4th Year Visiting Medical Student Rotations

Visiting fourth-year students in good standing from United States LCME- or AOA-accredited schools may apply for a General Internal Medicine Inpatient Acting-Internship experience at Saint Joseph Hospital. This highly sought after 4-week rotation is excellent preparation for residency.

Students will be assigned to a general medicine ward team and function similarly as a fellow intern during the rotation, assuming continuity primary responsibility for inpatients and taking admissions under the direct supervision of a senior resident and an attending physician. Students will enhance their skills in history taking, physical diagnosis, oral presentations, clinical reasoning, and evidence-based patient management. Students will document H and P findings, assessments, plans and orders by written communication in the EPIC-based Electronic Medical Record (EMR), as well as write daily progress notes and discharge summaries on their patients, which are reviewed by their senior resident and become part of the patient’s official medical record. Daily teaching is provided through attending rounds, afternoon report case conferences, EKG conferences, and departmental noon conferences, as well as weekly program director rounds.

Work hours will comply with ACGME recommendations for interns, including one full day off per week. Students may take two additional days off for the purpose of interviewing during interview season rotations; all such planned absences should be communicated with and approved in advance with the course coordinator.

Eligibility for a rotation includes a prerequisite of two months of inpatient hospital experience, one of which must be in internal medicine, with a letter of recommendation stating that you are competent to write progress notes and orders. To apply for a rotation, you will need approval for the rotation by your medical school dean with documentation that you are in good standing and have completed all of your third-year clerkships.  We also require a personal statement from you expressing your future career and residency goals. Please see additional requirements listed below. Finally, a current affiliation agreement between your school and SJH is also required.

Sub-internships are only offered at specific four-week intervals that correspond with the University of Colorado academic schedule. We will accept online applications starting January 1 and notify you of your status (accepted, declined, wait-list) prior to June 1.

Comments from students completing the rotation

“This was definitely one of the best rotations I have done. The rotation struck a great balance between autonomy and teaching. The noon and afternoon conference were always really helpful in practicing my differential skills. What stood out most was the quality of clinical teaching and guidance by the faculty!”

“Significantly better organized with fantastic teaching. Provides a wide range of pathology. Excellent and timely feedback from all residents and staff.”

“I appreciated how friendly, welcoming, and encouraging everyone was.”