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[2019-2020] Emergency Medicine Rank Order List Thread
- Thread starter Stephanopolous
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ROLs are certified, let’s see some lists!
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Many were posted on the spreadsheet last night and today
Cheesehead94
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Stephanop probably taking a much needed vacay. Thanks for all that you do!
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- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 220's/250's (USMLE) 650's/575's (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Northwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: GHHS; 2 years scribe experience before med school
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location
1) AZ- Maricopa
Residents are the absolute best. The perfect fit.
2) AZ- U of A Tucson (South Campus)
PD is a goddess. I hope she stays there forever because she is going to revolutionize emergency medicine training down there.
3) AZ- U of A Tucson
Amazing culture and residents.
4) NM- University of New Mexico School of Medicine
PD is another Goddess. This program has everything. If I didn't have strong ties with AZ, I would be ranking this program #1. You will be the absolute boss in training from this program. Equivalent acuity as LAC+USC
5) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Didn't rotate here which is probably why the program is so much relatively lower in the list, but they seem to have the absolute resources to make you whatever leader in emergency medicine that you want to be. I would have absolutely ranked it higher if I really wanted to stick out as a niche performer in the field.
6) IL- Presence Resurrection (Chicago)
Incredible residents and seems to have a solid decentralized training model. Heard great things about the program from other PDs. Definitely a work hard but not play hard attitude here.
7) TX- University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program
Very inspirational and motivational during the interview. I wish I had liked Dallas the city more, which has largely influenced this decision (and I might be one of the only millennials to say such a thing!)
8) CA- UC Davis (Sacramento)
Great program. Totally a toss up between Dallas and Sacramento. I have nothing bad to say about it, but during their interview, I just kept getting negative questions asked (what do you hate the most; what is your least favorite patient; etc. ) and it just left me with a bad taste in my mouth. At this far down the list, there's nothing really logical about my decision making other than feel.
9) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
Only reason why this is so low is because its a 4 year program and I'm not willing to give up that one year. Absolute boss if you train here though and it'll be totally worth all the hard work. PD is an absolute gem!
10) NV- UNLV
seems like a program with a lot of potential, and hopefully the new PD (whenever that day comes) will strongly influence this. I left there with a very bad taste in my mouth and have never wanted to leave vegas that bad. Residents started the pre-interview dinner off with "tell us your most embarrassing moment" which was a bit surprising and just set the mood for the whole interview day as one where people just hate on each other... Idk.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 220's/250's (USMLE) 650's/575's (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Northwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: GHHS; 2 years scribe experience before med school
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location
1) AZ- Maricopa
Residents are the absolute best. The perfect fit.
2) AZ- U of A Tucson (South Campus)
PD is a goddess. I hope she stays there forever because she is going to revolutionize emergency medicine training down there.
3) AZ- U of A Tucson
Amazing culture and residents.
4) NM- University of New Mexico School of Medicine
PD is another Goddess. This program has everything. If I didn't have strong ties with AZ, I would be ranking this program #1. You will be the absolute boss in training from this program. Equivalent acuity as LAC+USC
5) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Didn't rotate here which is probably why the program is so much relatively lower in the list, but they seem to have the absolute resources to make you whatever leader in emergency medicine that you want to be. I would have absolutely ranked it higher if I really wanted to stick out as a niche performer in the field.
6) IL- Presence Resurrection (Chicago)
Incredible residents and seems to have a solid decentralized training model. Heard great things about the program from other PDs. Definitely a work hard but not play hard attitude here.
7) TX- University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program
Very inspirational and motivational during the interview. I wish I had liked Dallas the city more, which has largely influenced this decision (and I might be one of the only millennials to say such a thing!)
8) CA- UC Davis (Sacramento)
Great program. Totally a toss up between Dallas and Sacramento. I have nothing bad to say about it, but during their interview, I just kept getting negative questions asked (what do you hate the most; what is your least favorite patient; etc. ) and it just left me with a bad taste in my mouth. At this far down the list, there's nothing really logical about my decision making other than feel.
9) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
Only reason why this is so low is because its a 4 year program and I'm not willing to give up that one year. Absolute boss if you train here though and it'll be totally worth all the hard work. PD is an absolute gem!
10) NV- UNLV
seems like a program with a lot of potential, and hopefully the new PD (whenever that day comes) will strongly influence this. I left there with a very bad taste in my mouth and have never wanted to leave vegas that bad. Residents started the pre-interview dinner off with "tell us your most embarrassing moment" which was a bit surprising and just set the mood for the whole interview day as one where people just hate on each other... Idk.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: PF/PF/PF
AOA: Yes
Med School Region: Left Blank
Anything else that made you more competitive: Left Blank
Main considerations in making this ROL: quality of training, location. Wanted a place that was going to kick my butt, on shift. Preferred large cities in general.
1) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Had the best fit with the residents, really nice faculty. High volume mixed with high acuity makes for great training, but exhausting shifts. Residents get a ton of autonomy, and truly own their patients more than other places I've seen. 8 hours. Phenomenal ortho experience, which was important to me (residents reduce all but most complicated fractures). Great reputation, love Chicago. These people work so hard for their patients and are serious about providing care to the underserved.
2) GA- Emory
Grady is insane. Really high acuity in a true county environment. Really smart residents and attendings, seemed like a great fit. Truly work insanely hard on shift, but get phenomenal training. Has to be among the best 3 year programs when you take into account quality of training, location, and reputation.
3) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
Pretty similar to Cook County in terms of overall vibes and patient population. Another place where you are getting crushed on shifts with high volume and acuity. Rockstar faculty, and a great overall family vibe to the program. Would have ranked it higher if it weren't for the 12 hour shifts (and a really tough 12 hour shift).
4) CO- Denver Health
Has excellent educators, real exposure to all kinds of EM (academic/county/community), and a culture of producing great clinicians. Wasn't a huge fan of Denver, however, and didn't like how they treat of a lot of their students, which was a big turnoff.
5) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Another gritty county hospital similar to the aforementioned hospitals. Great acuity and volume as well, with some insanely smart faculty and residents. Pretty good trauma experience as well. Love the focus on ultrasound teaching and nerve blocks. Wasn't a huge fan of the Oakland, however, and didn't quite vibe as well with the residents as the other programs.
6) MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
This place is a gem. A quaternary care hospital that serves a county population. Really high acuity and trauma experience. Great emphasis and teaching and creating educators, and a lot of ICU experience with an in-house ICU fellowship that not only has a great reputation among ICU fellowships, but also takes a bunch of EM applicants. Main downside is that it has the consult culture of a big quaternary care hospital.
7) CA- LAC Harbor UCLA
Another gritty county hospital with great clinical training. Really well known faculty, including one of the main editors for Rosen's. Pretty high acuity as well. No 12 hours. Love LA. Not a stroke center from what I was able to gather. The only reason this is this low on my list (as you can tell I prefer County programs) was that I just didn't really vibe with the residents too well.
8) DC- MedStar Health/Georgetown
Love Washington DC. One of the nicest and most approachable program directors I've met. Really cool residents. Loved the vibe of Washington Hospital Center, really is a true county hospital. A pretty great academic/county hybrid 3 year program. Rotating at Georgetown hospital didn't sound too great though.
9) NY- Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Jacob/Montefiore) (Bronx)
Super high volume county hospital. Pretty great mix of an academic/community vibe. Great training. Huge program. That it would be ranked much higher but just didn't like the idea of living in the Bronx, or the commute that would be required if I lived in Manhattan. The amount of 12 hour shifts these guys do is crazy.
10) MN- Hennepin
Great reputation, and I'm sure the quality of training is excellent. I've been following the Smith ECG blog. I just did not vibe well with these people.
11) FL- Jackson Memorial (Miami)
I've heard that the acuity is really high at this place, with some awesome people. Miami is ok. No 12 hour shifts. Reason this place is so low is because of how new it is.
12) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
just did not vibe these people. Got a very pretentious vibe. However it's a great academic hospital with great training, and an excellent track record of producing great academic docs.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: PF/PF/PF
AOA: Yes
Med School Region: Left Blank
Anything else that made you more competitive: Left Blank
Main considerations in making this ROL: quality of training, location. Wanted a place that was going to kick my butt, on shift. Preferred large cities in general.
1) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Had the best fit with the residents, really nice faculty. High volume mixed with high acuity makes for great training, but exhausting shifts. Residents get a ton of autonomy, and truly own their patients more than other places I've seen. 8 hours. Phenomenal ortho experience, which was important to me (residents reduce all but most complicated fractures). Great reputation, love Chicago. These people work so hard for their patients and are serious about providing care to the underserved.
2) GA- Emory
Grady is insane. Really high acuity in a true county environment. Really smart residents and attendings, seemed like a great fit. Truly work insanely hard on shift, but get phenomenal training. Has to be among the best 3 year programs when you take into account quality of training, location, and reputation.
3) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
Pretty similar to Cook County in terms of overall vibes and patient population. Another place where you are getting crushed on shifts with high volume and acuity. Rockstar faculty, and a great overall family vibe to the program. Would have ranked it higher if it weren't for the 12 hour shifts (and a really tough 12 hour shift).
4) CO- Denver Health
Has excellent educators, real exposure to all kinds of EM (academic/county/community), and a culture of producing great clinicians. Wasn't a huge fan of Denver, however, and didn't like how they treat of a lot of their students, which was a big turnoff.
5) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Another gritty county hospital similar to the aforementioned hospitals. Great acuity and volume as well, with some insanely smart faculty and residents. Pretty good trauma experience as well. Love the focus on ultrasound teaching and nerve blocks. Wasn't a huge fan of the Oakland, however, and didn't quite vibe as well with the residents as the other programs.
6) MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
This place is a gem. A quaternary care hospital that serves a county population. Really high acuity and trauma experience. Great emphasis and teaching and creating educators, and a lot of ICU experience with an in-house ICU fellowship that not only has a great reputation among ICU fellowships, but also takes a bunch of EM applicants. Main downside is that it has the consult culture of a big quaternary care hospital.
7) CA- LAC Harbor UCLA
Another gritty county hospital with great clinical training. Really well known faculty, including one of the main editors for Rosen's. Pretty high acuity as well. No 12 hours. Love LA. Not a stroke center from what I was able to gather. The only reason this is this low on my list (as you can tell I prefer County programs) was that I just didn't really vibe with the residents too well.
8) DC- MedStar Health/Georgetown
Love Washington DC. One of the nicest and most approachable program directors I've met. Really cool residents. Loved the vibe of Washington Hospital Center, really is a true county hospital. A pretty great academic/county hybrid 3 year program. Rotating at Georgetown hospital didn't sound too great though.
9) NY- Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Jacob/Montefiore) (Bronx)
Super high volume county hospital. Pretty great mix of an academic/community vibe. Great training. Huge program. That it would be ranked much higher but just didn't like the idea of living in the Bronx, or the commute that would be required if I lived in Manhattan. The amount of 12 hour shifts these guys do is crazy.
10) MN- Hennepin
Great reputation, and I'm sure the quality of training is excellent. I've been following the Smith ECG blog. I just did not vibe well with these people.
11) FL- Jackson Memorial (Miami)
I've heard that the acuity is really high at this place, with some awesome people. Miami is ok. No 12 hour shifts. Reason this place is so low is because of how new it is.
12) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
just did not vibe these people. Got a very pretentious vibe. However it's a great academic hospital with great training, and an excellent track record of producing great academic docs.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: East Coast
Anything else that made you more competitive: nontraditional, prehospital as 1st career, many extracurriculars-leadership, 3 top 10% SLOEs (2 from very respected programs), 90+%th percentile SVI? (CORD said its useless tho so prob not)
Main considerations in making this ROL: Rigor of program, opportunities for graduating residents, geography, proximity to family and SO
1) GA- Emory
pros: 3 things biggest to me: diversity in patients AND staff/residents/faculty; extensive alumni network with unlimited opportunities, medical complexity/trauma out the @$$
-ATL is affordable af for a big city
-awesome weather
-great culture in city
cons far from family and fiance...not a dealbreaker because they committed to traveling often but still a huge consideration
-seems to be #1 for so many people i Have met on the interview pathway
2) MD- University of Maryland
pros: Top notch faculty with matching excellentdidactics. Everyone knows Mattu is here but so many other world renowned EM faculty in the EM department: Mike Winters, Tewelde, Brown, Butler (airway master), WIllis, Eurele (US master)...honestly felt like watching the new england patriots (without AB rotfl) when I did my second look here
-progressive leadership: ADPs (2 women-1 black 1 asian and 1 black male APD)
-8 hours with 12 hour weekends allowing guaranteed golden weekend (clutch to experience both sides of the spectrum)
-arguably 1 of the best 3 year programs in the country
cons: limited diversity in res classes: several hispanic residents, 0 black residents (in the blackest city in America-cmon.....), Baltimore is not as affordable of a city when considering how un-livable it seems
3) MA- Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
pros: SOCIAL EMERGENCY MEDICINE-they put their money where their mouth is. Tons of female leadership REALLY doing it. TheaJames was amazing during my interview day. Lots of LGTBQ residents which made me feel like the program is super supportive of ALL. Loved this place so much. 4 year program with true purpose: EM runs the whole show and consult surgery when they feel like it
-excellent reputation translating into unlimited opportunities...county program but producing alumni to be Chairman/woman at academic places (Yale Chairwoman is BMC alumni)
cons: Boston COL is next level-super damn scary. Will need hubby to subsidize my experience here LOL
-not as many residents of color as I would like for such an underrepresented/immigrant patient population
-residents overworked, despite being 8 hr shifts many have admitted during 2nd look that they have NO time to read after shift because its truly GO GO GO
4) DC- George Washington University
Pros: rotated here and grew the most as a student. Felt the autonomy, underratedddd program. loved the didactics and my experience with residents is dear to my heart. Considering moving lower but I cant bc "devil you know is better than the devil you dont"
Cons: residents share airway with anesthesia (Realy......), bastard stepchild of DMV programs per my school advisor, 4 year program with flufy 4th year
5) CT- Yale New Haven
Loved: the PD is 1 of my fav doctors Ive ever met, felt like a county place but had best resources I have ever seen, coolest residents, relatively diverse residents, paid well for low COL in NH
-close to family and SO in Massachusetts
Cons: concern about dealing with consulting specialties, 4 years in NH might be hell on earth of a big city New englander like me
-residency class getting really larger (i like intimacy)
6) NY- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Pros: the name, the opportunities, good pay relative to other NY programs, residents felt confident and it showed during visiting rotation
Cons: wild boarding confirmed by recent articles about next-level boarding issues, creepy chairman who was just fired (leaves a stench), commuting to queens for 50% of the residency, overworked with 12 hr shifts for half of the res, cant speak spanish and Elmhurst rotation pretty much requires it
7) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Wanted to rank #1 but my heart said no. Had the warm fuz fuz but couldnt tangibly justify if outside of the historical reputation
Cons: besides having 10 million other Em residencies nearby and excessive floor medicine months-none
8) TN- Vanderbilt
pros: speaks for itself and Im sure 100 other ppl will comment on the strength of this program
Cons: Slovis leaving, doubt I would match if i put #1 (everyone on trail loves Vandy, UC, and emory equally seems like), nothing too sexy when I visited
9) DC- MedStar Health/Georgetown
top 5 PD; greatest gentlement to converse with (we spoke about raising families then transitioned into a friendly debate over handball)---Bhat is AWESOME, female eladership, wildly sick patient population
cons: not as many opportunities for residents compared to the previous 8 on this list. Dont kill the messenger
10) DE- Christiana
This hospital is the only reason delaware as a state exists, and the EM programs runs the hospital=christiana EM runs the state of Delaware (with Joe Biden) haha but all jokes aside--probably best raw clinical training in the country. If you dont kn ow this place...do your research folks
Cons: cannot justify Delaware with my other options, met some annoying residents (traded war stories the whole pre-interview and lunch day-cut it out fellaz), homogenous patient population
11) NY- NYU School of Medicine
Has the name, amazing PD, Goldrank, extensive resources and research on homeless ppl, coolest residents on tour
Cons: felt overhyped, friends who rotated here HATED it, annoying academic staff I guess idk, high COL without competitive Sinai salary, would be miserable rotating at Tisch
12) NJ- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Pro: chairman is amazing, PD is so energetic and fun, looks like my twin 🙂, residents were okay, love the medicine Camden has to offer (knife and gun extravanagze with some super sick ppl)
Anything Else To Add?
Ranked 7 more: GW, Advocate, Downstate, Stony Brook, BIDMC, UPenn, UPMC
Programs You Applied To: Applied to 52, IV at 34, only went to 19...too many to list Im Sorry
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined: All Chicago programs offered, all Pennsylvania programs offered, all NY programs I applied to
Programs That Rejected You: LAC, Highland, UMich, all texas (damn no love for a northeast gal) were the only ones that actually mattered to me
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: East Coast
Anything else that made you more competitive: nontraditional, prehospital as 1st career, many extracurriculars-leadership, 3 top 10% SLOEs (2 from very respected programs), 90+%th percentile SVI? (CORD said its useless tho so prob not)
Main considerations in making this ROL: Rigor of program, opportunities for graduating residents, geography, proximity to family and SO
1) GA- Emory
pros: 3 things biggest to me: diversity in patients AND staff/residents/faculty; extensive alumni network with unlimited opportunities, medical complexity/trauma out the @$$
-ATL is affordable af for a big city
-awesome weather
-great culture in city
cons far from family and fiance...not a dealbreaker because they committed to traveling often but still a huge consideration
-seems to be #1 for so many people i Have met on the interview pathway
2) MD- University of Maryland
pros: Top notch faculty with matching excellentdidactics. Everyone knows Mattu is here but so many other world renowned EM faculty in the EM department: Mike Winters, Tewelde, Brown, Butler (airway master), WIllis, Eurele (US master)...honestly felt like watching the new england patriots (without AB rotfl) when I did my second look here
-progressive leadership: ADPs (2 women-1 black 1 asian and 1 black male APD)
-8 hours with 12 hour weekends allowing guaranteed golden weekend (clutch to experience both sides of the spectrum)
-arguably 1 of the best 3 year programs in the country
cons: limited diversity in res classes: several hispanic residents, 0 black residents (in the blackest city in America-cmon.....), Baltimore is not as affordable of a city when considering how un-livable it seems
3) MA- Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
pros: SOCIAL EMERGENCY MEDICINE-they put their money where their mouth is. Tons of female leadership REALLY doing it. TheaJames was amazing during my interview day. Lots of LGTBQ residents which made me feel like the program is super supportive of ALL. Loved this place so much. 4 year program with true purpose: EM runs the whole show and consult surgery when they feel like it
-excellent reputation translating into unlimited opportunities...county program but producing alumni to be Chairman/woman at academic places (Yale Chairwoman is BMC alumni)
cons: Boston COL is next level-super damn scary. Will need hubby to subsidize my experience here LOL
-not as many residents of color as I would like for such an underrepresented/immigrant patient population
-residents overworked, despite being 8 hr shifts many have admitted during 2nd look that they have NO time to read after shift because its truly GO GO GO
4) DC- George Washington University
Pros: rotated here and grew the most as a student. Felt the autonomy, underratedddd program. loved the didactics and my experience with residents is dear to my heart. Considering moving lower but I cant bc "devil you know is better than the devil you dont"
Cons: residents share airway with anesthesia (Realy......), bastard stepchild of DMV programs per my school advisor, 4 year program with flufy 4th year
5) CT- Yale New Haven
Loved: the PD is 1 of my fav doctors Ive ever met, felt like a county place but had best resources I have ever seen, coolest residents, relatively diverse residents, paid well for low COL in NH
-close to family and SO in Massachusetts
Cons: concern about dealing with consulting specialties, 4 years in NH might be hell on earth of a big city New englander like me
-residency class getting really larger (i like intimacy)
6) NY- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Pros: the name, the opportunities, good pay relative to other NY programs, residents felt confident and it showed during visiting rotation
Cons: wild boarding confirmed by recent articles about next-level boarding issues, creepy chairman who was just fired (leaves a stench), commuting to queens for 50% of the residency, overworked with 12 hr shifts for half of the res, cant speak spanish and Elmhurst rotation pretty much requires it
7) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Wanted to rank #1 but my heart said no. Had the warm fuz fuz but couldnt tangibly justify if outside of the historical reputation
Cons: besides having 10 million other Em residencies nearby and excessive floor medicine months-none
8) TN- Vanderbilt
pros: speaks for itself and Im sure 100 other ppl will comment on the strength of this program
Cons: Slovis leaving, doubt I would match if i put #1 (everyone on trail loves Vandy, UC, and emory equally seems like), nothing too sexy when I visited
9) DC- MedStar Health/Georgetown
top 5 PD; greatest gentlement to converse with (we spoke about raising families then transitioned into a friendly debate over handball)---Bhat is AWESOME, female eladership, wildly sick patient population
cons: not as many opportunities for residents compared to the previous 8 on this list. Dont kill the messenger
10) DE- Christiana
This hospital is the only reason delaware as a state exists, and the EM programs runs the hospital=christiana EM runs the state of Delaware (with Joe Biden) haha but all jokes aside--probably best raw clinical training in the country. If you dont kn ow this place...do your research folks
Cons: cannot justify Delaware with my other options, met some annoying residents (traded war stories the whole pre-interview and lunch day-cut it out fellaz), homogenous patient population
11) NY- NYU School of Medicine
Has the name, amazing PD, Goldrank, extensive resources and research on homeless ppl, coolest residents on tour
Cons: felt overhyped, friends who rotated here HATED it, annoying academic staff I guess idk, high COL without competitive Sinai salary, would be miserable rotating at Tisch
12) NJ- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Pro: chairman is amazing, PD is so energetic and fun, looks like my twin 🙂, residents were okay, love the medicine Camden has to offer (knife and gun extravanagze with some super sick ppl)
Anything Else To Add?
Ranked 7 more: GW, Advocate, Downstate, Stony Brook, BIDMC, UPenn, UPMC
Programs You Applied To: Applied to 52, IV at 34, only went to 19...too many to list Im Sorry
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined: All Chicago programs offered, all Pennsylvania programs offered, all NY programs I applied to
Programs That Rejected You: LAC, Highland, UMich, all texas (damn no love for a northeast gal) were the only ones that actually mattered to me
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Pass
AOA: Yes
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Left blank
Main considerations in making this ROL: location, fit, reputation
1) CO- Denver Health
loved the program, loved denver, partner's top choice for location
2) CA- LAC Harbor UCLA
loved program, PD, residents, would have been #1 if my partner was not moving with me
3) CA- UC San Diego
fit well with residents, love the location, not super concerned about the trauma experience which some consider a negative. This is where I plan to work after residency
4) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
Rotated here, one of the best PDs, great residents, good diverse training. Driving and COL suck though
5) OR- Oregon Health & Science University Program
6) CA- UC San Francisco/Fresno
7) CA- Stanford
8) MA- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School
9) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
10) WA- University of Washington Program (Seattle)
11) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Pass
AOA: Yes
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Left blank
Main considerations in making this ROL: location, fit, reputation
1) CO- Denver Health
loved the program, loved denver, partner's top choice for location
2) CA- LAC Harbor UCLA
loved program, PD, residents, would have been #1 if my partner was not moving with me
3) CA- UC San Diego
fit well with residents, love the location, not super concerned about the trauma experience which some consider a negative. This is where I plan to work after residency
4) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
Rotated here, one of the best PDs, great residents, good diverse training. Driving and COL suck though
5) OR- Oregon Health & Science University Program
6) CA- UC San Francisco/Fresno
7) CA- Stanford
8) MA- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School
9) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
10) WA- University of Washington Program (Seattle)
11) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Last edited:
can I be you
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE) >700/>700 (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Find it hard to assess this but had some med school leadership positions. Personal statement was brought up as a positive in half of the interviews.
Main considerations in making this ROL:
3 yr programs, feel on interview day, Proximity to support system, Support for my family. Favored being out west, strength of clinical training, good pathology/acuity, county/academic hybrid preferred, fellowship/educational opportunities, post- residency job placement
1) AZ- U of A Tucson
Pros:
Strong pediatric experience. Good PEM support with the EM/Peds program in house. Get to split your time: 2/3 university, 1/3 south. longitudinal peds and resuscitation captain shifts. Community month. Fellowship trained faculty in every EM specialty. Strong Ultrasound and airway programs. Very interesting research coming out of there. COL is crazy cheap. Opportunity for border health and speaking Spanish is very strong. Good reputation and lots of fellowship opportunities. Residents match well into fellowships. Good alumni base. Favorable city in terms of hobbies. Closer to support system. Good support for spouse. Great insurance.
Cons:
Really undersold themselves on interview day. Unclear what the relationship with trauma is (I was told they get airway and right-sided chest in all traumas). Trauma month is pretty much note bitch/floor management month. Have to do 2 ED months and MICU at the VA (like the population, but not the system). City is kind of rundown and hard to get around.
2) UT- University of Utah Program
Pros:
I rotated here. Dr. Stroud was my favorite PD out of all of them. Academic/community split. Perhaps the nicest/happiest residents I met. Residents very smart with good publications during residency. Attendings were young/smart/engaging. Fellowships in my areas of interest. Good peds experience. City very good for my hobbies. In my home town, close to family. Ortho on the mountain. You are the only resident on trauma at IMC, so can be a good experience.
Cons:
Pathology/acuity maybe not as good as most cities. Trauma at University is mostly packaged before receiving. Not seeing as much of the Spanish speaking/homeless population that I’m passionate about treating. Very difficult job market to get into post-residency. COL not great for the size of the city.
3) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
Pros:
Very strong clinical training. Large alumni base with grads all over U.S. ½ academic and ½ county split. Work very hard on shifts, but don’t work long hours or large shift load. Residents have 49% stake in decisions and serve on all committees within residency. Faculty well-known (nationally and internationally) in a number of fields. Dedicated and integrated peds. Tox rotation. Number of good fellowships. Great family attitude and very family friendly program. Can’t speak highly enough of the family attitude I experienced here just on my interview day. If location and proximity to family didn’t matter, this would be my #1. Great insurance.
Cons:
Maybe slightly too academic. City is not in a desired part of the country and farther from support system. I don’t mind the Midwest but would like to be out west. COL is higher (than Tucson). No opportunity in city to pursue favorite hobbies.
4) AZ- Maricopa
Pros:
Classic county hospital with a Spanish speaking population over 20% according to the residents. 3 elective months. Block their nights into 1 month/year. Get community peds and adult EM experience. 2 dedicated peds months (quaternary peds center and community Peds EM) and longitudinal peds. 1 month per year at Mayo seeing crazy **** and stupid (instant care) ****. Neuro ED at Barrow (Internationally recognized neuro/stroke center). Toxicology month. Community EM month. Burn ICU month with a **** ton of procedures. Residents all coming from very different backgrounds. Felt like I could be myself with these guys. Doc box. Residents strongest in the hospital and respected. Can maybe do undergraduate medical education with new medical school opening. Decent COL, favorable city to live in (hobbies). Closer to support system.
Cons:
Not great pay or benefits. Lots of driving for different rotations. Not sure if the PD is my kind of guy. The APD was not very impressive either. The trauma rooms are tiny. Seems like the resources may not be quite that great (but that’s to be expected of county.) Residents matching to fellowship ok, but maybe not as good as a more academic program. Hard to find a job in the area. Have heard some rumblings about faculty leaving and uncertain what is going t happen with the name change to Valleywise.
5) MN- Hennepin
Pros:
It’s Hennepin. Great reputation. Very strong clinical training. Classic county setting but with good resources, especially in ultrasound and resuscitation. Treating a low SES population, which I love. Minneapolis was actually a really cool city in my estimation. Big enough to have good activities, beer, food, but not so big that I hated it.
Cons:
As everyone states, the neurosurgery rotation is a negative (although it sounds just like another critical care rotation and the residents say they grow up on this rotation). Minneapolis is freezing and I have become a weakling when it comes to the cold (wife noped out on the cold too). I consider myself a hard worker, but it seems like these guys really like to work. I like to spend time with my wife and daughter. Also did not seem like there were a ton of families or a very family friendly atmosphere (which is ok, but just not what’s best for me in this phase of life).
6) MO- University of Missouri Kansas City
Pros:
Was excited to go on this interview as I’d heard good things. I was not disappointed. Seems like they treat the classic county population and see a lot of good acuity and trauma. I liked how they escalated the responsibility with interns cherry-picking, second years running half a pod and third years running a pod. Dedicated and longitudinal peds. I really liked Dr. Stubbs. I got along well with the residents and it seems like there was some support for families. Kansas City is kind of a cool place and there is good food and beer (Boulevard Tank 7 is my all-time favorite). Also, the pre-interview dinner was great.
Cons:
I’ve lived in Missouri before and I don’t really want to go back. This is farther away from my support system. Had a really weird interaction with one of the interviewers.
7) TX- Christus Health/Texas A&M College of Medicine/Spohn Hospital Program
Pros:
I rotated here and had a very good time. The residents were a very down to earth bunch who were strong proceduralists. I had the feeling that they would be comfortable stepping into attending roles anywhere. Not a county hospital, but effectively see that population. Essentially unopposed, so you do all of the procedures, reductions, etc. Procedures that may get taken away by other services (trauma, ICU, etc.) are being done solely by off-service EM residents. New hospital and a very nice ED with some cool toys (new US machines, C arm for reductions). Don’t forget about the food stipend too. COL is very low in Corpus and the rumor is that some of the attending jobs in the area are very very lucrative. Live on the beach
Cons:
Corpus is a resort town that probably saw its prime in the 80’s. A lot of the town is run down and is quite far away from other larger cities. I worry about name recognition and alumni base outside of Texas. Beaches not very nice.
8) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Pros:
Very strong clinical training. Get to split between academic and county EDs. Building a new ED that is going to be awesome. Talk about trauma bays (enough to take care of all the Astros players who get beaned this year). Dr. Van Meter really seemed like a great guy. Greatly enjoyed my interview with another faculty member. Houston is a very diverse city, which I see as a positive. Great opportunity for Spanish speaking.
Cons:
I didn’t really vibe with any of the residents that I talked to. It seemed like most were single and there weren’t many families. They seemed like they worked their butts off as well. While Houston is great, I wasn’t sure where my family could live, as we need a house. Also, one of the interviewers I interviewed with had not read my application, read it aloud in front of me and answered his phone not once, but twice during the interview. Not sure if this was just designed to fluster me, but I thought it was majorly uncool.
9) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
Pros:
I rotated here and thoroughly enjoyed Peoria. I expected a rural hospital with little going on but was surprised. They have almost all of the services as any other academic hospital in a larger city (including transplant now). This was the most well designed ED I’ve stepped foot in and I felt like the department just had a very calm and relaxed vibe due to this design. Fairly good pathology and I counted the peds experience as a plus.
Cons:
Not quite sure what the culture is with trauma, as it is kind of closed off to students. One senior resident did have some difficulty in remembering how to do a chest tube when teaching the med students in the sim lab. Also, while Peoria was larger than I expected, there still wasn’t much going on. A long way from my support system. Had a couple bad interactions with one of the residents. A few of the 3rd years were missing things on work-ups and plans that were unnerving.
10) MI- Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine (Kalamazoo)
Pros:
I really liked the people here. Got to know a lot of the residents, as I rotated here. Everyone was down to earth and it seemed like they all spent a lot of time together outside of the hospital. I would have been happy to get a beer with most of them. I think the SIM and the EMS were really big strengths here. Kalamazoo wasn’t a bad town and has some really good beer (I’m embarrassed to say how many times I went to Bell’s). Lots of stuff to do outdoors, which I Love. Dr. Overton has been in EM forever and has some good connections.
Cons:
Rotating a Borgess (supposedly the higher acuity population) I was surprised by how slow it was and honestly how average it was in terms of acuity. We went up to the ICU a number of times and the place was a ghost town. I know they say Bronson is busier, but I felt Borgess was a weak point. Also felt like maybe the residents weren’t quite busy enough on their ED months. I think it might have something to do with the number of residents in the program (16/yr). Also a number of the senior residents were being pimped on things that interns other places were being pimped on. This was a red flag to me.
11) MI- Spectrum Health/MSU (Grand Rapids)
Pros:
All of the rotations are in house, with the children’s hospital being a big positive for peds experience. I really liked how they provided the concierge service and really seemed dedicated to taking good care of their residents out. Grand Rapids was actually a pretty cool place and had some good food and beer options. Outdoor recreation again a plus.
Cons:
Had kind of a weird interaction with the PD. Michigan very cold and snowy in the winter.
12) MI- Ascension St. John (Detroit)
Pros:
Sound like the hospital is situated in such a location that they are able to see a low SES population, as well as a more affluent population. Apparently the blunt trauma is very good here, not sure about the penetrating. I enjoyed speaking with the PD and she seems like a good advocate for her residents.
Cons:
Nephrology and cardiology months in intern year. Quite a long way from support system. Most grads do community medicine and I’m likely interested in fellowship/academics. Will admit that it was hard to assess the program because I only did the skype interview.
Anything Else To Add?
This is just stream of thought, so please forgive the lack of organization:
Changed and re-certified the ROL like 4-5 times. Proximity to family became more important towards the end. I switched Utah and Indiana a number of times and the top 4 was in flux a lot. I honestly would be very happy at 1-6 and could find happiness at 7-12.
This whole process highlighted to me the importance of good mentors and advising. As a DO, without a home program, it was extremely difficult to figure much of this process out. That being said, EMRA and their advising information saved me. Another thing that became apparent to me during the interview season is how I really didn’t know what I wanted my niche to be before I started having to answer the question a number of times. With that in mind, it’s probably smart to apply to a number of different settings (community, county, academic) so as not to limit oneself. I strongly felt that my Step 1 score helped me secure aways and a number of interviews. With this in mind, it makes me sad that a numerical score on Step 1 will no longer be there to help even the playing field for DOs and IMGs.
Programs Whose Interviews You Attended:
University of Arizona University Campus, Maricopa Medical Center, University of Utah Health, Indiana University, Hennepin, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Christus Health/Texas A&M University/Shoreline, University of Texas-Houston, University of Illinois-Peoria, Wester Michigan University, Spectrum/Michigan State University, Ascension St. John's
Interviews Declined:
University of Arkansas, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Beaumont-Farmington Hills, Beaumont-Royal Oak, CORE/Adena Regional, Doctors Hospital-Ohio Health, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Grand Strand Medical Center, Henry Ford Hospital, Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, Palmetto Health Richland, Southern Illinois University, St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Sunrise Health GME Consortium Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of Nevada - Las Vegas, University of Texas- San Antonio
Waitlisted:
Detroit Sinai Grace
Programs That Rejected You:
Rejections:
Allegheny, AMITA Resurrection, University of Tennessee-Nashville, University of Texas-Austin
Silent Rejections:
Advocate Christ Medical Center, Akron General Medical Center, Carilion Clinic - Virginia Tech Carilion, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Desert Regional Medical Center, Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University - Detroit Receiving Hospital, Geisinger Medical Center, Greenville Health System, John Peter Smith Health Network, Loyola University Medical Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, MetroHealth Medical Center, Rush University Medical Center, Texas Tech Health Science Center/Paul L Foster School of Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine at South Campus, University of California – Davis, University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Wake Forest University, Wellspan York, Wright State University
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE) >700/>700 (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Find it hard to assess this but had some med school leadership positions. Personal statement was brought up as a positive in half of the interviews.
Main considerations in making this ROL:
3 yr programs, feel on interview day, Proximity to support system, Support for my family. Favored being out west, strength of clinical training, good pathology/acuity, county/academic hybrid preferred, fellowship/educational opportunities, post- residency job placement
1) AZ- U of A Tucson
Pros:
Strong pediatric experience. Good PEM support with the EM/Peds program in house. Get to split your time: 2/3 university, 1/3 south. longitudinal peds and resuscitation captain shifts. Community month. Fellowship trained faculty in every EM specialty. Strong Ultrasound and airway programs. Very interesting research coming out of there. COL is crazy cheap. Opportunity for border health and speaking Spanish is very strong. Good reputation and lots of fellowship opportunities. Residents match well into fellowships. Good alumni base. Favorable city in terms of hobbies. Closer to support system. Good support for spouse. Great insurance.
