rsontchi,
My thought is that you should decide which PROGRAM you would be happiest at - and rotate there. Big name programs aren't necessarily best. Be advised that you will be spending 5 years (sometimes 6) at the program where you match - so the more you know about the program where you decide to rotate the better. I rotated at a big name program in my part of the country and found the residents to be overworked and unhappy and the faculty to be.....guess what......overworked and unhappy. Now, I wish I had spent that month at a different place. I rotated at another program and found ortho heaven on earth - and I ended up matching there. All I'm saying is big name does not necessarily mean good program. And as a new ortho intern, I am faced with the reality of my job and my fellow residents and my attendings each and every day, and I could not be happier with how things turned out. So....I would research it and be certain that Emory is not only your "dream program", but your ideal program in reality (because reality comes sooner than you think). Then, I would research MUSC and find out if you think you might be happier there, then make your rotation decision. And I wouldn't get too caught up in the numbers game. If you rotate somewhere and they like you and you like them, odds improve greatly that you will match there. Just pick your AI's with care - pick good programs!
