I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the program at Texas Tech in El Paso? It seems off the beaten path and I don't think I've ever seen it mentioned here. Just scouting out the programs.

thx

Hmm...the Program Director from TT posts here frequently - maybe he can give you some perspective. You may have heard of him - he goes by BKN.

Its definitely been mentioned plenty of times around these parts. Just check out my old blog (link below) and read about my interview experience there. Personally, I loved El Paso and the program. The city is a lot like any southern California city that is not within eyeshot of the Pacific. Palm trees, gorgeous mountains, nice warm days and cool evenings, basically a paradise in west Texas. The demographics are mostly Hispanic and Caucasian, with all others thrown in as well. You get the good and bad that comes with another country on the other side of the river...great for shopping and cheap vacations into the heart of Mexico down into Chihuahua and further. The Copper Canyon is within a few hours and it is the last great unknown hiker's paradise where you can roam for weeks without seeing anyone other than a Tarahamara Indian. And for 10 bucks they'll be your guide for a week!!

Program Director...super cool, all other faculty...super cool, ED, nicely set up, and small hospital but has plenty of other residencies to work side by side with. I met some great residents one who has turned out to be a buddy even though I did not match there. My wife was just chomping at the bit to go back up north and I really found a great residency home in Iowa. But yes, it is in my opinion the best of the 4 programs in Texas by far. Parkland is too malignant, Houston has some bad apples, Scott and White is too "Cowboy", and El Paso is just right. You can get to any major city in the state of Texas from El Paso in 1.5 hours or less on Southwest Airlines. And its cheap, consistent, and the tickets are great priced up to 7 days in advance and even then don't climb too high even an hour before a flight. You can park, walk, and be on your plane in 15 minutes. There is no traffic in El Paso. There is a major university in UTEP, and the people of El Paso have that California creativity without the nauseating east Texan accent and attitude!

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the program at Texas Tech in El Paso? It seems off the beaten path and I don't think I've ever seen it mentioned here. Just scouting out the programs.

thx
Yep no one talks about it. Ill give you the low down from people I know who interviewed there (I did not).

Good program, good training, location puts some people off. as Apollyon said BKN is the PD and he posts on here quite frequently. If he is as helpful in person as he is on the EM and Gen Res forums I dont think you could go wrong.

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the program at Texas Tech in El Paso? It seems off the beaten path and I don't think I've ever seen it mentioned here. Just scouting out the programs.

thx

Check out our web site: http://www.ttuhsc.edu/elpaso/som/em/

includes the curriculum, residency handbook and other stuff.

PM me or email me from the site if you have questions. Happy to be considered.

Houston has some bad apples

Hopefully you were not referring to me corpsman... ;)

Seriously though, I really liked TT-El Paso, but the wife did not like the city. Corpsman gave a pretty thorough description that I agree with, so I will not repeat what he said!

I did get to meet 2 SDNers in El Paso, including corpsman; although I must say the highlight of the interview season was getting to meet the infamous Quinn in Tampa!

Hopefully you were not referring to me corpsman... ;)

Seriously though, I really liked TT-El Paso, but the wife did not like the city. Corpsman gave a pretty thorough description that I agree with, so I will not repeat what he said!

I did get to meet 2 SDNers in El Paso, including corpsman; although I must say the highlight of the interview season was getting to meet the infamous Quinn in Tampa!

I was referring to some of the faculty...not you my friend.

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the program at Texas Tech in El Paso? It seems off the beaten path and I don't think I've ever seen it mentioned here. Just scouting out the programs.

thx

I am one of the EM residents here in El Paso. Please see my review of the program on scutwork.com. If you have questions PM myself or BKN.

I rotated there as a fourth year and really liked it.

Alright, let's bring this thread back to life. I am beginning to refine my program preferences as time passes and there are a few for which I am interested in finding out more. As was obvious in my "hispanic pt population" thread, I am interested in several ethnically diverse programs. I'd love to hear more from anyone who rotated, interviewed, worked in El Paso (ahem...BKN and Derek). I have searched some previous threads and scutwork but would love any more thoughts.

Specifically, I would like to know more about how much the residents hang out together and if they are happy. Also, how involved the faculty are with teaching?

Thanks!