Cons:
Really undersold themselves on interview day. Unclear what the relationship with trauma is (I was told they get airway and right-sided chest in all traumas). Trauma month is pretty much note bitch/floor management month. Have to do 2 ED months and MICU at the VA (like the population, but not the system). City is kind of rundown and hard to get around.
2) UT- University of Utah Program
Pros:
I rotated here. Dr. Stroud was my favorite PD out of all of them. Academic/community split. Perhaps the nicest/happiest residents I met. Residents very smart with good publications during residency. Attendings were young/smart/engaging. Fellowships in my areas of interest. Good peds experience. City very good for my hobbies. In my home town, close to family. Ortho on the mountain. You are the only resident on trauma at IMC, so can be a good experience.
Cons:
Pathology/acuity maybe not as good as most cities. Trauma at University is mostly packaged before receiving. Not seeing as much of the Spanish speaking/homeless population that I’m passionate about treating. Very difficult job market to get into post-residency. COL not great for the size of the city.
3) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
Pros:
Very strong clinical training. Large alumni base with grads all over U.S. ½ academic and ½ county split. Work very hard on shifts, but don’t work long hours or large shift load. Residents have 49% stake in decisions and serve on all committees within residency. Faculty well-known (nationally and internationally) in a number of fields. Dedicated and integrated peds. Tox rotation. Number of good fellowships. Great family attitude and very family friendly program. Can’t speak highly enough of the family attitude I experienced here just on my interview day. If location and proximity to family didn’t matter, this would be my #1. Great insurance.
Cons:
Maybe slightly too academic. City is not in a desired part of the country and farther from support system. I don’t mind the Midwest but would like to be out west. COL is higher (than Tucson). No opportunity in city to pursue favorite hobbies.
4) AZ- Maricopa
Pros:
Classic county hospital with a Spanish speaking population over 20% according to the residents. 3 elective months. Block their nights into 1 month/year. Get community peds and adult EM experience. 2 dedicated peds months (quaternary peds center and community Peds EM) and longitudinal peds. 1 month per year at Mayo seeing crazy **** and stupid (instant care) ****. Neuro ED at Barrow (Internationally recognized neuro/stroke center). Toxicology month. Community EM month. Burn ICU month with a **** ton of procedures. Residents all coming from very different backgrounds. Felt like I could be myself with these guys. Doc box. Residents strongest in the hospital and respected. Can maybe do undergraduate medical education with new medical school opening. Decent COL, favorable city to live in (hobbies). Closer to support system.
Cons:
Not great pay or benefits. Lots of driving for different rotations. Not sure if the PD is my kind of guy. The APD was not very impressive either. The trauma rooms are tiny. Seems like the resources may not be quite that great (but that’s to be expected of county.) Residents matching to fellowship ok, but maybe not as good as a more academic program. Hard to find a job in the area. Have heard some rumblings about faculty leaving and uncertain what is going t happen with the name change to Valleywise.
5) MN- Hennepin
Pros:
It’s Hennepin. Great reputation. Very strong clinical training. Classic county setting but with good resources, especially in ultrasound and resuscitation. Treating a low SES population, which I love. Minneapolis was actually a really cool city in my estimation. Big enough to have good activities, beer, food, but not so big that I hated it.
Cons:
As everyone states, the neurosurgery rotation is a negative (although it sounds just like another critical care rotation and the residents say they grow up on this rotation). Minneapolis is freezing and I have become a weakling when it comes to the cold (wife noped out on the cold too). I consider myself a hard worker, but it seems like these guys really like to work. I like to spend time with my wife and daughter. Also did not seem like there were a ton of families or a very family friendly atmosphere (which is ok, but just not what’s best for me in this phase of life).
6) MO- University of Missouri Kansas City
Pros:
Was excited to go on this interview as I’d heard good things. I was not disappointed. Seems like they treat the classic county population and see a lot of good acuity and trauma. I liked how they escalated the responsibility with interns cherry-picking, second years running half a pod and third years running a pod. Dedicated and longitudinal peds. I really liked Dr. Stubbs. I got along well with the residents and it seems like there was some support for families. Kansas City is kind of a cool place and there is good food and beer (Boulevard Tank 7 is my all-time favorite). Also, the pre-interview dinner was great.
Cons:
I’ve lived in Missouri before and I don’t really want to go back. This is farther away from my support system. Had a really weird interaction with one of the interviewers.
7) TX- Christus Health/Texas A&M College of Medicine/Spohn Hospital Program
Pros:
I rotated here and had a very good time. The residents were a very down to earth bunch who were strong proceduralists. I had the feeling that they would be comfortable stepping into attending roles anywhere. Not a county hospital, but effectively see that population. Essentially unopposed, so you do all of the procedures, reductions, etc. Procedures that may get taken away by other services (trauma, ICU, etc.) are being done solely by off-service EM residents. New hospital and a very nice ED with some cool toys (new US machines, C arm for reductions). Don’t forget about the food stipend too. COL is very low in Corpus and the rumor is that some of the attending jobs in the area are very very lucrative. Live on the beach
Cons:
Corpus is a resort town that probably saw its prime in the 80’s. A lot of the town is run down and is quite far away from other larger cities. I worry about name recognition and alumni base outside of Texas. Beaches not very nice.
8) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Pros:
Very strong clinical training. Get to split between academic and county EDs. Building a new ED that is going to be awesome. Talk about trauma bays (enough to take care of all the Astros players who get beaned this year). Dr. Van Meter really seemed like a great guy. Greatly enjoyed my interview with another faculty member. Houston is a very diverse city, which I see as a positive. Great opportunity for Spanish speaking.
Cons:
I didn’t really vibe with any of the residents that I talked to. It seemed like most were single and there weren’t many families. They seemed like they worked their butts off as well. While Houston is great, I wasn’t sure where my family could live, as we need a house. Also, one of the interviewers I interviewed with had not read my application, read it aloud in front of me and answered his phone not once, but twice during the interview. Not sure if this was just designed to fluster me, but I thought it was majorly uncool.
9) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
Pros:
I rotated here and thoroughly enjoyed Peoria. I expected a rural hospital with little going on but was surprised. They have almost all of the services as any other academic hospital in a larger city (including transplant now). This was the most well designed ED I’ve stepped foot in and I felt like the department just had a very calm and relaxed vibe due to this design. Fairly good pathology and I counted the peds experience as a plus.
Cons:
Not quite sure what the culture is with trauma, as it is kind of closed off to students. One senior resident did have some difficulty in remembering how to do a chest tube when teaching the med students in the sim lab. Also, while Peoria was larger than I expected, there still wasn’t much going on. A long way from my support system. Had a couple bad interactions with one of the residents. A few of the 3rd years were missing things on work-ups and plans that were unnerving.
10) MI- Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine (Kalamazoo)
Pros:
I really liked the people here. Got to know a lot of the residents, as I rotated here. Everyone was down to earth and it seemed like they all spent a lot of time together outside of the hospital. I would have been happy to get a beer with most of them. I think the SIM and the EMS were really big strengths here. Kalamazoo wasn’t a bad town and has some really good beer (I’m embarrassed to say how many times I went to Bell’s). Lots of stuff to do outdoors, which I Love. Dr. Overton has been in EM forever and has some good connections.
Cons:
Rotating a Borgess (supposedly the higher acuity population) I was surprised by how slow it was and honestly how average it was in terms of acuity. We went up to the ICU a number of times and the place was a ghost town. I know they say Bronson is busier, but I felt Borgess was a weak point. Also felt like maybe the residents weren’t quite busy enough on their ED months. I think it might have something to do with the number of residents in the program (16/yr). Also a number of the senior residents were being pimped on things that interns other places were being pimped on. This was a red flag to me.
11) MI- Spectrum Health/MSU (Grand Rapids)
Pros:
All of the rotations are in house, with the children’s hospital being a big positive for peds experience. I really liked how they provided the concierge service and really seemed dedicated to taking good care of their residents out. Grand Rapids was actually a pretty cool place and had some good food and beer options. Outdoor recreation again a plus.
Cons:
Had kind of a weird interaction with the PD. Michigan very cold and snowy in the winter.
12) MI- Ascension St. John (Detroit)
Pros:
Sound like the hospital is situated in such a location that they are able to see a low SES population, as well as a more affluent population. Apparently the blunt trauma is very good here, not sure about the penetrating. I enjoyed speaking with the PD and she seems like a good advocate for her residents.
Cons:
Nephrology and cardiology months in intern year. Quite a long way from support system. Most grads do community medicine and I’m likely interested in fellowship/academics. Will admit that it was hard to assess the program because I only did the skype interview.
Anything Else To Add?
This is just stream of thought, so please forgive the lack of organization:
Changed and re-certified the ROL like 4-5 times. Proximity to family became more important towards the end. I switched Utah and Indiana a number of times and the top 4 was in flux a lot. I honestly would be very happy at 1-6 and could find happiness at 7-12.
This whole process highlighted to me the importance of good mentors and advising. As a DO, without a home program, it was extremely difficult to figure much of this process out. That being said, EMRA and their advising information saved me. Another thing that became apparent to me during the interview season is how I really didn’t know what I wanted my niche to be before I started having to answer the question a number of times. With that in mind, it’s probably smart to apply to a number of different settings (community, county, academic) so as not to limit oneself. I strongly felt that my Step 1 score helped me secure aways and a number of interviews. With this in mind, it makes me sad that a numerical score on Step 1 will no longer be there to help even the playing field for DOs and IMGs.
Programs Whose Interviews You Attended:
University of Arizona University Campus, Maricopa Medical Center, University of Utah Health, Indiana University, Hennepin, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Christus Health/Texas A&M University/Shoreline, University of Texas-Houston, University of Illinois-Peoria, Wester Michigan University, Spectrum/Michigan State University, Ascension St. John's
Interviews Declined:
University of Arkansas, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Beaumont-Farmington Hills, Beaumont-Royal Oak, CORE/Adena Regional, Doctors Hospital-Ohio Health, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Grand Strand Medical Center, Henry Ford Hospital, Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, Palmetto Health Richland, Southern Illinois University, St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Sunrise Health GME Consortium Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of Nevada - Las Vegas, University of Texas- San Antonio
Waitlisted:
Detroit Sinai Grace
Programs That Rejected You:
Rejections:
Allegheny, AMITA Resurrection, University of Tennessee-Nashville, University of Texas-Austin
Silent Rejections:
Advocate Christ Medical Center, Akron General Medical Center, Carilion Clinic - Virginia Tech Carilion, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Desert Regional Medical Center, Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University - Detroit Receiving Hospital, Geisinger Medical Center, Greenville Health System, John Peter Smith Health Network, Loyola University Medical Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, MetroHealth Medical Center, Rush University Medical Center, Texas Tech Health Science Center/Paul L Foster School of Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine at South Campus, University of California – Davis, University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Wake Forest University, Wellspan York, Wright State University
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/230's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Strong SLOEs (one academic center and another at a county shop) Former CNA in undergrad, ER scribe in undergrad, summer camp counselor in summer before and after M1, outreach/mentorship with the kiddies, handsome, smooth, awesome ;-)
Main considerations in making this ROL: Clinical Training, variety of training sites (ideally a mix of county/tertiary referral center patients) location, reputation, ability to pursue fellowship if I choose to later, COL, moonlighting opportunities, interview day feels
1) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
Pros: Excellent Clinical training, well established and respected program, love LA, EM runs the show, large class size is good for swapping shifts, residents run codes in the entire hospital, able to work at USC football games, the LA marathon, and even Coachella. PD is a good dude. Would set me up to be a leader in EM (whatever that means lol) would be able to get an awesome fellowship, would be sweet to cut my teeth in EM at THE LA County. Would be able to actively practice my Spanish.
Cons: Most of curriculum is at LA County so would not be exposed to the type of patients you'd see at a tertiary referral center. 4 years. Cost of living is rough with the measly salary/housing stipend. Still have fear of the 12 hour shifts and workload. With that being said residents seem happy and say they have more free time with the 12s.
2) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Pros: Excellent training. Diverse array of clinical training sites with ties to UCSF, CHO, and Kaiser. EM runs the show in this hospital without a doubt. Hands dirty type of residency where they don't do a whole lot of referrals. Well established and respected program. Enjoyed the chill/unique vibe of the program. Bay area is cool. Dr. Wills and Duong are super engaging and sharp-probably my fav PD/APD duo. Workload is pretty chill. Wellness is actually a thing here, you can tell the residents are happy. The highland family culture is also palpable here. Residents are chill/down to earth but also are super smart and complete badasses by 4th year. Highland alumni literally can and do work anywhere.
Cons: Cost of living in bay area is on another level. Not a stroke center. SoCal>NoCal. Not super high volume ED. Small class size. Smallish hospital.
3) CA- UC San Francisco
Pros: 50/50 Academic/County split is super cool. Beautiful city/campus, facilities. Workload is reasonable. Residents/faculty are palpably happy. Dr. Fee is quirky in the most endearing way. San Fran general is the only level 1 in the city. UCSF is on another level when it comes to funding/resources.
Cons: COL still crazy even with 12k housing stipend. Not sure about the trauma experience compared to other programs being that San Fran is a "less gritty" city compared to some of my other programs. SoCal>NoCal.
4) GA- Emory
Pros: 3 years!! Well balanced curriculum and training sites. Grady the prototypical gritty county ED also one of the few trauma centers in the state. Emory is the prototypical ivory tower referral center. Dr. White is a super engaging motherly like PD. Event medicine here is cool get to work at falcons games, marathons, events in the city. Would be able to transition into fellowship easily. Diverse and cool residents. Very good salary, COL, and moonlighting starting 2nd year.
Cons: Atlanta is OK, but not really my vibe. Workload is high here.
5) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Pros: Well established and respected program. Alumni are all over. Awesome clinical training. PD is young and cool. Residents are chill. Chicago is one of the great American cities. Diverse city and patient population.
Cons: Most of time spent at Cook. No real exposure to referral center type patients. 4th year does not seem well utilized. High workload. Chicago is cold AF.
6) MI- Henry Ford Hospital/Wayne State University (Detroit)
Pros: A hybrid program where the patients are no doubt underserved and very sick but also a referral center for the whole state up there with the likes of Umich. Get tons of procedures and will see all types of patients from the LVAD to the GSWs to the patient who just returned from the middle east with MERS. Clinical training and level of acuity second to none. 3 years!! Dr. Vohra is cool and low key funny albeit serious during the interview. Heavy Critical care experience. COL is great,Good salary, moonlighting in year 2. Have quite a few IM/EM/CC staff who teach from a unique perspective. Also have sports med docs and a strong sports med fellowship if thats your thing. Detroit has some of the nicest and down to earth people you'll ever meet. Michigan in the summertime is nice.
Cons: Detroit is what it is, I LOVE Detroit but it's cold AF and while on the rebound not as cool of a city as some of the other places. Residents do 10s and work hard. Peds isn't strong. Rely on referrals/specialists a little too much for my taste
7) MI- University of Michigan Health System (Ann Arbor)
Pros: Well thought out and balanced curriculum. Strong ICU experience. Umich as an institution and referral center is up there with the best. Flight/EMS is very good here. Hurley has an interesting urban/rural county vibe (flint itself is urban but the surrounding areas are rural). All the resources/funding you need. Great salary and benefits (unionized residency). Outstanding teaching. 4th year is actually well utilized with their different tracks which allows one to find a niche. Will be able to get fellowship anywhere. Get paid to work Umich football games. Diverse faculty interests.
Cons: Ann Arbor is kind of boring and also cold. Significant percentage of residency is at Community hospital St. Joe's which seems bland. Only 15% of rotations are at Hurley.
8) MI- Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University (Detroit Receiving Hospital)
Pros: Well established and respected county ED. Good volume, acuity, and variety of patients. Gritty county feel is palpable. Chill residents. Great peds experience. EM pretty much runs the show here although trauma surgery have a strong presence as well.
Cons: All the way county without referral center type patients. Again Detroit is what it is. Might not be as competitive for transition to fellowship/academia if that's your thing. DMC is in constant flux.
9) MI- Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University (Sinai Grace)
Very similar to DRH except the Sinai ED completely runs the show here. Not referral heavy. Great trauma experience. High acuity patients. Cons also similar to DRH. Will graduate as a strong clinician but again might not be as competitive for fellowships/academics just because of the name if that matters to you.
10) TX- Baylor College of Medicine Program
Good county program. Houston is cool. Weather is nice. COL and salary are good here. Moonlighting also good here. Ben Taub is a prototypical county shop. Will graduate a strong clinician. Not a referral center.
11) OH- Ohio State University Hospital Program
Nice academic/community vibe. 3 years. No county sites. Trauma leaves some to be desired. Columbus is meh. Ohio is even more meh. Kind of weird interviews from what I remember.
12) LA- Louisiana State University (New Orleans)
Outstanding training/acuity. Beautiful new hospital probably the nicest hospital I visited. Charity hospital is legendary especially in the community. 4 years is meh. Residents are questionably happy.
13) MI- Spectrum Health/MSU (Grand Rapids)
Good program. Good peds. Residents seem happy and have a chill schedule. Good salary and COL. Good peds experience. Trauma is kinda weak. Not a fan of Grand Rapids as it is not diverse at all but is clean and has good beer/food. Good COL, salary, and benefits. Nice facilities.
Programs You Applied To: 24 all together
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined: Duke, Central Michigan, University of Illinois Chicago, St John's Detroit
Programs from which you withdrew before hearing anything: None
Programs That Rejected You: Northwestern, UCLA Olive, UCLA Harbor, University of Chicago, Miami Jackson Memorial, UT southwestern, University of North Carolina
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/230's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Strong SLOEs (one academic center and another at a county shop) Former CNA in undergrad, ER scribe in undergrad, summer camp counselor in summer before and after M1, outreach/mentorship with the kiddies, handsome, smooth, awesome ;-)
Main considerations in making this ROL: Clinical Training, variety of training sites (ideally a mix of county/tertiary referral center patients) location, reputation, ability to pursue fellowship if I choose to later, COL, moonlighting opportunities, interview day feels
1) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
Pros: Excellent Clinical training, well established and respected program, love LA, EM runs the show, large class size is good for swapping shifts, residents run codes in the entire hospital, able to work at USC football games, the LA marathon, and even Coachella. PD is a good dude. Would set me up to be a leader in EM (whatever that means lol) would be able to get an awesome fellowship, would be sweet to cut my teeth in EM at THE LA County. Would be able to actively practice my Spanish.
Cons: Most of curriculum is at LA County so would not be exposed to the type of patients you'd see at a tertiary referral center. 4 years. Cost of living is rough with the measly salary/housing stipend. Still have fear of the 12 hour shifts and workload. With that being said residents seem happy and say they have more free time with the 12s.
2) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Pros: Excellent training. Diverse array of clinical training sites with ties to UCSF, CHO, and Kaiser. EM runs the show in this hospital without a doubt. Hands dirty type of residency where they don't do a whole lot of referrals. Well established and respected program. Enjoyed the chill/unique vibe of the program. Bay area is cool. Dr. Wills and Duong are super engaging and sharp-probably my fav PD/APD duo. Workload is pretty chill. Wellness is actually a thing here, you can tell the residents are happy. The highland family culture is also palpable here. Residents are chill/down to earth but also are super smart and complete badasses by 4th year. Highland alumni literally can and do work anywhere.
Cons: Cost of living in bay area is on another level. Not a stroke center. SoCal>NoCal. Not super high volume ED. Small class size. Smallish hospital.
3) CA- UC San Francisco
Pros: 50/50 Academic/County split is super cool. Beautiful city/campus, facilities. Workload is reasonable. Residents/faculty are palpably happy. Dr. Fee is quirky in the most endearing way. San Fran general is the only level 1 in the city. UCSF is on another level when it comes to funding/resources.
Cons: COL still crazy even with 12k housing stipend. Not sure about the trauma experience compared to other programs being that San Fran is a "less gritty" city compared to some of my other programs. SoCal>NoCal.
4) GA- Emory
Pros: 3 years!! Well balanced curriculum and training sites. Grady the prototypical gritty county ED also one of the few trauma centers in the state. Emory is the prototypical ivory tower referral center. Dr. White is a super engaging motherly like PD. Event medicine here is cool get to work at falcons games, marathons, events in the city. Would be able to transition into fellowship easily. Diverse and cool residents. Very good salary, COL, and moonlighting starting 2nd year.
Cons: Atlanta is OK, but not really my vibe. Workload is high here.
5) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Pros: Well established and respected program. Alumni are all over. Awesome clinical training. PD is young and cool. Residents are chill. Chicago is one of the great American cities. Diverse city and patient population.
Cons: Most of time spent at Cook. No real exposure to referral center type patients. 4th year does not seem well utilized. High workload. Chicago is cold AF.
6) MI- Henry Ford Hospital/Wayne State University (Detroit)
Pros: A hybrid program where the patients are no doubt underserved and very sick but also a referral center for the whole state up there with the likes of Umich. Get tons of procedures and will see all types of patients from the LVAD to the GSWs to the patient who just returned from the middle east with MERS. Clinical training and level of acuity second to none. 3 years!! Dr. Vohra is cool and low key funny albeit serious during the interview. Heavy Critical care experience. COL is great,Good salary, moonlighting in year 2. Have quite a few IM/EM/CC staff who teach from a unique perspective. Also have sports med docs and a strong sports med fellowship if thats your thing. Detroit has some of the nicest and down to earth people you'll ever meet. Michigan in the summertime is nice.
Cons: Detroit is what it is, I LOVE Detroit but it's cold AF and while on the rebound not as cool of a city as some of the other places. Residents do 10s and work hard. Peds isn't strong. Rely on referrals/specialists a little too much for my taste
7) MI- University of Michigan Health System (Ann Arbor)
Pros: Well thought out and balanced curriculum. Strong ICU experience. Umich as an institution and referral center is up there with the best. Flight/EMS is very good here. Hurley has an interesting urban/rural county vibe (flint itself is urban but the surrounding areas are rural). All the resources/funding you need. Great salary and benefits (unionized residency). Outstanding teaching. 4th year is actually well utilized with their different tracks which allows one to find a niche. Will be able to get fellowship anywhere. Get paid to work Umich football games. Diverse faculty interests.
Cons: Ann Arbor is kind of boring and also cold. Significant percentage of residency is at Community hospital St. Joe's which seems bland. Only 15% of rotations are at Hurley.
8) MI- Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University (Detroit Receiving Hospital)
Pros: Well established and respected county ED. Good volume, acuity, and variety of patients. Gritty county feel is palpable. Chill residents. Great peds experience. EM pretty much runs the show here although trauma surgery have a strong presence as well.
Cons: All the way county without referral center type patients. Again Detroit is what it is. Might not be as competitive for transition to fellowship/academia if that's your thing. DMC is in constant flux.
9) MI- Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University (Sinai Grace)
Very similar to DRH except the Sinai ED completely runs the show here. Not referral heavy. Great trauma experience. High acuity patients. Cons also similar to DRH. Will graduate as a strong clinician but again might not be as competitive for fellowships/academics just because of the name if that matters to you.
10) TX- Baylor College of Medicine Program
Good county program. Houston is cool. Weather is nice. COL and salary are good here. Moonlighting also good here. Ben Taub is a prototypical county shop. Will graduate a strong clinician. Not a referral center.
11) OH- Ohio State University Hospital Program
Nice academic/community vibe. 3 years. No county sites. Trauma leaves some to be desired. Columbus is meh. Ohio is even more meh. Kind of weird interviews from what I remember.
12) LA- Louisiana State University (New Orleans)
Outstanding training/acuity. Beautiful new hospital probably the nicest hospital I visited. Charity hospital is legendary especially in the community. 4 years is meh. Residents are questionably happy.
13) MI- Spectrum Health/MSU (Grand Rapids)
Good program. Good peds. Residents seem happy and have a chill schedule. Good salary and COL. Good peds experience. Trauma is kinda weak. Not a fan of Grand Rapids as it is not diverse at all but is clean and has good beer/food. Good COL, salary, and benefits. Nice facilities.
Programs You Applied To: 24 all together
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined: Duke, Central Michigan, University of Illinois Chicago, St John's Detroit
Programs from which you withdrew before hearing anything: None
Programs That Rejected You: Northwestern, UCLA Olive, UCLA Harbor, University of Chicago, Miami Jackson Memorial, UT southwestern, University of North Carolina
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 240's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/PF
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Extracurriculars, letters, strong personal statement writer I guess haha
Main considerations in making this ROL: Fit, location, cost, and opportunity for networking in academics for future
1) CA- UC San Francisco/Fresno
Pros: Feels like county but in academic center. Close to support system for me. Great opportunities to be outdoors (close to national parks and can participate in Park Medic program). Faculty are great teachers and there is more than enough **** to go around at every hour of the day. Packed with diverse patients who are super sick. Constant codes, traumas, etc. Facilities are good and food/parking/gym membership provided. Awesome education opportunities. Lots of women in leadership. COL is very cheap, but the city has all the amenities of a big city. Residents work hard but are happy.
Cons: People hate on Fresno but the central location to everything else in CA is handy, plus airport in town makes it easy to get out. If you don't speak Spanish, plan to learn. One downside is the solo CT scanner in the dept for your 100 patients. Studies take a long time and it can get frustrating.
2) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
Pros: This was where i got all the warm and fuzzies. Could have cried on interview day because it felt like coming home. Everyone was nice, brilliant, facilities are stellar. Favorite dinner of the trail and was well-attended. COL is cheap and there is a ton to do in Indy. They care about their residents and they were some of the happiest I met (residents own 49% stake in the residency and are respected). 3 years. Tracks for focusing/honing interests.
Cons: Not as close to family for me. Less elective time than 4 years obviously but they seem to work well with what they have.
3) MD- University of Maryland
Pros: Shock trauma. Baltimore has a lot to offer, but COL is higher than some other places. Like the PD and the residents. Great opportunities for research, mentorship. Maryland is always on the brink of what is coming in EM and there are some really cool projects I'd like to be involved with here.
Cons: It isn't a secret you will work hard here. Less vacation than some others with no protected holidays. Not sure I got to know the residents as well as some other places.
4) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Pros: Got the warm and fuzzies here too. The people were my jam and I wanted to be best friends with all of my interviewers. The faculty are proud and invested in the program. One of the faculty made her award-winning pie and brought it to lunch, next level. Diverse patient population with lots to see. You work hard but they're happy. Close to cool places i.e. Tahoe, Monterey, Redwoods.
Cons: COL, but I still love it so much
5) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
Pros: Loved the PD, APDs, and residents. Chill and supportive but they get great experience. Proud of their program.
Cons: Not a fan of going between 4-5 hospitals. COL. With so many hospitals in such close proximity, I feel a little like I would miss out of some of the higher acuity.
6) MN- Health Partners Institute/Regions Hospital (St. Paul)
Pros: People are great and supportive. Residents are happy. Personally, I really like the Twin Cities. Neat opportunities in event medicine such as Viking game coverage. respected program, family friendly.
Cons: Not as academic as some of my other favorites and less personal ties for me.
7) MN- Hennepin
Pro: Amazing training especially in US, hyperbaric med, tox, etc. One of the OG programs. Patients are sick and there are lots of them. Tour of the city on interview day was cool, Minneapolis is cool if you like sports and outdoor activities. I don't mind the cold.
Cons: didn't connect with the people as much as other places.
8) OH- Ohio State University Hospital Program
Pros: the nicest support staff, everyone went out of their way to make it a great day. Dinner was fun and well-attended. Really care about resident wellness (attendings even offer babysitting on residency event nights). Columbus has more going for it than I would imagine (a couple faculty members even own breweries in town where journal club is held occasionally). Amazing facilities and everything is pretty easy to get around to in town between sites. COL is good.
Cons: Don't have a big draw to Ohio and ultimately loved other programs more but I would be really happy if I ended up here still.
9) NC- University of North Carolina
Pro: like the area. PD was so genuinely nice. Amazing faculty and representation of women. They care about their residents. Chic Fil A for breakfast on interview day. Facilities are nice. Seems family friendly (a resident had her baby in conference).
Cons: Traveling between 2 sites. Didn't have a great experience at the dinner and there weren't a ton of residents.
10) AZ- Maricopa
Pro: Warm. COL is affordable but definitely on the rise in Phoenix. You see very sick patients, rotate on burn, good experiences. PD is a little goofy but nice and seems to care about his residents. All the support staff were really kind.
Cons: Fewer women on faculty than most places (they say because no one wants to leave so they can hire more). You will rotate at other hospitals to see things like transplant/LVAD/more medically advanced patients. Similar to my favorite programs that had more geographic pull for me. If you don't speak Spanish, learn.
11) MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
Pro: St. Louis is cheap and full of EM fodder. PD is cool and residents were a lot of fun at the dinner and happy hour after interview. Solid teaching. Was surprised how much I liked it.
Con: You have to go to AZ for OBGYN to get your deliveries because everyone at Barnes Jewish is considered high risk essentially.
12) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
Pro: Great faculty and residents whom I really liked. Tons of opportunities for projects and mentorship. Olive View and Antelope Valley aren't level I trauma centers, but you will still care for very sick and injured patients prior to transferring.
Cons: I just can't get behind living in LA with pets and COL. Hate commuting in traffic which you will certainly do given distance between Olive View, Geffen, and Antelope Valley.
13) VA- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Program
Pro: Liked the residents and PD a lot, all friendly. Dinner was delicious. Richmond was cooler than I expected and reasonable COL. They're trauma bay was pretty neat, spacious.
Con: no ties to the city at all and just didn't weigh up against some of the more well-known programs I went to.
14) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Pros: solid training and people who really care about the population they're working with. I appreciated the resident's transparency about challenges. I enjoy inpatient medicine, but I know for lots that month is a turn off.
Cons: COL, not a huge big city person, separate trauma and still a fair amount of scut done by residents.
15) WI- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Program (Madison)
Rotated here and had a good experience
Pros: Madison as a city is phenomenal, especially if you love to be outdoors. They have a nice satellite hospital about 20 minutes away that is bread and butter EM. Good weekly conference.
Cons: hard af to navigate the hospital, acuity was moderate and I saw several procedures that should have been done by residents done by other services or even the attending which was a turn-off. Pay for parking and no food allowance.
16) IA- University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Program
Pros: Iowa City is fun and close to a lot of great midwest cities, not too big but hospital is great tertiary care center with solid faculty.
Cons: Residents and PD were not my fave.
17) University of Pittsburgh
Pro: excellent 3 year training, resident run EMS vehicle, cool city with lots of sports and good nature around
Cons: dinner was awkward and residents huddled together then were largely absent on interview day. I just didn't jive with them. The Chair of the department came to speak and was really the reason I was turned off. Didn't hear the word wellness once all day.
18) CA- UC San Francisco
Pro: Obviously a great name with great faculty, like their mission/social EM opportunities, and I love the city
Con: COL, it is a newer program in the spectrum of EM programs (2007 I think), left us sitting in ED waiting room on interview day for 20 minutes past start time. While SF general is amazing, I don't love the Parnassus campus at all. Again, interviewers weren't familiar with my app compared to other programs. Residents were cool at dinner, but nowhere to be found on interview day.
19) WI- Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program (Milwaukee)
Pro: No ties to the city but like WI in general.
Cons: Was my worst interview personally and I did not click with any of the residents or faculty. It was apparent interviewers hadn't read my application and I was frustrated by that by the end of the season. Nothing made them stand out.
Anything Else To Add? I am very much a people person and am looking for the right environment regardless of years in training. I would be ecstatic to train at any of my top 10. The places on my list seem all over (assure you I am not a fake), but I am from the West Coast, love living in the Midwest, and am open to exploring East Coast. My significant other is also mobile and open to all places, so I really just used interviews as a reason to explore new opportunities.
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined: Denver, LAC+USC, Christiana, Henry Ford, U of Chicago, Loma Linda, UC San Diego, UC Davis, University of Michigan
Programs from which you withdrew before hearing anything: N/A
Programs That Rejected You: Cincinnati (waitlist), Harvard Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Carolinas, Utah, LA County Harbor (silent, ouch)
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 240's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/PF
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Extracurriculars, letters, strong personal statement writer I guess haha
Main considerations in making this ROL: Fit, location, cost, and opportunity for networking in academics for future
1) CA- UC San Francisco/Fresno
Pros: Feels like county but in academic center. Close to support system for me. Great opportunities to be outdoors (close to national parks and can participate in Park Medic program). Faculty are great teachers and there is more than enough **** to go around at every hour of the day. Packed with diverse patients who are super sick. Constant codes, traumas, etc. Facilities are good and food/parking/gym membership provided. Awesome education opportunities. Lots of women in leadership. COL is very cheap, but the city has all the amenities of a big city. Residents work hard but are happy.
Cons: People hate on Fresno but the central location to everything else in CA is handy, plus airport in town makes it easy to get out. If you don't speak Spanish, plan to learn. One downside is the solo CT scanner in the dept for your 100 patients. Studies take a long time and it can get frustrating.
2) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
Pros: This was where i got all the warm and fuzzies. Could have cried on interview day because it felt like coming home. Everyone was nice, brilliant, facilities are stellar. Favorite dinner of the trail and was well-attended. COL is cheap and there is a ton to do in Indy. They care about their residents and they were some of the happiest I met (residents own 49% stake in the residency and are respected). 3 years. Tracks for focusing/honing interests.
Cons: Not as close to family for me. Less elective time than 4 years obviously but they seem to work well with what they have.
3) MD- University of Maryland
Pros: Shock trauma. Baltimore has a lot to offer, but COL is higher than some other places. Like the PD and the residents. Great opportunities for research, mentorship. Maryland is always on the brink of what is coming in EM and there are some really cool projects I'd like to be involved with here.
Cons: It isn't a secret you will work hard here. Less vacation than some others with no protected holidays. Not sure I got to know the residents as well as some other places.
4) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Pros: Got the warm and fuzzies here too. The people were my jam and I wanted to be best friends with all of my interviewers. The faculty are proud and invested in the program. One of the faculty made her award-winning pie and brought it to lunch, next level. Diverse patient population with lots to see. You work hard but they're happy. Close to cool places i.e. Tahoe, Monterey, Redwoods.
Cons: COL, but I still love it so much
5) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
Pros: Loved the PD, APDs, and residents. Chill and supportive but they get great experience. Proud of their program.
Cons: Not a fan of going between 4-5 hospitals. COL. With so many hospitals in such close proximity, I feel a little like I would miss out of some of the higher acuity.
6) MN- Health Partners Institute/Regions Hospital (St. Paul)
Pros: People are great and supportive. Residents are happy. Personally, I really like the Twin Cities. Neat opportunities in event medicine such as Viking game coverage. respected program, family friendly.
Cons: Not as academic as some of my other favorites and less personal ties for me.
7) MN- Hennepin
Pro: Amazing training especially in US, hyperbaric med, tox, etc. One of the OG programs. Patients are sick and there are lots of them. Tour of the city on interview day was cool, Minneapolis is cool if you like sports and outdoor activities. I don't mind the cold.
Cons: didn't connect with the people as much as other places.
8) OH- Ohio State University Hospital Program
Pros: the nicest support staff, everyone went out of their way to make it a great day. Dinner was fun and well-attended. Really care about resident wellness (attendings even offer babysitting on residency event nights). Columbus has more going for it than I would imagine (a couple faculty members even own breweries in town where journal club is held occasionally). Amazing facilities and everything is pretty easy to get around to in town between sites. COL is good.
Cons: Don't have a big draw to Ohio and ultimately loved other programs more but I would be really happy if I ended up here still.
9) NC- University of North Carolina
Pro: like the area. PD was so genuinely nice. Amazing faculty and representation of women. They care about their residents. Chic Fil A for breakfast on interview day. Facilities are nice. Seems family friendly (a resident had her baby in conference).
Cons: Traveling between 2 sites. Didn't have a great experience at the dinner and there weren't a ton of residents.
10) AZ- Maricopa
Pro: Warm. COL is affordable but definitely on the rise in Phoenix. You see very sick patients, rotate on burn, good experiences. PD is a little goofy but nice and seems to care about his residents. All the support staff were really kind.
