Many will refute this claim. However, I have noticed this program is very heavy on retaining its own folks. This may be true for a number of reasons. But be it as it is, this will make it harder for an "outsider" to crack the shell. I think this year they were better about taking people from other places. However, previous years have been very heavy on carbondale people. Good Luck......and if you are rollin in an SC300 through the LOU give me a shout out.

Many medical students have had the same problem in the past. The SIU medical school allows their own students to apply for ortho spots first, then the school allows visiting students to apply. So the delay is from the medical school and not the department of orthopaedics, we have absolutely no control initially.
However, if you contact Anita Weinhoeft (Program Coordinator) at 217-545-6155. She is very happy to "back door" your way into a visiting student spot. We always will accept more students.
We have ~ 7 academic faculty and 14 community faculty. We obviously have room for any number of rotators. Working with Dr. Allan for at least one week is essenital. Otherwise we try to send you with one academic faculty for a week, then change to a different specialty.
If there are too many students during that time for you to work with Dr. Allan, then you should consider another date. In fact, people in this program have rotated here in January/February.
Traditionally we have taken people that have rotated here because we know them. But, more importantly they know us and the design of the program. So I think the rotators are ranking us high because liked the program and then get invited. Most of our rotators are from SIU (7 last year) however no SIU student matched here last year.
I think the reason so many SIU students have chosen the Sept time periord, is that the medical school has lengthened its 3rd year curriculum ?sp so the SIU students have less time to do 4th year rotations.

Thanks SIUresident...

I actually called SIU's ortho dept last Friday and Anita got back to me pretty quick. She told me that the director was open to away rotators and told me that I could rotate there and that they would work out the details with the medical school. So...I'm not sure if this applies to all schools, but if you're having trouble with the medical school, give the ortho dept a call yourself and see if your luck is any better.

I just want to emphasize what SIUresident had to say regarding our resident selection. None of the three interns including myself were SIU students. I dont think SIU is any different in regards to taking their own students or rotators then any other program. As SIUresident indicated, I think many of the rotators rank the program highly and do so because they were seriously considering the program prior to their rotation and had a great experience during their rotation. I am only one month into my residency here, but I am very glad that I "cracked the shell."

And just so there is no confusion, the main SIU undergrad campus is in Carbondale, but the SIU medical school and the residency programs are in Springfield.

Please feel free to PM me with any questions.