University of Pittsburgh Anesthesia

I interviewed there last year. The place is really a critical care mecca and they are well known worldwide for this, and they do a lot of research in this and other areas relating to anesthesia. I came away impressed with the program and facilities. It's a big big place that I really didn't expect. Children's hospital, multiple other hospitals, transplants, hearts, trauma, got all of it. The faculty were also quite down to earth and I remember the residents being cool too. I would definately recommend going to the interview and at least checking it out, it made my top 5 list as far as ranking went. If I had anything at all like family or something in or near Pittsburgh, then I would have ranked it higher. For me it was location that went against ranking it higher.

2ndyear said:

I interviewed there last year. The place is really a critical care mecca and they are well known worldwide for this, and they do a lot of research in this and other areas relating to anesthesia. I came away impressed with the program and facilities. It's a big big place that I really didn't expect. Children's hospital, multiple other hospitals, transplants, hearts, trauma, got all of it. The faculty were also quite down to earth and I remember the residents being cool too. I would definately recommend going to the interview and at least checking it out, it made my top 5 list as far as ranking went. If I had anything at all like family or something in or near Pittsburgh, then I would have ranked it higher. For me it was location that went against ranking it higher.

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2ndyear,
Yes it sure is a CCM mecca. Did it make a difference to you that anesthesiology really is not in charge of the ICUs (surgery or med is)? I'm not sure if I should be worried about that, but a resident told me that I should keep that fact in mind.

If this is a minor issue, can you explain why I shouldn't worry about it?

Thanks!!

Hey folks, sorry to revive such an old thread, but I too am curious re chicamedica's question if it matters significantly to resident training that anesthesiologists play a relatively minor role in critical care at UPMC? I will post a more formal review in the appropriate thread, but I really loved this program. However, this does concern me (right now easily in my top 2, perhaps even #1). It seems like a place where one would get excellent, very well rounded training. It doesn't have quite the name of MGH (which I also liked), but it seems like its up there in the anesthesia world. I think I could deal with, even enjoy, living in Pittsburgh too...

I think it's important to note that Pitt has one of, if not the only stand alone departments of Critical Care Medicine amongst major academic medical centers/universities in the USA....that alone should say something about the strength of the department and the focus on CCM.

I agree with lushmd, I thing Pitt sounds like a fantastic program and will be very, very high on my rank list. I'm finding it very hard to find any true deficiencies in the program, every subspecialty seems to be very strong. I too would be very interested to hear what others have to say.

I am so glad to read this thread. Pitt was my first interview and since then I've had a very hard time finding a program as strong. I've interviewed at a few programs with bigger names, but, at the end of the day, anesthesiology is a procedure heavy specialty and Pitt puts up strong numbers for training. That and I loved all the free stuff they gave us...

fascinoma said:

I am so glad to read this thread. Pitt was my first interview and since then I've had a very hard time finding a program as strong. I've interviewed at a few programs with bigger names, but, at the end of the day, anesthesiology is a procedure heavy specialty and Pitt puts up strong numbers for training. That and I loved all the free stuff they gave us...

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Couldn't agree more. I could not find a weakness with their program except for the fact it was too far from home for my wife. I felt UMichigan to be very similar.

Did my residency here. It's a great program with great people/teachers. Lots of procedures. No shortage of cases. You pretty much see everything. Very resident friendly. Good balance between work and personal life.

The role that anesthesia plays in the ICU didn't really make a difference to me. You get to do as much or as little as you want. I think it was actually a good experience because you are exposed to a different perspective of patient management. BTW, you don't rotate through the medicine ICUs, just the surgical ICU.

... because it will screw up your rank list this late in the game. You will love the program and wonder why don't more top programs do all the things for their residents like Pitt does. I agree that it will be hard to find any deficiency in your training. Work hours are more than reasonable. Great simulation center. Strong didactics. Nice perks. Friendly people. On the other hand, if you can't stand the weather, or the distance from your family, then UPMC is not going to be a good fit for you and it is going to make you wonder "what if."

