Medical College of Georgia Anesthesiology

[psychbender]

Augusta, GA itself isn't all that bad, really. As for the name, that's the third it's had in a decade. It was Medical College of Georgia then Georgia Regents University, and now Augusta University. I have no idea why they changed it so much.

When I was not far from there several years ago, there was a mass exodus due to a variety of issues. Rather than address any of those issues, the university decided to just increase the workload of the people remaining, and bring on long-term locums until they could hire more permanent staff (a several year process). It sounds like it's still a terrible place to work.

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[Neopolymath]

Augusta, GA itself isn't all that bad, really. As for the name, that's the third it's had in a decade. It was Medical College of Georgia then Georgia Regents University, and now Augusta University. I have no idea why they changed it so much.

When I was not far from there several years ago, there was a mass exodus due to a variety of issues. Rather than address any of those issues, the university decided to just increase the workload of the people remaining, and bring on long-term locums until they could hire more permanent staff (a several year process). It sounds like it's still a terrible place to work.

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Don't forget the Georgia Health Sciences University name that it had in there too ha

 

[JiPo]

Wanted to give my 2 cents after going through the interview trail and because people keep asking about this program.

From talking to current residents, OB experience is still minimal. They struggle to hit their numbers for spinals and epidurals but through some sort of bureaucratic sorcery manage to write off CSEs as counting for both to hit numbers, wasn't exactly clear on this tbh. Point is, sounds shady. There's also still the lurking threat of having residency extended for 6 months and there is very much a culture of fear at the program due to this. CT also still has a reputation for being very malignant. Hearts numbers were also low but they say they are working on hiring/did hire (can't remember) more surgeons. There are a lot of foreign attendings, some with indiscernably thick accents.

There is 0 interest from current MCG med students to join the anesthesia residency there. Seems like a bad sign.

I also personally noticed the department is very disorganized. Lectures get moved around a lot/cancelled.

New chair seems like a nice guy. Enjoyed meeting him and talking to him. Seems to care about the program. Didn't interact much with the PD.

Sadly, a lot of old issues still seem very prevalent. The program is improving slowly but it'll take time to dig out of that hole. Hopefully they can keep it up but as is it stands there's just better options out there.

It amazes me how programs like this is allowed to operate and take new residents every year. Sadly, it will never have trouble filling because there will always be applicants with red flags (very low step score, etc.) that will be more than happy to take these spots. Unfortunate state of our specialty.

 

[PieOHmy]

It amazes me how programs like this is allowed to operate and take new residents every year. Sadly, it will never have trouble filling because there will always be applicants with red flags (very low step score, etc.) that will be more than happy to take these spots. Unfortunate state of our specialty.

plus its a state institution. so the program is not going anywhere irregardless on how bad it is.
I know irregardless is not a word. but it is in my book

 

[anaesthetic]

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[deleted941485]

1. Its in Augusta.
2. Its called Augusta University.

How do you overcome both of those problems usually to attract quality folks?
With $$$..
But they pay their faculty 250-270 to do that job. In Augusta. WTF.
The onlyone making real money is the chairman. He makes 6-700 plus

Sounds like a garden variety academic set up. The chair gets the big bucks to sit there and all the workers bees swarm the hive. And they wonder why people leave

 

[AdmiralChz]

Is Irregardless A Word? - Everything After Z by Dictionary.com

 

[zero0]

1. Its in Augusta.
2. Its called Augusta University.

How do you overcome both of those problems usually to attract quality folks?
With $$$..
But they pay their faculty 250-270 to do that job. In Augusta. WTF.
The onlyone making real money is the chairman. He makes 6-700 plus

FWIW I heard you can make back a year's rent if you rent your place out during master's week... so it does have that going for it I guess

 

[psychbender]

FWIW I heard you can make back a year's rent if you rent your place out during master's week... so it does have that going for it I guess

Depends on where you live. The people that make real money live in the nice, gated communities, and really adhere to a stringent set of rules regarding cleanliness and depersonalization of the house in order to rent to the players and main sportscasters for the week. Random visitors aren't going to pay ten thousand dollars to rent a random house in the area for the week.

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[Chad Male]

This is clearly a third rate program that is malignant with positive responses being written by the program leadership.

