Help with Yale

I would really like to hear any input people have as well.

I really don't know what criteria are appropriate to use as far as ranking programs (e.g. NIH dollars, strong and diverse surgery department leading to great variety of cases, stellar faculty, etc.) so I don't know how people come up with the "TOP 10" or "TOP 20" programs.

I just know that I really liked it when I was there. Dr. Barash (as in the guy that wrote the text that everyone uses if they don't use Miller or use in addition to Miller) is there and not only is he brilliant he is very down to earth. I thought the same of their chair Dr. Roberta Hines. Several of the faculty that I have met at other fine institutions are products of Yale.

Bottom line if you like it the area, felt good about the program then go for it.

I am having trouble making the final decision on my rank list as well but I really did like Yale as well as Cornell, Columbia, MGH, BID, & Mt. Sinai.

Also I would give a shout out to UCONN. Their residents have a pretty sweet set-up and the Chair is an outstanding person.

Obviously I have a New England/Northeast bias but those are the places that I liked and I don't think you can go wrong with the choices that you listed.

I think that the fact that you are married, makes Yale a great choice, but then again you are choosing between Wash U, which I thought was a strong friendly program also. I thought the chair and the PD were great and the residents were genuinely friendly. I know a lot of people were wowed by Yale and because I am single would rather be in the Boston and NYC. If you wanted to have kids, they were very generous to a CA1 and gave her PACU call and Pain rotation to accomodate her. The chief whose Steve Young's brother has 4 kids and is a funny and cool guy. I think Yale would be great.

I think Yale is great. It is definitely in my top three. I think Ct is a great place to raise a kid. I myself have a young school aged child and was given a list of great schools in the area by one the attendings there. I think it has a lot to offer in terms of family activities and is only a little more than an hour away from NYC. Plus you can take the train in to Manhattan as well. Yale is a great place to train, too.