Cons: Fewer women on faculty than most places (they say because no one wants to leave so they can hire more). You will rotate at other hospitals to see things like transplant/LVAD/more medically advanced patients. Similar to my favorite programs that had more geographic pull for me. If you don't speak Spanish, learn.
11) MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
Pro: St. Louis is cheap and full of EM fodder. PD is cool and residents were a lot of fun at the dinner and happy hour after interview. Solid teaching. Was surprised how much I liked it.
Con: You have to go to AZ for OBGYN to get your deliveries because everyone at Barnes Jewish is considered high risk essentially.
12) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
Pro: Great faculty and residents whom I really liked. Tons of opportunities for projects and mentorship. Olive View and Antelope Valley aren't level I trauma centers, but you will still care for very sick and injured patients prior to transferring.
Cons: I just can't get behind living in LA with pets and COL. Hate commuting in traffic which you will certainly do given distance between Olive View, Geffen, and Antelope Valley.
13) VA- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Program
Pro: Liked the residents and PD a lot, all friendly. Dinner was delicious. Richmond was cooler than I expected and reasonable COL. They're trauma bay was pretty neat, spacious.
Con: no ties to the city at all and just didn't weigh up against some of the more well-known programs I went to.
14) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Pros: solid training and people who really care about the population they're working with. I appreciated the resident's transparency about challenges. I enjoy inpatient medicine, but I know for lots that month is a turn off.
Cons: COL, not a huge big city person, separate trauma and still a fair amount of scut done by residents.
15) WI- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Program (Madison)
Rotated here and had a good experience
Pros: Madison as a city is phenomenal, especially if you love to be outdoors. They have a nice satellite hospital about 20 minutes away that is bread and butter EM. Good weekly conference.
Cons: hard af to navigate the hospital, acuity was moderate and I saw several procedures that should have been done by residents done by other services or even the attending which was a turn-off. Pay for parking and no food allowance.
16) IA- University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Program
Pros: Iowa City is fun and close to a lot of great midwest cities, not too big but hospital is great tertiary care center with solid faculty.
Cons: Residents and PD were not my fave.
17) University of Pittsburgh
Pro: excellent 3 year training, resident run EMS vehicle, cool city with lots of sports and good nature around
Cons: dinner was awkward and residents huddled together then were largely absent on interview day. I just didn't jive with them. The Chair of the department came to speak and was really the reason I was turned off. Didn't hear the word wellness once all day.
18) CA- UC San Francisco
Pro: Obviously a great name with great faculty, like their mission/social EM opportunities, and I love the city
Con: COL, it is a newer program in the spectrum of EM programs (2007 I think), left us sitting in ED waiting room on interview day for 20 minutes past start time. While SF general is amazing, I don't love the Parnassus campus at all. Again, interviewers weren't familiar with my app compared to other programs. Residents were cool at dinner, but nowhere to be found on interview day.
19) WI- Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program (Milwaukee)
Pro: No ties to the city but like WI in general.
Cons: Was my worst interview personally and I did not click with any of the residents or faculty. It was apparent interviewers hadn't read my application and I was frustrated by that by the end of the season. Nothing made them stand out.
Anything Else To Add? I am very much a people person and am looking for the right environment regardless of years in training. I would be ecstatic to train at any of my top 10. The places on my list seem all over (assure you I am not a fake), but I am from the West Coast, love living in the Midwest, and am open to exploring East Coast. My significant other is also mobile and open to all places, so I really just used interviews as a reason to explore new opportunities.
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined: Denver, LAC+USC, Christiana, Henry Ford, U of Chicago, Loma Linda, UC San Diego, UC Davis, University of Michigan
Programs from which you withdrew before hearing anything: N/A
Programs That Rejected You: Cincinnati (waitlist), Harvard Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Carolinas, Utah, LA County Harbor (silent, ouch)
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 220's/230's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Northeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Non-traditional student with interesting prior career
Main considerations in making this ROL: Gut feel, location
1) CT- U of Connecticut
Rotated here. Loved the residents and faculty. Good exposure and volume in ED's.
2) MA- UMMS Baystate
PD, APD, residents cool. Values wellness. Nice new ED with good volume
3) FL- Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt
Rotated here and really liked it
4) FL- University of Florida (Gainesville)
5) VA- Eastern Virginia Medical School Program
6) VA- University of Virginia Medical Center Program
7) SC- Prisma Health-Midlands/University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Columbia Program
8) NY- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Southside Hospital (Bayshore)
9) PA- Allegheny Health Network Medical Education Consortium (AGH) Program (Pittsburgh)
10) DE- Christiana
Loved the program and the residents, but locations seems awful
11) NC- Vidant Health/East Carolina University Program
Solid program, cheap COL, but again... location sucks.
12) PA- Albert Einstein Healthcare Network Program
Keurig and a few old granola bars for breakfast
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 220's/230's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Northeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Non-traditional student with interesting prior career
Main considerations in making this ROL: Gut feel, location
1) CT- U of Connecticut
Rotated here. Loved the residents and faculty. Good exposure and volume in ED's.
2) MA- UMMS Baystate
PD, APD, residents cool. Values wellness. Nice new ED with good volume
3) FL- Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt
Rotated here and really liked it
4) FL- University of Florida (Gainesville)
5) VA- Eastern Virginia Medical School Program
6) VA- University of Virginia Medical Center Program
7) SC- Prisma Health-Midlands/University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Columbia Program
8) NY- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Southside Hospital (Bayshore)
9) PA- Allegheny Health Network Medical Education Consortium (AGH) Program (Pittsburgh)
10) DE- Christiana
Loved the program and the residents, but locations seems awful
11) NC- Vidant Health/East Carolina University Program
Solid program, cheap COL, but again... location sucks.
12) PA- Albert Einstein Healthcare Network Program
Keurig and a few old granola bars for breakfast
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 240's/240's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/High Pass/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Southeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Solid boards, tons of research in a non-EM speciality.
Main considerations in making this ROL:
Sorry for the long list - Couples matching with a wife going into a surgical sub-speciality, so we had to play the field and go on a ton of interviews.
My career goals are very academic - I’m hoping to be either in EM GME or med school level medical education. So “brand name” played more of a role than it otherwise would, both within EM and outside of it. Other than that, I looked for all the normal stuff...gut feeling, solid training, supportive faculty, humane schedule, good QOL, cheap, good weather, beach, mountains.
1) AL- University of Alabama
Academic/county hybrid with the perfect mix of support, humane schedule, academic resources, and high volume/acuity. Some of the most supportive faculty I met on the trail. Dr Khoury is incredibly kind, and the former PD, Dr. Edwards clearly cares immensely about the program and the residents. Awesome flight-med opportunities on the UAB ICU-Jet which can provide trans-continental ICU level care. Huge volume, lots of sick underserved people in Birmingham, but also all the LVADS, transplants, and trauma for the entire state. 2 guaranteed golden weekends per block, which is absurd. Recent major upgrades to trauma experience. Dirt cheap COL, I could get a hot tub. Best career opportunities for SO.
Cons: Birmingham, while better than expected, is still Birmingham. At least they didn’t elect Roy Moore.
2) NC- Carolinas Medical Center Program
Legendary program, faculty there are leaders in their fields, more money than god, academic-community-county TriBred offers incredible diversity of pathology at a single (very nice) site. Coolest residents I met on the trail, young and outdoorsy, with very good class cohesion. EM is very well respected in the hospital. Excellent didactics, amazing FOAMed presence with the guide-wire podcast. Insanely strong peds (I hate peds, but it’s important I guess), solid trauma, plenty of medical complexity. Amazing benefits, COL and QOL in Charlotte is great, close to both the mountains and beach. The people of Charlotte were almost off-puttingly nice, it left me a bit confused. Good career opportunities for SO.
Cons: Bit of a douchey “were C A R O L I N A S” vibe. 20 shifts/month all 3 years. Outside of EM, CMC is not really a big name.
3) GA- Emory
Another storied EM Program, county to the max, but with resources of Emory. Spend 10/12 months/year at Grady, 1 month each at Emory main (academic) and Emory midtown (community), which seems like a great balance. Excellent research, lots of opportunities to enter academics, and teaching through the med school. Close to 50% of their residents enter academics direct from a 3 year program, which is awesome. Emory name carries alot of weight outside of EM. Loved their social mission and the symbol that Grady is in the community. Lived in Atlanta for 5 years before college, would love to go back and experience it as an adult.
Cons: They seem to work a TON, and no dragon 🙁. Traffic and Pollen in Atlanta are APOCALYPTIC.
4) LA- Louisiana State University (New Orleans)
One of the classic county programs, albeit this one with a BEAUTIFUL billion dollar, hurricane proof hospital. Faculty are young and dynamic, tons of opportunities to get involved with student education through both Tulane and LSU. SICK patients, tons good quality of trauma, possibly the most underserved pop on my list. Lots of autonomy early (maybe a bit too much), very tame schedule allows for making extra money moonlighting, or pursuing academic niches. World class hyperbarics, get to work with the divers on the gulf rigs. Tons of cool pathology comes in from rural LA. New Orleans is an amazing city with lots of culture, food, and nature not too far away.
Cons: 4 years, Nola is not the safest city and good housing can be pricey.
5) NC- Wake Forest University School of Medicine Program
Awesome residents, fully academic hospital with extremely laid back but smart faculty, dirt cheap COL, and great opportunities to teach the med students. Housing is so cheap I could get a hot tub and have a garage for my tools! Very well established (1974!) with a large alumni base nationwide and a ton of in-house fellowships (7!) for whatever niche I may want. They have the guy that invented the HEART score. The people in Winston Salem and in the hospital are super nice. Would be nice to not get told to F-off by the nurse for a whole shift. WS is definitely small, but is growing quickly with lots of young restaurants/breweries and stuff...they recently got a Trader Joe’s! Close to mountains is a plus.
Cons: Kind of a PITA to get home from here, need to drive to Charlotte to get a reasonable direct flight. May get bored in WS.
6) SC- Medical University of South Carolina Program
Fun outdoorsy residents, and young, supportive, funny faculty. Program Director is a walking dad joke, and Melanie, the coordinator, was one of the nicest people I met on the trail. Campus was surprisingly impressive, beautiful, but with a weird hybrid sort of system where they see medically complex well connected patients in their “Chest Pain ED,” which didn’t seem like a detriment, but did seem weird. Minimal time off-service and in the ICU which is nice, very humane schedule, tons of moonlighting opportunities. Charleston is AMAZING - world class food and bar scene, great proximity to the ocean and outdoor activities, and very reasonable COL. SO loved it here.
Cons: Academic opportunities and alumni network are definitely less than my other tops, would need to do a fellowship for academics. Medical acuity and trauma both seemed a bit lacking. People of Charleston looked at me like I had 2 heads when I said I was lactose intolerant.
7) NY- Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Jacob/Montefiore) (Bronx)
Extreme, trial by fire, pushed to the limit EM experience. They’re very open about using an “apprenticeship” model - no protected didactic time, virtually no responsibilities of any kind other than just a crushing, unrelenting stream of 12 hour shifts. Monte ED was HUGE, stacking pts 2-3 deep/bay at 2pm on a Wednesday. It takes volume to a level unlike anything I’ve ever seen (>200,000 visits/year). Acuity is off the charts high. Strong hyperbarics and a snakebite center which is neat. Chief role PGY3 where you see all pts, triage down to the pgy1/2s learning a lot about dept flow and being able to do sick vs not sick on looks alone , and pre-attending PGY4 who acts in a largely teaching role. Subsidized housing is dirt cheap (~1300 for a 1 bed), but you have to live in the bronx - otherwise you live in Manhattan and comment 30-40 min.
Cons: They deal with all the classic NYC junk like drawing labs, push patients, etc. Faculty didn’t seem the most supportive, residents were a bit too intense. 4 years, ugh.
8) FL- University of Florida (Gainesville)
Sick medical patients, high acuity. UF name means tons of academic resources, strong med-ed opportunities and can get involved in teaching early. Gainesville is warm and cheap, downtown was more lively than I expected. Solid Peds referral center.
Cons: Lots of transfer accepts due to huge cachement, no money for food, ~350/yr for parking which is a bummer - maybe ill get one of those scooters or something. Crappy trauma experience. PD was great but had one very off-putting faculty interview, and the residents spent the whole dinner talking about their favorite dungeons and dragons characters even after I tried to re-direct the conversation to literally anything else.
9)TX- University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program
Well rounded HUGE program, with a county population but in a HUGE gorgeous hospital. Some of the coolest residents, there’s a lot of them (22), and they do a lot together. Dallas is a fun, cheap, young city with great food, lots of outdoor/patio bars, and beer culture, but way too much football. Highest volume in the US at 250k but its spread over like 8 pods each with 14 beds, some of which are attending only. 2 months of elective (NEW ZEALAND). They have a Med-Ed fellowship which focuses on running a residency or clerkship, which is a major interest of mine. UTSW name carries lots of weight outside of EM.
Cons: Even though the PD and faculty were all great, you definitely need to work hard to get noticed in such a factory type environment. No food money, tons of scut off service. EM carries no weight in the hospital compared to powerhouse IM and Surgery. Trauma is so bad they need to do a 2nd trauma month in Ft. Worth. Wife HATED it here, so it dropped a few spots for sure.
10) FL- Jackson Memorial (Miami)
An amazing up and coming program in an amazing city. The faculty here are beyond the pale, they’re the best I came across. Remarkably sick patients, many from the islands with diseases we don’t see in the US - would be amazing for int’l med if you like that kind of thing. About 50% of the patients speak Spanish only, which isn’t an issue for me, but could be for some. In 5 years this will be an elite residency, but they’re still just too new with no fellowships, lots of old FM/IM docs in the ED, and some turf wars still being fought out in the hospital. New director of trauma critical care is an EM/CCM doc, so hopefully the relationship with surgery will improve and the surgeons will stop talking crap about the EM docs. Oh and no trauma airway ever, huge bummer.
11) CA- UC Irvine
In terms of pure Med-Ed opportunities, this was probably the best program I saw on the trail. The entire UCI med school is basically run by the EM department. Ultrasound is arguably the best in the nation, virtually every single ED bed has an US machine - no excuse not to become proficient. They’ve got their own Med-Ed journal, flipped classroom didactics, young and dynamic faculty. Send you to The Catalina Island all expense paid for a rural month and tahoe for ortho. Waterfall scheduling means you pick up a ton of patients at the start of the shift, and almost always leave within 15-30 min of shift end…But you’re almost never off the same time as co-residents. 1 guaranteed golden weekend/block. Great trauma (only lvl1 in OC), less medical acuity. Cafeteria was really nice and housing stipend is hopefully increasing to 4k this year.
Cons: far from home, medical acuity seemed low, cramped ED with bad boarding. Their hospital is basically in a strip mall/office park. Waterfall schedule is cool, but won't prepare me for community practice.
12) FL- Orlando Health
ORMC would’ve been my #1, if not for really terrible job prospects here for my SO. Absolutely incredible TriBred county/community/academic program with a great culture, well balanced educational experience, and perfect location (warm AND close to family!). Function as Orlando’s main trauma center and de-facto county hospital. The residents seemed remarkably happy here. There was a background slideshow playing of the residents doing fun stuff, and over 4 hours it never repeated. The PD, aPD, and all faculty seemed very close knit and knowledgeable. Good trauma experience, minimal/tame off service, lots of ED time. They’re a core site for FSU med, so can do some med Ed. Solid moonlighting opportunities.
Cons: Only negative is that they’re still transitioning to EMR in the ED, which just seems absurd in 2020.
13) NY- New York- Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
NYC program that mitigates a lot of the NYC badness. In Park Slope, one of the nicest neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Great benefits and salary, good nursing by NYC standards, and cool down to earth residents from diverse backgrounds. Only 3 years is a plus. Strong US and Peds with fellowships, but really just not academic enough for me.
Cons: They used to be a core site for a Caribbean med school, but that got nixed when NYP bought the hospital out...so virtually no med Ed opportunities. I felt like I wouldn’t have the clout necessary to pursue the career I wanted from here. SO loved it, otherwise it’d be way farther down.
14) SC- Prisma Health-Upstate/University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville Program
Awesome TriBred program in an AWESOME mountain town. Hospital is super nice and benefits are amazing. Faculty here were lovely - felt like I’d be nurtured as really set up to succeed coming out of here in terms of med Ed and general training. The residents were really cool, but a little older and settled down. If you’re gonna live somewhere rural, Greenville is a pretty great place to be.
Cons: very new and very rural, could definitely get bored here. Absolute PITA to fly anywhere from here. Limited alumni network
15) TN- UT Nashville
Absolutely loved the PD here. Dr. Reiter is the man, and is the former president of AAEM. Several of the faculty are current or former high ranking AAEM leadership. This is the only place where I felt they would plug me in for a future in the business of medicine in a very real way. Virtually unopposed in the hospital, great 1:1 teaching, cool residents, and great benefits. Would’ve been way higher on my list but employment options for my SO are not the best. Nashville is great though.
Cons: newer program, virtually no one goes into academics, pretty minimal med-Ed opportunities.
16) CA- Loma Linda
Big surprise on the trail, really loved this place. Religious vibe wasn’t an issue - they didn’t mind my flagrant Jewishness. Excellent med Ed opportunities, and solid fellowships. An hour and a half to mountains for skiing, an hour to the beach. Awesome residents, great life style. Opening a new hospital soon which is gonna be gorgeous.
Cons: Would’ve been higher but it’s far from home and my SOs closest program is 45 min away.
17) FL- USF Morsani (Tampa)
Solid middle of the road program in a warm city on a beach. Hospital is beautiful, on its own little island in the Tampa bay. Faculty are very fun and dynamic, US is clearly their strong suit, and Dr. Derr, the the PD was one of my favorites. The residents seemed really laid back, and came out in force for the social event. No anesthesia so tons of opportunities for tubes.
Cons: TeamHealth site. Work 12’s, which can stretch to 15’s after sign out and clean up. Trauma seems ok but not great, and Peds is lacking because of a large Peds referral center up the road. Would’ve been around the middle of my list, but job prospects here for my SO were no good (Her PD told her she wouldn’t be allowed to get pregnant during residency, because “women cant be good residents while also being good mothers”...nope).
18) FL- Mt. Sinai (Miami Beach)
Former DO program that converted to ACGME a few years back. Hospital is beautiful and well resourced, right on Biscayne Bay, with ocean views form the ED. Plentiful benefits. Good diverse patient mix.
Cons: No trauma because it all goes to UM/Ryder (they rotate there but have a limited role), and very little Peds on Miami beach. The PD was very kind, but chairman was downright antagonistic in his interview. He got very offended when I asked what role residents play in educating the visiting students, and he launched into a whole diatribe about the merger and how unfair it was. I’d be a board certified EM doctor from here, but seems like I’d have to work very hard to land an academic job in a major center.
19) TX- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center-PLFSOM Program
El Paso - this program is truly a hidden gem. I rotated here and do not have enough ways to say how amazing it was. Cool residents, extremely caring faculty, beautiful facility and sim center with gobs of money, profoundly sick but grateful patients (they come across the border). Their lifestyle is excellent - shift reduction down to 14x12hrs/month as a PGY3, with the opportunity to make an extra 5k/month through easy internal moonlighting. COL in El Paso is dirt cheap, and they’re close to some great outdoor activities, especially climbing and biking. To anyone considering El Paso, I can not endorse it strongly enough. Only problem is my SO didn’t get a single interview within 5 hours driving of here, so had to drop it down.
20) CO- Denver Health
Obviously a famous program, in an amazing location, with some incredible pathology, and legendary trauma. I was very impressed with how kind the faculty were, especially the PD, Dr Kaplan. The residents seemed fun, but were very intense, and proud of how they never get 2 consecutive days off. The schedule was not as bad as everyone seems to say in terms of hours (20x8hr shifts/28 days x 4 years), but because of the weird circadian rhythm of the schedule, and 4 full days of conference per month, you never get 2 consecutive days off. It’s 2 am, 2 swing, 2 pm, post-call/recover day, or conference. One of my aways used the circadian schedule and it was torture. Also they cross cover ortho, uro, plastics, NSG, and a bunch of other surgical services at night when off service, which sounds brutal. One of the interns was telling a story about how he scrubbed into the OR a bunch with neurosurg that month, which seems like a colossal waste of time IMO. If I’m going to live in the best city in the country (IMHO), I’d really like >36 hrs off at a time to actually do all the outdoorsy weekend getaways that Denver is famous for. What really dropped it for me though was just the complete lack of job prospects for my SO.
Anything Else To Add?
When you're doing the couples match, you've really gotta play the field. You go on interviews only to find out your SO got rejected the night before. Or you love a place and your partner DNR's it because the PD is racist.
Programs You Applied To:
96 programs in total, too many to name.
Programs whose interviews you declined:
EVMS, UC Davis, Ohio State, LSU-Baton Rouge, Wellstar Kennestone, UCSF-Fresno, Kaweah Delta, Arrowhead, Adena, all the Florida HCA/CMG programs.
Programs Whose Interviews You Attended:
Above, plus UNLV & UF Jacksonville (didnt fit)
Programs that rejected you:
Maricopa (only one that stung), UNC, Duke, Vanderbilt, Mt. Sinai, New Mexico
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 240's/240's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/High Pass/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Southeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Solid boards, tons of research in a non-EM speciality.
Main considerations in making this ROL:
Sorry for the long list - Couples matching with a wife going into a surgical sub-speciality, so we had to play the field and go on a ton of interviews.
My career goals are very academic - I’m hoping to be either in EM GME or med school level medical education. So “brand name” played more of a role than it otherwise would, both within EM and outside of it. Other than that, I looked for all the normal stuff...gut feeling, solid training, supportive faculty, humane schedule, good QOL, cheap, good weather, beach, mountains.
1) AL- University of Alabama
Academic/county hybrid with the perfect mix of support, humane schedule, academic resources, and high volume/acuity. Some of the most supportive faculty I met on the trail. Dr Khoury is incredibly kind, and the former PD, Dr. Edwards clearly cares immensely about the program and the residents. Awesome flight-med opportunities on the UAB ICU-Jet which can provide trans-continental ICU level care. Huge volume, lots of sick underserved people in Birmingham, but also all the LVADS, transplants, and trauma for the entire state. 2 guaranteed golden weekends per block, which is absurd. Recent major upgrades to trauma experience. Dirt cheap COL, I could get a hot tub. Best career opportunities for SO.
Cons: Birmingham, while better than expected, is still Birmingham. At least they didn’t elect Roy Moore.
2) NC- Carolinas Medical Center Program
Legendary program, faculty there are leaders in their fields, more money than god, academic-community-county TriBred offers incredible diversity of pathology at a single (very nice) site. Coolest residents I met on the trail, young and outdoorsy, with very good class cohesion. EM is very well respected in the hospital. Excellent didactics, amazing FOAMed presence with the guide-wire podcast. Insanely strong peds (I hate peds, but it’s important I guess), solid trauma, plenty of medical complexity. Amazing benefits, COL and QOL in Charlotte is great, close to both the mountains and beach. The people of Charlotte were almost off-puttingly nice, it left me a bit confused. Good career opportunities for SO.
Cons: Bit of a douchey “were C A R O L I N A S” vibe. 20 shifts/month all 3 years. Outside of EM, CMC is not really a big name.
3) GA- Emory
Another storied EM Program, county to the max, but with resources of Emory. Spend 10/12 months/year at Grady, 1 month each at Emory main (academic) and Emory midtown (community), which seems like a great balance. Excellent research, lots of opportunities to enter academics, and teaching through the med school. Close to 50% of their residents enter academics direct from a 3 year program, which is awesome. Emory name carries alot of weight outside of EM. Loved their social mission and the symbol that Grady is in the community. Lived in Atlanta for 5 years before college, would love to go back and experience it as an adult.
Cons: They seem to work a TON, and no dragon 🙁. Traffic and Pollen in Atlanta are APOCALYPTIC.
4) LA- Louisiana State University (New Orleans)
One of the classic county programs, albeit this one with a BEAUTIFUL billion dollar, hurricane proof hospital. Faculty are young and dynamic, tons of opportunities to get involved with student education through both Tulane and LSU. SICK patients, tons good quality of trauma, possibly the most underserved pop on my list. Lots of autonomy early (maybe a bit too much), very tame schedule allows for making extra money moonlighting, or pursuing academic niches. World class hyperbarics, get to work with the divers on the gulf rigs. Tons of cool pathology comes in from rural LA. New Orleans is an amazing city with lots of culture, food, and nature not too far away.
Cons: 4 years, Nola is not the safest city and good housing can be pricey.
5) NC- Wake Forest University School of Medicine Program
Awesome residents, fully academic hospital with extremely laid back but smart faculty, dirt cheap COL, and great opportunities to teach the med students. Housing is so cheap I could get a hot tub and have a garage for my tools! Very well established (1974!) with a large alumni base nationwide and a ton of in-house fellowships (7!) for whatever niche I may want. They have the guy that invented the HEART score. The people in Winston Salem and in the hospital are super nice. Would be nice to not get told to F-off by the nurse for a whole shift. WS is definitely small, but is growing quickly with lots of young restaurants/breweries and stuff...they recently got a Trader Joe’s! Close to mountains is a plus.
Cons: Kind of a PITA to get home from here, need to drive to Charlotte to get a reasonable direct flight. May get bored in WS.
6) SC- Medical University of South Carolina Program
Fun outdoorsy residents, and young, supportive, funny faculty. Program Director is a walking dad joke, and Melanie, the coordinator, was one of the nicest people I met on the trail. Campus was surprisingly impressive, beautiful, but with a weird hybrid sort of system where they see medically complex well connected patients in their “Chest Pain ED,” which didn’t seem like a detriment, but did seem weird. Minimal time off-service and in the ICU which is nice, very humane schedule, tons of moonlighting opportunities. Charleston is AMAZING - world class food and bar scene, great proximity to the ocean and outdoor activities, and very reasonable COL. SO loved it here.
Cons: Academic opportunities and alumni network are definitely less than my other tops, would need to do a fellowship for academics. Medical acuity and trauma both seemed a bit lacking. People of Charleston looked at me like I had 2 heads when I said I was lactose intolerant.
7) NY- Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Jacob/Montefiore) (Bronx)
Extreme, trial by fire, pushed to the limit EM experience. They’re very open about using an “apprenticeship” model - no protected didactic time, virtually no responsibilities of any kind other than just a crushing, unrelenting stream of 12 hour shifts. Monte ED was HUGE, stacking pts 2-3 deep/bay at 2pm on a Wednesday. It takes volume to a level unlike anything I’ve ever seen (>200,000 visits/year). Acuity is off the charts high. Strong hyperbarics and a snakebite center which is neat. Chief role PGY3 where you see all pts, triage down to the pgy1/2s learning a lot about dept flow and being able to do sick vs not sick on looks alone , and pre-attending PGY4 who acts in a largely teaching role. Subsidized housing is dirt cheap (~1300 for a 1 bed), but you have to live in the bronx - otherwise you live in Manhattan and comment 30-40 min.
Cons: They deal with all the classic NYC junk like drawing labs, push patients, etc. Faculty didn’t seem the most supportive, residents were a bit too intense. 4 years, ugh.
8) FL- University of Florida (Gainesville)
Sick medical patients, high acuity. UF name means tons of academic resources, strong med-ed opportunities and can get involved in teaching early. Gainesville is warm and cheap, downtown was more lively than I expected. Solid Peds referral center.
Cons: Lots of transfer accepts due to huge cachement, no money for food, ~350/yr for parking which is a bummer - maybe ill get one of those scooters or something. Crappy trauma experience. PD was great but had one very off-putting faculty interview, and the residents spent the whole dinner talking about their favorite dungeons and dragons characters even after I tried to re-direct the conversation to literally anything else.
9)TX- University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program
Well rounded HUGE program, with a county population but in a HUGE gorgeous hospital. Some of the coolest residents, there’s a lot of them (22), and they do a lot together. Dallas is a fun, cheap, young city with great food, lots of outdoor/patio bars, and beer culture, but way too much football. Highest volume in the US at 250k but its spread over like 8 pods each with 14 beds, some of which are attending only. 2 months of elective (NEW ZEALAND). They have a Med-Ed fellowship which focuses on running a residency or clerkship, which is a major interest of mine. UTSW name carries lots of weight outside of EM.
Cons: Even though the PD and faculty were all great, you definitely need to work hard to get noticed in such a factory type environment. No food money, tons of scut off service. EM carries no weight in the hospital compared to powerhouse IM and Surgery. Trauma is so bad they need to do a 2nd trauma month in Ft. Worth. Wife HATED it here, so it dropped a few spots for sure.
10) FL- Jackson Memorial (Miami)
An amazing up and coming program in an amazing city. The faculty here are beyond the pale, they’re the best I came across. Remarkably sick patients, many from the islands with diseases we don’t see in the US - would be amazing for int’l med if you like that kind of thing. About 50% of the patients speak Spanish only, which isn’t an issue for me, but could be for some. In 5 years this will be an elite residency, but they’re still just too new with no fellowships, lots of old FM/IM docs in the ED, and some turf wars still being fought out in the hospital. New director of trauma critical care is an EM/CCM doc, so hopefully the relationship with surgery will improve and the surgeons will stop talking crap about the EM docs. Oh and no trauma airway ever, huge bummer.
11) CA- UC Irvine
In terms of pure Med-Ed opportunities, this was probably the best program I saw on the trail. The entire UCI med school is basically run by the EM department. Ultrasound is arguably the best in the nation, virtually every single ED bed has an US machine - no excuse not to become proficient. They’ve got their own Med-Ed journal, flipped classroom didactics, young and dynamic faculty. Send you to The Catalina Island all expense paid for a rural month and tahoe for ortho. Waterfall scheduling means you pick up a ton of patients at the start of the shift, and almost always leave within 15-30 min of shift end…But you’re almost never off the same time as co-residents. 1 guaranteed golden weekend/block. Great trauma (only lvl1 in OC), less medical acuity. Cafeteria was really nice and housing stipend is hopefully increasing to 4k this year.
Cons: far from home, medical acuity seemed low, cramped ED with bad boarding. Their hospital is basically in a strip mall/office park. Waterfall schedule is cool, but won't prepare me for community practice.
12) FL- Orlando Health
ORMC would’ve been my #1, if not for really terrible job prospects here for my SO. Absolutely incredible TriBred county/community/academic program with a great culture, well balanced educational experience, and perfect location (warm AND close to family!). Function as Orlando’s main trauma center and de-facto county hospital. The residents seemed remarkably happy here. There was a background slideshow playing of the residents doing fun stuff, and over 4 hours it never repeated. The PD, aPD, and all faculty seemed very close knit and knowledgeable. Good trauma experience, minimal/tame off service, lots of ED time. They’re a core site for FSU med, so can do some med Ed. Solid moonlighting opportunities.
Cons: Only negative is that they’re still transitioning to EMR in the ED, which just seems absurd in 2020.
13) NY- New York- Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
NYC program that mitigates a lot of the NYC badness. In Park Slope, one of the nicest neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Great benefits and salary, good nursing by NYC standards, and cool down to earth residents from diverse backgrounds. Only 3 years is a plus. Strong US and Peds with fellowships, but really just not academic enough for me.
Cons: They used to be a core site for a Caribbean med school, but that got nixed when NYP bought the hospital out...so virtually no med Ed opportunities. I felt like I wouldn’t have the clout necessary to pursue the career I wanted from here. SO loved it, otherwise it’d be way farther down.
14) SC- Prisma Health-Upstate/University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville Program
Awesome TriBred program in an AWESOME mountain town. Hospital is super nice and benefits are amazing. Faculty here were lovely - felt like I’d be nurtured as really set up to succeed coming out of here in terms of med Ed and general training. The residents were really cool, but a little older and settled down. If you’re gonna live somewhere rural, Greenville is a pretty great place to be.
Cons: very new and very rural, could definitely get bored here. Absolute PITA to fly anywhere from here. Limited alumni network
15) TN- UT Nashville
Absolutely loved the PD here. Dr. Reiter is the man, and is the former president of AAEM. Several of the faculty are current or former high ranking AAEM leadership. This is the only place where I felt they would plug me in for a future in the business of medicine in a very real way. Virtually unopposed in the hospital, great 1:1 teaching, cool residents, and great benefits. Would’ve been way higher on my list but employment options for my SO are not the best. Nashville is great though.
Cons: newer program, virtually no one goes into academics, pretty minimal med-Ed opportunities.
16) CA- Loma Linda
Big surprise on the trail, really loved this place. Religious vibe wasn’t an issue - they didn’t mind my flagrant Jewishness. Excellent med Ed opportunities, and solid fellowships. An hour and a half to mountains for skiing, an hour to the beach. Awesome residents, great life style. Opening a new hospital soon which is gonna be gorgeous.
Cons: Would’ve been higher but it’s far from home and my SOs closest program is 45 min away.
17) FL- USF Morsani (Tampa)
Solid middle of the road program in a warm city on a beach. Hospital is beautiful, on its own little island in the Tampa bay. Faculty are very fun and dynamic, US is clearly their strong suit, and Dr. Derr, the the PD was one of my favorites. The residents seemed really laid back, and came out in force for the social event. No anesthesia so tons of opportunities for tubes.
Cons: TeamHealth site. Work 12’s, which can stretch to 15’s after sign out and clean up. Trauma seems ok but not great, and Peds is lacking because of a large Peds referral center up the road. Would’ve been around the middle of my list, but job prospects here for my SO were no good (Her PD told her she wouldn’t be allowed to get pregnant during residency, because “women cant be good residents while also being good mothers”...nope).
18) FL- Mt. Sinai (Miami Beach)
Former DO program that converted to ACGME a few years back. Hospital is beautiful and well resourced, right on Biscayne Bay, with ocean views form the ED. Plentiful benefits. Good diverse patient mix.
Cons: No trauma because it all goes to UM/Ryder (they rotate there but have a limited role), and very little Peds on Miami beach. The PD was very kind, but chairman was downright antagonistic in his interview. He got very offended when I asked what role residents play in educating the visiting students, and he launched into a whole diatribe about the merger and how unfair it was. I’d be a board certified EM doctor from here, but seems like I’d have to work very hard to land an academic job in a major center.
19) TX- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center-PLFSOM Program
El Paso - this program is truly a hidden gem. I rotated here and do not have enough ways to say how amazing it was. Cool residents, extremely caring faculty, beautiful facility and sim center with gobs of money, profoundly sick but grateful patients (they come across the border). Their lifestyle is excellent - shift reduction down to 14x12hrs/month as a PGY3, with the opportunity to make an extra 5k/month through easy internal moonlighting. COL in El Paso is dirt cheap, and they’re close to some great outdoor activities, especially climbing and biking. To anyone considering El Paso, I can not endorse it strongly enough. Only problem is my SO didn’t get a single interview within 5 hours driving of here, so had to drop it down.
20) CO- Denver Health
Obviously a famous program, in an amazing location, with some incredible pathology, and legendary trauma. I was very impressed with how kind the faculty were, especially the PD, Dr Kaplan. The residents seemed fun, but were very intense, and proud of how they never get 2 consecutive days off. The schedule was not as bad as everyone seems to say in terms of hours (20x8hr shifts/28 days x 4 years), but because of the weird circadian rhythm of the schedule, and 4 full days of conference per month, you never get 2 consecutive days off. It’s 2 am, 2 swing, 2 pm, post-call/recover day, or conference. One of my aways used the circadian schedule and it was torture. Also they cross cover ortho, uro, plastics, NSG, and a bunch of other surgical services at night when off service, which sounds brutal. One of the interns was telling a story about how he scrubbed into the OR a bunch with neurosurg that month, which seems like a colossal waste of time IMO. If I’m going to live in the best city in the country (IMHO), I’d really like >36 hrs off at a time to actually do all the outdoorsy weekend getaways that Denver is famous for. What really dropped it for me though was just the complete lack of job prospects for my SO.
Anything Else To Add?