Specifically, I would like to know more about how much the residents hang out together and if they are happy. Also, how involved the faculty are with teaching?

Thanks!

I think your questions should be answered by a resident. Derek, you out there?

I think your questions should be answered by a resident. Derek, you out there?
Derek..... you out there????? (all she hears is an echo :( )

Derek..... you out there????? (all she hears is an echo :( )

Derek was on the day shift. He'll be around eventually.

trkd:

Going into my second year here in El Paso I have to say I have no regrets. This is the perfect program for EM trainning. There are a ton of crash and burn patients showing up in the ED who need quick intervention (intubation, cental lines, art lines). The EM attendings are some of the brightest faculty I have ever worked with and I was at Mayo (Scottsdale) prior to El Paso.

The residents do hang out quite a bit together, I probably less than others as I have two kids at home (one being a year old). There is always a BBQ or a weekend night out with some of the residents if your looking for something to do. Most residents try not to cross the border on their nights out, BKN has some great stories about how tough it has been for residents to get back across the border once in Mexico.

Residency is a hard time no matter what specialty or where you are. I know I am happy here and as far as I can tell the other residents are as well. I have always believed that if I am going to work crazy hours and make the ones I love sacrafice their lives at my expense, then I better do it in a nice climate and you are hard pressed to find anywhere better than El Paso for weather. The recent 100yr flood excluded of course. Not to mention the Franklin Mountains that our home sits at the foot of. I believe that if you come out of this program you can handle ANYTHING that finds its way to your ER.

Hope this helps!!

"Nauseating East Texas Accent" I guess my histories should come with a side of antiemetic. What up with that Corps? I guess we all have our pet peevs, like how I can't stand the east coast Attitude/Accent (east coast above the mason dixon that is) or that California "everywhere but orange county sucks" attitude. Aren't you from Texas corps?
Anyway, I thought Houston was okay, just in a state of flux, I agree with the Dallas statement, and and Temple was good, just in the middle of nowhere. Didn't interview at Tech as my wife says in her "Annoying Polish/Russian Accent" U vant ta liv in DEE deshurt, U must be Crazee.

Best Wishes

The Mish

my wife says in her "Annoying Polish/Russian Accent" U vant ta liv in DEE deshurt, U must be Crazee.

:laugh:

Scott and White is too "Cowboy"

Dude, enough with the Cowboy thing. I'm like the least cowboy person you can think of and I'm happy as can be at Scott & White. While there are certainly some conservative folks here (we are in Texas afterall), those of us who aren't are very comfortable here as well.

Take care,
Jeff

Of all the people I met at the TCEP (Texas College of Emergency Physicians) annual meeting this year who were from Scott & White, none were wearing ten gallon hats and cowboy boots. They were good down to earth people.

Of all the people I met at the TCEP (Texas College of Emergency Physicians) annual meeting this year who were from Scott & White, none were wearing ten gallon hats and cowboy boots. They were good down to earth people.

since when did boots and ten gallon hats become a bad thing?!? i find it refreshing when i see an attending or resident with chaps & spurs on, or tying his/her horse up to the bike rack.


tm

since when did boots and ten gallon hats become a bad thing?!? i find it refreshing when i see an attending or resident with chaps & spurs on, or tying his/her horse up to the bike rack.


tm

Best questions about being from TX
1. Do you have an oil well in your backyard?
2. Are you a cowboy?
3. Do you ride in a wagon to school?
4. The whole state is just a big desert right?
5. Is everyone from Tx a right winged conservative racist?

Best questions about being from TX
1. Do you have an oil well in your backyard?
2. Are you a cowboy?
3. Do you ride in a wagon to school?
4. The whole state is just a big desert right?
5. Is everyone from Tx a right winged conservative racist?

Come on, we know not all of you guys have oil wells.

mike

Come on, we know not all of you guys have oil wells.

mike

Well I did have a coyote howling outside my window last night . . . oh wait, that was a cat.:o

Best questions about being from TX
1. Do you have an oil well in your backyard?
2. Are you a cowboy?
3. Do you ride in a wagon to school?
4. The whole state is just a big desert right?
5. Is everyone from Tx a right winged conservative racist?


My favorite thing about being from Texas is that our Highway Patrol often drive trucks!

