Well that's the crazy thing for our evaluations during fourth year, you can't even "honor" those rotations (Sub-I's in ortho). It's either pass/fail. Basically you are evaluated on 18 different points on the 1-5 scale, 5 being excellent. As long as you get above 3 on everything you "pass" otherwise "fail". Even if I got all 5's on a rotation in ortho it would still be a pass. I don't think it's ideal.
I wonder do programs then look at the comments made by the physicians instead? Our school does do a "total tally" of your scores of all of the rotations you've done and compare it to the class and include it in our deans letter, but I just worry that our evaluation at our school doesn't even have an "honors" designation in any rotations other than the core rotations, and that's because we have a shelf examination to help sort out things.
Your Dean's Letter should have a disclaimer that Honors is not awarded for that rotation (if they don't have it I would strongly advise you and your classmates to lobby your Dean since it is an important issue). Otherwise you can always explain to people at your interview (if it comes up) that it is not available...
what is the difference between a 3rd year ortho rotation and a 4th year ortho sub-I. They are both elective rotations. What would make one more critical to the application then the other.
Must depend on the school I guess because at Columbia ALL 3rd year medical students do a 3rd year 2-week rotation in Orthopaedics which is graded Pass/Fail. It has no bearing whatsoever on the application process. The 4th year Acting internship (or sub-internship) at all schools is more of an audition for students pursuing orthopaedic surgery residency positions and is critically important to the application process.