When you're doing the couples match, you've really gotta play the field. You go on interviews only to find out your SO got rejected the night before. Or you love a place and your partner DNR's it because the PD is racist.
Programs You Applied To:
96 programs in total, too many to name.
Programs whose interviews you declined:
EVMS, UC Davis, Ohio State, LSU-Baton Rouge, Wellstar Kennestone, UCSF-Fresno, Kaweah Delta, Arrowhead, Adena, all the Florida HCA/CMG programs.
Programs Whose Interviews You Attended:
Above, plus UNLV & UF Jacksonville (didnt fit)
Programs that rejected you:
Maricopa (only one that stung), UNC, Duke, Vanderbilt, Mt. Sinai, New Mexico
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 210's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: PF/HP
AOA: No
Med School Region: West Coast
Anything else that made you more competitive: former ED scribe, extensive leadership and service during medical school, URM, bilingual
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location (fun, food/dating scene), Strength of Clinical Training, Shift Length/Work-Life Balance, Spanish-speaking population, County > community = academic, Diversity of training sites, Autonomy
1) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Pros:
Dream program. Pure county with plenty of community rotations and great peds rotations. Lots of autonomy. Lots of Latinos. Chicago is amazing, have family in the area. Great faculty - they keep it real but are genuinely good people. Fun down-to-earth residents. Treat their patient population with kindness and respect, rewarding environment to work in
Cons:
4 year. No academic component. Little elective time. Chicago is cold af.
2) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Pros:
Close second; perfect mix of county, academic and community components! Peds at Oakland Children's. Lots of elective time in 4th year, can get some CC time since I'm interested in a CC fellowship. Huge emphasis on mentorship and opportunities to get involved as a resident. Many similarities to Cook, but prefer Chicago to Oakland/The Bay.
Cons:
4 year. The bay is expensive. Didn't click as easily with faculty/residents as I did at Cook. Level II trauma center.
3) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Pros:
This one gave me the warm and fuzzies; I'd be so happy to match here (and am already low key looking for a place to live lol.) LOVED this city and interview day. Academic and county components. Lots of diversity in both patient population and amongst residents! Lots of Spanish! Academic component is in Texas Medical Center which is super impressive. Residents are chill and down to earth. 3 year.
Cons:
Busiest trauma center, which may become a nuisance, seeing as surgery runs the most critical cases. 22 nine-hour shifts per month is slightly tougher work schedule. Not much ortho exposure after rotation unless you make time to do it. ?Consult culture. Some 12s at one of the hospitals. Per residents, the peds fellows don't give you much independence on PICU rotation.
4) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
Pros:
This program was PERFECT on paper but unfortunately the location/vibes knocked it down. County and academic components. +/- Spanish speakers; they claim to have a considerable amount. Event medicine. Can volunteer with the student outreach clinic as a resident. Tracks to explore my interests. GREAT ICU training.
Cons:
Indianapolis may not the funnest city, dating scene probably not great especially for a brown girl. Felt like the residents I met AND my fellow applicants were all engaged/married. Supposedly there's single people, though. Tubes only for trauma (residents say they get plenty of procedures). Residents were SUPER nice, but just not the usual crowd I hang out with. Little to no diversity in residents and faculty.
5) CA- Loma Linda
Pros:
The biggest surprise of the interview trail! County and academic components. Lots of Spanish speakers!! Latina APD, heck yes!!! Really liked the PD. Event medicine. Loma Linda is a small little city but it was so adorable! Only one hour outside LA, great location for outdoors and to experience all that is great about Cali without having to deal with LA. Close to my family. My personal favorite Patagonia (priorities, I know). SCRIBES! EXCELLENT pediatric exposure. 3 year.
Cons:
Not as big of a name as some of the other programs on my list. Loma Linda's location is a pro and con: smaller, have to drive further to get ""big city"" vibes, but man I loved the mountains! Residents were hit or miss. 20 ten hour shifts per month (but now that they are expanding the resident class, may be a lighter work schedule).
6) IL- Advocate Health Care (Oak Lawn, Chicago)
Pros:
Excellent pathology, lots of procedures, fast-paced, would prepare me PERFECTLY for community work. 1:1 with attending on shift. Slightly outside of Chicago, still a great place to live but not ideal for exploring the city. Faculty is very nice and engaged, LOVE them. US Master teaches here! 3 year.
Cons:
Community, with no county component (they say their community with a county population but not sure if I believe it). 1:1 with attending on shift is a pro and con; I feel like I need my autonomy to prosper. Barely any Spanish speakers (much more Polish as the second language). All in one location; I get stir crazy and need more diversity in training sites. Can lead towards consult culture very easily. Didn't vibe with residents as much, they are cool but not sure if i'd hang out with them outside of work. Minimal diversity. 10 hour shifts and their morning shift starts at 6am, ew (am I on internal med or what?). Reputation seems only regional or known by those with ties to Chicago. Would probably hate my life sitting in traffic every day if I choose to live somewhere cool in Chicago rather than Oak Lawn.
7) NY- Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Jacob/Montefiore) (Bronx)
Pros:
If I was younger and not worried about how their tough schedule would impact any chances of finding a partner/starting a family, I would rank this program much higher! Genuine badasses who kick butt and take names. County and academic components. Say they also have a community component but no one seems convinced. Amazing deal with the subsidized housing in the Bronx. I'll live an hour outside Manhattan on the train, but will have plenty of extra spending money. Really loved faculty and how bold/honest the residents were. These are my kind of people! Great job placement.
Cons:
Horrible work hours the first two years. You basically get your butt kicked til 4th year... then 4th year is super chill and probably not necessary? 12 hour shifts. The Bronx might not be the greatest place to live. Burn out here is real. Not many residents showed up to lunch. No longitudinal peds.
8) NY- Maimonides Medical Center (Brooklyn)
Pros:
Faculty would definitely support me here. Great event medicine - Burning Man and moonlighting at the Madison Square Garden?! Shift schedule is decent for NYC program, 8s during the week and 12s *shudders* on the weekends. Brooklyn seems cool. Residents seem REALLY happy. Global health is incorporated!
Cons:
No county component. Occasional 12 hour shifts. I would have a great time here and get solid training, but not totally convinced this is my best clinical option. Avg age of patient is 10 yrs older than the rest of NYC, not sure i'm crazy about that fact.
9)NY- NYU School of Medicine
Pros:
County, academic and community mix (Bellevue! the OG county hospital!). Manhattan is awesome and they offer subsidized housing. My FAVORITE program director on the trail. Definitely the easiest guy to talk to the whole time. I loved him!
Cons:
DAILY MORNING REPORT. gtfo!! I went into EM for a reason! Morning report was the BANE of my existence on IM. 12s the first year and 18 shifts per month. Over years, reduction in length of shifts, not number. A little uppity vibe from residents. Definitely the crowd that go for the fancy name, not really my type of peeps. Lack of trauma according to everyone but the residents. Interview day ran too long and it made me cranky. 4 years.
10) TX- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center-PLFSOM Program
Pros:
15 days off per month. Excellent pathology, esp third world stuff, lots of procedures. Lots of Latinos! This ED was poppin' when we toured it! Three codes came in. I will live like a QUEEN in El Paso. This was my family's #1 choice for me, lol.
Cons:
12s, but only 15 per month so I'd get half the month off. Patient population majority Mexican, so less diversity (less representation of certain pathologies). El Paso doesn't seem like the greatest place to live, it'd probably be hard to date. Most grads go into community; I'd like to maximize my job opportunities.
11) MI- Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University (Sinai Grace)
Pros:
This program EXCITED me so much and was the only cowboy program of the ones i interviewed at. However, i just can't get sold on Detroit. Loved the faculty! The residents kept it 100. Definitely my kind of people. Great ortho experience. ALL OF THE CODES! Average 24 per day. Intern said he saw 45 in a nine hour shift once.
Cons:
I couldn't love Detroit. I tried. It was cold and dead. The food (other than arabic food) wasn't great. I'd rather live in El Paso. No Latinos. Resource poor, bad nursing ratios, would be similar to practicing in NYC probably lol. Other than being super cowboy, not much that stood out in the curriculum. Weak off service rotations due to EM being premier program at hospital.
12) MI- Ascension St. John (Detroit)
Pros:
Solid program. Event medicine. The easiest interviews I did the entire trail. Fabulous female leadership! Seriously! These ladies were sooo cool! Great relationships with other departments.
Cons:
Detroit. LIttle name recognition. Community program. All in one hospital. No Latinos.
13) MI- Spectrum Health/MSU (Grand Rapids)
Pros:
Solid program. Hospital was beautiful; too bad I don't care about things like that. Concierge. Great peds training.
Cons:
I just could NOT vibe here. Resident dinner was a chore. Faculty interviews were a chore as well. The residents were TOO happy, seemed ingenuine and really just not my kinda peeps. Very small Latino population. NO DIVERSITY amongst residents and faculty. Trauma situation was weird, residents at foot of bed because their job is to give orders, not do procedures? I'm not loving it.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 210's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: PF/HP
AOA: No
Med School Region: West Coast
Anything else that made you more competitive: former ED scribe, extensive leadership and service during medical school, URM, bilingual
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location (fun, food/dating scene), Strength of Clinical Training, Shift Length/Work-Life Balance, Spanish-speaking population, County > community = academic, Diversity of training sites, Autonomy
1) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Pros:
Dream program. Pure county with plenty of community rotations and great peds rotations. Lots of autonomy. Lots of Latinos. Chicago is amazing, have family in the area. Great faculty - they keep it real but are genuinely good people. Fun down-to-earth residents. Treat their patient population with kindness and respect, rewarding environment to work in
Cons:
4 year. No academic component. Little elective time. Chicago is cold af.
2) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Pros:
Close second; perfect mix of county, academic and community components! Peds at Oakland Children's. Lots of elective time in 4th year, can get some CC time since I'm interested in a CC fellowship. Huge emphasis on mentorship and opportunities to get involved as a resident. Many similarities to Cook, but prefer Chicago to Oakland/The Bay.
Cons:
4 year. The bay is expensive. Didn't click as easily with faculty/residents as I did at Cook. Level II trauma center.
3) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Pros:
This one gave me the warm and fuzzies; I'd be so happy to match here (and am already low key looking for a place to live lol.) LOVED this city and interview day. Academic and county components. Lots of diversity in both patient population and amongst residents! Lots of Spanish! Academic component is in Texas Medical Center which is super impressive. Residents are chill and down to earth. 3 year.
Cons:
Busiest trauma center, which may become a nuisance, seeing as surgery runs the most critical cases. 22 nine-hour shifts per month is slightly tougher work schedule. Not much ortho exposure after rotation unless you make time to do it. ?Consult culture. Some 12s at one of the hospitals. Per residents, the peds fellows don't give you much independence on PICU rotation.
4) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
Pros:
This program was PERFECT on paper but unfortunately the location/vibes knocked it down. County and academic components. +/- Spanish speakers; they claim to have a considerable amount. Event medicine. Can volunteer with the student outreach clinic as a resident. Tracks to explore my interests. GREAT ICU training.
Cons:
Indianapolis may not the funnest city, dating scene probably not great especially for a brown girl. Felt like the residents I met AND my fellow applicants were all engaged/married. Supposedly there's single people, though. Tubes only for trauma (residents say they get plenty of procedures). Residents were SUPER nice, but just not the usual crowd I hang out with. Little to no diversity in residents and faculty.
5) CA- Loma Linda
Pros:
The biggest surprise of the interview trail! County and academic components. Lots of Spanish speakers!! Latina APD, heck yes!!! Really liked the PD. Event medicine. Loma Linda is a small little city but it was so adorable! Only one hour outside LA, great location for outdoors and to experience all that is great about Cali without having to deal with LA. Close to my family. My personal favorite Patagonia (priorities, I know). SCRIBES! EXCELLENT pediatric exposure. 3 year.
Cons:
Not as big of a name as some of the other programs on my list. Loma Linda's location is a pro and con: smaller, have to drive further to get ""big city"" vibes, but man I loved the mountains! Residents were hit or miss. 20 ten hour shifts per month (but now that they are expanding the resident class, may be a lighter work schedule).
6) IL- Advocate Health Care (Oak Lawn, Chicago)
Pros:
Excellent pathology, lots of procedures, fast-paced, would prepare me PERFECTLY for community work. 1:1 with attending on shift. Slightly outside of Chicago, still a great place to live but not ideal for exploring the city. Faculty is very nice and engaged, LOVE them. US Master teaches here! 3 year.
Cons:
Community, with no county component (they say their community with a county population but not sure if I believe it). 1:1 with attending on shift is a pro and con; I feel like I need my autonomy to prosper. Barely any Spanish speakers (much more Polish as the second language). All in one location; I get stir crazy and need more diversity in training sites. Can lead towards consult culture very easily. Didn't vibe with residents as much, they are cool but not sure if i'd hang out with them outside of work. Minimal diversity. 10 hour shifts and their morning shift starts at 6am, ew (am I on internal med or what?). Reputation seems only regional or known by those with ties to Chicago. Would probably hate my life sitting in traffic every day if I choose to live somewhere cool in Chicago rather than Oak Lawn.
7) NY- Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Jacob/Montefiore) (Bronx)
Pros:
If I was younger and not worried about how their tough schedule would impact any chances of finding a partner/starting a family, I would rank this program much higher! Genuine badasses who kick butt and take names. County and academic components. Say they also have a community component but no one seems convinced. Amazing deal with the subsidized housing in the Bronx. I'll live an hour outside Manhattan on the train, but will have plenty of extra spending money. Really loved faculty and how bold/honest the residents were. These are my kind of people! Great job placement.
Cons:
Horrible work hours the first two years. You basically get your butt kicked til 4th year... then 4th year is super chill and probably not necessary? 12 hour shifts. The Bronx might not be the greatest place to live. Burn out here is real. Not many residents showed up to lunch. No longitudinal peds.
8) NY- Maimonides Medical Center (Brooklyn)
Pros:
Faculty would definitely support me here. Great event medicine - Burning Man and moonlighting at the Madison Square Garden?! Shift schedule is decent for NYC program, 8s during the week and 12s *shudders* on the weekends. Brooklyn seems cool. Residents seem REALLY happy. Global health is incorporated!
Cons:
No county component. Occasional 12 hour shifts. I would have a great time here and get solid training, but not totally convinced this is my best clinical option. Avg age of patient is 10 yrs older than the rest of NYC, not sure i'm crazy about that fact.
9)NY- NYU School of Medicine
Pros:
County, academic and community mix (Bellevue! the OG county hospital!). Manhattan is awesome and they offer subsidized housing. My FAVORITE program director on the trail. Definitely the easiest guy to talk to the whole time. I loved him!
Cons:
DAILY MORNING REPORT. gtfo!! I went into EM for a reason! Morning report was the BANE of my existence on IM. 12s the first year and 18 shifts per month. Over years, reduction in length of shifts, not number. A little uppity vibe from residents. Definitely the crowd that go for the fancy name, not really my type of peeps. Lack of trauma according to everyone but the residents. Interview day ran too long and it made me cranky. 4 years.
10) TX- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center-PLFSOM Program
Pros:
15 days off per month. Excellent pathology, esp third world stuff, lots of procedures. Lots of Latinos! This ED was poppin' when we toured it! Three codes came in. I will live like a QUEEN in El Paso. This was my family's #1 choice for me, lol.
Cons:
12s, but only 15 per month so I'd get half the month off. Patient population majority Mexican, so less diversity (less representation of certain pathologies). El Paso doesn't seem like the greatest place to live, it'd probably be hard to date. Most grads go into community; I'd like to maximize my job opportunities.
11) MI- Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University (Sinai Grace)
Pros:
This program EXCITED me so much and was the only cowboy program of the ones i interviewed at. However, i just can't get sold on Detroit. Loved the faculty! The residents kept it 100. Definitely my kind of people. Great ortho experience. ALL OF THE CODES! Average 24 per day. Intern said he saw 45 in a nine hour shift once.
Cons:
I couldn't love Detroit. I tried. It was cold and dead. The food (other than arabic food) wasn't great. I'd rather live in El Paso. No Latinos. Resource poor, bad nursing ratios, would be similar to practicing in NYC probably lol. Other than being super cowboy, not much that stood out in the curriculum. Weak off service rotations due to EM being premier program at hospital.
12) MI- Ascension St. John (Detroit)
Pros:
Solid program. Event medicine. The easiest interviews I did the entire trail. Fabulous female leadership! Seriously! These ladies were sooo cool! Great relationships with other departments.
Cons:
Detroit. LIttle name recognition. Community program. All in one hospital. No Latinos.
13) MI- Spectrum Health/MSU (Grand Rapids)
Pros:
Solid program. Hospital was beautiful; too bad I don't care about things like that. Concierge. Great peds training.
Cons:
I just could NOT vibe here. Resident dinner was a chore. Faculty interviews were a chore as well. The residents were TOO happy, seemed ingenuine and really just not my kinda peeps. Very small Latino population. NO DIVERSITY amongst residents and faculty. Trauma situation was weird, residents at foot of bed because their job is to give orders, not do procedures? I'm not loving it.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/240's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Unsure/Unsure/HP
AOA: No
Med School Region: Southeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: dual degree; a lot of research from undergrad until now
Main considerations in making this ROL: major cities; diversity; general vibe of program; social med mission
1) GA- Emory
Pros: Busy and county af but also strong academically– large underserved population. Grady is well-known in the southeast and is in the top 10 busiest EDs. Strong social mission. Dr. White is amazing – super nice woman that means business plus female leadership is refreshing. Favorite group of residents on the trail - they work very hard but play just as hard and they all seem like a big family. Do all 8’s. You can chase your interests with a wide array of faculty expertise. Atlanta is a great city that’s inexpensive and has something for everyone. Legend has it, across the nation, they have the best resident salary relative to cost of living. Can moonlight. Felt completely at home in this program. Intend to make a life in Atlanta for various personal reasons.
Cons: large resident class (20). See a ton of trauma but surgery owns; not a great PICU experience and apparently peds kinda micromanages. Also don’t get a chance to do many of your own ortho reductions.
2) LA- Louisiana State University (New Orleans)
Pros: Disclosure: I rotated here. As soon as you step in the door, the PD makes it known that if you’re not used to and/or supportive of diversity and treating underserved patients, this isn’t the program for you. Your typical county program with mix of shift lengths with 12’s on the weekends to ensure golden weekends. Diverse residents and faculty; they all get along and I loved their vibe. Residents are badass. Graduated responsibility. NOLA was so much fun. Cheap food, alcohol, and has such a rich history/culture – it really is a place of its own. Very hard decision between here and Cook but I really enjoyed it plus I like Nola more than Chicago as a city.
Cons: No major cons other than 4 years and it’s not in Atlanta which is where I intend to settle.
3) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Pros: I drank the koolaid. This place was a pleasant surprise with it being a later interview. Very county but can chase academic endeavors. Very strong social mission that aligns with my career goals. Faculty and residents are diverse. The young PD just started a year and a half ago but was APD for like 12 years – I like his leadership style at first glance. All 8 hour shifts and graduated responsibility which I’m starting to actually appreciate. Newer hospital that is gorgeous. A lot of autonomy – you do maaannyy of you own procedures and still have the specialists in-house. Can moonlight.
Cons: low resident salary (starts at 53k) but apparently Chicago isn’t that expensive....lol. Rotate at a lot of different sites though it shows you different levels of practice. 4 years. Trauma is separate though they say you get a lot of experience when on trauma service plus you basically run the unit as a 4th year. 2 floor months but at least they’re spread out plus they might trade in one of the months for more ICU time. Again, hard decision for #2 vs #3 but it’s done.
4) NY- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/St. Luke's Roosevelt
Pros: This program has soo many perks and is the epitome of wellness (take a shot if you're playing). They offer subsidized housing that is literally right across the street from one of their sites. They offer a free shuttle to all of their other sites but one. They reimburse for step 3. They’re health insurance is solid af. You can get free, unlimited massages LOL. With all of that said, they still work pretty hard. Female leadership is refreshing; one of the APDs came from a super busy program and said he felt St. Luke’s was similar. Plus NYC which I could do for 3 years and would be a lot of fun. Can moonlight.
Cons: They spend a LOT of time with each other. Obviously, they all work together and then conference. Also, most of them all live in the same building. They catch the shuttle at the same time. They do a lot of retreats, etc. The residents that I met that day were all super cool but I fear I might feel smothered as I tend to be a bit more of an independent person. I want to say they do all 12’s which isn’t my idea of fun necessarily but hey lol.
5) IL- University of Chicago
Pros: Amazing training – they get a good mix of the underserved population from the south side and also the more esoteric cases since they’re private and funded. I think it’s a mix of 8 and 12’s on weekends to ensure at least two golden weekends. Really enjoyed the residents and the faculty; pretty diverse; again female leadership. Moonlighting. Can get paid to transport patients on flights which is pretty cool. The pedigree is amazing; can go anywhere after training (take another shot)
Cons: No major cons. I would have ranked them over St. Lukes but I already have a program at the top of my list in Chicago and wanted to diversify locations with everything else being just about equal.
6) FL- Jackson Memorial (Miami)
Pros: Really great program given that they just graduated their first class in June 2019. This will definitely be a well-respected program in a couple years. They see a lot of crazy things – Miami can be a rough city but it also has a large immigrant population (documented or otherwise) with little access to care who get very sick. To add, they see a lot of tropical medicine and have opportunities to respond to disasters in the Caribbean. Residents are all really cool for the most part and are diverse. In the middle of the road in terms of shifts worked; maybe slightly on the higher end. The beach is your backyard.
Cons: Ryder Trauma is stand-alone from the ED though they do train the Navy Seals. Miami COL can be crazy when you have loans to pay back. Just didn’t feel it over my top 5.
7) NC- Carolinas Medical Center Program
Pros: Very well-trained residents. They have one site for everything and are a county/academic/community trifecta. Residents are all really cool. Most of the faculty love to teach – their PEM fellows and attendings are extremely smart. You’ll get a job basically wherever you want after being trained here. I enjoyed their residents for the most part.
Cons: There’s a slight hint of new age, old boys’ clubs here (could just be me). Not much diversity. Not much of a social mission. On the upper-end of shifts worked. Charlotte is a tad too slow for me; just didn’t feel it but not a bad place to land at all.
8) NJ- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Pros: Strong leadership. The ED Chair sits on the board of trustees; one of the Co-CEOs of the health system is ED trained. The PD, she’s amazing; seems really invested in residents. Because of this, they stress professional development and expose you to some of the logistics of practice in the real world; they also really work to place you where you want. Camden sees a lot of sick people and they have a strong social medicine mission. Camden is right across the bridge from Philly where most of the residents live. Residents seemed really cool. Mix of shift lengths.
Cons: Location not my favorite on the trail but not the worst. No other real cons, just found other programs more attractive after continuing to interview
9)MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
Pros: Was very impressed with this program; strong clinically and academically. Residents seemed very smart but could also let their hair down. Actively working on diversity but the current culture is very inviting just the same.
Cons: 4-yr program in St. Louis =/; just didn’t feel it more than other programs.
10) MA- Boston University Medical Center
Pros: In the top 10 busiest EDs. Strong academically and clinically. Very strong social mission and pioneered many of the social ED interventions that are used by other programs.
Cons: Not a fan of Boston (the city) at all. Faculty while I’m sure are insanely intelligent, we're as engaging. Didn’t really feel the love from the residents. They came to grab lunch with us after their conference and didn’t really address any of the applicants. Interview day was the longest of the season. Just didn’t gel with the overall culture of the program. Maybe it was just an off-day for either myself or the program. Who knows. Just thought I’d like a like it whole lot more. This isn’t dead-last bc I think I could tough it out for four years for the pedigree and resources.
11) FL- USF Morsani (Tampa)
Pros: Kinda cool how the hospital is on its own island haha plus the hospital is very nice. Residents really like to have fun and were very warm to applicants. Actively working on diversity recruitment. Female leadership. Great COL.
Cons: Working on pediatric exposure. Recently lost International medicine trained faculty. Tampa is just a tad too slow for me. I would be bored even while being busy all the time. CMG?
12) MO- St. Louis University
Pros: Typical county program. Faculty/residents are cool enough. New ED which will be finished for the next incoming class.
Cons: St. Louis; very small resident class and most of them seem to have families; just didn’t feel it. Honestly, would have swapped out for a different program had I not scheduled it so early
Anything Else To Add?
Good luck to everyone this cycle and everyone reading this thereafter. This is a long, painful, and costly process but we'll make it.
Programs you applied to:
Applied to 46 programs and got interviews from the majority
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Baylor, UTSW, UFlorida, Wellstar Kennestone, UMichigan, the Wayne state programs, Henry Ford, UAB, King's County, others
Programs that rejected you:
The Harvard affiliates; Johns Hopkins, UMaryland; maybe like 1 or two more which I can't remember
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/240's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Unsure/Unsure/HP
AOA: No
Med School Region: Southeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: dual degree; a lot of research from undergrad until now
Main considerations in making this ROL: major cities; diversity; general vibe of program; social med mission
1) GA- Emory
Pros: Busy and county af but also strong academically– large underserved population. Grady is well-known in the southeast and is in the top 10 busiest EDs. Strong social mission. Dr. White is amazing – super nice woman that means business plus female leadership is refreshing. Favorite group of residents on the trail - they work very hard but play just as hard and they all seem like a big family. Do all 8’s. You can chase your interests with a wide array of faculty expertise. Atlanta is a great city that’s inexpensive and has something for everyone. Legend has it, across the nation, they have the best resident salary relative to cost of living. Can moonlight. Felt completely at home in this program. Intend to make a life in Atlanta for various personal reasons.
Cons: large resident class (20). See a ton of trauma but surgery owns; not a great PICU experience and apparently peds kinda micromanages. Also don’t get a chance to do many of your own ortho reductions.
2) LA- Louisiana State University (New Orleans)
Pros: Disclosure: I rotated here. As soon as you step in the door, the PD makes it known that if you’re not used to and/or supportive of diversity and treating underserved patients, this isn’t the program for you. Your typical county program with mix of shift lengths with 12’s on the weekends to ensure golden weekends. Diverse residents and faculty; they all get along and I loved their vibe. Residents are badass. Graduated responsibility. NOLA was so much fun. Cheap food, alcohol, and has such a rich history/culture – it really is a place of its own. Very hard decision between here and Cook but I really enjoyed it plus I like Nola more than Chicago as a city.
Cons: No major cons other than 4 years and it’s not in Atlanta which is where I intend to settle.
3) IL- Cook County (Chicago)
Pros: I drank the koolaid. This place was a pleasant surprise with it being a later interview. Very county but can chase academic endeavors. Very strong social mission that aligns with my career goals. Faculty and residents are diverse. The young PD just started a year and a half ago but was APD for like 12 years – I like his leadership style at first glance. All 8 hour shifts and graduated responsibility which I’m starting to actually appreciate. Newer hospital that is gorgeous. A lot of autonomy – you do maaannyy of you own procedures and still have the specialists in-house. Can moonlight.
Cons: low resident salary (starts at 53k) but apparently Chicago isn’t that expensive....lol. Rotate at a lot of different sites though it shows you different levels of practice. 4 years. Trauma is separate though they say you get a lot of experience when on trauma service plus you basically run the unit as a 4th year. 2 floor months but at least they’re spread out plus they might trade in one of the months for more ICU time. Again, hard decision for #2 vs #3 but it’s done.
4) NY- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/St. Luke's Roosevelt
Pros: This program has soo many perks and is the epitome of wellness (take a shot if you're playing). They offer subsidized housing that is literally right across the street from one of their sites. They offer a free shuttle to all of their other sites but one. They reimburse for step 3. They’re health insurance is solid af. You can get free, unlimited massages LOL. With all of that said, they still work pretty hard. Female leadership is refreshing; one of the APDs came from a super busy program and said he felt St. Luke’s was similar. Plus NYC which I could do for 3 years and would be a lot of fun. Can moonlight.
Cons: They spend a LOT of time with each other. Obviously, they all work together and then conference. Also, most of them all live in the same building. They catch the shuttle at the same time. They do a lot of retreats, etc. The residents that I met that day were all super cool but I fear I might feel smothered as I tend to be a bit more of an independent person. I want to say they do all 12’s which isn’t my idea of fun necessarily but hey lol.
5) IL- University of Chicago
Pros: Amazing training – they get a good mix of the underserved population from the south side and also the more esoteric cases since they’re private and funded. I think it’s a mix of 8 and 12’s on weekends to ensure at least two golden weekends. Really enjoyed the residents and the faculty; pretty diverse; again female leadership. Moonlighting. Can get paid to transport patients on flights which is pretty cool. The pedigree is amazing; can go anywhere after training (take another shot)
Cons: No major cons. I would have ranked them over St. Lukes but I already have a program at the top of my list in Chicago and wanted to diversify locations with everything else being just about equal.
6) FL- Jackson Memorial (Miami)
Pros: Really great program given that they just graduated their first class in June 2019. This will definitely be a well-respected program in a couple years. They see a lot of crazy things – Miami can be a rough city but it also has a large immigrant population (documented or otherwise) with little access to care who get very sick. To add, they see a lot of tropical medicine and have opportunities to respond to disasters in the Caribbean. Residents are all really cool for the most part and are diverse. In the middle of the road in terms of shifts worked; maybe slightly on the higher end. The beach is your backyard.
Cons: Ryder Trauma is stand-alone from the ED though they do train the Navy Seals. Miami COL can be crazy when you have loans to pay back. Just didn’t feel it over my top 5.
7) NC- Carolinas Medical Center Program
Pros: Very well-trained residents. They have one site for everything and are a county/academic/community trifecta. Residents are all really cool. Most of the faculty love to teach – their PEM fellows and attendings are extremely smart. You’ll get a job basically wherever you want after being trained here. I enjoyed their residents for the most part.
Cons: There’s a slight hint of new age, old boys’ clubs here (could just be me). Not much diversity. Not much of a social mission. On the upper-end of shifts worked. Charlotte is a tad too slow for me; just didn’t feel it but not a bad place to land at all.
8) NJ- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Pros: Strong leadership. The ED Chair sits on the board of trustees; one of the Co-CEOs of the health system is ED trained. The PD, she’s amazing; seems really invested in residents. Because of this, they stress professional development and expose you to some of the logistics of practice in the real world; they also really work to place you where you want. Camden sees a lot of sick people and they have a strong social medicine mission. Camden is right across the bridge from Philly where most of the residents live. Residents seemed really cool. Mix of shift lengths.
Cons: Location not my favorite on the trail but not the worst. No other real cons, just found other programs more attractive after continuing to interview
9)MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
Pros: Was very impressed with this program; strong clinically and academically. Residents seemed very smart but could also let their hair down. Actively working on diversity but the current culture is very inviting just the same.
Cons: 4-yr program in St. Louis =/; just didn’t feel it more than other programs.
10) MA- Boston University Medical Center
Pros: In the top 10 busiest EDs. Strong academically and clinically. Very strong social mission and pioneered many of the social ED interventions that are used by other programs.
Cons: Not a fan of Boston (the city) at all. Faculty while I’m sure are insanely intelligent, we're as engaging. Didn’t really feel the love from the residents. They came to grab lunch with us after their conference and didn’t really address any of the applicants. Interview day was the longest of the season. Just didn’t gel with the overall culture of the program. Maybe it was just an off-day for either myself or the program. Who knows. Just thought I’d like a like it whole lot more. This isn’t dead-last bc I think I could tough it out for four years for the pedigree and resources.
11) FL- USF Morsani (Tampa)
Pros: Kinda cool how the hospital is on its own island haha plus the hospital is very nice. Residents really like to have fun and were very warm to applicants. Actively working on diversity recruitment. Female leadership. Great COL.
Cons: Working on pediatric exposure. Recently lost International medicine trained faculty. Tampa is just a tad too slow for me. I would be bored even while being busy all the time. CMG?
12) MO- St. Louis University
Pros: Typical county program. Faculty/residents are cool enough. New ED which will be finished for the next incoming class.
Cons: St. Louis; very small resident class and most of them seem to have families; just didn’t feel it. Honestly, would have swapped out for a different program had I not scheduled it so early
Anything Else To Add?
Good luck to everyone this cycle and everyone reading this thereafter. This is a long, painful, and costly process but we'll make it.
Programs you applied to:
Applied to 46 programs and got interviews from the majority
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Baylor, UTSW, UFlorida, Wellstar Kennestone, UMichigan, the Wayne state programs, Henry Ford, UAB, King's County, others
Programs that rejected you:
The Harvard affiliates; Johns Hopkins, UMaryland; maybe like 1 or two more which I can't remember
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Outside the US
Anything else that made you more competitive: As an IMG I was able to get several good "away" electives and do well on them which I think set me apart from other IMG applicants....scores of course helped but convinced sloes are what netted me invites....for other IMGs reading this it is CRITICAL to do EM rotations at hospitals that have residencies.
Main considerations in making this ROL: combo of location, overall vibe of getting along with residents and attendings, best educational experience.
1) MD- University of Maryland
PROs: Close to home, world class educators and alumni network, emphasis on critical care and fairly diverse rotation locations with both urban, rural and suburban options, they switched their peds EM to Hopkins this year which I thought was cool, opportunity for rural EM on eastern shore of maryland, listened to resident feedback and switched from 12s to 8s on weekdays. I know people on this board have mixed feelings on the PD but I liked his no nonsense approach and blunt sense of humor, YMMV.
CONs: although I can imagine Shock Trauma will be wild I do think there is valid concern about too many cooks in the kitchen...lots of other residents from all sorts of specialties (EM, surgery, anesthesia, trauma fellows) are in the TRU.....Baltimore may not be for everyone, although many people who say they would never live in bmore have likely never spent more than a few hours to days there, something to consider for future applicants reading this.
2) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
PROs: PD is amazing and one of nicest dudes I have ever met and genuinely seems to care and respect everyone he works with . Nice blend of trauma /peds exposure longitudinally, lots of one on one time and teaching with attendings on shift, 8-9 hour shifts.....San Antonio is an awesome city!
CONs: not a whole lot to say...residents did complain about off service ortho rotation and the trauma is split between surgery dept and EM , but other than that not many cons
3) FL- University of Florida Jacksonville
PROs: pretty wild ER with lots of patient and lots of autonomy, trauma is seamless with the ER and lots of bouncing between critically ill medical patients and trauma patients....loved faculty and residents are a fun and laid back group....Jax is a cool coastal city where you can be on the beach in January in shorts, would definitely not be upset if I landed here.
CONs: peds ER a little cramped, low volume from what I saw although I am sure this could vary widely, some may say the interaction with attendings is too hands off and this is definitely more of a place that learns by doing w/o a lot of on shift formal teaching . So this autonomy could be great or a Con depending who you are.
4) PA- Wellspan York
PROs: Honestly one of my favorite pre interview dinners (paid for hotel, significant others welcome), loved residents and the PD and rest of faculty were amazing and all very friendly. York was not as rural and isolate as I thought. Liked the integrated peds and trauma in the department and seemed like EM had strong prescense in the hospital, ability to moonlight in house of 75/hour 3rd year (?). Very strong program academically for being billed as a "community" program.
CONs: although York is a cute town with a fair amount to do,I am more of a larger city person,to be fair York is fairly close to bmore and Philly but the location pushed this program down slightly for me.
5) FL- HCA West Florida GME Consortium Brandon
PROs: Honestly went in with low expectations and came out very impressed. Faculty come with a lot of exp from Puerto Rico EM residency and other national EM programs, definitely more academic than I was expecting. Large volume ER with plenty of patients to go around. Can't complain about being close to beach! I like Tampa as a city
CONs: HCA blah blah blah....other than that kind of a unsure trauma experience that was not yet finalized when I interviewed but appeared to be at a level II trauma about 45 min south of Brandon.
6) NJ- Inspira Health Network (Vineland)
Pros: Liked the community vibe although high volume. Got along with residents and attendings and had fun at pre interview dinner. Close to philly and beach....ability to moonlight for 125/hour 3rd year at Inpsira UC, I think ER is staffed by an SDG?
