After several months of fielding PM's from my many SDN buddies, I thought I would share my experience in the transfer process to help answer many of the questions I have been asked over and over again. To start, most of you know I matched in 2006 at University of Iowa EM program. I spent a total of 15 months there before transfering rather seamlessly to the EM program at Geisinger Medical Center in central Pennsylvania. At the root of my transfer desire was a need to get closer to family. Admittedly, the program in Iowa was a new program with many painful challenges ahead of it and I was blessed to be able to transfer in to a veteran EM program in Geisinger.
After several months of dialogue between the PD at Geisinger, and my own PD in Iowa, I was able to arrange a transfer that was supported by all. I arrived GMC after taking 4 weeks off to move, so I will end up graduating a little later than the rest of my fellow 2nd years at GMC. What I gained professionally by moving to GMC, that I can now understand better after being at 2 different programs, was such:
Faculty: Many decades of experience and very willing to let you NOT consult for every little patient issue that happens to overlap another specialty. We send people out who are not sick...bottom line. At some institutions, there seems to be a "consult" mentality where even well patients get consults to make the attending EM doc more comfortable, ultimately resulting in a cascade of more work for many people.
Air: GMC starts you flying in your intern year. Admittedly the volume has dropped off some, but in my 5 months there, I have flown half a dozen times on scene calls. Intern year you fly a month straight, and then you start flying set shifts in 2nd year. There are 3 flight shifts a day, and you have a reasonably good chance of flying. And if nothing else, I get to wear a comfy flight suit on those shifts instead of baggy scrubs that have to be exchanged or washed!!
Central Pa: I really won big when I made it to central Pa. This is outdoorsman's paradise. On my off time, I comb the 5,000 acres of state game land 9 miles from the hospital, fishing trout streams, hunting, or just hiking. I am an hour from great skiiing, 2 hours from the cities of Phili and NYC, 3 from DC, 2.5 from Baltimore.
Ultimately the transfer was the best thing for myself and my family. It just so happened that I was able to make the move to a 30+ year old program with a track record fo training EM docs and a known method of doing such. Faculty is supportive. Work hours are very reasonable. Scut work is minimal.
Lastly..Resident Quality: In all seriousness, when I was interviewing in EM around the country 2 years ago, one priority for me was to be around a group of people that stimulated and challenged me to be my best. Geisinger has been tremendous in this respect. It is amazing how freaking smart my fellow residents are. Every day I am amazed at how much these residents know, and I am honestly somewhat intimidated by their knowledge. I learn from the interns here. I learn from everyone! There are no marginal performers in this group, and we all get along well!
Socially: couldn't ask for a better group of residents to watch your back and drink a cold one with you. In my 5 months here, I have hosted a superbowl party and had 30 people show up. I have been to multiple gatherings, poker parties at staff homes, chili cookoffs, etc etc.. And this is in winter! I can't wait to see how much we all do over the summer. I'm even getting ready to brew beer in my basement with one of my fellow residents! Our new chief resident is also an incredible guy who will only continue to improve things for us.
Pathology: You'll get this anywhere there is an accredited program. But the beauty of a small program is not having to take 15 signouts at shift start like one of my buddies back at a county program in the south. You want a volume that allows you to see patients non stop, probably getting comfortable with 15-18 patients per 9 hour shift. The path is not overwhelming but it is a sick population in general since we are the backstop for every hospital within basically 150 miles in all directions. Typical scenario...you get all the patients with anything serious, from anywhere close to us.
Transfering is not a pleasant process, but I really lucked out in ending up at GMC. I wish I had started here in my intern year to be quite honest. If you have any questions about the transfer process in general, please PM me.
Consider Geisinger if you have kids, just want a small city lifestyle with exceptional EM training, want the ability to afforadably live 5 minutes from work, no traffic, or if you just enjoy beautiful surroundings with mountains and 4 seasons! 2 univerisities within 15 minutes, Bucknell U. one town west in Lewisburg, and Bloomsburg U. one town east in Bloomsburg. Retails shops 10 minutes away like Lowes, Home Depot, Wal Mart, Panera Bread, and great niche restaurants of typical college communities.
The whole no tie deal is at least 10% of the reason I chose this specialty and I ain't about to go back now. Offservice rotations...I can tolerate them...even the suits at Mayo...cool for a short period of time. But no stinking ties in the ED. Nothing but a vector and a leash for the psych patient to take you for a walk.