My favorite thing about being from Texas is that our Highway Patrol often drive trucks!

Are you picturing Chuck Norris in a Dodge Ram 4x4 ready to kick some tail! Get em Walker!

Are you picturing Chuck Norris in a Dodge Ram 4x4 ready to kick some tail! Get em Walker!

No, hes a Texas Ranger...they answer only directly to the Texas Governor.

Some of our actual highway patrol drive trucks... Here is a random pic from the net:
http://www.olblueusa.org/AskTheLaw/trooper_dial_140.jpg

chuck norris' tears are the cure for cancer, aids, and ebola. sadly, chuck norris has never cried.


tm

uh...actually had coyotes howling in our yard this morning....at 5am...woke me up out of a dead sleep....:sleep: :scared:

chuck norris' tears are the cure for cancer, aids, and ebola. sadly, chuck norris has never cried.


tm

:laugh: I love it! I never hear enough of these. We should start a chuck norris thread.

Theres nothing wrong with being a cowboy!

Theres nothing wrong with being a cowboy!

Is that an SMU football jersey on that kid? They could probably use him right now- Sorry, couldn't help it, TCU c/o 2002

:laugh: I love it! I never hear enough of these. We should start a chuck norris thread.


http://4q.cc/index.php?pid=fact&person=chuck

He's my hero

Is that an SMU football jersey on that kid? They could probably use him right now- Sorry, couldn't help it, TCU c/o 2002


It's ok. We're horrible, but whats' new? However I must remind you that TCU lost to SMU last year. :laugh: :laugh:

It's ok. We're horrible, but whats' new? However I must remind you that TCU lost to SMU last year. :laugh: :laugh:

I have never been more disappointed in a one loss season!

It's ok. We're horrible, but whats' new? However I must remind you that TCU lost to SMU last year. :laugh: :laugh:

Man, I feel really old. I remember when the ponies actually had a real football team.

The death penalty came sometime when I was at A&M.

Take care,
Jeff

My favorite thing about being from Texas is that our Highway Patrol often drive trucks!

Yeah F150’s, No state income taxes so they Ballance the budget with speeding tickets. 70 mph may seem fast back east but when you are driving or a road as strait as and arrow with nothing but sage brush as far as you can see even 90 mph feels slow.

Yeah F150’s, No state income taxes so they Ballance the budget with speeding tickets. 70 mph may seem fast back east but when you are driving or a road as strait as and arrow with nothing but sage brush as far as you can see even 90 mph feels slow.

No income tax?!? Where do they pull the money from? There definitely must be somewhere they will leech money from if I move there. (Maybe a tax on oxygen or something)

No income tax?!? Where do they pull the money from? There definitely must be somewhere they will leech money from if I move there. (Maybe a tax on oxygen or something)

property taxes and sales tax higher than most places. endless battles in the legislature over funding. lowest or next lowest medicaid and school support. but the roads get a separate lock box on gas taxes. Because this is Texas!:cool:

And more property taxes!

Take care,
Jeff

you know jeff, what sucks is that the aggies have probably had their best 2 QBs in the past 30 years in McNeal and now McGee, at least in terms of talent, but have so little around them and the coaching isnt looking too good. If only McNeal had been an aggie in the early 90's (apologies to corey pullig)

you know jeff, what sucks is that the aggies have probably had their best 2 QBs in the past 30 years in McNeal and now McGee, at least in terms of talent, but have so little around them and the coaching isnt looking too good. If only McNeal had been an aggie in the early 90's (apologies to corey pullig)

I hate to date myself but I'm still a huge Bucky Richardson fan. I still haven't seen anyone who could get Kyle Field that excited.

Take care,
Jeff (Class of '90-ouch)

Obviously You'd have to say bucky richardson (how bout that game in the holiday bowl!) would be the fan favorite over the past 20 years, but he was more of gamer than an NFL level QB talent. I actually am the sole non aggie from an aggie family, but when you grow up following em it is hard to stop.

I actually am the sole non aggie from an aggie family, but when you grow up following em it is hard to stop.

Yep, it is hard. We never lost to Texas while I was in college. Obviously, thing are a wee bit different now. :(

Watching Aggie games is much harder these days then back in the day.

Take care,
Jeff