Sloan Kettering Transitional Year

[Renova]

Any thoughts on the transitional year program at MSK?

It seems like it would be a reasonable way to do a "strong intern year" without having to deal with the misery of an IM prelim...not to mention the fact that you can't beat the location. Has anyone been though the program, or otherwise know what its actually like?

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[bigdan]

Rumor is that it's super-duper awesome. I think a bunch of spots are reserved for Cornell residents doing advanced programs (Derm, Anesthesia, etc).

dc

 

[Ludicolo]

Super-duper awesome, and super-duper competitive due to the location (which comes with subsidized housing) and reputation. Arguably the most competitive TY program in the country. I’m not sure if spots are actually reserved, or if it’s because these students may have rotated through/did research there, but 4 of the 18 from this year’s class are from Cornell. The rest are from all over.

 

[aviolindoc]

I have also heard that it's pretty great. I also heard that many other internships in NYC are more stressful because there is not a lot of ancillary support on the floors whereas MSK has good support.

 

[acepoint]

anyone with any more concrete info on the program out there?

 

[pmm12]

The transitional year at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Ctr is, I believe, the most competitive trans year out there.

I unfortunately did not get an interview there, but from what I hear it is ideal for anyone looking for a highly reputable, highly academic, but NOT highly difficult or highly easy internship.

Seems like an unparalleled opportunity to spend a year at the best Cancer hospital in the US and thus, under some brilliant clinicians. Since its a hardcore oncology place and there are 6 months of medicine wards and 1 month of surgery, its busy and there is alot of learning that goes on...but not as busy as say, a preliminary year at Hopkins or MGH...There is hardly any 24-30 hour call, but instead, a night flat system. The ancillary staff is apparently great, so there is much less intern scut work like transporting patients, doing blood draws, and making sure orders are implemented. The elective time is very laid back and the research opportunities are incredible for those so inclined. While these are impressive in their own right, I think they are even more impressive because this combo is hard to find anywhere, much less in NYC.

The housing is next door to the hospital and I hear >50% subsidized, perhaps one of the most cost-effective housing situations for location/size/quality in NYC. And of course...N.Y.C!!! Word on the street is that the program is super duper competitive and that the kids who match there are the best of the best.

 

[Urticaria]

Bump.

Anyone else with any thoughts on MSK's TY?

 

[reddittech]

Has anyone heard from them yet?

 

[Neuronix]

I was invited on Nov 16th. They have a range of possible interview dates on different days of the week throughout December and January.

 

[2012mdc]

Bump.

Anyone else with any thoughts on MSK's TY?

Copied from a recent post on AuntMinnie. Not perfect (but what intern year is) but sounds really great

"hey guys,

i'm a TY at MSKCC this year.

schedule is 6 months of inpatient medicine (oncology), 1 month surgery (actually an easy month), 1 month ER at Cornell, 1 month clinic (3-4 days a week) and the rest of the year is electives. There is no overnight call with the exception of your surgery month.

The inpatient months are 6 days a week from 7:00-5:30. You cannot sign out before then. That usually leaves a lot of time during the day to hang out, go home, get some other work done. The ancillary staff is ridiculous. The nurses are great, there is a team for everything. I've never drawn my own blood, cultures, wheeled a patient, etc.

Just as a far warning, this program is ridiculous in terms of the people matching here. I am easily the dumbest person and I went to a top 15 med school and am going to a great residency. Out of the 16 people here, all 16 went to top 15 med schools and everyone is going to a top residency program.

Here are the matches off the top of my head that I can remember:
- optho (Bascom, Wills, Hopkins, Columbia, Cornell, Mass Eye and Ear),
- derm (Cornell),
- rads (MGH, UCSF, NYU, BIDMC, Stanford),
- rad onc (2x MSKCC, UChicago)

As you can see from that list, everyone here is more than ridiculous. Of course a lot of TYs have ridiculous match classes, but I think this has to be up there. That said, they do a great job of picking a fun, easy going class. I think next year the program is expanding to 24 spots and might become the biggest TY in the country.

