I'm not sure there is a definitive answer to when your away rotations should be done. Generally, most programs start looking at applications to start interviewing in October/November, but some don't decide until December. The first date to fill out your ERAS app was August 15th this year, and the eariest date to submit was Sept. 1. I don't think there is any advantage to wait, so get your application in as soon as possible, even if you don't have all your LOR in yet. I think the absolute latest away rotation you can get a LOR into your app and still have most programs review them is October. It is easier, and in my opinion better, if you just bang out your aways in the beginning fo the year in July, August, and September, perhaps with a week of vacation in between each.

i understand that if you want a letter or an interview out of a visiting clerkship that you should do it earlier in the fall. how late can you rotate at a program towards "rank season" to help give the program a nudge to let them know you're there? january, february? or do most programs have a set rank list by that time?

Most students come through as fourth years in the late summer/early fall on the orthopaedic service. Usually (in many but not all instances) an elective rotation can secure an interview. If you rotate in the winter, you may not get an interview because sometimes only the med ed department knows that you are coming and the orthopaedic department does not or is unaware. If you want to augment your interviews and impress some programs that you might want to match at, do it in the fall. I don't think there is any advantage to a winter rotation unless it is at your home program and they know you from previous rotations (3rd yr etc).

For away rotations the tradition is to start early and impress because if you do you can get a letter (early enough to use on ERAS and an interview if they like you). Having said that there are many programs that interview rotators only so if you are looking into those programs (Northwestern comes to mind) definately rotate there before they send out interview offers (which come in en masse in Nov/Dec with some offers in Oct and Jan).
As far as rotating after the end of the interview season, you will probably be tried of travelling let alone doing a 4 week "interview" at a place that has already interviewed you. My program (and many others) usually rank students the day they interview with a full rank order soon after that. Ive heard that some Program directors will possibly bump people up in the listing if they write to the programs after the interview dates, but some totally ignore all correspondence, in any case if you like a program and want to be there, it will not hurt to make your intentions known to the program director.

I would rotate as soon as possible after doing a home program elective in ortho (I did and found that I was more comfortable doing an away because I at least was more familiar with the jargon of ortho) and you can do a rotation as late as Oct (again I use myself as an example) and still get a letter and interview.

Most of the students that rotate in ortho after the interview season are usually students going into other fields and want more clinical ortho experience or are from foreign countries.

Hope this helps!



i understand that if you want a letter or an interview out of a visiting clerkship that you should do it earlier in the fall. how late can you rotate at a program towards "rank season" to help give the program a nudge to let them know you're there? january, february? or do most programs have a set rank list by that time?