Columbia - any advice?

[Monaco238]

So apparently the Columbia chairman quit on Friday as well as 2 other faculty since residency interviews. During interviews the radiology chair was the interim chairman and one attending was packing up her boxes but now others seemed to have left. That leaves only 4 faculty.

I am reading through old posts and know there was recently issues with the ACGME but when I ask around I hear the problems were cleaned up.

What’s the story? Are they going to look for a new chair or will they merge with radiology? Does everyone still get a year of research or Holman? Does this impact the merger with Cornell?

(for those of you who’ve graduated, what impact does a chair have on your training or ability to get a job?)

Any info ASAP would be great!

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[domestique]

assuming everything you've written is true, you have your answer already.

 

[medgator]

Iirc, before chao came, wasn't it a smallish program under the radiology dept and lacking faculty? Sounds like it is back to square one

 

[PhotonBomb]

Early whispers is that Chao is going back to Houston.

BCM's chairman search just ended.

 

[baculum1]

Not interviewing here but I think someone should confirm this (Chairman leaving) if they know since deadline to rank is Wed for applicants and the truthfulness of this claim may be relevant for a lot of people. The poster is a new account with one post....
Also isn't Cornell under the same chairman so wouldn't this affect both programs?

 

[2014XRT]

Not interviewing here but I think someone should confirm this (Chairman leaving) if they know since deadline to rank is Wed for applicants and the truthfulness of this claim may be relevant for a lot of people. The poster is a new account with one post....
Also isn't Cornell under the same chairman so wouldn't this affect both programs?

Paranoid much?

 

[thompa]

Chairman did indeed resign on Friday. Nothing has currently changed regarding support for research.
The Cornell and Columbia merger has been dead for several months now (since at least November/December), and Cornell has been actively looking for a new chair during that time.
Chairs move around all the time, and I don't think Dr. Chao's departure is going to destabilize the program.

One last day to tweak the rank lists, cheers and good luck to everyone!

 

[Monaco238]

thanks thompa. i checked around with a few sources at my home program and also confirmed Chao forced out as chair. two faculty also quit because of turmoil. they did not tell us at interviews about the other faculty quitting or about 3 residents also transferring to other rad onc programs over the past few years (MUSC, Beumont, and could not find out where the other went). could not get more of a handle on whats going on there, but that's what i know.

Chairman did indeed resign on Friday. Nothing has currently changed regarding support for research.
The Cornell and Columbia merger has been dead for several months now (since at least November/December), and Cornell has been actively looking for a new chair during that time.
Chairs move around all the time, and I don't think Dr. Chao's departure is going to destabilize the program.

One last day to tweak the rank lists, cheers and good luck to everyone!

 

[couchkick]

A resident in one of the three programs you mention (where the transfer happened) was vocal about staying in touch with sources in their former program and warned that very few things to nothing had changed (even though it is advertised as being improved). Obviously a chair being forced out and multiple attendings leaving is a red flag for people ranking the program. Best of luck to everyone. I know I'm having last minute thoughts about the middle of my list still!

 

[Leapfrog80]

So apparently the Columbia chairman quit on Friday as well as 2 other faculty since residency interviews. During interviews the radiology chair was the interim chairman and one attending was packing up her boxes but now others seemed to have left. That leaves only 4 faculty.

I am reading through old posts and know there was recently issues with the ACGME but when I ask around I hear the problems were cleaned up.

What’s the story? Are they going to look for a new chair or will they merge with radiology? Does everyone still get a year of research or Holman? Does this impact the merger with Cornell?

(for those of you who’ve graduated, what impact does a chair have on your training or ability to get a job?)

Any info ASAP would be great!

Lot of turmoil in NYC. I heard Chao is out of the country, but unclear why he was 'fired' or why he 'retired', anyone know? I've heard the chair of NYU, Formenti, will leave soon to take over Cornell as the new chair. Also rumors that Ken Hu and Lou Harrison are returning to NYC to become faculty at NYU in the fall and this did not sit well with Dr. F, so NYU will soon be looking for a new chair as well. Anyone heard similar?

 

[Leapfrog80]

Lot of turmoil in NYC. I heard Chao is out of the country, but unclear why he was 'fired' or why he 'retired', anyone know? I've heard the chair of NYU, Formenti, will leave soon to take over Cornell as the new chair. Also rumors that Ken Hu and Lou Harrison are returning to NYC to become faculty at NYU in the fall and this did not sit well with Dr. F, so NYU will soon be looking for a new chair as well. Anyone heard similar?

In response to your question about the chair, having gone through the job search process, I think for smaller programs especially it is helpful to have a chair who knows you well and can advocate for you in the job search process. Larger programs have other well known attendings who can help give recommendations for you (a lot of this is done over the phone) in the place of a chair, but it's definitely very helpful to have a chair who has known you for four years and can put in a good word for you based on personal experience.

 

[BEASTMODEXRT]

Sounds like something is rotten in the state of Denmark

 

[seawaves]

Does anyone know which faculty members have left Columbia?

 

[seper]

does anybody know status of their ACGME accreditation?

 

[medgator]

does anybody know status of their ACGME accreditation?

Continued accreditation for now....

https://www.acgme.org/ads/public

 

[jezyk]

Isn't Chao a well regarded radonc? I wonder what happened...

 

[brozart]

http://weill.cornell.edu/news/pr/20...t-weill-cornell-medical-college-and-radi.html

Relevant?

 

[seawaves]

Does anyone know which faculty members have left Columbia?

Does anyone know?

 

[seper]

I'm confused - are 2 departments now officially merged?

 

[StJude22]

I don't think so. One of the cornell med students applying radonc this year mentioned that the columbia/cornell merger seemed unlikely. Who knows though, still could happen.