatomy for every case...thats the best advice i can provide.....netters atlas of orthopaedic anatomy saved me during my rotations.........i would invest the 34.99...........

I would totally agree, Netter's is great, and it (sort of) fits in your pocket, so between cases, before cases you can look through it. Gives you basic info on the approaches as well as great tables with origins, insertions, and innervation, as well as little anatomy pearls. Well worth the money...

I wasn't suggesting anybody go out and buy a Hoppenfield's either, but I got lucky and have a free copy from a connection that works at a publishing company. It's too big to take with you (unless you carry a book bag or something), but it's good to read the night before if you know what cases are coming up and you can get a free copy/check it out from a library, etc.

I got pimped a good amount while rotating at UCLA - both attendings and residents. I even spent a day at Harbor-UCLA for a second look and got pimped by the UCLA 5 on service there. Crazy.

I agree that most of the pimping was anatomy and straight forward stuff if you've read. Read and be generally interested and you'll do fine.

Pimping is not a thing to be feared. Every pimping question that you get wrong is a learning opportunity, and every one that you get right is a way to show that you prepared. The only thing you DON'T want to do is get every single question wrong, especially the ones about basic anatomy. What this says to the pimp-er is that the pimp-ee did no reading or preparation for the case. No one will fault a student (or even a resident) for getting some of these questions wrong. Some attendings will also escalate the questioning - i.e., if you get a few right, you will start getting harder questions until you start getting them wrong.

Take home message: don't stress about being pimped. It means the attending/fellow/resident is at least paying attention to you.

here is a DO NOT DO tip after having seeing a couple of sub-Is rotate through:

don't pimp the m3 on the ortho surg service (who, likely, is only there for a week's elective in their month of surgery subspecialty requirements) in front of other residents/attendings in order to try and look smart. it only makes you look like a jackass.

i'm amazed at some of the things i've seen some sub-Is do.

re: being pimped. netter's concise atlas is fantastic. i used it on my 3 sub-Is and found it to be full of good quick-referenced info.