Jefferson Radiation Oncology

[radonc07]

Has anyone done a rotation at Jefferson Radiation Oncology? What are the experiences/opinion there?

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[iradi8u]

I have neither done a rotation there nor interviewed there, but I have heard people complain that they feel the atmosphere there is a bit 'malignant.'

Hopefully, they've changed a bit.

 

[achybrachy]

There are certainly people who feel it is malignant, both on SDN (see the rankings thread for several opinions) and people I have personally talked to who interviewed there. I overheard some people talking about it on the interview trail, and it's total hearsay, but supposedly some people feel the program is getting better and the residents are not quite as unhappy, but things like that often take time to resolve so who knows. And with Dr. Curran leaving it's anyone's guess how things may change for better or worse.

 

[goodluck888]

It seem both Duke and Jefferson had a malignant reputation before and Duke has a lot of improvement during these years. However, it seems to me even from last year's interview impression, the malignant reputation has not been changed for Jefferson.

I am wondering whether there is anyone who wants to share his/her interview experience from this year that already happened on 12/21/07? Is there any change since Dr. Curran left? And who is the current chair of them now? Any input is appreciated.

 

[radoncmonkey]

Jefferson is STILL very much malignant.

Curran was one of the strong points of the program (and also nicer). The interim chair will be Adam Dicker, but no one knows if he is going to be staying on as the chair. I've heard some rumors about him possibly going to columbia to become the chair there.

From what I've heard from previous residents, the malignant personalities are still very much there and no one knows when they are going to retire. Hopefully a new chair will get rid of some of them. All in all, a risky program at this point. Rank at your own risk!

 

[Impressions]

I interviewed on Dec 21. To answer the above questions, 12/21 was Dr. Curran's last clinical day, so he hadn't actually left yet. They are planning a search for a permanent chair, but Dr. Adam Dicker is serving in the interim. To some extent, I think my opinion may have been clouded by the fact I had heard the aforementioned rumors prior to the interview. My general impression of the program was that the residents work hard and "learn by doing." I also felt the residents were being careful not to say anything bad about the program, but they seemed reasonably happy. My experience with the faculty was varied. The program director, Dr. Werner-Wasik, seemed very nice, and I was also impressed with Dr. Dicker (though not everyone got to interview with him due to time constraints). I realize these are mostly vague generalizations, so I'd certainly recommend people go to the interview and see for themselves.

 

[goodluck888]

I interviewed on Dec 21. I realize these are mostly vague generalizations, so I'd certainly recommend people go to the interview and see for themselves.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Do they provide the detailed itinerary about the interviewer's name ahead of time? Thanks,

 

[Impressions]

Do they provide the detailed itinerary about the interviewer's name ahead of time?

No, we found out the schedule the day of the interview. There are ~6 interviews with a range of faculty (length of tenure, 1 radbio, 1 physics as usual). Not everyone's schedule was identical.

 

[radoncmonkey]

I interviewed on Dec 21. To answer the above questions, 12/21 was Dr. Curran's last clinical day... .

what are "wally's angels?" is it some charity associated with the Children's Oncology Group?

 

[G'ville Nole]

what are "wally's angels?" is it some charity associated with the Children's Oncology Group?

...just did a coffee spit.

Sorry, I had to edit out my explanation. Probably best to keep it at oral tradition rather than propagate it on a message board.

 

[Gfunk6]

Sorry, I had to edit out my explanation. Probably best to keep it at oral tradition rather than propagate it on a message board.

I am inclined to agree. I think we, perhaps unfairly, like to pile on TJeff on this board.

Still . . . though the "Wally's Angels" story need not be repeated surely it wouldn't be harmful to admire the previously scrawled grafitti on the restroom walls.

 

[BraggPeak]

I heard Vallicenti is leaving jefferson to be chair at Cooper Cancer Center. Is this a bad sign for Jefferson?

 

[yeasterbunny]

Meh. Chair changes inevitably bring more faculty changes. If things were really as malignant there in the past as everyone says, a few changes in faculty, some new blood, will probably end up benefitting the program in the long run, it just might be a little rocky for a couple years.

I'll post more of my impressions after the 27th (?) but for what it's worth, when I interviewed at TJ this year I actually went in expecting the worst but was surprised to find a fairly normal bunch of people and not a lot of malignancy. Maybe I'm naive or maybe they hid it well, but the only impression I got is that the residents are busy and learn a lot, just like many of the places I have gone.

 

[mikedc813]

I agree that the program didn't seem like the residents were unhappy or that it was malignant in any way. Some interviewers, however, seemed kind of annoyed when I asked about rumors regarding these issues. I was told that the unrest was due to several residents a few years back not getting along. But now those residents are gone and it's happy time for everyone at Jeff. I had a bad impression of how they ran their interview day, as an aside. There was no sticking to the schedule and getting randomly pulled out of the library throughout the day to interview. So frustrating!