Upsides:
- great ancillary staff
- great nurses
- NYC (real NYC, not flushing, brooklyn, westchester, long island)
- great leadership (egan, koo, shah - all friendly, easy going)
- easy electives
- most interesting oncology cases in the world. your morning reports are not about cholecystis, they are about genomic considerations of melanoma (this is also a downside of this place)
- highly subsidized housing right next door (which includes a bar downstairs for free happy hour every week).
- No overnight call.
- Food every single day of the week - not just a boxed lunch. Catered food with 3 selections of entrées, 2 sides and dessert...everyday.

Few downsides:
- your morning reports are not about cholecystis, they are about genomic considerations of melanoma .
- You are not very independent at all. This is an attending down hospital
- clinic month is a shadowing month
- The rotators (your fellow interns and residents) are from different programs around NYC - some of them are from strong programs and you can learn from (Cornell, NYU), others are from programs filled with IMGs and Caribbean grads and you'll wonder how some of these people are physicians.
- 95% oncology patients
- lots of 30 year olds who are DNR
- Can't sign out before 5:30 pm"

 

[reddittech]

I was invited on Nov 16th. They have a range of possible interview dates on different days of the week throughout December and January.

thanks for the info - do you know around what time the interview day ends?

 

[caltigers]

Sorry about the zombie bump here.

I interviewed here and neglected to ask a few questions that would impact my ranking. I really, really like the program but the logistics of moving/living in Manhattan give me pause.

Do any current/former residents have more info about how the MSK housing works? Here are a few of the particular questions I had.

• Is the housing furnished (and if so, to what degree)? Moving across the country without a car to an empty apartment in NYC seems daunting, and I will very possibly will return to the west coast after this year. Don't want to acquire/dispose of a bunch of furniture etc. for just a year.
• Does the housing go from 7/1 to 6/30, or is there any way to move in before the start date of the program?
• Are utilities included in the rent? If not, how much do they usually run for internet/electric/gas?

Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post on here. Thanks!

 

[caltigers]

I will try that. When I originally found that page I saw that it was for "current and incoming graduates" as part of their postdoc research program...not sure if everything is the same. It's the same address as the TY so I'm assuming they can still answer my questions. Thanks!

 

[throwaway1985]

The housing is not furnished, it's an empty apartment. You are not guaranteed housing and if you do receive housing, there will be a number of you who are unable to move in prior to beginning the internship due to the overlap between when orientation starts and when the outgoing TYs leave. Utilities are not included in the rent and are billed through ConEdison.

 

[caltigers]

The housing is not furnished, it's an empty apartment. You are not guaranteed housing and if you do receive housing, there will be a number of you who are unable to move in prior to beginning the internship due to the overlap between when orientation starts and when the outgoing TYs leave. Utilities are not included in the rent and are billed through ConEdison.

Thank you for the information. The PD did tell us that housing was guaranteed, but that we couldn't choose our particular apartment.

Eesh, knowing it is unfurnished and that I might need to get a hotel for a week/store my stuff makes that less attractive. I will have to weigh this.

Thanks again.

 

[dermie1985]

Thank you for the information. The PD did tell us that housing was guaranteed, but that we couldn't choose our particular apartment.

Eesh, knowing it is unfurnished and that I might need to get a hotel for a week/store my stuff makes that less attractive. I will have to weigh this.

Thanks again.

I feel like only have subsidized UNFURNISHED apartments that might be inconvenient for a week is not really a good reason to pass on one of the best TY programs in the country.

 

[username456789]

I feel like only have subsidized UNFURNISHED apartments that might be inconvenient for a week is not really a good reason to pass on one of the best TY programs in the country.

I'd say the fact that it's in New York City is reason enough to pass on it.

 

[exeunt]

anyone know how strong your chances are here once you've gotten an interview?