Also, having a stand alone CCM dept means your attendings will be dedicated intensivists, which is a good thing for resident learning. Don't need to be worrying about running any unit as a resident any time soon.

lushmd said:

Hey folks, sorry to revive such an old thread, but I too am curious re chicamedica's question if it matters significantly to resident training that anesthesiologists play a relatively minor role in critical care at UPMC? I will post a more formal review in the appropriate thread, but I really loved this program. However, this does concern me (right now easily in my top 2, perhaps even #1). It seems like a place where one would get excellent, very well rounded training. It doesn't have quite the name of MGH (which I also liked), but it seems like its up there in the anesthesia world. I think I could deal with, even enjoy, living in Pittsburgh too...

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Wow, i even forgot I posted that question. . .

Well. . .it has been 3-4 years since my question, and i actually am a little bit sadder but wiser on this issue. During the match I was focused on making sure programs I ranked highly were those where the units were run by anesthesia because I thought this would make for better training and also provided a notable presence of the anesthesia department within the hospital as the recognized providers of perioperative care. I have since come to realize the flaw to this conjecture and the huge advantage to having a multidisciplinary CCM department with a multidisciplinary ICU team in terms of fostering collegiality among the different specialties.

In a closed unit --anesthesiologists are the primary team. Surgeons basically consult on their patients, which results in many surgeons grumbling and groaning behind the primary team's back. You have surgeons whispering amongst themselves things like "I cant believe these clowns are running the show." This kind of set up fosters quite a bit of animosity and disrespect between surgeons and anesthesiologists in general, and does impact relations in the ORs too.

In an open unit -- anesthesiologists and surgeons are on the primary team working together, discussing together. It fosters an environment of collegiality.

I am personally no longer in the field of anesthesia, but if i had to choose over again, I would choose residencies ONLY with open units.

Hope this helps.

chicamedica said:

Wow, i even forgot I posted that question. . .

Well. . .it has been 3-4 years since my question, and i actually am a little bit sadder but wiser on this issue. During the match I was focused on making sure programs I ranked highly were those where the units were run by anesthesia because I thought this would make for better training and also provided a notable presence of the anesthesia department within the hospital as the recognized providers of perioperative care. I have since come to realize the flaw to this conjecture and the huge advantage to having a multidisciplinary CCM department with a multidisciplinary ICU team in terms of fostering collegiality among the different specialties.

In a closed unit --anesthesiologists are the primary team. Surgeons basically consult on their patients, which results in many surgeons grumbling and groaning behind the primary team's back. You have surgeons whispering amongst themselves things like "I cant believe these clowns are running the show." This kind of set up fosters quite a bit of animosity and disrespect between surgeons and anesthesiologists in general, and does impact relations in the ORs too.

In an open unit -- anesthesiologists and surgeons are on the primary team working together, discussing together. It fosters an environment of collegiality.

I am personally no longer in the field of anesthesia, but if i had to choose over again, I would choose residencies ONLY with open units.

Hope this helps.

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Wait, you switched OUT of anesthesia? what are you doing now if you don't mind me asking...

Unless the people running the unit are sub-par, the closed unit is the way to go. This is my opinion, but also backed up in the literature.

A competent management of surgical patients does nothing but increase professional respect among colleagues.

Relationships can be built with strong communication, but the management is best left up to "one captain" at a time.

Back to the original question, I too am interested in the way anesthesia is viewed at Pitt in the ICU setting. Hopefully someone with inside info can shed some light on how anesthesia fits into the picture in the department.

treasurefull2 said:

Wait, you switched OUT of anesthesia? what are you doing now if you don't mind me asking...

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I hope I'm not stepping on her feet, but Chica's going IM where I'm sure she'll do great things. I knew her from Columbia and it's definitely a better fit. She's way too smart to become a sell-out gas passer like the rest of us!

powermd said:

She's way too smart to become a sell-out gas passer like the rest of us!

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have any students done an elective at UPMC and if so how was it?

powermd said:

I hope I'm not stepping on her feet, but Chica's going IM where I'm sure she'll do great things. I knew her from Columbia and it's definitely a better fit. She's way too smart to become a sell-out gas passer like the rest of us!