Cons: lots of away rotations (Christiana, Cooper, etc) that are not the easiest to get too and with somewhat of a lukewarm review from the residents I talked to
7) FL- Orange Park
PROs: Liked the PD, ER seemed super busy with plenty to go around volume wise, time is split between main ER and a freestanding which I though was cool.....near Jacksonville, resudents were a diverse group.....
CONs: HCA, ER staffed by TeamHealth (somewhat worried faculty may split if HCA decides to switch groups/cut pay.....) PD and APD I talked too openly said they did not have say in whether a residency was started there , rather it was decided by HCA admin, giving me pause the program's faculty true motivations....
8) PA- Lehigh Valley Health Network/University of South Florida College of Medicine Program
PROs: very strong community program, expanding to newer /bigger ER Next year, level I trauma on site, no need to travel for away rotations, loved faculty and their passion for program.
CONs: the area/city just too rural for me and my SO, 4 years is unfortunately a negative, if it was 3 would likely bump higher on list.
9) NY- Wyckoff Heights (Brooklyn)
PROs: really liked PD, seems like busy urban /county enviroment which I like. Brooklyn/NYC is awesome although I know there are plenty of cons there as well....
Cons: has warning from ACGEM with only initial accreditation....some of the residents were a little odd , no pre/post interview dinner....they have to transfer out STEMIs into manhatten (no in house cath lab??)....several away rotations requiring painful commute into Manhatten/Harlem/Staten Island.
Anything Else To Add?
Interview trail was a blast.....as an IMG I was humbled and grateful to be granted the interview I did.....excited to get started!!!
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Arnot, Mercy St. Vincent, UCF Greater Orlando, Univ of Mississippi, Good Samaritan, HCA Coliseum
Programs whose interviews you attended:
all those listed above
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Outside the US
Anything else that made you more competitive: As an IMG I was able to get several good "away" electives and do well on them which I think set me apart from other IMG applicants....scores of course helped but convinced sloes are what netted me invites....for other IMGs reading this it is CRITICAL to do EM rotations at hospitals that have residencies.
Main considerations in making this ROL: combo of location, overall vibe of getting along with residents and attendings, best educational experience.
1) MD- University of Maryland
PROs: Close to home, world class educators and alumni network, emphasis on critical care and fairly diverse rotation locations with both urban, rural and suburban options, they switched their peds EM to Hopkins this year which I thought was cool, opportunity for rural EM on eastern shore of maryland, listened to resident feedback and switched from 12s to 8s on weekdays. I know people on this board have mixed feelings on the PD but I liked his no nonsense approach and blunt sense of humor, YMMV.
CONs: although I can imagine Shock Trauma will be wild I do think there is valid concern about too many cooks in the kitchen...lots of other residents from all sorts of specialties (EM, surgery, anesthesia, trauma fellows) are in the TRU.....Baltimore may not be for everyone, although many people who say they would never live in bmore have likely never spent more than a few hours to days there, something to consider for future applicants reading this.
2) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
PROs: PD is amazing and one of nicest dudes I have ever met and genuinely seems to care and respect everyone he works with . Nice blend of trauma /peds exposure longitudinally, lots of one on one time and teaching with attendings on shift, 8-9 hour shifts.....San Antonio is an awesome city!
CONs: not a whole lot to say...residents did complain about off service ortho rotation and the trauma is split between surgery dept and EM , but other than that not many cons
3) FL- University of Florida Jacksonville
PROs: pretty wild ER with lots of patient and lots of autonomy, trauma is seamless with the ER and lots of bouncing between critically ill medical patients and trauma patients....loved faculty and residents are a fun and laid back group....Jax is a cool coastal city where you can be on the beach in January in shorts, would definitely not be upset if I landed here.
CONs: peds ER a little cramped, low volume from what I saw although I am sure this could vary widely, some may say the interaction with attendings is too hands off and this is definitely more of a place that learns by doing w/o a lot of on shift formal teaching . So this autonomy could be great or a Con depending who you are.
4) PA- Wellspan York
PROs: Honestly one of my favorite pre interview dinners (paid for hotel, significant others welcome), loved residents and the PD and rest of faculty were amazing and all very friendly. York was not as rural and isolate as I thought. Liked the integrated peds and trauma in the department and seemed like EM had strong prescense in the hospital, ability to moonlight in house of 75/hour 3rd year (?). Very strong program academically for being billed as a "community" program.
CONs: although York is a cute town with a fair amount to do,I am more of a larger city person,to be fair York is fairly close to bmore and Philly but the location pushed this program down slightly for me.
5) FL- HCA West Florida GME Consortium Brandon
PROs: Honestly went in with low expectations and came out very impressed. Faculty come with a lot of exp from Puerto Rico EM residency and other national EM programs, definitely more academic than I was expecting. Large volume ER with plenty of patients to go around. Can't complain about being close to beach! I like Tampa as a city
CONs: HCA blah blah blah....other than that kind of a unsure trauma experience that was not yet finalized when I interviewed but appeared to be at a level II trauma about 45 min south of Brandon.
6) NJ- Inspira Health Network (Vineland)
Pros: Liked the community vibe although high volume. Got along with residents and attendings and had fun at pre interview dinner. Close to philly and beach....ability to moonlight for 125/hour 3rd year at Inpsira UC, I think ER is staffed by an SDG?
Cons: lots of away rotations (Christiana, Cooper, etc) that are not the easiest to get too and with somewhat of a lukewarm review from the residents I talked to
7) FL- Orange Park
PROs: Liked the PD, ER seemed super busy with plenty to go around volume wise, time is split between main ER and a freestanding which I though was cool.....near Jacksonville, resudents were a diverse group.....
CONs: HCA, ER staffed by TeamHealth (somewhat worried faculty may split if HCA decides to switch groups/cut pay.....) PD and APD I talked too openly said they did not have say in whether a residency was started there , rather it was decided by HCA admin, giving me pause the program's faculty true motivations....
8) PA- Lehigh Valley Health Network/University of South Florida College of Medicine Program
PROs: very strong community program, expanding to newer /bigger ER Next year, level I trauma on site, no need to travel for away rotations, loved faculty and their passion for program.
CONs: the area/city just too rural for me and my SO, 4 years is unfortunately a negative, if it was 3 would likely bump higher on list.
9) NY- Wyckoff Heights (Brooklyn)
PROs: really liked PD, seems like busy urban /county enviroment which I like. Brooklyn/NYC is awesome although I know there are plenty of cons there as well....
Cons: has warning from ACGEM with only initial accreditation....some of the residents were a little odd , no pre/post interview dinner....they have to transfer out STEMIs into manhatten (no in house cath lab??)....several away rotations requiring painful commute into Manhatten/Harlem/Staten Island.
Anything Else To Add?
Interview trail was a blast.....as an IMG I was humbled and grateful to be granted the interview I did.....excited to get started!!!
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Arnot, Mercy St. Vincent, UCF Greater Orlando, Univ of Mississippi, Good Samaritan, HCA Coliseum
Programs whose interviews you attended:
all those listed above
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2015
- Messages
- 3,086
- Reaction score
- 6,300
I feel like every single residency I saw had an ortho experience that varied from “it’s useless” to “ortho sux”. I don’t think I ever got the sales pitch that ortho is awesome anywhere.
RottieLife
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2019
- Messages
- 4
- Reaction score
- 22
Unless you're at a county or community program where YOU ARE ortho lol but yeah same here
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2014
- Messages
- 2,107
- Reaction score
- 3,660
It’s because you’re scut work all day. Post surgical rounding on grandma’s new hip. Not actually reducing fractures or responding to trauma.
TheSingularity
Full Member
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2019
- Messages
- 365
- Reaction score
- 559
Interesting that people are seeing through NYUs facade. Was the same 10 yrs ago. Uppity residents in a VHCOL area where 90% of your shift is doing blood draws, transporting patients and managing homelessness and EtOH withdrawal. Who care if Goldfrank is there? Def resting on its laurels from 40 yrs ago.
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2017
- Messages
- 903
- Reaction score
- 1,369
I’ve posted this before but this whole NYC thing is so fascinating to me. Before the Newman assault when the patient checked in she had her vitals done by the department chair. I just don’t comprehend how you can have an ED with so little nurse/tech support in the modern US era of healthcare.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2016
- Messages
- 57
- Reaction score
- 193
FYI #3 -- socially conscious EM, cool residents, female leadership, thea james, etc -- this is talking about BMC, not HAEMR.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2016
- Messages
- 55
- Reaction score
- 41
For anyone that interviewed at Emory, I know they said moonlighting can start in 2nd year, but does anyone know how much the pay is? One resident mentioned $90/hr, but I’m finding that hard to believe. Seems to be too low.
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2015
- Messages
- 262
- Reaction score
- 157
I think that is correct.. $90/hr for the internal moonlighting in fast track that you can begin 2nd year. 3rd year you can do external and make more. Pay is about on par with my other interviews.
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2014
- Messages
- 2,107
- Reaction score
- 3,660
Internal moonlighting is usually lower but remember that your malpractice is already covered. If you go external, you need to pay and go through the process of getting a state license, which may not be worth it if you don’t plan on staying in state.
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2015
- Messages
- 3,086
- Reaction score
- 6,300
The resident who did my tour said that’s what’s offered, but no one does moonlighting because they’re too busy.
Did y’all speak to residents that did the moonlighting at Emory?
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2014
- Messages
- 1,572
- Reaction score
- 2,242
I'm obviously new to this but these seem like some good lists
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2015
- Messages
- 262
- Reaction score
- 157
I did an away at Emory and every 3rd year I met was moonlighting some. I can't recall pgy2s that were but it was early in their pgy2 year (August)
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2014
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 30
Only got 8 interviews for whatever reason. But they were some good programs. Perhaps shoulda applied to like 100 programs but my school said only like 35. Hopefully that is enough.
Boards: 225/250, Cs pass first attempt
EM ROTATIONS: H (h/hp/p), H (H with distinction, H, P), HP (H/HP, P), P (P/F)
Other details: honored medicine and neurology, published book chapter, URM
For some reason didnt get interviewed at MGH/BWH despite rotating there and Honoring. Oh well.
1. Stanford
2. Hennepin County Medical Center
3. Regions/Health Partners
4. FSU/Sarasota
5. UCF Gainsville
6. UCF Ocala
7. St. John's Ascention
8. Ichan SOM at Mount Sinai NYC
Boards: 225/250, Cs pass first attempt
EM ROTATIONS: H (h/hp/p), H (H with distinction, H, P), HP (H/HP, P), P (P/F)
Other details: honored medicine and neurology, published book chapter, URM
For some reason didnt get interviewed at MGH/BWH despite rotating there and Honoring. Oh well.
1. Stanford
2. Hennepin County Medical Center
3. Regions/Health Partners
4. FSU/Sarasota
5. UCF Gainsville
6. UCF Ocala
7. St. John's Ascention
8. Ichan SOM at Mount Sinai NYC
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/PF/PF
AOA: No
Med School Region: Southeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Non-trad, EMT, EM leadership, former scribe
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location near family, quality of training, COL
1) RI- Brown University Program
Pros: Rotated here and loved it. The people are great and the vibe is what I'm looking for. I think they have one of the better curriculum's for me. One of the busiest hospitals in New England with a great Trauma and critical care area. Have family in New England and Providence provides the cost of living to live comfortably.
Cons: Cold as ****. Def get the Ivy vibe from some people but a majority were super cool.
2) MA- Boston University Medical Center
Pros: This was my favorite program that I went to. Loved the residents and really gelled with the social mission of the hospital. I really liked the PD as well. A super busy ED where I would receive world class training. Absolutely loved it here.
Cons: SO expensive to live in Boston. Limited moonlighting opps
3) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
Pros: Loved it here too and had it ranked no 1 for a long time. Excellent training with and awesome county site and only 3 years. Vibed really well with the residents and the cost of living in Indianapolis is fantastic.
Cons: Far from family. Didn't influence my decision but not a fan of their standardized interviews.
4) MI- University of Michigan Health System (Ann Arbor)
Pros: Fantastic program and honestly, this program moved up with the announcement of their new PD. Have heard wonderful things about him. Think the EC3 concept is really cool. Would have unlimited resources to do whatever I want for career development. I really like Ann Arbor and is close to my extended family
Cons: Slightly too academic, long ass commute to flint for Trauma.
5) MI- Henry Ford Hospital/Wayne State University (Detroit)
Pros: This program made a late run up my list. Had it ranked as high as 2 and as low as 10. Ultimately decided that the training here would be fantastic compared to other programs on my list. 3 year program that is intense with incredible pathology. Great ICU training. The PD was very impressive. Think I would be prepared to do anything after training here. Also close to family here. Have a soft spot for Detroit so would love to end up here
Cons: Old, curtained ED which has its charms. Residents seemed a bit fatigued at dinner and on interview day.
6) NC- Wake Forest University School of Medicine Program
Pros: Liked it here way more than I thought I would. Genuinely happy people. Would absolutely love to be here. Established program, 3 years, academic, and opportunities to do nearly anything. WS seems like a cool town and could live super well here on a residents + SO salary. Great weather here too.
Cons: Old ED, NC is far from family.
7) OH- University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine Program
Obviously a fantastic program, IMO the best training program in the country. HEMS experience is incredible and seems like a cool opportunity. Would have amazing resources and could do anything after training here. Not ranking this higher hurts but did not like Cincinnati and can't imagine living there.
8) CO- Denver Health
Another fantastic program. Won't say anything that hasn't already been said about this program. I'm just not a Denver person.
9) CT- Yale New Haven
Liked it here more than expected. A little too research oriented for my liking but would absolutely receive fantastic clinical training here. I like New Haven and the proximity to NYC. Just not exactly what I'm looking for to move it up. (Would also be close to family)
10) DC- George Washington University
Really liked it here and know I would be happy to pursue health policy in DC, however, DC is just too expensive and far from fam. PD is amazing and interview day was great. Some of the best applicants were at this IV day!
11) FL- Orlando Health
Amazing program, loved leadership and the training/trauma is fantastic. I want to be out of the south and worry training here may keep me in the south long term. Residents were happy but mostly single with very few children.
12) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
Wanted to like it here so bad. I love Chicago and think it's a place I'd like to end up later in my career. Every thing about this place made me anxious, from the fellow applicants, to residents, to leadership. Obviously just not for me. Would provide excellent training and push me to be a leader in the field but it isn't worth it to me to force it here.
Anything Else To Add?
IV'd at a few more that I didn't feel like adding to this
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Dartmouth
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/PF/PF
AOA: No
Med School Region: Southeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Non-trad, EMT, EM leadership, former scribe
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location near family, quality of training, COL
1) RI- Brown University Program
Pros: Rotated here and loved it. The people are great and the vibe is what I'm looking for. I think they have one of the better curriculum's for me. One of the busiest hospitals in New England with a great Trauma and critical care area. Have family in New England and Providence provides the cost of living to live comfortably.
Cons: Cold as ****. Def get the Ivy vibe from some people but a majority were super cool.
2) MA- Boston University Medical Center
Pros: This was my favorite program that I went to. Loved the residents and really gelled with the social mission of the hospital. I really liked the PD as well. A super busy ED where I would receive world class training. Absolutely loved it here.
Cons: SO expensive to live in Boston. Limited moonlighting opps
3) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
Pros: Loved it here too and had it ranked no 1 for a long time. Excellent training with and awesome county site and only 3 years. Vibed really well with the residents and the cost of living in Indianapolis is fantastic.
Cons: Far from family. Didn't influence my decision but not a fan of their standardized interviews.
4) MI- University of Michigan Health System (Ann Arbor)
Pros: Fantastic program and honestly, this program moved up with the announcement of their new PD. Have heard wonderful things about him. Think the EC3 concept is really cool. Would have unlimited resources to do whatever I want for career development. I really like Ann Arbor and is close to my extended family
Cons: Slightly too academic, long ass commute to flint for Trauma.
5) MI- Henry Ford Hospital/Wayne State University (Detroit)
Pros: This program made a late run up my list. Had it ranked as high as 2 and as low as 10. Ultimately decided that the training here would be fantastic compared to other programs on my list. 3 year program that is intense with incredible pathology. Great ICU training. The PD was very impressive. Think I would be prepared to do anything after training here. Also close to family here. Have a soft spot for Detroit so would love to end up here
Cons: Old, curtained ED which has its charms. Residents seemed a bit fatigued at dinner and on interview day.
6) NC- Wake Forest University School of Medicine Program
Pros: Liked it here way more than I thought I would. Genuinely happy people. Would absolutely love to be here. Established program, 3 years, academic, and opportunities to do nearly anything. WS seems like a cool town and could live super well here on a residents + SO salary. Great weather here too.
Cons: Old ED, NC is far from family.
7) OH- University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine Program
Obviously a fantastic program, IMO the best training program in the country. HEMS experience is incredible and seems like a cool opportunity. Would have amazing resources and could do anything after training here. Not ranking this higher hurts but did not like Cincinnati and can't imagine living there.
8) CO- Denver Health
Another fantastic program. Won't say anything that hasn't already been said about this program. I'm just not a Denver person.
9) CT- Yale New Haven
Liked it here more than expected. A little too research oriented for my liking but would absolutely receive fantastic clinical training here. I like New Haven and the proximity to NYC. Just not exactly what I'm looking for to move it up. (Would also be close to family)
10) DC- George Washington University
Really liked it here and know I would be happy to pursue health policy in DC, however, DC is just too expensive and far from fam. PD is amazing and interview day was great. Some of the best applicants were at this IV day!
11) FL- Orlando Health
Amazing program, loved leadership and the training/trauma is fantastic. I want to be out of the south and worry training here may keep me in the south long term. Residents were happy but mostly single with very few children.
12) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
Wanted to like it here so bad. I love Chicago and think it's a place I'd like to end up later in my career. Every thing about this place made me anxious, from the fellow applicants, to residents, to leadership. Obviously just not for me. Would provide excellent training and push me to be a leader in the field but it isn't worth it to me to force it here.
Anything Else To Add?
IV'd at a few more that I didn't feel like adding to this
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Dartmouth
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 240's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: Yes
Med School Region: Southeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: GHHS, at least 2 top 10% SLOEs, research, teaching experience
Main considerations in making this ROL: Gut, Location, COL, Preparation for career in academics, 3=4 years, S/O's job options (non-medical)
1) GA- Emory
Rotated here. Love the gritty county environment at Grady and the academics and $$$ of the university. Grady is one of a kind, and I love it. Great patient population to work with. Dr. White is incredible - I would love to have her as my PD. Lots of grads go into academics out of a 3 year. Many stay for fellowship at Emory. Atlanta is a really fun, young city. I have family and college friends in the area. I can live with the traffic. S/O's job is based here.
2) NC- Carolinas Medical Center Program
Tough decision to not put this as #1. Another incredible program. Tribrid hospital system. No traveling between hospitals for rotations. Environment seemed to best simulate what it would be like working for a group after graduation. Best benefits of any program I saw. Academic placement is common after 3 years. Once again, Charlotte is a great up and coming (if not already there) city filled with young NC college grads. Plenty to do outdoors.
3) CO- Denver Health
Legendary program. I concur with basically everything said by everyone else above. Loved meeting everyone on the interview day. One of the better in-home interview dinners I went to. Work-wise, they work a lot with no decrease in shifts over the four years. On the flip side, the upper levels are total badasses and job placement is top notch. Denver is incredible, but it's also pretty far from home. Not sure how I would adjust to living in that cold.
4) IL- University of Chicago
Some of the nicest faculty members I met. Really felt like home here. Love the flight rotations during 2nd and 3rd years. Alternating three day weekends is incredible. New ED is really nice. High acuity and trauma numbers. Job placement also top notch. Love chicago, but I'm not too keen on the cold or the South Side.
5) TX- University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program
Rotated here as well. Parkland has a special place in my heart, similar to Grady. Not as gritty, but it is another patient population that I loved working with. Residents and faculty are some of the best that I met. Best didactics and oral boards prep I saw on the trail. Not higher on my list because of hesitations surrounding the consult culture (big IM and surgery depts that carry a lot of weight), low trauma exposure outside of designated rotations, and very high number of spanish speakers (would definitely have to brush up on my HS spanish skills). Dallas is a super-fun city and a great place to do a summer away. S/O is from Dallas and would love to move back home.
6) UT- University of Utah Program
Had a really fun introduction to the residents and faculty at the dept's Heavy Metal Holiday Party. Very fun group that was quick to bring the applicants in on the fun. Brings unique parts of EM that others on my list don't outside of Denver (wilderness, ski lodge ortho, etc). I have hesitations about the super small class size, overall acuity and trauma numbers, and shifts/month (b/c of small class size). Apparently they're approved for 2 more residents per class but can't secure funding from the state to add them yet. SLC is beautiful and I could see myself living there someday. Great place for many of my outdoorsy hobbies and interests. I would absolutely live my best wellness life at this program, but I'm not sure it's the best program for me.
7) OH- University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine Program
Legendary program. Relatives have trained there and rave about it. I loved it and all of the people there. My brother lives in Cincinnati as well. S/O and I are not crazy about the city itself and never have been. Also bumped down a bit because of the heavy emphasis on flight med (RIP Kobe).
8) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
Not the best of interview days (travel issues, late in the season, etc). Great program with an academic pedigree. Excellent resources and job placement. Once again, I really like Chicago but have hesitations about the cold. A little lower on the list because it's a 4 year and I saw U Chicago as a better fit for me (and 3 years).
9) TN- Vanderbilt
Another poor interview experience. Have since talked to others that enjoyed the day, and that changed my mind a bit. Impressed by the trauma set up, acuity, and preparedness of the residents. 1787894732894729384 fellowships offered. Dr. Slovis is stepping down but will still be around. I went to undergrad at Vandy and go back all the time. I think I need a change of scenery from Nashville.
10) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Underrated program IMO. Great resources inside the TMC. New portion of the ED looks incredible. Houston is a big city that I didn't get to see even 5% of during my 3 day visit. Didn't exactly vibe with the residents here.
11) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
great 50/50 academic/county split. Residents were really cool. Have known lots of poeple that trained here, and they all say they would do it again in a heartbeat. Residents seem very prepared for jobs even as 2nd years. Hesitant because of the excessive ICU time (6 blocks) and location.
12) NC- Duke University Hospital
Dr. Broder is one of the nicest PD's I've met. One of the biggest surprises of the interview season for me. Got along well with the residents. Concerns about the newness of the program and the heavy emphasis on research and dev of medical technologies. Was told that if I wasn't doing R&D I wasn't using Duke's resources to their fullest potential. My younger brother just started undergrad at Duke. Durham's not the most fun town. Lots of the attractions the residents talked about were a decent drive away (Raleigh, etc)
13) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
Legendary program. Passionate about their mission. Enjoyed 95% of the people. Got along well with Cali transplants. Didn't feel I was taken seriously by Cali surfer bros from OC and the like. Ultimately, I don't think I want to pay that much $$$ to live in east LA.
14) OH- Ohio State University Hospital Program
Great program. just not wild about Columbus relative to everything else on my list. Also a bit too academic for my taste without the tiniest shred of county.
15) TX- University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Program
This program and I were not on the same page from the start. Did not catch the vibes.
Anything Else To Add?
Advice for next year's interviewees:
1. ditch your spreadsheets ASAP. Go with your gut.
2. Rent cars where you can. Uber/Lyft rides add up.
3. Get more post-interview beers with co-applicants and keep in touch.
4. It's a grind, but don't forget to enjoy interview season. I had a blast!
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined:
Advocate Christ, Baylor, Cook County, JPS, MUSC, Stanford, UAB, USF, UT Memphis, UT San Antonio, UVA, Wake Forest
Programs That Rejected You:
UNC (lol)
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 240's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: Yes
Med School Region: Southeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: GHHS, at least 2 top 10% SLOEs, research, teaching experience
Main considerations in making this ROL: Gut, Location, COL, Preparation for career in academics, 3=4 years, S/O's job options (non-medical)
1) GA- Emory
Rotated here. Love the gritty county environment at Grady and the academics and $$$ of the university. Grady is one of a kind, and I love it. Great patient population to work with. Dr. White is incredible - I would love to have her as my PD. Lots of grads go into academics out of a 3 year. Many stay for fellowship at Emory. Atlanta is a really fun, young city. I have family and college friends in the area. I can live with the traffic. S/O's job is based here.
2) NC- Carolinas Medical Center Program
Tough decision to not put this as #1. Another incredible program. Tribrid hospital system. No traveling between hospitals for rotations. Environment seemed to best simulate what it would be like working for a group after graduation. Best benefits of any program I saw. Academic placement is common after 3 years. Once again, Charlotte is a great up and coming (if not already there) city filled with young NC college grads. Plenty to do outdoors.
3) CO- Denver Health
Legendary program. I concur with basically everything said by everyone else above. Loved meeting everyone on the interview day. One of the better in-home interview dinners I went to. Work-wise, they work a lot with no decrease in shifts over the four years. On the flip side, the upper levels are total badasses and job placement is top notch. Denver is incredible, but it's also pretty far from home. Not sure how I would adjust to living in that cold.
4) IL- University of Chicago
Some of the nicest faculty members I met. Really felt like home here. Love the flight rotations during 2nd and 3rd years. Alternating three day weekends is incredible. New ED is really nice. High acuity and trauma numbers. Job placement also top notch. Love chicago, but I'm not too keen on the cold or the South Side.
5) TX- University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program
Rotated here as well. Parkland has a special place in my heart, similar to Grady. Not as gritty, but it is another patient population that I loved working with. Residents and faculty are some of the best that I met. Best didactics and oral boards prep I saw on the trail. Not higher on my list because of hesitations surrounding the consult culture (big IM and surgery depts that carry a lot of weight), low trauma exposure outside of designated rotations, and very high number of spanish speakers (would definitely have to brush up on my HS spanish skills). Dallas is a super-fun city and a great place to do a summer away. S/O is from Dallas and would love to move back home.
6) UT- University of Utah Program
Had a really fun introduction to the residents and faculty at the dept's Heavy Metal Holiday Party. Very fun group that was quick to bring the applicants in on the fun. Brings unique parts of EM that others on my list don't outside of Denver (wilderness, ski lodge ortho, etc). I have hesitations about the super small class size, overall acuity and trauma numbers, and shifts/month (b/c of small class size). Apparently they're approved for 2 more residents per class but can't secure funding from the state to add them yet. SLC is beautiful and I could see myself living there someday. Great place for many of my outdoorsy hobbies and interests. I would absolutely live my best wellness life at this program, but I'm not sure it's the best program for me.
7) OH- University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine Program
Legendary program. Relatives have trained there and rave about it. I loved it and all of the people there. My brother lives in Cincinnati as well. S/O and I are not crazy about the city itself and never have been. Also bumped down a bit because of the heavy emphasis on flight med (RIP Kobe).
8) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
Not the best of interview days (travel issues, late in the season, etc). Great program with an academic pedigree. Excellent resources and job placement. Once again, I really like Chicago but have hesitations about the cold. A little lower on the list because it's a 4 year and I saw U Chicago as a better fit for me (and 3 years).
9) TN- Vanderbilt
Another poor interview experience. Have since talked to others that enjoyed the day, and that changed my mind a bit. Impressed by the trauma set up, acuity, and preparedness of the residents. 1787894732894729384 fellowships offered. Dr. Slovis is stepping down but will still be around. I went to undergrad at Vandy and go back all the time. I think I need a change of scenery from Nashville.
10) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Underrated program IMO. Great resources inside the TMC. New portion of the ED looks incredible. Houston is a big city that I didn't get to see even 5% of during my 3 day visit. Didn't exactly vibe with the residents here.
11) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
great 50/50 academic/county split. Residents were really cool. Have known lots of poeple that trained here, and they all say they would do it again in a heartbeat. Residents seem very prepared for jobs even as 2nd years. Hesitant because of the excessive ICU time (6 blocks) and location.
12) NC- Duke University Hospital
Dr. Broder is one of the nicest PD's I've met. One of the biggest surprises of the interview season for me. Got along well with the residents. Concerns about the newness of the program and the heavy emphasis on research and dev of medical technologies. Was told that if I wasn't doing R&D I wasn't using Duke's resources to their fullest potential. My younger brother just started undergrad at Duke. Durham's not the most fun town. Lots of the attractions the residents talked about were a decent drive away (Raleigh, etc)
13) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
Legendary program. Passionate about their mission. Enjoyed 95% of the people. Got along well with Cali transplants. Didn't feel I was taken seriously by Cali surfer bros from OC and the like. Ultimately, I don't think I want to pay that much $$$ to live in east LA.
14) OH- Ohio State University Hospital Program
Great program. just not wild about Columbus relative to everything else on my list. Also a bit too academic for my taste without the tiniest shred of county.
15) TX- University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Program
This program and I were not on the same page from the start. Did not catch the vibes.
Anything Else To Add?
Advice for next year's interviewees:
1. ditch your spreadsheets ASAP. Go with your gut.
2. Rent cars where you can. Uber/Lyft rides add up.
3. Get more post-interview beers with co-applicants and keep in touch.
4. It's a grind, but don't forget to enjoy interview season. I had a blast!
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined:
Advocate Christ, Baylor, Cook County, JPS, MUSC, Stanford, UAB, USF, UT Memphis, UT San Antonio, UVA, Wake Forest
Programs That Rejected You:
UNC (lol)
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 200's/220's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/HP
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Left blank
Main considerations in making this ROL: proximity to family, nice area with things to do, feel was huge with so many new programs
1) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
Rotated here and loved the ED setup, the people, the culture, and the training/autonomy; functions like a large medical center despite being in a small town due to its catchment area; Peoria is very close to partner and I's families; Peoria is actually a fun town for how small it is; never really had a doubt that this was my number one; only wish is that there was less time off service
2) AZ- Abrazo Health (Phoenix)
family in Phoenix; though new, they have their stuff together which I can speak to having interviewed at so many new programs; I think it will grow into a desirable program given the location, level 2 soon-to-be level 1 trauma center, and the funding provided by the hospital; faculty has been part of other programs and are young and good to be around
3) FL- FSU (Sarasota)
Loved my interview day; county type hospital but feels like a community shop with the posh area; lots of volume; current residents are cool and sound like they are paving a good path forward; relatively affordable area and 15 minutes from a beautiful beach; I do wish it had a more traditional patient demographic (lots of elderly)
4) MI- Lakeland Health (Saint Joseph)
rotated here and enjoyed it; I like that they commonly work at a large community hospital and also a smaller rural hospital which I may want to do one day; beautiful place to be in the summer; residents are cool; some attendings seemed disinterested in teaching but could have just been to med students; partially a lower rank because of spouse's job opportunities are limited
5) VA- Riverside Regional
new program but the PD has a ton of experience leading a program as the previous Naval PD; nice hospital with a good volume; it sounds like residents will get a lot of autonomy; nice beach nearby and pretty good weather, cheap COL; may have ranked higher if I didn't get the vibe the PD did not want me there that day, and if I was not asked if I thought I was competitive 15 minutes later by a EM program secretary in the lounge
6) LA- Ochsner Health
really enjoyed the interview day here; faculty were awesome; a good plan is laid out that I think will allow this to become a solid program; a concern was the area that is near Holly Grove and would likely make my partner and I live a ways away with long commute; also no trauma designation and have to go to Shock Trauma in Maryland for two months which is not ideal when married
7) FL- Orange Park
the hospital and ED are nice; the area is decent; PD was funny with the memes during his intro but he was practically dissuading people from coming; residents had a lot of critical things to say and did not seem very enthusiastic despite saying they loved it; apparently some drama with trauma about getting procedures plus it seems like a small hospital to not go elsewhere for trauma
8) NV- Valley Health
nice hospital and awesome area being in Vegas; really wanted to rank higher for Vegas because of sports and the mountains but there were lots of unknowns and unanswered questions; half of the rotations are at different places in the city which I cannot imagine will create much comfort and I am anti-commuting after so much of it in med school; one month in California at UC Davis for trauma which is not ideal for a married person; also people have talked poorly about LSU Shreveport where the PD was PD previously and started that program; I will say he seemed likable and genuine to me however
9) OH- Mercy St. Ritas
Mercy St. Rita's in Ohio - large catchment area; will serve a lot of the sick farmer type; new program but they seem to have things figured out and the hospital is funneling a lot of money into GME; they are also starting their first surgery and IM programs which worries me about too many moving parts that will be tough to manage for the hospital; the location is kind of crappy with nothing around for about an hour; a ways away from family so might as well go to a nicer location
Anything Else To Add?
applied to FM as a backup to eventually do rural EM if necessary; this was not fun because I had to lie through my teeth during these interviews, but it provided me a lot of relief early on when I was hurting for EM interviews; I landed two of the EM interviews through letters of interest because I have significant ties to the Southeast that are not clear on my app
Programs You Applied To:
a ton; 120 or so in total; every program that was previously DO plus every program that had accepted applicants with stats like me in the past per Texas Star Data
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined:
none; waitlisted at Eastern Virginia Medical School
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 200's/220's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/HP
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Left blank
Main considerations in making this ROL: proximity to family, nice area with things to do, feel was huge with so many new programs
1) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
Rotated here and loved the ED setup, the people, the culture, and the training/autonomy; functions like a large medical center despite being in a small town due to its catchment area; Peoria is very close to partner and I's families; Peoria is actually a fun town for how small it is; never really had a doubt that this was my number one; only wish is that there was less time off service
2) AZ- Abrazo Health (Phoenix)
family in Phoenix; though new, they have their stuff together which I can speak to having interviewed at so many new programs; I think it will grow into a desirable program given the location, level 2 soon-to-be level 1 trauma center, and the funding provided by the hospital; faculty has been part of other programs and are young and good to be around
3) FL- FSU (Sarasota)
Loved my interview day; county type hospital but feels like a community shop with the posh area; lots of volume; current residents are cool and sound like they are paving a good path forward; relatively affordable area and 15 minutes from a beautiful beach; I do wish it had a more traditional patient demographic (lots of elderly)
4) MI- Lakeland Health (Saint Joseph)
rotated here and enjoyed it; I like that they commonly work at a large community hospital and also a smaller rural hospital which I may want to do one day; beautiful place to be in the summer; residents are cool; some attendings seemed disinterested in teaching but could have just been to med students; partially a lower rank because of spouse's job opportunities are limited
5) VA- Riverside Regional
new program but the PD has a ton of experience leading a program as the previous Naval PD; nice hospital with a good volume; it sounds like residents will get a lot of autonomy; nice beach nearby and pretty good weather, cheap COL; may have ranked higher if I didn't get the vibe the PD did not want me there that day, and if I was not asked if I thought I was competitive 15 minutes later by a EM program secretary in the lounge
6) LA- Ochsner Health
really enjoyed the interview day here; faculty were awesome; a good plan is laid out that I think will allow this to become a solid program; a concern was the area that is near Holly Grove and would likely make my partner and I live a ways away with long commute; also no trauma designation and have to go to Shock Trauma in Maryland for two months which is not ideal when married
7) FL- Orange Park
the hospital and ED are nice; the area is decent; PD was funny with the memes during his intro but he was practically dissuading people from coming; residents had a lot of critical things to say and did not seem very enthusiastic despite saying they loved it; apparently some drama with trauma about getting procedures plus it seems like a small hospital to not go elsewhere for trauma
8) NV- Valley Health
nice hospital and awesome area being in Vegas; really wanted to rank higher for Vegas because of sports and the mountains but there were lots of unknowns and unanswered questions; half of the rotations are at different places in the city which I cannot imagine will create much comfort and I am anti-commuting after so much of it in med school; one month in California at UC Davis for trauma which is not ideal for a married person; also people have talked poorly about LSU Shreveport where the PD was PD previously and started that program; I will say he seemed likable and genuine to me however
9) OH- Mercy St. Ritas
Mercy St. Rita's in Ohio - large catchment area; will serve a lot of the sick farmer type; new program but they seem to have things figured out and the hospital is funneling a lot of money into GME; they are also starting their first surgery and IM programs which worries me about too many moving parts that will be tough to manage for the hospital; the location is kind of crappy with nothing around for about an hour; a ways away from family so might as well go to a nicer location
Anything Else To Add?
applied to FM as a backup to eventually do rural EM if necessary; this was not fun because I had to lie through my teeth during these interviews, but it provided me a lot of relief early on when I was hurting for EM interviews; I landed two of the EM interviews through letters of interest because I have significant ties to the Southeast that are not clear on my app
Programs You Applied To:
a ton; 120 or so in total; every program that was previously DO plus every program that had accepted applicants with stats like me in the past per Texas Star Data
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined:
none; waitlisted at Eastern Virginia Medical School
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/270's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: PF/Honors/Honors
AOA: Yes
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Leadership roles in med school, 3 top 10% SLOEs (saw a summary page at one IV)
Main considerations in making this ROL: I'm very interested in a career in academic EM, particularly in GME or medical school leadership so program name and academic resources were my main priority. I was very open to 3 vs 4 year but came to realize that a 3 year program would likely lead me down the fellowship path, which was okay with me. At the end of the day, fit with the program was much more important then length. I also wanted a more urban/diverse patient population. Location near/in major city was also a major factor as I wanted to keep job opportunities for my SO who is not in medicine as wide open as possible.
1) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
Pros: SO MANY! Quality of teaching, high clinical volume at diverse sites (NMH, Cook, Gary, Lake Forest), lots of ICU experience, two years in supervisory role of entire pod teaches you ED leadership, on-shift teaching and gets you way more patient volume but with rotations outside NMH as 3s and 4s you still get plenty of non-supervisory time too which means own procedures, etc. Outside of the ED, there are unending opportunities for research, med ed, etc. They really emphasize leadership training beyond just clinical training which resonated with me and I could see it in the projects that the residents are empowered to do. Also have an increasingly strong social EM presence addressing opioid crisis, their large homeless patient population and more. Chair is CMO of hospital system and still works in ED a few times a month and is a huge advocate of residents. Also as a big name in EM gets his residents whatever job they want (per residents and per their super impressive job placements over the past few years). Lastly and most importantly, the residents were absolutely my people and I totally clicked with all the faculty I met and could see them being my mentors and really being invested in the career I want to create for myself. After this interview no other programs could really compete for my #1 spot.
Cons: COL of Chicago
2) IL- University of Chicago
Wow, I went round and round in circles at which program to pick for #2 because I loved my 2-4 a lot! Ultimately picked U Chicago because it a badass program and I loved the people. Pros included great trauma/high acuity volume, great med ed opportunities within an excellent medical school and awesome electives like international medical transport. I also LOVED the PD and other faculty I met here as well as the residents. Easily most diverse program I interviewed at and have a super song social mission. I could tell that I would be inspired and empowered by faculty and residents there!
Cons: Minimal supervisory experience (only like a month as a 3) 3 year program for me means almost for sure fellowship after, COL of Chicago
3) OH- University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine Program
This program was a complete surprise to me and had major feels during my interview day, interviewed there because I've heard great things but its location had it low on my pre-interview list.
Pros: Badass program with great reputation, high volume, high acuity, supervisory experience (but only as 4s), great med ed opportunities. I also just loved loved loved the residents here. Felt like they had a great family vibe (non-medial SOs at dinner) and really enjoyed spending time together. Many leadership opportunities both locally and nationally. Loved the PD.
Cons: Cincinnati did surprise me in how much it had going on, but I couldn't get fully excited about living there. Major con for me and a big part of why it feel to 3 was the amount of flying they do. I can see how it would be a great learning experience to be a solo doc but I felt my time could be better spent in the ED or exploring other interests rather than doing the job that 95% of HEMS programs in the country have nurses and paramedics doing (not saying its bad to have a doc, just a personal opinion on my training) .
4) TN- Vanderbilt
the more I write, the more I realize that it was 100% vibes for the vast majority of my rank list but anyways:
Pros: Obviously great reputation. Really loved how they value both great learning how to be a EM doc and learning how to be a great educator. Liked that they have a chief year as a 4th year (which seems to mostly be people interested in med ed) so saw it kinda as a 3+1 opportunity. Loved the people, had a ton of fun at the pre-interview dinner. Nashville was also awesome but a little on the smaller/touristy side for us and we had trouble picturing ourselves in the South.
Cons: Wasn't convinced about the volume/acuity. For a place that emphasizes teaching, they have no real clinical supervisory role for senior residents.
5) MI- University of Michigan Health System (Ann Arbor)
The next 4 programs were in their own tier and I kept changing them around quite a bit:
Pros: Vibed well with the residents, felt like a family feel but overall I felt like the program was a little lacking in diversity both in residents and faculty. Obviously great reputation and loved the stuff they are doing in terms of research and with the EC3. Location near family def moved this program up too.
Cons: Biggest con was Ann Arbor itself. Seems like a lovely place but I want to train in a more urban environment (and driving 1 hour to Flint once per month didn't make up for that in my opinion). Also don't have a major supervisory role in comparison to the other 4-year programs (sounded like they just supervise interns as 4s and not entire ED).
6) CO- Denver Health
Obviously Denver is a legendary program but it really pleasantly surprised me. As someone interested in academics, I wasn't sure about the county experience but found this to be very much a hybrid model with time both at Denver Health and U of Colorado. In addition to a very urban and in-need patient population, they also have excellent didactics, med ed opportunities and clinical supervisory roles as 3s and 4s. I liked the residents but just didn't feel like I fit in with them that well. I also got some rather pretentious vibes from residents and faculty that were off-putting.
Con: Unpopular opinion but I did not love the city of Denver itself (love love love the outdoor access but how much time is there for that anyways?) it is super spread out and other than downtown feels like one giant strip mall without a ton of character. I did go skiing after my interview tho which was baller.
7) MA- Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
This program was definitely the most similar to Northwestern in terms of curriculum model and extra-clinical opportunities. It's clear that the residents here become clinical badasses training at two of the most famous hospitals in the world. Mass Gen is clearly their preferred site and is very high acuity with a diverse, urban patient population. Obviously with the Harvard name you can do whatever you want in academia after residency. Really like all the faculty I met. I thought the residents were super nice, diverse and interesting people but did seem pretty burnt out.
Cons: Boston COL is insane and they major reason this is so low on my list. One of my friends lives down the street from Mass Gen and pays 3200 for a tiny two bedroom. Most residents live further away from the hospital and community and the residents openly admitted their financial struggle with living there. All of that made it just not seem worth the Harvard name when I could train at other big-name places and not be completely broke and burnt out.
8) WI- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Program (Madison)
I feel so so bad ranking this program here because I rotated here and honestly loved every minute. The major reason it fell so low was location, I'm just not interested in living in a city the size of Madison at this point in my life.
Pros: Surprisingly high acuity and felt high volume for a smaller city. I think this is because its one of the 2 major health systems in the state and their flight program brings the sickest patients in the state to Madison. Clinical teaching was excellent and felt personalized to each resident. Residents have a ton of opportunities to work with med students, both in the ED and in their med student didactics. Also have a ton of great global health, EMS and ultrasound opportunities. Generally is a super well rounded program with awesome faculty in a great city. 3+1 is an awesome way to start being an attending but getting further training with great mentorship support.
Cons: As above, felt like the patient population and program itself wasn't as diverse as what I am looking for.
9) MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
Awesome academic program with urban, county-type patients. Lots of trauma. Also great ICU experiences. Seemed like a perfect program for me on paper but I just did NOT feel any sense of fit here. Major cons in terms of curriculum were that it was a 4 year but with no major supervisory experience except for helping interns with procedures for like a month in the high acuity area. St. Louis seemed like a cool city that probably is fun to live and low COL in but I didn't click with it either.
10) OH- Ohio State University Hospital Program
Pros: super nice facilities, curriculum sounded good, seemed like they get a pretty diverse and high acuity patient population. Faculty seemed to care a ton about education and the wellbeing of their residents. Columbus seems like an easy place to live in with low COL. It was a place I could totally see myself working at some day but just didn't feel like the right fit for me right now.
Cons: Just really did not fit with the residents, tho Columbus is nice it was beaten out by other cities I interviewed in.
11) WI- Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program (Milwaukee)
Pros: County-academic hybrid, nice facilities, loved the faculty particularly the PD and the residents seemed super chill. Honestly seems like an awesome program just didn't have the med ed presence nationally that the other places I interviewed at do but left feeling like I could totally be happy training there and come out a great EM doc. Milwaukee seems like a fun medium sized city with a lot to do and a big airport nearby to get out when needed. I went to this interview because it was cheap as I was already in the area for another one and ended up being very pleasantly surprised!
12) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
I feel like I'm probably the only person ranking this program last. Rotated here and even though it was a great experience I just knew it wasn't the right place for me. The major con for me was that they super emphasize volume as the most important part of training. There was not a lot of on-shift teaching and it felt like the residents were just floating out in an abyss at times. I'm all for autonomy but I also want to be challenged in my thinking during shifts and if you barely interact with your attending and they are just checking your orders I don't feel like you get challenged to think like a physician. There also wasn't a ton of resident engagement in medical student teaching and the only supervisory experience is 3rd years supervising medical students in the low-acuity area. They do see a ton of high-volume and high-acuity but only do two high acuity shifts a month as interns, which was also a downside for me. Fantastic intern ICU experience tho and the two sites see a really diverse patient population with both a county and an academic experience. Indy is a great city tho with a great cost of living and I can totally see why this program is so highly regarded. Everyone is so so nice here and it is very much a family-feel, just not my place.
Anything Else To Add?
If you're a competitive applicant or applying to a ton of programs, try to make a pre-interview rank list to prioritize where you want to interview. This way you know which interviews you may want to drop as you get other invites/get off waitlists. I was able to schedule less prefered places later in the season and drop them after the unified release with plenty of time for the spots to be filled and thus not hoard IVs 🙂
Programs You Applied To:
Indiana University, Medical College of Wisconsin, Washington University, Ohio State, U of Wisconsin, Mass Gen/Brighams/HAMER, Northwestern, University of Cincinnati, University of Chicago, Vanderbilt, University of Michigan, Advocate Christ, Beth Israel, Carolinas, Case Western - MetroHealth, Cook County, Denver, Duke, George Washington, HealthPartners/Regions, Hennepin, Henry Ford, University of Illinois - Chicago, University of Iowa, University of North Carolina, UPMC, Wake Forest
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Advocate Christ, Carolinas, Case Western - MetroHealth, Cook County, Duke, George Washington, HealthPartners/Regions, Hennepin, Henry Ford, University of Illinois - Chicago, University of Iowa, University of North Carolina, UPMC, Wake Forest
Programs whose interviews you attended:
All programs I ranked
Programs from which you withdrew before hearing anything:
None
Programs that rejected you:
Never heard from Beth Israel
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/270's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: PF/Honors/Honors
AOA: Yes
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Leadership roles in med school, 3 top 10% SLOEs (saw a summary page at one IV)
Main considerations in making this ROL: I'm very interested in a career in academic EM, particularly in GME or medical school leadership so program name and academic resources were my main priority. I was very open to 3 vs 4 year but came to realize that a 3 year program would likely lead me down the fellowship path, which was okay with me. At the end of the day, fit with the program was much more important then length. I also wanted a more urban/diverse patient population. Location near/in major city was also a major factor as I wanted to keep job opportunities for my SO who is not in medicine as wide open as possible.
1) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
Pros: SO MANY! Quality of teaching, high clinical volume at diverse sites (NMH, Cook, Gary, Lake Forest), lots of ICU experience, two years in supervisory role of entire pod teaches you ED leadership, on-shift teaching and gets you way more patient volume but with rotations outside NMH as 3s and 4s you still get plenty of non-supervisory time too which means own procedures, etc. Outside of the ED, there are unending opportunities for research, med ed, etc. They really emphasize leadership training beyond just clinical training which resonated with me and I could see it in the projects that the residents are empowered to do. Also have an increasingly strong social EM presence addressing opioid crisis, their large homeless patient population and more. Chair is CMO of hospital system and still works in ED a few times a month and is a huge advocate of residents. Also as a big name in EM gets his residents whatever job they want (per residents and per their super impressive job placements over the past few years). Lastly and most importantly, the residents were absolutely my people and I totally clicked with all the faculty I met and could see them being my mentors and really being invested in the career I want to create for myself. After this interview no other programs could really compete for my #1 spot.
Cons: COL of Chicago
2) IL- University of Chicago
Wow, I went round and round in circles at which program to pick for #2 because I loved my 2-4 a lot! Ultimately picked U Chicago because it a badass program and I loved the people. Pros included great trauma/high acuity volume, great med ed opportunities within an excellent medical school and awesome electives like international medical transport. I also LOVED the PD and other faculty I met here as well as the residents. Easily most diverse program I interviewed at and have a super song social mission. I could tell that I would be inspired and empowered by faculty and residents there!
Cons: Minimal supervisory experience (only like a month as a 3) 3 year program for me means almost for sure fellowship after, COL of Chicago
3) OH- University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine Program
This program was a complete surprise to me and had major feels during my interview day, interviewed there because I've heard great things but its location had it low on my pre-interview list.
Pros: Badass program with great reputation, high volume, high acuity, supervisory experience (but only as 4s), great med ed opportunities. I also just loved loved loved the residents here. Felt like they had a great family vibe (non-medial SOs at dinner) and really enjoyed spending time together. Many leadership opportunities both locally and nationally. Loved the PD.
Cons: Cincinnati did surprise me in how much it had going on, but I couldn't get fully excited about living there. Major con for me and a big part of why it feel to 3 was the amount of flying they do. I can see how it would be a great learning experience to be a solo doc but I felt my time could be better spent in the ED or exploring other interests rather than doing the job that 95% of HEMS programs in the country have nurses and paramedics doing (not saying its bad to have a doc, just a personal opinion on my training) .
4) TN- Vanderbilt
the more I write, the more I realize that it was 100% vibes for the vast majority of my rank list but anyways:
Pros: Obviously great reputation. Really loved how they value both great learning how to be a EM doc and learning how to be a great educator. Liked that they have a chief year as a 4th year (which seems to mostly be people interested in med ed) so saw it kinda as a 3+1 opportunity. Loved the people, had a ton of fun at the pre-interview dinner. Nashville was also awesome but a little on the smaller/touristy side for us and we had trouble picturing ourselves in the South.
Cons: Wasn't convinced about the volume/acuity. For a place that emphasizes teaching, they have no real clinical supervisory role for senior residents.
5) MI- University of Michigan Health System (Ann Arbor)
The next 4 programs were in their own tier and I kept changing them around quite a bit:
Pros: Vibed well with the residents, felt like a family feel but overall I felt like the program was a little lacking in diversity both in residents and faculty. Obviously great reputation and loved the stuff they are doing in terms of research and with the EC3. Location near family def moved this program up too.
Cons: Biggest con was Ann Arbor itself. Seems like a lovely place but I want to train in a more urban environment (and driving 1 hour to Flint once per month didn't make up for that in my opinion). Also don't have a major supervisory role in comparison to the other 4-year programs (sounded like they just supervise interns as 4s and not entire ED).
6) CO- Denver Health
Obviously Denver is a legendary program but it really pleasantly surprised me. As someone interested in academics, I wasn't sure about the county experience but found this to be very much a hybrid model with time both at Denver Health and U of Colorado. In addition to a very urban and in-need patient population, they also have excellent didactics, med ed opportunities and clinical supervisory roles as 3s and 4s. I liked the residents but just didn't feel like I fit in with them that well. I also got some rather pretentious vibes from residents and faculty that were off-putting.
Con: Unpopular opinion but I did not love the city of Denver itself (love love love the outdoor access but how much time is there for that anyways?) it is super spread out and other than downtown feels like one giant strip mall without a ton of character. I did go skiing after my interview tho which was baller.
7) MA- Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
This program was definitely the most similar to Northwestern in terms of curriculum model and extra-clinical opportunities. It's clear that the residents here become clinical badasses training at two of the most famous hospitals in the world. Mass Gen is clearly their preferred site and is very high acuity with a diverse, urban patient population. Obviously with the Harvard name you can do whatever you want in academia after residency. Really like all the faculty I met. I thought the residents were super nice, diverse and interesting people but did seem pretty burnt out.
Cons: Boston COL is insane and they major reason this is so low on my list. One of my friends lives down the street from Mass Gen and pays 3200 for a tiny two bedroom. Most residents live further away from the hospital and community and the residents openly admitted their financial struggle with living there. All of that made it just not seem worth the Harvard name when I could train at other big-name places and not be completely broke and burnt out.
8) WI- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Program (Madison)
I feel so so bad ranking this program here because I rotated here and honestly loved every minute. The major reason it fell so low was location, I'm just not interested in living in a city the size of Madison at this point in my life.
Pros: Surprisingly high acuity and felt high volume for a smaller city. I think this is because its one of the 2 major health systems in the state and their flight program brings the sickest patients in the state to Madison. Clinical teaching was excellent and felt personalized to each resident. Residents have a ton of opportunities to work with med students, both in the ED and in their med student didactics. Also have a ton of great global health, EMS and ultrasound opportunities. Generally is a super well rounded program with awesome faculty in a great city. 3+1 is an awesome way to start being an attending but getting further training with great mentorship support.
Cons: As above, felt like the patient population and program itself wasn't as diverse as what I am looking for.
9) MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
Awesome academic program with urban, county-type patients. Lots of trauma. Also great ICU experiences. Seemed like a perfect program for me on paper but I just did NOT feel any sense of fit here. Major cons in terms of curriculum were that it was a 4 year but with no major supervisory experience except for helping interns with procedures for like a month in the high acuity area. St. Louis seemed like a cool city that probably is fun to live and low COL in but I didn't click with it either.
10) OH- Ohio State University Hospital Program
Pros: super nice facilities, curriculum sounded good, seemed like they get a pretty diverse and high acuity patient population. Faculty seemed to care a ton about education and the wellbeing of their residents. Columbus seems like an easy place to live in with low COL. It was a place I could totally see myself working at some day but just didn't feel like the right fit for me right now.
Cons: Just really did not fit with the residents, tho Columbus is nice it was beaten out by other cities I interviewed in.
11) WI- Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program (Milwaukee)
Pros: County-academic hybrid, nice facilities, loved the faculty particularly the PD and the residents seemed super chill. Honestly seems like an awesome program just didn't have the med ed presence nationally that the other places I interviewed at do but left feeling like I could totally be happy training there and come out a great EM doc. Milwaukee seems like a fun medium sized city with a lot to do and a big airport nearby to get out when needed. I went to this interview because it was cheap as I was already in the area for another one and ended up being very pleasantly surprised!
12) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
I feel like I'm probably the only person ranking this program last. Rotated here and even though it was a great experience I just knew it wasn't the right place for me. The major con for me was that they super emphasize volume as the most important part of training. There was not a lot of on-shift teaching and it felt like the residents were just floating out in an abyss at times. I'm all for autonomy but I also want to be challenged in my thinking during shifts and if you barely interact with your attending and they are just checking your orders I don't feel like you get challenged to think like a physician. There also wasn't a ton of resident engagement in medical student teaching and the only supervisory experience is 3rd years supervising medical students in the low-acuity area. They do see a ton of high-volume and high-acuity but only do two high acuity shifts a month as interns, which was also a downside for me. Fantastic intern ICU experience tho and the two sites see a really diverse patient population with both a county and an academic experience. Indy is a great city tho with a great cost of living and I can totally see why this program is so highly regarded. Everyone is so so nice here and it is very much a family-feel, just not my place.
Anything Else To Add?
If you're a competitive applicant or applying to a ton of programs, try to make a pre-interview rank list to prioritize where you want to interview. This way you know which interviews you may want to drop as you get other invites/get off waitlists. I was able to schedule less prefered places later in the season and drop them after the unified release with plenty of time for the spots to be filled and thus not hoard IVs 🙂
Programs You Applied To:
Indiana University, Medical College of Wisconsin, Washington University, Ohio State, U of Wisconsin, Mass Gen/Brighams/HAMER, Northwestern, University of Cincinnati, University of Chicago, Vanderbilt, University of Michigan, Advocate Christ, Beth Israel, Carolinas, Case Western - MetroHealth, Cook County, Denver, Duke, George Washington, HealthPartners/Regions, Hennepin, Henry Ford, University of Illinois - Chicago, University of Iowa, University of North Carolina, UPMC, Wake Forest
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Advocate Christ, Carolinas, Case Western - MetroHealth, Cook County, Duke, George Washington, HealthPartners/Regions, Hennepin, Henry Ford, University of Illinois - Chicago, University of Iowa, University of North Carolina, UPMC, Wake Forest
Programs whose interviews you attended:
All programs I ranked
Programs from which you withdrew before hearing anything:
None
Programs that rejected you:
Never heard from Beth Israel
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/240's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Unsure/Unsure
AOA: No
Med School Region: Southeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Research first author, other research contributions.
Main considerations in making this ROL: Gut feeling, location
1) IL- Rush University (Chicago)
Pros: Great city, great hospital system, interview day felt really good vibes from faculty and residents, rotate at cook for trauma. ED is immaculate, feels like an ICU. Close to a lot of extended family and friends. Interview lunch was amazing - this impacted me more than it should have because I'm fat at heart.
Cons: High COL, have to go to other hospitals for trauma, lots of other great hospitals to compete with for acuity, newer program.
2) SC- Prisma Health-Upstate/University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville Program
Pros: Great newer program. Greenville seems like a great place to live. PD is awesome, overall faculty there seem amazing and enthusiastic about their residents and the program. Hospital feels like the right mix between having enough resources and not having so many residents/fellowships to consult and poach patients.
Cons: newer program, more limited in fellowship opportunities.
3) SC- Medical University of South Carolina Program
Pros: Really got the feels here. PD is awesome and makes you feel right at home. Residents are really chill and they seem to enjoy themselves. Charleston is an awesome place to be.
Cons: Question the acuity some. SO isn't as enthused about Charleston (which is weird because she's the only female I know that doesn't love it).
4) SC- Prisma Health-Midlands/University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Columbia Program
Pros: PD is great. Acuity here is awesome - very much a resident run program if that's your thing. You'll get lots of procedures.
Cons: A bit too "trial by fire" for me as an intern. Columbia isn't as exciting of a city (resident quoted saying "it's not as bad as people say"), but very affordable.
5) GA- Medical College of Georgia (Augusta)
Pros: They did an amazing job of selling this program. Their faculty and residents are extremely impressive on what they accomplish from their board scores to their national ultrasound competition accolades. Acuity seems good.
Cons: Augusta is not great. One resident literally said "Augusta sucks, and I'm leaving as soon as I'm an attending". Great COL.
6) GA- WellStar Kennestone Regional (Marietta)
Pros: Seems like they get a ton of procedures. New ED that is opening this spring seems like it's going to be amazing. Their volume is nuts. Resident benefits are pretty off the charts too (concierge service, $5000/yr on food).
Cons: Very new, not affiliated with academic center. No opportunities for fellowship so far. Apparently they are having trouble getting their OB numbers.
7) LA- Ochsner
Pros: Cool city to live in for a few years, but probably would not be permanent for me. Probably good acuity in New Orleans. Interview lunch was absolutely amazing. PD was former LSU New Orleans PD, so he knows what he's doing.
Cons: Brand new program with no residents thus far which could be a pro or con, but definitely makes interview day a bit different than the others. Only interview I had where they had questions that they "had to go through" in each station, which made things feel stiff and more like a med-school interview than a residency interview. They weren't terrible questions or anything, pretty standard. They should stop doing that in the future though - just talk to us.
8) FL- Aventura Hospital
Pros: Pretty cool place to live. SO went to grad school in Ft. Lauderdale so has a lot of friends in the area.
Cons: HCA. Didn't really vibe with the PD during my interview, he kind of took jabs at my hobbies (which were a huge interest and talking point during my other interviews).
9) AL- University of South Alabama
Pros: Mobile was actually cooler than I ever expected. Great pre-interview dinner and the "light breakfast" that they served had eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, etc. Their catchment seems pretty large given the limited competition in the state.
Cons: Residents seemed uncertain of their upcoming shift schedule. One resident thought they might be going to 22 12-hour shifts/month??? Things are changing there for better or worse.
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined:
Presence resurrection, Jacksonville, Port St. Lucie
Comments:
<OP here - originally planned on going into more detail on the programs but had a few too many drinks to celebrate being submitted and couldn't be bothered.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/240's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Unsure/Unsure
AOA: No
Med School Region: Southeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Research first author, other research contributions.
Main considerations in making this ROL: Gut feeling, location
1) IL- Rush University (Chicago)
Pros: Great city, great hospital system, interview day felt really good vibes from faculty and residents, rotate at cook for trauma. ED is immaculate, feels like an ICU. Close to a lot of extended family and friends. Interview lunch was amazing - this impacted me more than it should have because I'm fat at heart.
Cons: High COL, have to go to other hospitals for trauma, lots of other great hospitals to compete with for acuity, newer program.
2) SC- Prisma Health-Upstate/University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville Program
Pros: Great newer program. Greenville seems like a great place to live. PD is awesome, overall faculty there seem amazing and enthusiastic about their residents and the program. Hospital feels like the right mix between having enough resources and not having so many residents/fellowships to consult and poach patients.
Cons: newer program, more limited in fellowship opportunities.
3) SC- Medical University of South Carolina Program
Pros: Really got the feels here. PD is awesome and makes you feel right at home. Residents are really chill and they seem to enjoy themselves. Charleston is an awesome place to be.
Cons: Question the acuity some. SO isn't as enthused about Charleston (which is weird because she's the only female I know that doesn't love it).
4) SC- Prisma Health-Midlands/University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Columbia Program
Pros: PD is great. Acuity here is awesome - very much a resident run program if that's your thing. You'll get lots of procedures.
Cons: A bit too "trial by fire" for me as an intern. Columbia isn't as exciting of a city (resident quoted saying "it's not as bad as people say"), but very affordable.
5) GA- Medical College of Georgia (Augusta)
Pros: They did an amazing job of selling this program. Their faculty and residents are extremely impressive on what they accomplish from their board scores to their national ultrasound competition accolades. Acuity seems good.
Cons: Augusta is not great. One resident literally said "Augusta sucks, and I'm leaving as soon as I'm an attending". Great COL.
6) GA- WellStar Kennestone Regional (Marietta)
Pros: Seems like they get a ton of procedures. New ED that is opening this spring seems like it's going to be amazing. Their volume is nuts. Resident benefits are pretty off the charts too (concierge service, $5000/yr on food).
Cons: Very new, not affiliated with academic center. No opportunities for fellowship so far. Apparently they are having trouble getting their OB numbers.
7) LA- Ochsner
Pros: Cool city to live in for a few years, but probably would not be permanent for me. Probably good acuity in New Orleans. Interview lunch was absolutely amazing. PD was former LSU New Orleans PD, so he knows what he's doing.
Cons: Brand new program with no residents thus far which could be a pro or con, but definitely makes interview day a bit different than the others. Only interview I had where they had questions that they "had to go through" in each station, which made things feel stiff and more like a med-school interview than a residency interview. They weren't terrible questions or anything, pretty standard. They should stop doing that in the future though - just talk to us.
8) FL- Aventura Hospital
Pros: Pretty cool place to live. SO went to grad school in Ft. Lauderdale so has a lot of friends in the area.
Cons: HCA. Didn't really vibe with the PD during my interview, he kind of took jabs at my hobbies (which were a huge interest and talking point during my other interviews).
9) AL- University of South Alabama
Pros: Mobile was actually cooler than I ever expected. Great pre-interview dinner and the "light breakfast" that they served had eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, etc. Their catchment seems pretty large given the limited competition in the state.
Cons: Residents seemed uncertain of their upcoming shift schedule. One resident thought they might be going to 22 12-hour shifts/month??? Things are changing there for better or worse.
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined:
Presence resurrection, Jacksonville, Port St. Lucie
Comments:
<OP here - originally planned on going into more detail on the programs but had a few too many drinks to celebrate being submitted and couldn't be bothered.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Northeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Nope though I did find out I had a really good SLOE.
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location # 1 to be near my SO, Opportunity to teach/ work w med students, longitudinal peds, US and procedures.
1) CT- Yale New Haven
Near my SO great program with great variety would be very happy here really nice residents. I would like to teach at some point so I thought this would be a good stepping stone. I would prefer not to do a 4 year though. Lots of pathology. US heavy.
2) CT- U of Connecticut
UCONN I loved Uconn seems like you get lots of procedures its sort of close to my SO. I really like the area the shifts are dope. Lots of pathology. I really like the administration. US heavy.
3) NY- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell (Manhasset)
location near SO and Fam, fat paycheck, 3 years, I kinda like the 2 hospital system. Procedures seem a lil weak. Great peds. 12 hour shifts are that absolute worst.
4) NY- Stony Brook Medicine
near Family/ and sorta near SO. Awesome CC and north shore is nice. PD was great to talk to. Shifts are dope. Would be very happy here.
5) MA- UMMS Baystate
place was so nice love the ED loved the residents and the PD. Was a really great time all around. Love all the procedures and lack of other residencies. If it wasn’t so far away from my peeps it be number 2.
6) MA- University of Massachusetts (Worcester)
seems like you get worked hard here but I believe you will be unbelievably competent as a physician I think these physicians were the best trained second only to monte. There US numbers were crazy its 3 years and can work with med students. Would have ranked higher if closer to ma homies.
7) NJ- Atlantic Health (Morristown)
cuz why not. Its 3 years program is well established and everyone was super nice residents I vibed really well with them.
Anything else to add?
Not a great interviewer I’m kinda awkward and have a quirky sense of humor that usually takes a week or so to get used to. I liked to talk about harry potter so may or may not have helped.
Places I really didn’t like St. Johns riverside and Zucker south side the programs were a little to young for me to be comfortable going there residents seem meh.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Northeast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Nope though I did find out I had a really good SLOE.
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location # 1 to be near my SO, Opportunity to teach/ work w med students, longitudinal peds, US and procedures.
1) CT- Yale New Haven
Near my SO great program with great variety would be very happy here really nice residents. I would like to teach at some point so I thought this would be a good stepping stone. I would prefer not to do a 4 year though. Lots of pathology. US heavy.
2) CT- U of Connecticut
UCONN I loved Uconn seems like you get lots of procedures its sort of close to my SO. I really like the area the shifts are dope. Lots of pathology. I really like the administration. US heavy.
3) NY- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell (Manhasset)
location near SO and Fam, fat paycheck, 3 years, I kinda like the 2 hospital system. Procedures seem a lil weak. Great peds. 12 hour shifts are that absolute worst.
4) NY- Stony Brook Medicine
near Family/ and sorta near SO. Awesome CC and north shore is nice. PD was great to talk to. Shifts are dope. Would be very happy here.
5) MA- UMMS Baystate
place was so nice love the ED loved the residents and the PD. Was a really great time all around. Love all the procedures and lack of other residencies. If it wasn’t so far away from my peeps it be number 2.
6) MA- University of Massachusetts (Worcester)
seems like you get worked hard here but I believe you will be unbelievably competent as a physician I think these physicians were the best trained second only to monte. There US numbers were crazy its 3 years and can work with med students. Would have ranked higher if closer to ma homies.
7) NJ- Atlantic Health (Morristown)
cuz why not. Its 3 years program is well established and everyone was super nice residents I vibed really well with them.
Anything else to add?
Not a great interviewer I’m kinda awkward and have a quirky sense of humor that usually takes a week or so to get used to. I liked to talk about harry potter so may or may not have helped.
Places I really didn’t like St. Johns riverside and Zucker south side the programs were a little to young for me to be comfortable going there residents seem meh.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Left Blank
Anything else that made you more competitive: Lots of EM related research, Leaderships orgs in med school, non-trad job prior, and I bake a mean sourdough loaf.
Main considerations in making this ROL:
1. Fit - Did I vibe with the residents/faculty?
2. Location - heavy west coast bias. Quickly realized after going on a few east coast interviews that NYC/most of the east coast was not for me.
3. Resources
4. Acuity/trauma volume
5. Gut feel
6. Faculty with similar interests as mine
--- please excuse all my typos and grammar errors to come
1) CO- Denver Health
These guys one of the BAMFs of EM residencies and I love their commitment to EM. These residents felt insanely competent when I shadowed and the 4th years basically ran the whole department, didn’t see any hint of malignancy and I don’t mind working that hard if the training is that good. I loved 50/50 county academic split and this place also has a really great trauma exposure and felt like Dr. Kaplan is such an awesome person who supports her residents and focuses on wellness. Denver has a lower COL than SF and closer to the outdoors than LA and has two level 1 trauma centers as the main rotation sites. I like that you are the senior at UCHealth as a PGY-3 and stick to Denver health as a PGY4. In reference to the malignant rumors, I talked to everyone, including some home students and nobody confirmed any whiff of malignancy. Overall, I was really struck by the residents talking about the strength of their alumni network and how alumni were getting jobs that weren’t event posted and this is something that was confirmed by residents at other classic big name EM programs on my list. Denver also has incredible tox and other strong fellowships like critical care and climate change fellowship. Other pros – 8 hr shifts + scribes, “Pullback position” where you help run a 22 bed area that seems like great training, proximity to great skiing.
Cons - I was kind of thrown by the 3-week vacation, 20 shifts that don’t decrease, and hardworking rep that all the residents confirmed. BIG negative is the residents talk about how they basically have no real simulation, which is a bummer. I’ve resolved to working hard here if I match for the next 4 years to get the training I want, ski as much as possible, and be near family.
2) CA- UC San Francisco
UCSF gave me the feels and I wholeheartedly love this program. . Dr. Fee seemed like such a supportive PD and shadowing here helped me get a sense of the quality of residents and faculty. Every resident was just insanely happy here and felt like they got a great city + solid training. I really like the 50/50 academic county split and this program has such a great model with SF general and UCSF. I feel liked residents get great trauma exposure at SF general and such awesome sick crashing medical patients at UCSF. The name of UCSF and the quality of the off service is a big draw for me here. Everyone here knows their stuff on the critical care side and it’s refreshing to see the quality of the EM leadership and faculty here interact with the UCSF pulm crit guys/gals on a daily basis. I really feel like the mission bay peds experience combined with the hybrid academic/county experience really makes this program top notch. I also really enjoyed how new SFGH was and felt like you could provide care to the underserved in a great facility. Everyone I talked to said SFGH sees really solid acuity and trauma and you will get your fill here with the added bonus of 8hr shifts. Above all, this is going #2 because I think they get great training and will be a top program (if it isn't already) and it has everything else I want. SF > LA for me.
Cons – Residents spend more time at UCSF that I would like, which is not a trauma center. Questionable off service autonomy. Shouldn't really be called a “new program” anymore cause its been around since 2008ish and grads are faculty at MGH. With that, I still worry with the lack of alumni network in comparison like Harbor, LAC, etc. COL in SF is insane.
3) CA- LAC Harbor UCLA
Interchangeable with #2 for me and a toss up. For me, a huge priority was being trained by renowned faculty that were involved in the communities they serve and get great clinical training. Harbor is a special place because it has a unique blend of county with an intense research focus and social mission. The faculty pump out research here and it was the birthplace of WikiEM. I loved the small clinical faculty that were devoted to teaching the residents. The teaching rounds are awesome and having an hour of protected time to start and finish your shift is incredibly special and I wish they did they at other places (8 hour shifts + 2). I enjoyed the residents who seemed like smart and devoted people and friendly at the dinner. Clinically, this place just seemed like it made strong clinicians and can handle tons of trauma and acuity. I really do not think this place is overrated at all and remains consistently a top program. I really clicked with the residents here and love there Pod system where they split the resus bays. Residents all live basically on the beach, which can be a pro/con depending on your love for beach towns and surfing. Harbor would be tied for my #1 if I had more family/friends in LA. Would love to match here and would be just as happy as my top 1 or 2.
Cons - include parking issues, apparently their OB rotation is not the best, and just your average county issues like rough food. I really worry about the strength of the off service rotations and the first year is like a prelim year and bulk of EM is PGY-2 year. Lots of commuting with LA traffic to places like Long beach.
4) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
What an amazing program. This just seems like a trail by fire program that really pushes its residents to be the best they can be. I love the jail experience, code bag, their trauma autonomy in resus, and the sheer volume of their ED. Shout out to this resident who was graduating and got a RWJS to improve incarceration medicine in LA. I also loved the residents here and felt there family vibe. I really get they sense they bond over how crazy the training is here and how intense everything is. Strong alumni with EMRAP, Hippo EM, but I am skeptical of this program being too resident run and not being able to learn from great faculty (which may be totally unfounded). I like how the second year here is the procedure monkey and really gets good in resus. EM is really king of the hospital here and they handle everything in the ED. Such a great PD and leadership of this program. Can't go wrong here and think this program has unmatched autonomy.
Cons - Lack of resources and single site LA and getting only county training does not sit well with me. My main hesitation was how long it seemed like residents were staying after their shifts. I’d get crushed working 12hr shifts here, but learning towards there is no substitute for training like this and its why I’m ranking it so highly
5) WA- University of Washington Program (Seattle)
This was a tough rank to decide for me. I loved UW and their critical care focus, but still felt the program was working out some kinks (really think its almost there tho). Great 50/50 academic split and UW has Harborview as a true county site with a social mission. Being a WWAMI trauma center, UW just sees so much trauma and residents see unreal stuff like bear attacks and transports down from Alaska (don't love the 12hr trauma shifts and 10 hour normal shifts). UW has other strengths like its resources, strong EMS (the head of their EMS is such a cool dude and has a great relationship with King County EMS), flight stuff, critical care with focus on ECMO and being the only Level 1 for the entire WWAMI region. The faculty came to our lunch and I loved how young and inspiring they were and there def seems like tons of fresh energy in the program. Overall, this rank really came down to seeing myself living in the PNW long-term and love the outdoors and skiing in the area and I wanted to establish connections here. I think this program doesn't get enough love on reddit. It should be a top program and is an extremely desirable location if you like the outdoors and don't mind a little rain.
Cons - COL, Shift length, Slower pace at the UW ED, reaming turf wars with other services. I do worry about the residents openly saying their ortho rotation is a little BS on interview day, but I appreciated the honesty of the residents.
***What initially scared me about this place was all the negative talk of the PD and Chair on reddit. For the record, I really liked my interview with the PD. She seemed caring, intense, and passionate about picking residents and training them and the chair seemed like a brilliant EM researcher, so take everything with a grain of salt on here.
6) MA- Boston University Medical Center
I think BMC is hands down one of the best programs in the county and I wish it got more credit on my list. If I wasn’t more against living in Boston, I’d rank this could be #1 or #2 due to its thoughtful social mission, resident training, and commitment to serving the city of Boston. I felt like here you got everything: county with resources, social mission, greattraining, and incredible faculty with 8 hr shifts (great shift burden as well). They have extensive resources in the ED, homeless shelter associated with the hospital (i believe), you can prescribe food in the ED. They are leaders in social EM with violence prevention, substance abuse tx, etc. I loved how close the residents felt on interview day and the PD goes into such depth into the program. They have insane volume (one of the top in the country) and toss the residents in the deep end from day 1 in a good way. I love how EM runs the show here and how nice the facilities are and they just redid some of their resus bays. Unreal program overall, don't get why it doesn't get as much love with LAC, Cini, etc on reddit as much.
Cons - for me was the amount of hospitals in Boston must hurt BMCs numbers . I don’t love how small Boston feels coming from a bigger city. High COL with tough winters.
7) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
What a gem of a program. I really love how well rounded this program is. You get academic exposure at Reagan, County at OV, and community/rural at Antelope valley. The faculty here are amazing from the Chair and the PD is incredible with such a strong female leadership by her side. The residents are insanely driven and all have tons of side project with research interests. You get more decent trauma at Reagan and then solid acuity in a county setting at Olive View. SO many resources here for the residents who do international rotations and tons of elective time to pursue anything with the support of UCLA. Critical care is one best in the county with emcrit faculty. 12K extra for housing is great and the ED is beautiful with great support staff. I really feel like you can't go wrong with this program and they will train great EM docs that can thrive in any setting.
Cons – the acuity at Reagan is questionable with their lowish volume for a main site. It’s pretty academic, lots and lots of driving between sites. Some shifts are 12s, the rest are 8s and 9s. Traffic and COL in LA. Don't love west LA that much.
8) GA- Emory
Grady is insane. You could feel the volume this place sees on the tour and with the amount of trauma and acuity they see you must be well trained. The PD is a gem and seems you would really feel supported by her. I like the trauma setup and shifts are sprinkled in rather then blocks and trauma pod was HUGE. Critical care exposure here is great. Residents also expressed that the program isn’t really a county/academic hybrid because you don’t spend much time at Emory and bulk time is really at Grady, which is still a great looking modern ED. I do think this program is incredibly top notch for a 3 year program and worth all the rep it gets. I wish liked ATL more cause can't imagine better training in less time.
Cons – high shift burden (22-23 8hr i think they said) and didn’t vibe with the residents, surgery runs the show on trauma. ATL has so much traffic. Problem here is they tell you they drop you in the deep end and residents said you don’t get the best on shift learning and you more learn by doing, which is fine but I didn’t love that mentality.
9) NM- University of New Mexico School of Medicine
What a great place for critical care training. Most critical care faculty in the country, prehospital ECMO, only level 1 trauma center for the state, and intermountain medicine school. This place is badass and has insane acuity and all the residents get great jobs afterword (but most due community medicine). I liked the PD and Chair on interview day and residents cooked us a meal at the dinner (which was super nice btw). You can ski close at Toas and theres some incredible outdoors in NM to explore. The residents were insanely outdoorsy and nice and they really sold the program. You also have exposure to Indian reservation medicine here, which I think is unique.
Cons for me were location cause Albuquerque felt very slow and dingy and theres such limited social life to do here outside of outdoors (green chiles rock tho), worried about weak off service and get mixed vibes with the neurosurg residency shutting down. Overall, can’t go wrong at NM and these residents are very well trained, but didn’t feel like I fit in.
10) CA- UC Davis (Sacramento)
Not much to add here. Great 3 year with huge catchment area for trauma and proximity to Tahoe and nature and lots of sites. Apparently the peds experience is great here and I love the health policy focus of the program being in Sacramento. Main hospital sees solid volume at 85K, but surgery runs trauma here. I don’t love having 20 residents spread out over a ton of sites, but some think that adds value to the training. 10 hour shifts here at the main site, which is decent. I didn’t love the interview setup with so many behavioral questions and very few residents showed up to the lunch.
11) UT- University of Utah Program
PD is amazing here one of the best of the trail for sure. 3 year program in SLC is hard to beat and ortho rotation in park city seems to good to be true. Residents were great and amazing food on interview day. Faculty seemed young and awesome and IMC seems like a great experience where the residents run trauma. Unreal access to the outdoors with great residency leadership make this program hard to pass up.
Cons - people question the acuity here and I think its warranted after shadowing, but don't think its as bad as people say. IMC helps make up for it. Parking issues at the U apparently. Lots of the residents were married.
12) CA- UC San Diego
13) CA- Stanford
14) CA- UC Irvine
15) MN- Hennepin
Badass county program with unreal training. SO much respect for the TEE, ECMO training here, etc. This program lives up to the hype and has a ton of volume (100K is very solid for MN)
I could not go here just because of the cold weather. I know it's petty, but winter with no mountains is not my thing.
Anything Else To Add?
I apologize for losing steam on the last ones and for any info I got wrong. The rank lists from last years helped me so so much and I wanted to pay it forward with some descriptions of my own to help the next class. I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten all those great interviews and hope my ranting on each program makes sense.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Left Blank
Anything else that made you more competitive: Lots of EM related research, Leaderships orgs in med school, non-trad job prior, and I bake a mean sourdough loaf.
Main considerations in making this ROL:
1. Fit - Did I vibe with the residents/faculty?
2. Location - heavy west coast bias. Quickly realized after going on a few east coast interviews that NYC/most of the east coast was not for me.
3. Resources
4. Acuity/trauma volume
5. Gut feel
6. Faculty with similar interests as mine
--- please excuse all my typos and grammar errors to come
1) CO- Denver Health
These guys one of the BAMFs of EM residencies and I love their commitment to EM. These residents felt insanely competent when I shadowed and the 4th years basically ran the whole department, didn’t see any hint of malignancy and I don’t mind working that hard if the training is that good. I loved 50/50 county academic split and this place also has a really great trauma exposure and felt like Dr. Kaplan is such an awesome person who supports her residents and focuses on wellness. Denver has a lower COL than SF and closer to the outdoors than LA and has two level 1 trauma centers as the main rotation sites. I like that you are the senior at UCHealth as a PGY-3 and stick to Denver health as a PGY4. In reference to the malignant rumors, I talked to everyone, including some home students and nobody confirmed any whiff of malignancy. Overall, I was really struck by the residents talking about the strength of their alumni network and how alumni were getting jobs that weren’t event posted and this is something that was confirmed by residents at other classic big name EM programs on my list. Denver also has incredible tox and other strong fellowships like critical care and climate change fellowship. Other pros – 8 hr shifts + scribes, “Pullback position” where you help run a 22 bed area that seems like great training, proximity to great skiing.
Cons - I was kind of thrown by the 3-week vacation, 20 shifts that don’t decrease, and hardworking rep that all the residents confirmed. BIG negative is the residents talk about how they basically have no real simulation, which is a bummer. I’ve resolved to working hard here if I match for the next 4 years to get the training I want, ski as much as possible, and be near family.
2) CA- UC San Francisco
UCSF gave me the feels and I wholeheartedly love this program. . Dr. Fee seemed like such a supportive PD and shadowing here helped me get a sense of the quality of residents and faculty. Every resident was just insanely happy here and felt like they got a great city + solid training. I really like the 50/50 academic county split and this program has such a great model with SF general and UCSF. I feel liked residents get great trauma exposure at SF general and such awesome sick crashing medical patients at UCSF. The name of UCSF and the quality of the off service is a big draw for me here. Everyone here knows their stuff on the critical care side and it’s refreshing to see the quality of the EM leadership and faculty here interact with the UCSF pulm crit guys/gals on a daily basis. I really feel like the mission bay peds experience combined with the hybrid academic/county experience really makes this program top notch. I also really enjoyed how new SFGH was and felt like you could provide care to the underserved in a great facility. Everyone I talked to said SFGH sees really solid acuity and trauma and you will get your fill here with the added bonus of 8hr shifts. Above all, this is going #2 because I think they get great training and will be a top program (if it isn't already) and it has everything else I want. SF > LA for me.
Cons – Residents spend more time at UCSF that I would like, which is not a trauma center. Questionable off service autonomy. Shouldn't really be called a “new program” anymore cause its been around since 2008ish and grads are faculty at MGH. With that, I still worry with the lack of alumni network in comparison like Harbor, LAC, etc. COL in SF is insane.
3) CA- LAC Harbor UCLA
Interchangeable with #2 for me and a toss up. For me, a huge priority was being trained by renowned faculty that were involved in the communities they serve and get great clinical training. Harbor is a special place because it has a unique blend of county with an intense research focus and social mission. The faculty pump out research here and it was the birthplace of WikiEM. I loved the small clinical faculty that were devoted to teaching the residents. The teaching rounds are awesome and having an hour of protected time to start and finish your shift is incredibly special and I wish they did they at other places (8 hour shifts + 2). I enjoyed the residents who seemed like smart and devoted people and friendly at the dinner. Clinically, this place just seemed like it made strong clinicians and can handle tons of trauma and acuity. I really do not think this place is overrated at all and remains consistently a top program. I really clicked with the residents here and love there Pod system where they split the resus bays. Residents all live basically on the beach, which can be a pro/con depending on your love for beach towns and surfing. Harbor would be tied for my #1 if I had more family/friends in LA. Would love to match here and would be just as happy as my top 1 or 2.
Cons - include parking issues, apparently their OB rotation is not the best, and just your average county issues like rough food. I really worry about the strength of the off service rotations and the first year is like a prelim year and bulk of EM is PGY-2 year. Lots of commuting with LA traffic to places like Long beach.
4) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
What an amazing program. This just seems like a trail by fire program that really pushes its residents to be the best they can be. I love the jail experience, code bag, their trauma autonomy in resus, and the sheer volume of their ED. Shout out to this resident who was graduating and got a RWJS to improve incarceration medicine in LA. I also loved the residents here and felt there family vibe. I really get they sense they bond over how crazy the training is here and how intense everything is. Strong alumni with EMRAP, Hippo EM, but I am skeptical of this program being too resident run and not being able to learn from great faculty (which may be totally unfounded). I like how the second year here is the procedure monkey and really gets good in resus. EM is really king of the hospital here and they handle everything in the ED. Such a great PD and leadership of this program. Can't go wrong here and think this program has unmatched autonomy.
Cons - Lack of resources and single site LA and getting only county training does not sit well with me. My main hesitation was how long it seemed like residents were staying after their shifts. I’d get crushed working 12hr shifts here, but learning towards there is no substitute for training like this and its why I’m ranking it so highly
5) WA- University of Washington Program (Seattle)
This was a tough rank to decide for me. I loved UW and their critical care focus, but still felt the program was working out some kinks (really think its almost there tho). Great 50/50 academic split and UW has Harborview as a true county site with a social mission. Being a WWAMI trauma center, UW just sees so much trauma and residents see unreal stuff like bear attacks and transports down from Alaska (don't love the 12hr trauma shifts and 10 hour normal shifts). UW has other strengths like its resources, strong EMS (the head of their EMS is such a cool dude and has a great relationship with King County EMS), flight stuff, critical care with focus on ECMO and being the only Level 1 for the entire WWAMI region. The faculty came to our lunch and I loved how young and inspiring they were and there def seems like tons of fresh energy in the program. Overall, this rank really came down to seeing myself living in the PNW long-term and love the outdoors and skiing in the area and I wanted to establish connections here. I think this program doesn't get enough love on reddit. It should be a top program and is an extremely desirable location if you like the outdoors and don't mind a little rain.
Cons - COL, Shift length, Slower pace at the UW ED, reaming turf wars with other services. I do worry about the residents openly saying their ortho rotation is a little BS on interview day, but I appreciated the honesty of the residents.
***What initially scared me about this place was all the negative talk of the PD and Chair on reddit. For the record, I really liked my interview with the PD. She seemed caring, intense, and passionate about picking residents and training them and the chair seemed like a brilliant EM researcher, so take everything with a grain of salt on here.
6) MA- Boston University Medical Center
I think BMC is hands down one of the best programs in the county and I wish it got more credit on my list. If I wasn’t more against living in Boston, I’d rank this could be #1 or #2 due to its thoughtful social mission, resident training, and commitment to serving the city of Boston. I felt like here you got everything: county with resources, social mission, greattraining, and incredible faculty with 8 hr shifts (great shift burden as well). They have extensive resources in the ED, homeless shelter associated with the hospital (i believe), you can prescribe food in the ED. They are leaders in social EM with violence prevention, substance abuse tx, etc. I loved how close the residents felt on interview day and the PD goes into such depth into the program. They have insane volume (one of the top in the country) and toss the residents in the deep end from day 1 in a good way. I love how EM runs the show here and how nice the facilities are and they just redid some of their resus bays. Unreal program overall, don't get why it doesn't get as much love with LAC, Cini, etc on reddit as much.
Cons - for me was the amount of hospitals in Boston must hurt BMCs numbers . I don’t love how small Boston feels coming from a bigger city. High COL with tough winters.
7) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
What a gem of a program. I really love how well rounded this program is. You get academic exposure at Reagan, County at OV, and community/rural at Antelope valley. The faculty here are amazing from the Chair and the PD is incredible with such a strong female leadership by her side. The residents are insanely driven and all have tons of side project with research interests. You get more decent trauma at Reagan and then solid acuity in a county setting at Olive View. SO many resources here for the residents who do international rotations and tons of elective time to pursue anything with the support of UCLA. Critical care is one best in the county with emcrit faculty. 12K extra for housing is great and the ED is beautiful with great support staff. I really feel like you can't go wrong with this program and they will train great EM docs that can thrive in any setting.
Cons – the acuity at Reagan is questionable with their lowish volume for a main site. It’s pretty academic, lots and lots of driving between sites. Some shifts are 12s, the rest are 8s and 9s. Traffic and COL in LA. Don't love west LA that much.
8) GA- Emory
Grady is insane. You could feel the volume this place sees on the tour and with the amount of trauma and acuity they see you must be well trained. The PD is a gem and seems you would really feel supported by her. I like the trauma setup and shifts are sprinkled in rather then blocks and trauma pod was HUGE. Critical care exposure here is great. Residents also expressed that the program isn’t really a county/academic hybrid because you don’t spend much time at Emory and bulk time is really at Grady, which is still a great looking modern ED. I do think this program is incredibly top notch for a 3 year program and worth all the rep it gets. I wish liked ATL more cause can't imagine better training in less time.
Cons – high shift burden (22-23 8hr i think they said) and didn’t vibe with the residents, surgery runs the show on trauma. ATL has so much traffic. Problem here is they tell you they drop you in the deep end and residents said you don’t get the best on shift learning and you more learn by doing, which is fine but I didn’t love that mentality.
9) NM- University of New Mexico School of Medicine
What a great place for critical care training. Most critical care faculty in the country, prehospital ECMO, only level 1 trauma center for the state, and intermountain medicine school. This place is badass and has insane acuity and all the residents get great jobs afterword (but most due community medicine). I liked the PD and Chair on interview day and residents cooked us a meal at the dinner (which was super nice btw). You can ski close at Toas and theres some incredible outdoors in NM to explore. The residents were insanely outdoorsy and nice and they really sold the program. You also have exposure to Indian reservation medicine here, which I think is unique.
Cons for me were location cause Albuquerque felt very slow and dingy and theres such limited social life to do here outside of outdoors (green chiles rock tho), worried about weak off service and get mixed vibes with the neurosurg residency shutting down. Overall, can’t go wrong at NM and these residents are very well trained, but didn’t feel like I fit in.
10) CA- UC Davis (Sacramento)
Not much to add here. Great 3 year with huge catchment area for trauma and proximity to Tahoe and nature and lots of sites. Apparently the peds experience is great here and I love the health policy focus of the program being in Sacramento. Main hospital sees solid volume at 85K, but surgery runs trauma here. I don’t love having 20 residents spread out over a ton of sites, but some think that adds value to the training. 10 hour shifts here at the main site, which is decent. I didn’t love the interview setup with so many behavioral questions and very few residents showed up to the lunch.
11) UT- University of Utah Program
PD is amazing here one of the best of the trail for sure. 3 year program in SLC is hard to beat and ortho rotation in park city seems to good to be true. Residents were great and amazing food on interview day. Faculty seemed young and awesome and IMC seems like a great experience where the residents run trauma. Unreal access to the outdoors with great residency leadership make this program hard to pass up.
Cons - people question the acuity here and I think its warranted after shadowing, but don't think its as bad as people say. IMC helps make up for it. Parking issues at the U apparently. Lots of the residents were married.
12) CA- UC San Diego
13) CA- Stanford
14) CA- UC Irvine
15) MN- Hennepin
Badass county program with unreal training. SO much respect for the TEE, ECMO training here, etc. This program lives up to the hype and has a ton of volume (100K is very solid for MN)
I could not go here just because of the cold weather. I know it's petty, but winter with no mountains is not my thing.
Anything Else To Add?
I apologize for losing steam on the last ones and for any info I got wrong. The rank lists from last years helped me so so much and I wanted to pay it forward with some descriptions of my own to help the next class. I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten all those great interviews and hope my ranting on each program makes sense.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE) >700/>700 (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/High Pass/Unsure
AOA: No
Med School Region: East Coast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Number of research presentations, published in a journal, class rank, lots of volunteering
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location, location, location. Want to have access to family of some sort. County = academic > community
1) TX- University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program
Loved everything about this program. Felt like I could really fit in with the current residents, and really enjoyed talking with the faculty. They're county which I really enjoy and I like the diversity of the patient population and the ability to work on my Spanish more. The consult stuff doesn't bother me as you can get experience on off-service rotations, and you can always learn from what they do as well, instead of having to google things.
Cons: trauma experience seems not as good as compared to other places?
2) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Loved everything about here too, had a hard time choosing between my number one/two. Residents were amazing here and Dr. Van Meter is one of the best, if not the best, on the trail. You can tell how much he cares about his residents education. Houston helps as well, there is a lot to do.
PS. I enjoy bigger class sizes. More people to hang out with when you're off shift.
Cons: TMC is overwhelming, and the cost of parking and everything is crazy.
3) NC- University of North Carolina
Got the warm and fuzzies here. Dr. Binz is incredible despite what the trolls on the chat page will tell you. I think they handled what was a very poor timing of information being sent out as best as they could. I think they do truly care about their residents and their training, and that was seen on interview day.
Cons: traveling between UNC and Wake Med
4) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
Number 1, Dr. Muck is so funny. He can make anyone feel at home. Other than that, I love the trauma relationship here, and I feel like you could really learn a lot from multiple specialities while training here. San Antonio is also a cool city that I could see myself liking to live in.
Cons: Younger program, heard surgery here is malignant? so idk if that would affect anything with other rotations.
5) SC- Medical University of South Carolina Program
Enjoyed this program. The tarantula during the interview is definitely memorable. Residents seem close.
Cons: cost of living honestly. Also, questionable acuity that I couldn't get myself completely on board with, which is why they're 5.
6) SC- Prisma Health-Midlands/University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Columbia Program
AMAZING global health opportunities. Dr. Cook seemed to really care about his residents, and finding residents that wanted to truly come there. You can tell you'll get your hands dirty with this program.
Cons: literally only being in Columbia
7) FL- Jackson Memorial (Miami)
Young program that you can tell will be amazing. Jackson Memorial is literally like a resort. Amazing food options.
Cons: intubation exposure. During traumas, that is the one thing I would want guaranteed to us as EM residents and you don't get that here.
8) FL- University of Florida (Gainesville)
Liked this program, but didn't get the sense that they were "my people". Name will get you anywhere but I don't think that was enough for me to rank them higher.
9) AR- University of Arkansas
Liked the trauma relationship here. I think it would really allow you to learn a lot. Staff seemed kinda in-bred a little. Don't think that Little Rock is the city for me.
10) TX- John Peter Smith Hospital (Tarrant County Hospital District) Program
Don't vibe with the residents at all. That's really why it's this low. I want to be friends with those that I work with.
Nintendo Wii during the interview was bomb though. And amazing snacks everywhere.
11) TX- University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Program
I mean everyone loves Austin. The PD seems to care about who he brings to the program, I don't get all the negative comments he received. Let's be honest though, we all would love the food here. Unlimited meal stipend and access to doctors lounge? Score.
ED seemed kind of dead during the tour, and acuity worries me.
12) NC- Duke University Hospital
Didn't vibe with the residents at all. Once again that is why it is so low for me.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE) >700/>700 (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/High Pass/Unsure
AOA: No
Med School Region: East Coast
Anything else that made you more competitive: Number of research presentations, published in a journal, class rank, lots of volunteering
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location, location, location. Want to have access to family of some sort. County = academic > community
1) TX- University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program
Loved everything about this program. Felt like I could really fit in with the current residents, and really enjoyed talking with the faculty. They're county which I really enjoy and I like the diversity of the patient population and the ability to work on my Spanish more. The consult stuff doesn't bother me as you can get experience on off-service rotations, and you can always learn from what they do as well, instead of having to google things.
Cons: trauma experience seems not as good as compared to other places?
2) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Loved everything about here too, had a hard time choosing between my number one/two. Residents were amazing here and Dr. Van Meter is one of the best, if not the best, on the trail. You can tell how much he cares about his residents education. Houston helps as well, there is a lot to do.
PS. I enjoy bigger class sizes. More people to hang out with when you're off shift.
Cons: TMC is overwhelming, and the cost of parking and everything is crazy.
3) NC- University of North Carolina
Got the warm and fuzzies here. Dr. Binz is incredible despite what the trolls on the chat page will tell you. I think they handled what was a very poor timing of information being sent out as best as they could. I think they do truly care about their residents and their training, and that was seen on interview day.
Cons: traveling between UNC and Wake Med
4) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
Number 1, Dr. Muck is so funny. He can make anyone feel at home. Other than that, I love the trauma relationship here, and I feel like you could really learn a lot from multiple specialities while training here. San Antonio is also a cool city that I could see myself liking to live in.
Cons: Younger program, heard surgery here is malignant? so idk if that would affect anything with other rotations.
5) SC- Medical University of South Carolina Program
Enjoyed this program. The tarantula during the interview is definitely memorable. Residents seem close.
Cons: cost of living honestly. Also, questionable acuity that I couldn't get myself completely on board with, which is why they're 5.
6) SC- Prisma Health-Midlands/University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Columbia Program
AMAZING global health opportunities. Dr. Cook seemed to really care about his residents, and finding residents that wanted to truly come there. You can tell you'll get your hands dirty with this program.
Cons: literally only being in Columbia
7) FL- Jackson Memorial (Miami)
Young program that you can tell will be amazing. Jackson Memorial is literally like a resort. Amazing food options.
Cons: intubation exposure. During traumas, that is the one thing I would want guaranteed to us as EM residents and you don't get that here.
8) FL- University of Florida (Gainesville)
Liked this program, but didn't get the sense that they were "my people". Name will get you anywhere but I don't think that was enough for me to rank them higher.
9) AR- University of Arkansas
Liked the trauma relationship here. I think it would really allow you to learn a lot. Staff seemed kinda in-bred a little. Don't think that Little Rock is the city for me.
10) TX- John Peter Smith Hospital (Tarrant County Hospital District) Program
Don't vibe with the residents at all. That's really why it's this low. I want to be friends with those that I work with.
Nintendo Wii during the interview was bomb though. And amazing snacks everywhere.
11) TX- University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Program
I mean everyone loves Austin. The PD seems to care about who he brings to the program, I don't get all the negative comments he received. Let's be honest though, we all would love the food here. Unlimited meal stipend and access to doctors lounge? Score.
ED seemed kind of dead during the tour, and acuity worries me.
12) NC- Duke University Hospital
Didn't vibe with the residents at all. Once again that is why it is so low for me.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: HP/PF
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: First-generation college student, lots of global health experience, LGBTQ advocacy, nice smile?
Main considerations in making this ROL: Geography (wanted to be in NYC or Chicago), Prestige, Academics > County > Community, Wellness
1) NY- NYU School of Medicine
Pros: commitment to social justice, academic and county hybrid, reputation, diversity of three clinical sites, clicked with the residents. Felt at home.
Cons: Bellevue's acuity can be low.
2) NY- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Pros: academic and county hybrid, Elmhurst seems like an incredible place to train, reputation, academic research powerhouse, mini-fellowship with mentors in health policy seems like a great fit for me.
Cons: Mount Sinai's ED seems chaotic, but hopefully the expansion helps with this. Commute to Elmhurst.
3) NY- NY Presbyterian Hospital
Pros: academic, good reputation outside EM, very dedicated young leadership, public health research and advocacy opportunities at Columbia.
Cons: not historically one of the strongest EM programs in NYC, but the change in leadership and creation of new departments seems like fundamental change. I think this program will improve a lot over the next few years. Seniors still work 12's.
4) NY- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/St. Luke's Roosevelt
Pros: 3 years, residents seem fun, culture of the program really values wellness in a fundamental way, loved the newly renovated hospitals, best location in NYC (what better time to be a Hell's Kitchen gay than in your 20's?).
Cons: not a big name outside of EM, honestly concerned about Mount Sinai swallowing the health system, would need to do fellowship to do academics.
5) IL- University of Chicago
Pros: 3 years, commitment to social justice, reputation, underserved community with the resources of an academic hospital, really clicked with the residents, best PD on the trail.
Cons: commute between Hyde Park and Evanston, don't want to spend another 3 years in Chicago (otherwise this would have been my #1).
6) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
Pros: reputation, beautiful hospital with amazing nurses and support staff, best location in Chicago.
Cons: don't want to stay in Chicago.
7) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Pros: commitment to social justice, reputation, residents seem very happy and smart, Oakland is beautiful, feel like I'd fit in here, alumni are incredibly successful both within and outside of emergency medicine.
Cons: need a car, California is far from my friends and family, SF is very queer but a little too small of a city for me right now.
8) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
Pros: 3 years, academic but serves a diversity of clinical sites (some of which are in the most underserved parts of Chicago), research is very focussed on public health and advocacy.
Cons: need a car, if I'm staying in Chicago it's not my first choice.
9) IL- Rush University (Chicago)
Pros: 3 years, academic, leadership seems very committed and I got good vibes, although it's a new program the department itself is very established.
Cons: new program, if I'm staying in Chicago it's not my first choice.
10) NY- Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Jacob/Montefiore) (Bronx)
Pros: strong program, despite being a NYC county program it seems very functional thanks to hiring more staff and renovations at Jacobi, commitment to their community.
Cons: a little too county for me, the Bronx is far.
11) NY- SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn
Pros: strong program, Brooklyn is cool, had my best interview with one of the interviewers who'd been a DJ in Chicago in his college years.
Cons: way too county for me, did not get the very good vibes on my interview day.
12) DC- George Washington University
Pros: excellent opportunities for health policy research and advocacy, 3 of my interviewers were queer which was very cool, DC seems like an interesting place to live.
Cons: did not want to be in DC as much as NYC or Chicago, residents seemed unhappy, need a car.
Anything Else To Add?
My advice to future applicants who are confident they want to be in a certain city or region: do your away rotation there, and schedule all your interviews there for later in the season. My NYC interviews came over the course of two months, and because I scheduled them in January, I was able to do them all in a single 2-week trip, saving money.
Programs you applied to:
Most programs in NYC, Chicago, SF, LA, DC, Boston, and Phili.
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Brown
Programs whose interviews you attended:
All the ones I ranked.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/260's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: HP/PF
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: First-generation college student, lots of global health experience, LGBTQ advocacy, nice smile?
Main considerations in making this ROL: Geography (wanted to be in NYC or Chicago), Prestige, Academics > County > Community, Wellness
1) NY- NYU School of Medicine
Pros: commitment to social justice, academic and county hybrid, reputation, diversity of three clinical sites, clicked with the residents. Felt at home.
Cons: Bellevue's acuity can be low.
2) NY- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Pros: academic and county hybrid, Elmhurst seems like an incredible place to train, reputation, academic research powerhouse, mini-fellowship with mentors in health policy seems like a great fit for me.
Cons: Mount Sinai's ED seems chaotic, but hopefully the expansion helps with this. Commute to Elmhurst.
3) NY- NY Presbyterian Hospital
Pros: academic, good reputation outside EM, very dedicated young leadership, public health research and advocacy opportunities at Columbia.
Cons: not historically one of the strongest EM programs in NYC, but the change in leadership and creation of new departments seems like fundamental change. I think this program will improve a lot over the next few years. Seniors still work 12's.
4) NY- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/St. Luke's Roosevelt
Pros: 3 years, residents seem fun, culture of the program really values wellness in a fundamental way, loved the newly renovated hospitals, best location in NYC (what better time to be a Hell's Kitchen gay than in your 20's?).
Cons: not a big name outside of EM, honestly concerned about Mount Sinai swallowing the health system, would need to do fellowship to do academics.
5) IL- University of Chicago
Pros: 3 years, commitment to social justice, reputation, underserved community with the resources of an academic hospital, really clicked with the residents, best PD on the trail.
Cons: commute between Hyde Park and Evanston, don't want to spend another 3 years in Chicago (otherwise this would have been my #1).
6) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
Pros: reputation, beautiful hospital with amazing nurses and support staff, best location in Chicago.
Cons: don't want to stay in Chicago.
7) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Pros: commitment to social justice, reputation, residents seem very happy and smart, Oakland is beautiful, feel like I'd fit in here, alumni are incredibly successful both within and outside of emergency medicine.
Cons: need a car, California is far from my friends and family, SF is very queer but a little too small of a city for me right now.
8) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
Pros: 3 years, academic but serves a diversity of clinical sites (some of which are in the most underserved parts of Chicago), research is very focussed on public health and advocacy.
Cons: need a car, if I'm staying in Chicago it's not my first choice.
9) IL- Rush University (Chicago)
Pros: 3 years, academic, leadership seems very committed and I got good vibes, although it's a new program the department itself is very established.
Cons: new program, if I'm staying in Chicago it's not my first choice.
10) NY- Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Jacob/Montefiore) (Bronx)
Pros: strong program, despite being a NYC county program it seems very functional thanks to hiring more staff and renovations at Jacobi, commitment to their community.
Cons: a little too county for me, the Bronx is far.
11) NY- SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn
Pros: strong program, Brooklyn is cool, had my best interview with one of the interviewers who'd been a DJ in Chicago in his college years.
Cons: way too county for me, did not get the very good vibes on my interview day.
12) DC- George Washington University
Pros: excellent opportunities for health policy research and advocacy, 3 of my interviewers were queer which was very cool, DC seems like an interesting place to live.
Cons: did not want to be in DC as much as NYC or Chicago, residents seemed unhappy, need a car.
Anything Else To Add?
My advice to future applicants who are confident they want to be in a certain city or region: do your away rotation there, and schedule all your interviews there for later in the season. My NYC interviews came over the course of two months, and because I scheduled them in January, I was able to do them all in a single 2-week trip, saving money.
Programs you applied to:
Most programs in NYC, Chicago, SF, LA, DC, Boston, and Phili.
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Brown
Programs whose interviews you attended:
All the ones I ranked.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 210's/230's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Georgia
Anything else that made you more competitive: Scribe before med school, the best letters of rec from well known EM docs, volunteer/community service/clear dedication to EM, strong SLOEs
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location, cost of living, churches, county program
1) GA- Emory
Pros-so many. County. The Grady Hospital. Super nice PD. Large class size. DIVERSE.
2) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Amazing program. So impressed. Rotated and loved it. PD also amazing, like super amazing. Medical Spanish elective and Spanish-speaking population. Big city. Want to live here eventually. The people.
3) TX- Baylor College of Medicine Program
in Houston.
4) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Top EM program. Nuff said. But seriously people are great. Class sizes smaller but I think could be a good thing. APD literally knew my application forward and back-nice feeling. Enjoyed conference.
5) FL- University of Florida Jacksonville
Residents rock. Strong county place. Not thrilled with location.
6) LA- Louisiana State University (New Orleans)
Pro-Charity Hospital. Love New Orleans. Also got a love letter from here in addition to other places too. Con-4 years though.
7) MA- Boston University Medical Center
Not that diverse but super amazed by this program.
8) NY- SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn
King's county is a beast. So well respected. But they work entirely too hard. 12 hour shifts for 2 years in a 4 year program? Eh. Also not thrilled to live in NY after being on the subway a few times
9) GA- WellStar Kennestone Regional (Marietta)
10) FL- University of Florida (Gainesville)
11) CA- Loma Linda
12) LA- Ochsner
Don't want to be at a brand new program even though it is in New Orleans and I love the city.
13) IL- Rush University (Chicago)
At the bottom for a reason.
Anything Else To Add:
I applied to majority county places because that's where I wanted to be.
Programs you applied to:
51-don't feel like naming them all sorry
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Carilion Clinic - Virginia Tech Carilion
CHRISTUS Health / Texas A&M
Florida State University - Sarasota
Grand Strand Medical Center
Texas Tech Health Science Center/Paul L Foster School of Medicine
University of Mississippi
University of Rochester
etc.
Programs that rejected you:
Like 7 places
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 210's/230's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Georgia
Anything else that made you more competitive: Scribe before med school, the best letters of rec from well known EM docs, volunteer/community service/clear dedication to EM, strong SLOEs
Main considerations in making this ROL: Location, cost of living, churches, county program
1) GA- Emory
Pros-so many. County. The Grady Hospital. Super nice PD. Large class size. DIVERSE.
2) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Amazing program. So impressed. Rotated and loved it. PD also amazing, like super amazing. Medical Spanish elective and Spanish-speaking population. Big city. Want to live here eventually. The people.
3) TX- Baylor College of Medicine Program
in Houston.
4) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
Top EM program. Nuff said. But seriously people are great. Class sizes smaller but I think could be a good thing. APD literally knew my application forward and back-nice feeling. Enjoyed conference.