Low Board pass rate, malignant CT program , mass exodus of attendings, bad OB numbers, etc make it a place you should rank at the bottom of any list.

Definitely anyone with decent options should avoid like the plague.

 

[Chad Male]

First of all, it is hilarious that you assume I am lying about being a CA1. My goal was to answer the above questions about any changes, and I believe I adequately pointed out relevant changes from the OP. Furthermore, I did my best to give an honest, objective assessment. I'm not here trying to defend my program, extol its virtues, or mislead information seekers. I am simply providing straightforward information. I in fact do have skin in the game being that I have 2 years left here, so I make it my business to set the record straight. We have good people here that are working tirelessly to keep this place moving in the right direction.

To clarify, we no longer have interim PD or chair positions. We have a PD and a department chair, and they are both solid. As far as the comment about crotch grabbing by the former interim chair, although hilarious, just simply isn't true. It's a rumor that was sent down the gossip chain by thinskins who can't handle ICU rounds. He may be old school and have an abrasive personality according to some people, but you can tell he gives a s*** about our education. It also says something that he stuck around through the storm, so I respect him for that. He is currently on our critical care faculty, but we've had a new head of CT for a couple years now.

So apparently things haven't always been peachy down here in the armpit of Georgia, but since I got here last July, I've been taking care of patients and learning anesthesia just like I would anywhere else. The hours aren't bad, I get along fine with the other residents, none of us had trouble with the ITE, and we will soon have BASIC out of the way and transition into our CA2 roles. This may not have been my first choice, and I don't think we'll be cracking the ranks of the elite any time soon, but this is not a bottom-of-the-barrel program.

The "crotch grabbing" is the only thing that actually rings true in this post that you strongly deny.

What's the board passing rate of the program?
Why the mass exodus of attendings?
Why are people saying the OB numbers are horrendous and CT is historically malignant?

Your post is not adding up for being a "honest resident" just describing the program.

 

[Dr. Spartan]

The "crotch grabbing" is the only thing that actually rings true in this post that you strongly deny.

What's the board passing rate of the program?
Why the mass exodus of attendings?
Why are people saying the OB numbers are horrendous and CT is historically malignant?

Your post is not adding up for being a "honest resident" just describing the program.

I’m a current CA-2 in the program and I don’t know where people got such wrong information about MCG. We just got the results os Basic and we had a 100% pass with 30% of residents in the top 10%. OB has a lot of cases and you end up doing at least 20 spinals in a single month. In the past two years a lot of attending were hired. People come and go, their choice. But the attending salaries are way above the average for academics, about 350 grand to start. Regarding CT, yes it’s kinda malignant, like MOST of CT services. But you will have a very good experience and will be exposed to many different CT cases. And by the way, anesthesia CT attendings are great and they really care about your learning.

 

[Dr. Spartan]

This is clearly a third rate program that is malignant with positive responses being written by the program leadership.

Low Board pass rate, malignant CT program , mass exodus of attendings, bad OB numbers, etc make it a place you should rank at the bottom of any list.

Definitely anyone with decent options should avoid like the plague.

De

This is clearly a third rate program that is malignant with positive responses being written by the program leadership.

Low Board pass rate, malignant CT program , mass exodus of attendings, bad OB numbers, etc make it a place you should rank at the bottom of any list.

Definitely anyone with decent options should avoid like the plague.

It seems for me that the plague over here is you. 100% Basic pass with 30 % in the top 10%. Don’t be upset, snowflake! Maybe next year you’ll match.
Not here, off course.

 

[Dr. Spartan]

It amazes me how programs like this is allowed to operate and take new residents every year. Sadly, it will never have trouble filling because there will always be applicants with red flags (very low step score, etc.) that will be more than happy to take these spots. Unfortunate state of our specialty.

I have no idea how this program was before, but you’re wrong about everything you wrote.

 

[GassYous]

De

It seems for me that the plague over here is you. 100% Basic pass with 30 % in the top 10%. Don’t be upset, snowflake! Maybe next year you’ll match.
Not here, off course.

I have never even heard of this program before but your post speaks volumes

 

[Taco Time]

De

It seems for me that the plague over here is you. 100% Basic pass with 30 % in the top 10%. Don’t be upset, snowflake! Maybe next year you’ll match.
Not here, off course.