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I'm not sure whether to take this as a compliment, powermd. . .but thanks. . .I think.

j/k I know there's an element of facetiousness in there. Indeed I went back to IM and yes it was because I realized IM was a better fit for what I want out of a career. And this was not because of any feelings of "selling out", but more because of personal realizations-- that continuity of care and having my own patients meant a lot more to me than I initially imagined. I also missed a lot of the discussion and diagnostic aspects of medicine. And I really missed having the chance to teach med students. In medicine it's a given even for interns. In anesthesia, it seemed that it was a rare thing unless you happen to have some outgoing personality that makes the med student clerkship director take notice. Now i get to not only teach the little bit that I know to med students, but interns too.

I felt that my anesthesia program was a good one, the department was quality (perhaps needing to command a bit more respect from other specialties in the hospital, but that is a minor issue and not necessarily the fault of the dept itself), and the residents were the best part of my experience there--a very cool bunch of down-to-earth people. It's not even that I despised the work. I worked hard, did decently well, and I was getting pretty strong evals. But the field was just not a good fit for what I find fulfilling, and that made me pretty unhappy.

Heard from a graduating resident from UPitt doing a CCM fellowship at another institution that the fellows at UPMC have to do a lot of scut work since there are no residents rotating through the ICU?


Does anyone know whether this is true?

toughlife said:

Heard from a graduating resident from UPitt doing a CCM fellowship at another institution that the fellows at UPMC have to do a lot of scut work since there are no residents rotating through the ICU?


Does anyone know whether this is true?

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None of what is listed above is true. You should be skeptical of any kind of generalized opinion like the one that was given to you.

For the med students out there, remember that it is probably way too early for most of you to decide on a subspecialty. Just MATCH first, then find your way. You may, in the end, decide that CCM isn't what you want to do, and all the intellectual thought that you put in to choosing a program solely based on its CCM program was a waste of time.

Pitt is the Godfather of CCM. CCM has really become its own specialty, and at Pitt, the department is made up of pediatricians, trauma surgeons, internists, emergency medicine docs... these faculty have committed themselves to the highest standard of critical care medicine and focus their energies on it. There really is no more discussion after that.

The fellows here are some of the brightest. They are affable, they are approachable. They can handle the sickest of the sick. The attendings are outstanding. I'd let any of them care for my mother without a second thought.

Pick a program because you fit in there. The rest will fall into place. Any large(r) program will do. Remember: the more you see and do, and the more scared you are during training and still have backup, the more prepared you'll be once you are out there on your own.

Bottom line: Pitt is an outstanding program in an affordable city. When you finish here, you'll be well-trained, and you'll be offered a good job (assuming you do not have a pathological personality, that is.)

All the best...

.

Can anyone speak about the weather in Pittsburgh, specifically the winter? I was told (by someone that lived there) that the sun pretty much disappears from November to March because of all the cloud cover. Not that I am a sun-worshiper that would like to live in Las Vegas/Denver/Phoenix...but it might get somewhat depressing when the sun essentially disappears for five months.

Any help? Thanks.

I've also heard good things about Pitt for pediatric anesthesia. Anyone know about the experience, schedule, etc. for their pediatric fellows?

AK_MD2BE said:

Can anyone speak about the weather in Pittsburgh, specifically the winter? I was told (by someone that lived there) that the sun pretty much disappears from November to March because of all the cloud cover.

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It's cold, it's gray, it snows...your local contact wasn't lying. Look at the cities nearby: Youngstown, Erie, Buffalo. Not exactly known for their tropical weather.

fakin' the funk said:

It's cold, it's gray, it snows...your local contact wasn't lying. Look at the cities nearby: Youngstown, Erie, Buffalo. Not exactly known for their tropical weather.

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the weather in Pittsburgh is not as bad as it is in Buffalo. The winters can be grey and somewhat depressing but there are generally a few sunny days interspersed here and there. it's nowhere near as bad as upstate new york and their lake-effect snowstorms.

With all of your great weather, studing should be of the essence!!!

KNC said:

With all of your great weather, studing should be of the essence!!!

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Between all the time spent working at the hospital, I still try to stud as much as I can.

-copro

Anyone interview here this year?

What was your impression? Anyone know what the call schedule and moonlighting were like?

dc

I'll leave the impression bit to this year's interviewees (besides, I've commented on this already). Re call schedule, IIRC it works out to be ~Q6-Q7 with 1-2 weekends/month. There is moonlighting (extra OB shifts).