Way to rebrand your program’s reputation, bud

 

[Dr. Spartan]

Way to rebrand your program’s reputation, bud

Sorry for being harsh, but I worked hard to match and I work hard everyday here. I’m proud to have a top 10% score and It really upsets me when someone starts to talk BS about my program. Nothing Chad Male wrote is true. He’s just a troll being disrespectful.

 

[Dr. Spartan]

It amazes me how programs like this is allowed to operate and take new residents every year. Sadly, it will never have trouble filling because there will always be applicants with red flags (very low step score, etc.) that will be more than happy to take these spots. Unfortunate state of our specialty.

And by the way, the average step 1 score here is 242.

 

[nimbus]

And by the way, the average step 1 score here is 242.

Given the number of IMGs and FMGs in the program, there’s no doubt many of the residents will have very high step scores. More power to them!

 

[GassYous]

I have no clue what my program's average score is

 

[kovc12]

Here is the scoop, from my friend who did residency there -
Lots of red flags !!
Chair is spineless - He hides in his office, never solves any departmental problems and never supports faculty, never works with any resident in OR. Does not have any motivation to strengthen residency or retain faculty members. They have lost around 5-6 faculty recently. He says he is from MGH but he must have been kicked out from there! They say he is not in the OR a lot and does not do any research. He is all sweet talks and pass his time till he retires. He boasted a lot about simulation center, however residents said simulation is a joke and its not that helpful, except to get out of OR early on some days.
PD- She has been there for many years and is least interested in residency, she has fired some residents. They have history of multiple residents suing the department. Residents have complained about her to GME office multiple times.
APD- when I interviewed, there was this Cardiac anesthesia guy who boasted a lot about himself, had a fake accent. However residents mentioned that he is a**hole and won't let them take their vacation, was kind of "power hungry jerk" and they were all fed up of him.
Faculty - lots of turnover, many old faculty never work with residents and of the new who are interested, they don't last at this place long enough given the toxic environment.
Surgeons - For most part residents said they had good relations with surgeons and except a few demanding ones.

Strengths - Good case volume, some really sick cases, good place to learn if self motivated, low cost of living. Intern year is good, Some residents mentioned that some newer faculty are awesome and great to work with, but they were concerned those faculty will leave soon.

These were the notes I took during interview trail, I didn't rank that program, matched at another big program in Southeast.

 

[Dr. Spartan]

Here is the scoop, from my friend who did residency there -
Lots of red flags !!
Chair is spineless - He hides in his office, never solves any departmental problems and never supports faculty, never works with any resident in OR. Does not have any motivation to strengthen residency or retain faculty members. They have lost around 5-6 faculty recently. He says he is from MGH but he must have been kicked out from there! They say he is not in the OR a lot and does not do any research. He is all sweet talks and pass his time till he retires. He boasted a lot about simulation center, however residents said simulation is a joke and its not that helpful, except to get out of OR early on some days.
PD- She has been there for many years and is least interested in residency, she has fired some residents. They have history of multiple residents suing the department. Residents have complained about her to GME office multiple times.
APD- when I interviewed, there was this Cardiac anesthesia guy who boasted a lot about himself, had a fake accent. However residents mentioned that he is a**hole and won't let them take their vacation, was kind of "power hungry jerk" and they were all fed up of him.
Faculty - lots of turnover, many old faculty never work with residents and of the new who are interested, they don't last at this place long enough given the toxic environment.
Surgeons - For most part residents said they had good relations with surgeons and except a few demanding ones.

Strengths - Good case volume, some really sick cases, good place to learn if self motivated, low cost of living. Intern year is good, Some residents mentioned that some newer faculty are awesome and great to work with, but they were concerned those faculty will leave soon.

These were the notes I took during interview trail, I didn't rank that program, matched at another big program in Southeast.

Man, I think you’re just a liar who did not match anywhere and is interested in spread misinformation. Dr. Meiler, our chair, is every Thursday in the OR and I’ve worked with him several times. He takes great pleasure in teaching.
There was only one resident that was fired. This happened two years ago and they had reasons for that. This person is the only one suing the department.
The SimLab is amazing and really helpful. I don’t know who told you the opposite or if you’re simply lying again. Can only few sorry for you. Try to match again... maybe you’ll make this year. Not here, of course.