5) FL- University of Florida Jacksonville
Residents rock. Strong county place. Not thrilled with location.
6) LA- Louisiana State University (New Orleans)
Pro-Charity Hospital. Love New Orleans. Also got a love letter from here in addition to other places too. Con-4 years though.
7) MA- Boston University Medical Center
Not that diverse but super amazed by this program.
8) NY- SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn
King's county is a beast. So well respected. But they work entirely too hard. 12 hour shifts for 2 years in a 4 year program? Eh. Also not thrilled to live in NY after being on the subway a few times
9) GA- WellStar Kennestone Regional (Marietta)
10) FL- University of Florida (Gainesville)
11) CA- Loma Linda
12) LA- Ochsner
Don't want to be at a brand new program even though it is in New Orleans and I love the city.
13) IL- Rush University (Chicago)
At the bottom for a reason.
Anything Else To Add:
I applied to majority county places because that's where I wanted to be.
Programs you applied to:
51-don't feel like naming them all sorry
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Carilion Clinic - Virginia Tech Carilion
CHRISTUS Health / Texas A&M
Florida State University - Sarasota
Grand Strand Medical Center
Texas Tech Health Science Center/Paul L Foster School of Medicine
University of Mississippi
University of Rochester
etc.
Programs that rejected you:
Like 7 places
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Northeast
Anything else that made you more competitive:
Solid SLOEs. When I read these rank lists over the years sometimes I didn’t understand what it meant to get a “good sloe,” so at the bottom of list I included some advice for future EM rotators.
Main considerations in making this ROL:
Going back to SoCal (east coast has been cool but nothing like home); 3>4 year; strong clinical training where residents are given reasonable autonomy; close to a region that has medical schools nearby as significant other is applying; chill and happy residents who get along with faculty; faculty who will go to bat for resident wellbeing/an improved residency experience overall; opportunity to moonlight; opportunities to get involved with med ed/ultrasound/wilderness med is the cherry on top
1) CA- UC Irvine
Pros: 3 year program (academic/county/community combo feel) with a relatively small class size (9/class) which I like, well regarded in Orange County and is the county hospital for the region meaning the patient population is socioeconomically/culturally diverse (large Latino and South East Asian populations). Interview social was amazing and at APD’s house where a lot of faculty and residents showed up. National leaders in some EM sub specialties - ultrasound, medical education, research (they run two academic journals out of their department). Very few off service rotations which for me is also a + and the EM program is involved a lot with the medical school. Cool wilderness med opportunities - residents get to do a 2 week Ortho elective at a Lake Tahoe ski resort during second year and opportunity to do some shifts second year on Catalina island as the only doc on the island with the covering attending. Love that the area is close to Newport/Laguna/Long Beach area.
Cons: Very high cost of living although. The hospital is in Orange so I would most likely live around there, which while preferential to Riverside isn’t my favorite area in SoCal. Clinical training is strong but not as strong as my #2 (lots of other residency programs at UCI which overall is still pretty
2) CA- Riverside
Pros: 3 year (community/county mix with a sprinkle of academic) up and coming and relatively new SoCal program with 13 residents per class. I think this was the best overall fit for me personally. 2nd busiest ED in all of CA behind LAC/USC = high acuity, tons of procedures/trauma, autonomy. Program director is the former PD at Loma Linda and a national leader of researching resident wellness and minimizing physician burnout. In my opinion might be the best pure clinical training on the entire list (Christiana is up there too), the only other residency programs in the hospital are FM, IM, Neuro, Gen Surg = you manage the ortho reductions/optho cases etc.. Multiple medical schools nearby for significant other. Cost of living is very low and 30 minutes from where I grew up = family/friends and support systems are nearby. They are associated with UC Riverside school of medicine there are still opportunities to get involved with med ed/wilderness medicine. Residents are very happy. Free parking/free food which was bomb/concierge service.
Cons: Location, this is not Westwood or Newport Beach. Graduating their first class so alumni base is not existent yet but the PD stresses his connection with Vituity to help with post grad jobs. This is a HCA affiliated program and the PD was extremely transport with this and I do not think at this particular program it would be a detriment to resident learning.
3) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
Pros: My favorite location to live and I would still be extremely happy to end up here. Very well-regarded program with diverse sub-specialty training and very large alumni base. Rotated here and loved the faculty, residents and patient population they serve across all sites. Residents love being here and it really shows. Program director is amazing and the leadership really want to help you find your EM “niche.” 12k (pre tax) housing stipend which would help for the high cost of living area, free food.
Cons: 4 years. Half of all shifts are at Olive View hospital which can be an hour+ drive from Westwood in traffic. Clinical training on par with UC Irvine but not as good as Riverside. They do apparently offer Uber refunds if you are too tired to drive home from a shift which is great. Antelope Valley site seems like an amazing experience for the residents for procedures but they only rotate there 3 months out of 4 years.
4) CA- LAC Harbor UCLA
Pros: Rotated here and the residents/faculty were as amazing as their reputation says. Dedicated pre and post shift rounding time as a team with a white board for teaching points is awesome. High acuity, high volume. I freaked out last minute and put this higher on my list, it was lower based on 4 years and not close to a bunch of med schools for significant other but due to its rep and my experience there as a rotator I had to move it up.
Cons: Parking is rough, They are starting to build a new main hospital soon so that won’t be super fun. Pure county program so no international/wilderness med rotations or opportunities.
5) CA- Kaiser Permante So Cal
Pros: Love San Diego, 3 year program to train you to be a beast community doc; PD is fantastic and will go to bat for residents. I like the small class size and think the 1:1 teaching would be great. Know someone who rotated here who loved it and it lessened some of my concerns about their acuity. They have acuity and high volume, but not a lot of trauma at the main Kaiser sites. The new Kaiser hospital is absolutely beautiful too. Just increased resident salary for this year and added a housing stipend.
Cons: Low trauma is a little concerning, would still be very happy to end up here
6) CA- Loma Linda
Pros: Fantastic peds experience, 3 year program near home, getting a new hospital in Spring 2021, solid trauma experience but I just didn’t feel like the fit was great for me otherwise this would still be an excellent place to train. Cool global health opportunities (up there with UCLA-OV).
Cons: Just didn’t get the right vibe that this was my place. It’s still top 6 because of location.
7) PA- Temple
Pros: Amazing program, this would be top 3 if my partner and I weren’t over the NE cold. Maybe too much trauma? Well recognized nationally. Residents seemed to get a long really well. Would still be stoked be train here.
Cons: winters, ready to go back home
8) NJ- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Pros: Another amazing program with high acuity and happy residents, faculty are very supportive.
Cons: Winters
9) DE- Christiana
Pros: Amazing 3 year program where the residents do it all (few residency programs at the hospital). Rotated here and the residents were as strong as the ones at Harbor and this is only a 3 year program. If you are looking for a away rotation and can consider yourself going here for residency I would absolutely do it. The Clerkship Director is awesome and direct with feedback, and I think the SLOE I got here helped a lot. Every resident I encountered was really in to teaching and if you live >50 miles from the hospital they give you free housing.
Cons: In Delaware. If I had family/was from here this would be top 3.
10) Jefferson
11) NC- Duke University Hospital
PD is amazing, you can do space medicine research with NASA!!! campus is beautiful. Residents were cool and down to earth.
12) PA- Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center Program
The faculty I met were all very nice and the campus is beautiful. Cool EMS opportunities. Not the right place for me.
Anything else to add?
Strong SLOES I believe are due to a combination of working hard on rotations (taking ownership of your patient from start to disposition and being aware enough of what tasks can be helpful to your resident/attending/team/nurse to ultimately improve patient care – even as simple as seeing if every patient would like an extra blanket! Or taking a minor procedure from the PGY-2 so they can have some extra time when they are drowning in patients), coming to every shift prepared and 5ish minutes early ready to go (meaning use resources like EM Clerkship Podcast, EM Basic, C3 from EMRAP, EMRA guide books beforehand to have a solid differential and basic knowledge base for working up common chief complaints), understanding how to give an EM presentation (use resources on YouTube and published EM articles on how to give a proper EM presentation in under 2 minutes), and honestly most importantly be respectful and kind to every patient and person you encounter on your rotation, and have good social awareness (ie. don't ask your attending/resident a bunch of questions when **** is hitting the fan, if there are patients waiting to be seen on the EMR ask your resident if it's cool you pick them up beforehand, grab a senior/attending asap if a patient looks sick/has an acute change in status, be normal and introduce yourself to all team members when you arrive for a shift, etc.)
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Maricopa, Eisenhower, Mt. Sinai-St. Lukes Roosevelt, Georgetown, UC San Diego, UC Davis, UNLV, USC/LAC, Univ. of Utah
Programs whose interviews you attended:
All the above
Programs that rejected you:
Einstein (philly), Desert Regional, Johns Hopkins, U of Arizona, U of Maryland, Univ. of Pennsylvania, UCSF
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Northeast
Anything else that made you more competitive:
Solid SLOEs. When I read these rank lists over the years sometimes I didn’t understand what it meant to get a “good sloe,” so at the bottom of list I included some advice for future EM rotators.
Main considerations in making this ROL:
Going back to SoCal (east coast has been cool but nothing like home); 3>4 year; strong clinical training where residents are given reasonable autonomy; close to a region that has medical schools nearby as significant other is applying; chill and happy residents who get along with faculty; faculty who will go to bat for resident wellbeing/an improved residency experience overall; opportunity to moonlight; opportunities to get involved with med ed/ultrasound/wilderness med is the cherry on top
1) CA- UC Irvine
Pros: 3 year program (academic/county/community combo feel) with a relatively small class size (9/class) which I like, well regarded in Orange County and is the county hospital for the region meaning the patient population is socioeconomically/culturally diverse (large Latino and South East Asian populations). Interview social was amazing and at APD’s house where a lot of faculty and residents showed up. National leaders in some EM sub specialties - ultrasound, medical education, research (they run two academic journals out of their department). Very few off service rotations which for me is also a + and the EM program is involved a lot with the medical school. Cool wilderness med opportunities - residents get to do a 2 week Ortho elective at a Lake Tahoe ski resort during second year and opportunity to do some shifts second year on Catalina island as the only doc on the island with the covering attending. Love that the area is close to Newport/Laguna/Long Beach area.
Cons: Very high cost of living although. The hospital is in Orange so I would most likely live around there, which while preferential to Riverside isn’t my favorite area in SoCal. Clinical training is strong but not as strong as my #2 (lots of other residency programs at UCI which overall is still pretty
2) CA- Riverside
Pros: 3 year (community/county mix with a sprinkle of academic) up and coming and relatively new SoCal program with 13 residents per class. I think this was the best overall fit for me personally. 2nd busiest ED in all of CA behind LAC/USC = high acuity, tons of procedures/trauma, autonomy. Program director is the former PD at Loma Linda and a national leader of researching resident wellness and minimizing physician burnout. In my opinion might be the best pure clinical training on the entire list (Christiana is up there too), the only other residency programs in the hospital are FM, IM, Neuro, Gen Surg = you manage the ortho reductions/optho cases etc.. Multiple medical schools nearby for significant other. Cost of living is very low and 30 minutes from where I grew up = family/friends and support systems are nearby. They are associated with UC Riverside school of medicine there are still opportunities to get involved with med ed/wilderness medicine. Residents are very happy. Free parking/free food which was bomb/concierge service.
Cons: Location, this is not Westwood or Newport Beach. Graduating their first class so alumni base is not existent yet but the PD stresses his connection with Vituity to help with post grad jobs. This is a HCA affiliated program and the PD was extremely transport with this and I do not think at this particular program it would be a detriment to resident learning.
3) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
Pros: My favorite location to live and I would still be extremely happy to end up here. Very well-regarded program with diverse sub-specialty training and very large alumni base. Rotated here and loved the faculty, residents and patient population they serve across all sites. Residents love being here and it really shows. Program director is amazing and the leadership really want to help you find your EM “niche.” 12k (pre tax) housing stipend which would help for the high cost of living area, free food.
Cons: 4 years. Half of all shifts are at Olive View hospital which can be an hour+ drive from Westwood in traffic. Clinical training on par with UC Irvine but not as good as Riverside. They do apparently offer Uber refunds if you are too tired to drive home from a shift which is great. Antelope Valley site seems like an amazing experience for the residents for procedures but they only rotate there 3 months out of 4 years.
4) CA- LAC Harbor UCLA
Pros: Rotated here and the residents/faculty were as amazing as their reputation says. Dedicated pre and post shift rounding time as a team with a white board for teaching points is awesome. High acuity, high volume. I freaked out last minute and put this higher on my list, it was lower based on 4 years and not close to a bunch of med schools for significant other but due to its rep and my experience there as a rotator I had to move it up.
Cons: Parking is rough, They are starting to build a new main hospital soon so that won’t be super fun. Pure county program so no international/wilderness med rotations or opportunities.
5) CA- Kaiser Permante So Cal
Pros: Love San Diego, 3 year program to train you to be a beast community doc; PD is fantastic and will go to bat for residents. I like the small class size and think the 1:1 teaching would be great. Know someone who rotated here who loved it and it lessened some of my concerns about their acuity. They have acuity and high volume, but not a lot of trauma at the main Kaiser sites. The new Kaiser hospital is absolutely beautiful too. Just increased resident salary for this year and added a housing stipend.
Cons: Low trauma is a little concerning, would still be very happy to end up here
6) CA- Loma Linda
Pros: Fantastic peds experience, 3 year program near home, getting a new hospital in Spring 2021, solid trauma experience but I just didn’t feel like the fit was great for me otherwise this would still be an excellent place to train. Cool global health opportunities (up there with UCLA-OV).
Cons: Just didn’t get the right vibe that this was my place. It’s still top 6 because of location.
7) PA- Temple
Pros: Amazing program, this would be top 3 if my partner and I weren’t over the NE cold. Maybe too much trauma? Well recognized nationally. Residents seemed to get a long really well. Would still be stoked be train here.
Cons: winters, ready to go back home
8) NJ- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Pros: Another amazing program with high acuity and happy residents, faculty are very supportive.
Cons: Winters
9) DE- Christiana
Pros: Amazing 3 year program where the residents do it all (few residency programs at the hospital). Rotated here and the residents were as strong as the ones at Harbor and this is only a 3 year program. If you are looking for a away rotation and can consider yourself going here for residency I would absolutely do it. The Clerkship Director is awesome and direct with feedback, and I think the SLOE I got here helped a lot. Every resident I encountered was really in to teaching and if you live >50 miles from the hospital they give you free housing.
Cons: In Delaware. If I had family/was from here this would be top 3.
10) Jefferson
11) NC- Duke University Hospital
PD is amazing, you can do space medicine research with NASA!!! campus is beautiful. Residents were cool and down to earth.
12) PA- Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center Program
The faculty I met were all very nice and the campus is beautiful. Cool EMS opportunities. Not the right place for me.
Anything else to add?
Strong SLOES I believe are due to a combination of working hard on rotations (taking ownership of your patient from start to disposition and being aware enough of what tasks can be helpful to your resident/attending/team/nurse to ultimately improve patient care – even as simple as seeing if every patient would like an extra blanket! Or taking a minor procedure from the PGY-2 so they can have some extra time when they are drowning in patients), coming to every shift prepared and 5ish minutes early ready to go (meaning use resources like EM Clerkship Podcast, EM Basic, C3 from EMRAP, EMRA guide books beforehand to have a solid differential and basic knowledge base for working up common chief complaints), understanding how to give an EM presentation (use resources on YouTube and published EM articles on how to give a proper EM presentation in under 2 minutes), and honestly most importantly be respectful and kind to every patient and person you encounter on your rotation, and have good social awareness (ie. don't ask your attending/resident a bunch of questions when **** is hitting the fan, if there are patients waiting to be seen on the EMR ask your resident if it's cool you pick them up beforehand, grab a senior/attending asap if a patient looks sick/has an acute change in status, be normal and introduce yourself to all team members when you arrive for a shift, etc.)
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Maricopa, Eisenhower, Mt. Sinai-St. Lukes Roosevelt, Georgetown, UC San Diego, UC Davis, UNLV, USC/LAC, Univ. of Utah
Programs whose interviews you attended:
All the above
Programs that rejected you:
Einstein (philly), Desert Regional, Johns Hopkins, U of Arizona, U of Maryland, Univ. of Pennsylvania, UCSF
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2002
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- 24,268
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Huh? The program is 18 years old. There is nearly nothing that is the same from when I was there. There are no "kinks" to work out, because that was done more than 10 years ago. Whomever it is that posted this list, that concern strikes me as somewhat spurious, and does not seem concerning, at least to me.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/270's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: PF/Honors/HP
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Left blank
Main considerations in making this ROL: Happy residents, community feel, mix of academics/community/county, job opportunities for partner
1) CA- Stanford
Pros: Great interviews all around with faculty, residents at the dinner were fun and friendly, very female-heavy EM leadership which is awesome, unparalleled opportunities for mentorship in my specific area of interest which is fairly niche, great job opportunities for partner, love the Bay, the mix of mostly academic with some community (at Kaiser! it sounds like both a great place to train at and many residents work for kaiser in the future) and a little county seemed ideal for my learning preferences. I was nervous to rank it #1 without knowing who the PD would be, but after they announced the new pd and had the conference call with her I was totally reassured as she seems fantastic
Cons: COL is just absurd in the bay, thankfully my partner will have a real adult salary otherwise this would be lower on my list, traffic between stanford and santa clara sites can be bad but per residents this doesn't come up often as usually you're going against traffic
2) UT- University of Utah Program
Pros: The residents here were so warm and friendly! Definitely felt like I'd fit in. Great clinical training and residents get very competitive jobs/fellowships. Have family in SLC and would love to live in this area long term. SLC is a very tough market to get into and training here definitely helps. Good job opps for partner and we love all the mountain activities so quality of life would be pretty great
Cons: No mentors in the particular area I'm interested in, didn't click well with a couple of my faculty interviews which left a slightly more negative impression of the program
3) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
Loved basically everything about this program except that it is in LA and still has 12 hour shifts on weekends. The PD is truly fantastic, also a program with lots of amazing female leaders, and the residents seemed very happy. Mix of academic and county with time at antelope valley makes for a super strong clinical experience. This was number one for quite awhile but seeing on google maps how it could truly be 1.5 hour drive from olive view back to westwood in the AM after a night shift there made it drop.
4) CA- UC Davis (Sacramento)
Really strong 3 year program, diverse and sick patient population, PD's great. Don't love Sacramento but it's an easy drive to many places I do love (Tahoe, Yosemite, the Bay) and it does have a pretty good food scene. My least favorite interview since everyone had scripted question that often had negative connotations (eg your least favorite type of patient, your biggest pet peeve, time when on team with someone who annoyed you) which left a bad taste in my mouth. But would certainly be happy and well-trained here!
5) CA- UC Irvine
Never anticipated this program would be so high for me but I just really loved the residents, PD, and other faculty I met here! Such friendly, genuine people and seemed like a really close community. Another very solid 3 year program as far as clinical training, and would love the warmer climate
6) MN- Health Partners Institute/Regions Hospital (St. Paul)
Rotated here and it was a wonderful experience. Dr. Hegarty the PD is just fantastic, he is so friendly and cares so much about the residents. Conference is fantastic, faculty are great, residents are very happy. Wellness is certainly a priority here. It was a bit less academic then what I was looking for, didn't have any mentors doing work in my particular interest, and residents tended to stay in the midwest which is not where I want to be long term. But would be super happy to match here and probably offers the best quality of life of any program I interviewed at
7) ME- Maine Medical Center
Clinically I think this program was strongest of everywhere I interviewed because EM residents are able to do so much without ortho, ent, or optho residents to compete for procedures with. The current apd who is taking over as pd is amazing, residents were really great. Terrible job prospects for my partner or it would have been much higher. Also it's ridiculously cold
8) CA- UC San Francisco
Absolutely loved the residents, faculty, and mix of county/academic training here but would hate living in SF. Super strong program with a great mission and awesome opportunities for residents though
9) NM- University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Rotated here and have only good things to say about the program, it just isn't for me. Very sick and underserved patient population. Residents are SO impressive and get tons of procedures and trauma. They are also a super cool, down to earth bunch. Very much a county-style program which just isn't the best fit for me and my learning style
10) WI- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Program (Madison)
The 3+1 format and opportunity to do elective days throughout your EM months was my favorite program format but really not psyched about the location, hence it is low on my list. PD is awesome, residents are great, awesome training, just wish it weren't in Wisconsin!
11) AZ- U of A Tucson (South Campus)
Probably my favorite PD on the trail, she is truly incredible and it seems like a super great program but I really disliked Tucson
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/270's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: PF/Honors/HP
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Left blank
Main considerations in making this ROL: Happy residents, community feel, mix of academics/community/county, job opportunities for partner
1) CA- Stanford
Pros: Great interviews all around with faculty, residents at the dinner were fun and friendly, very female-heavy EM leadership which is awesome, unparalleled opportunities for mentorship in my specific area of interest which is fairly niche, great job opportunities for partner, love the Bay, the mix of mostly academic with some community (at Kaiser! it sounds like both a great place to train at and many residents work for kaiser in the future) and a little county seemed ideal for my learning preferences. I was nervous to rank it #1 without knowing who the PD would be, but after they announced the new pd and had the conference call with her I was totally reassured as she seems fantastic
Cons: COL is just absurd in the bay, thankfully my partner will have a real adult salary otherwise this would be lower on my list, traffic between stanford and santa clara sites can be bad but per residents this doesn't come up often as usually you're going against traffic
2) UT- University of Utah Program
Pros: The residents here were so warm and friendly! Definitely felt like I'd fit in. Great clinical training and residents get very competitive jobs/fellowships. Have family in SLC and would love to live in this area long term. SLC is a very tough market to get into and training here definitely helps. Good job opps for partner and we love all the mountain activities so quality of life would be pretty great
Cons: No mentors in the particular area I'm interested in, didn't click well with a couple of my faculty interviews which left a slightly more negative impression of the program
3) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
Loved basically everything about this program except that it is in LA and still has 12 hour shifts on weekends. The PD is truly fantastic, also a program with lots of amazing female leaders, and the residents seemed very happy. Mix of academic and county with time at antelope valley makes for a super strong clinical experience. This was number one for quite awhile but seeing on google maps how it could truly be 1.5 hour drive from olive view back to westwood in the AM after a night shift there made it drop.
4) CA- UC Davis (Sacramento)
Really strong 3 year program, diverse and sick patient population, PD's great. Don't love Sacramento but it's an easy drive to many places I do love (Tahoe, Yosemite, the Bay) and it does have a pretty good food scene. My least favorite interview since everyone had scripted question that often had negative connotations (eg your least favorite type of patient, your biggest pet peeve, time when on team with someone who annoyed you) which left a bad taste in my mouth. But would certainly be happy and well-trained here!
5) CA- UC Irvine
Never anticipated this program would be so high for me but I just really loved the residents, PD, and other faculty I met here! Such friendly, genuine people and seemed like a really close community. Another very solid 3 year program as far as clinical training, and would love the warmer climate
6) MN- Health Partners Institute/Regions Hospital (St. Paul)
Rotated here and it was a wonderful experience. Dr. Hegarty the PD is just fantastic, he is so friendly and cares so much about the residents. Conference is fantastic, faculty are great, residents are very happy. Wellness is certainly a priority here. It was a bit less academic then what I was looking for, didn't have any mentors doing work in my particular interest, and residents tended to stay in the midwest which is not where I want to be long term. But would be super happy to match here and probably offers the best quality of life of any program I interviewed at
7) ME- Maine Medical Center
Clinically I think this program was strongest of everywhere I interviewed because EM residents are able to do so much without ortho, ent, or optho residents to compete for procedures with. The current apd who is taking over as pd is amazing, residents were really great. Terrible job prospects for my partner or it would have been much higher. Also it's ridiculously cold
8) CA- UC San Francisco
Absolutely loved the residents, faculty, and mix of county/academic training here but would hate living in SF. Super strong program with a great mission and awesome opportunities for residents though
9) NM- University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Rotated here and have only good things to say about the program, it just isn't for me. Very sick and underserved patient population. Residents are SO impressive and get tons of procedures and trauma. They are also a super cool, down to earth bunch. Very much a county-style program which just isn't the best fit for me and my learning style
10) WI- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Program (Madison)
The 3+1 format and opportunity to do elective days throughout your EM months was my favorite program format but really not psyched about the location, hence it is low on my list. PD is awesome, residents are great, awesome training, just wish it weren't in Wisconsin!
11) AZ- U of A Tucson (South Campus)
Probably my favorite PD on the trail, she is truly incredible and it seems like a super great program but I really disliked Tucson
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 240's/240's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: Yes
Med School Region: Left blank
Anything else that made you more competitive: Work experience, several leadership roles in med school, EM research
Main considerations in making this ROL:
1) Location - big cities where my partner could find a non-medicine job
2) Clinical diversity
3) Career mentorship
1) CA- UC San Francisco
(+): All-around best fit in a city my partner and I are excited about. Love the hybrid academic/county model. Mission-oriented work at SFGH. Powerhouse institution = top-notch off service learning, opps for interdisciplinary projects. Numerous EM faculty doing research in my areas of interest. Appreciate that UCSF prioritizes wellness in concrete ways - generous vacation policy, subsidized housing. The residents I met said they've loved their experience and seem like happy, well-rounded people.
(-): Hesitant about giving up the more established/county programs. Get a sense that this program/dept is still evolving - turf wars, pushback from other depts. Had a pretty neutral interview day experience and only 3 residents showed up to my interview dinner.
2) MA- Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
(+): Big name academic institution with a broad network of faculty doing research in all areas of EM. Access to top-quality off-service learning and resources. Strongest all-around "brand" (in/out of EM and medicine). Residents are super impressive and confident but still down to earth. Program places a clear emphasis on fostering future leaders of EM and healthcare more broadly and I bought into that vision.
(-): Feel like the big picture overshadowed the small details, especially on interview day (weren't given much info about the program/rotations). No PD at rank list time. Some of the residents seemed a little worn down, not sure if there's time to access all the resources available. Very academic without a true county/public site. Some resident attrition in last few years.
3) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
(+): Awesome, quirky culture that prioritizes its residents and their learning. Residents here are completely bought into the mission of the place and make a compelling sell for joining the Highland family. Diverse, high need patient population. Well rounded clinical expertise with EM running circles around the hospital, literally and metaphorically. Track record of placing grads in competitive fellowships and cushy community jobs. More limited amount of formal research in the department, but supportive of resident-driven projects. PD is awesome.
(-): Small faculty size = worried about mentorship in my areas of interest. Lack of the "extra stuff" I was looking for - more structure around research, access to a broader academic health system. EM feels like the workhorse of the hospital. Marginal clinical downsides - (as of my interview date) level 2 trauma center, not a stroke or STEMI center. Alum network is strongest in areas of EM that are lower likelihood for me (ultrasound, global health).
4) CA- LAC Harbor UCLA
(+): Established county program, awesome clinical training, clear dedication to serving the community. Super diverse catchment area. Like other county programs, sense that EM runs the hospital. Harbor felt the most academic of the county programs - growing social EM emphasis, faculty interested in mentoring in my areas of interest. Super friendly residents who seemed really happy, huge turnout to pre-interview social.
(-): LA was a tougher city personally, otherwise this program would be higher. Alum network is predominantly in LA and majority in community jobs.
5) NY- NYU School of Medicine
(+): Hybrid program in a city I love. Felt the Bellevue mission echoed in the program. Large and growing research arm with emphasis on my areas of interest.
(-): Clinical/logistical challenges of practicing in NYC. Residents didn't seem enthralled with the Langone experience, residents can't supervise while they're there. Starting at NYU Brooklyn which could be a good addition clinically but will be logistically tough.
6) NY- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
(+): Most fun social of the year and the only one where I voluntarily stayed an hour late. Residents are legitimately friends with each other, very fun and outgoing crowd. Their PGY4s were getting amazing interviews for academic jobs around the city. Like NYU and UCSF, the hybrid model with Sinai/Elmhurst really resonates with me. Huge emphasis on research with support for resident projects.
(-): Typical NYC clinical/logistical challenges - but perhaps more extreme at Sinai. Long commute to Elmhurst (though it's an awesome hospital). Department had a few bad headlines during my interview year which made me uneasy.
7) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
(+): Definitely the best clinical training of anywhere I interviewed. Loved the interview day and the sense of mission and history at this program. Witnessed more than one resident grow emotional talking about how much the program has impacted them. Amazing clinical opportunities that push residents to grow over time (i.e. Jail ED, code bag, two-star role for PGY4s).
(-): All of the above comes at a personal cost, and residents were more/less bought into this sacrifice. Some saying it was life-changing, others more cynical and ready to be done. Probably has the least amount of "extra stuff" of any of my top programs.
8) MA- Boston University Medical Center
(+): Big emphasis on social EM with lots of research/projects in that area. Mission-oriented culture. Great clinical pathology at BMC. Residents seem very down to earth and happy.
(-): 4th year felt too unstructured for me (3rd year intentionally designed as capstone clinical experience).
9) RI- Brown University Program
(+): Unique clinical catchment with academic/county populations at same site. Residents are awesome - very laid back, friendly. Enthusiastic PD who's supportive of resident initiatives. Residents go to wide range of fellowships, community, academic jobs. Large faculty with diverse academic interests.
(-): Providence would be a tough city for my partner. Otherwise this is an awesome department/program. 3 weeks vacation.
10) CA- Stanford
(+): Love the new chair and her vision for the department/program. New focus on developing leaders in EM. Access to resources of Stanford. Nice balance of clinical sites (though would want more time at SCVMC).
(-): Not a huge fan of Palo Alto. Felt like there was a lot of flux in the dept as they roll out the 4 year program, start with new PD, new vision. Some resident attrition recently. 3 weeks vacation.
11) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
(+): Nice balance of clinical sites. Flexible curriculum with lots of elective time. Best benefits in LA. Leadership seems very involved.
(-): Traffic/commute between sites. Personally didn't click with residents.
12) MA- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School
(+): 3+1 model seems pretty ideal for those committed to fellowship. Strong clinical training - the 3s are truly running the dept on shift. High acuity, busy ED. Diverse range of clinical sites.
(-): Lack of true county exposure. Less emphasis on social EM. Didn't personally click with residents. Big emphasis on speed/productivity on-shift (they publicly track #s). Many clinical sites requiring commuting.
13) IL- University of Chicago
(+): LOVE the PD. Great clinical diversity with single-site combo of academic/tertiary. Residents were enthusiastic and friendly.
(-): Partner and I decided against Chicago for personal reasons. Otherwise this is a great program.
14) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
(+): Compelling pitch about fostering leaders in EM. LOTS of resources to support research and resident projects.
(-): Not enough of a social/county mission for me. Decided against Chicago. Had a couple of weird interactions with residents.
Anything else to add?
Was hard to put these in order! Think I would have been very happy at most places I interviewed.
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Denver, UCSD, UC Davis, U Washington, Vanderbilt, Emory, Penn, NYP, GW
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 240's/240's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: Yes
Med School Region: Left blank
Anything else that made you more competitive: Work experience, several leadership roles in med school, EM research
Main considerations in making this ROL:
1) Location - big cities where my partner could find a non-medicine job
2) Clinical diversity
3) Career mentorship
1) CA- UC San Francisco
(+): All-around best fit in a city my partner and I are excited about. Love the hybrid academic/county model. Mission-oriented work at SFGH. Powerhouse institution = top-notch off service learning, opps for interdisciplinary projects. Numerous EM faculty doing research in my areas of interest. Appreciate that UCSF prioritizes wellness in concrete ways - generous vacation policy, subsidized housing. The residents I met said they've loved their experience and seem like happy, well-rounded people.
(-): Hesitant about giving up the more established/county programs. Get a sense that this program/dept is still evolving - turf wars, pushback from other depts. Had a pretty neutral interview day experience and only 3 residents showed up to my interview dinner.
2) MA- Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
(+): Big name academic institution with a broad network of faculty doing research in all areas of EM. Access to top-quality off-service learning and resources. Strongest all-around "brand" (in/out of EM and medicine). Residents are super impressive and confident but still down to earth. Program places a clear emphasis on fostering future leaders of EM and healthcare more broadly and I bought into that vision.
(-): Feel like the big picture overshadowed the small details, especially on interview day (weren't given much info about the program/rotations). No PD at rank list time. Some of the residents seemed a little worn down, not sure if there's time to access all the resources available. Very academic without a true county/public site. Some resident attrition in last few years.
3) CA- Alameda Health- Highland Hospital
(+): Awesome, quirky culture that prioritizes its residents and their learning. Residents here are completely bought into the mission of the place and make a compelling sell for joining the Highland family. Diverse, high need patient population. Well rounded clinical expertise with EM running circles around the hospital, literally and metaphorically. Track record of placing grads in competitive fellowships and cushy community jobs. More limited amount of formal research in the department, but supportive of resident-driven projects. PD is awesome.
(-): Small faculty size = worried about mentorship in my areas of interest. Lack of the "extra stuff" I was looking for - more structure around research, access to a broader academic health system. EM feels like the workhorse of the hospital. Marginal clinical downsides - (as of my interview date) level 2 trauma center, not a stroke or STEMI center. Alum network is strongest in areas of EM that are lower likelihood for me (ultrasound, global health).
4) CA- LAC Harbor UCLA
(+): Established county program, awesome clinical training, clear dedication to serving the community. Super diverse catchment area. Like other county programs, sense that EM runs the hospital. Harbor felt the most academic of the county programs - growing social EM emphasis, faculty interested in mentoring in my areas of interest. Super friendly residents who seemed really happy, huge turnout to pre-interview social.
(-): LA was a tougher city personally, otherwise this program would be higher. Alum network is predominantly in LA and majority in community jobs.
5) NY- NYU School of Medicine
(+): Hybrid program in a city I love. Felt the Bellevue mission echoed in the program. Large and growing research arm with emphasis on my areas of interest.
(-): Clinical/logistical challenges of practicing in NYC. Residents didn't seem enthralled with the Langone experience, residents can't supervise while they're there. Starting at NYU Brooklyn which could be a good addition clinically but will be logistically tough.
6) NY- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
(+): Most fun social of the year and the only one where I voluntarily stayed an hour late. Residents are legitimately friends with each other, very fun and outgoing crowd. Their PGY4s were getting amazing interviews for academic jobs around the city. Like NYU and UCSF, the hybrid model with Sinai/Elmhurst really resonates with me. Huge emphasis on research with support for resident projects.
(-): Typical NYC clinical/logistical challenges - but perhaps more extreme at Sinai. Long commute to Elmhurst (though it's an awesome hospital). Department had a few bad headlines during my interview year which made me uneasy.
7) CA- USC LAC+USC (Los Angeles)
(+): Definitely the best clinical training of anywhere I interviewed. Loved the interview day and the sense of mission and history at this program. Witnessed more than one resident grow emotional talking about how much the program has impacted them. Amazing clinical opportunities that push residents to grow over time (i.e. Jail ED, code bag, two-star role for PGY4s).
(-): All of the above comes at a personal cost, and residents were more/less bought into this sacrifice. Some saying it was life-changing, others more cynical and ready to be done. Probably has the least amount of "extra stuff" of any of my top programs.
8) MA- Boston University Medical Center
(+): Big emphasis on social EM with lots of research/projects in that area. Mission-oriented culture. Great clinical pathology at BMC. Residents seem very down to earth and happy.
(-): 4th year felt too unstructured for me (3rd year intentionally designed as capstone clinical experience).
9) RI- Brown University Program
(+): Unique clinical catchment with academic/county populations at same site. Residents are awesome - very laid back, friendly. Enthusiastic PD who's supportive of resident initiatives. Residents go to wide range of fellowships, community, academic jobs. Large faculty with diverse academic interests.
(-): Providence would be a tough city for my partner. Otherwise this is an awesome department/program. 3 weeks vacation.
10) CA- Stanford
(+): Love the new chair and her vision for the department/program. New focus on developing leaders in EM. Access to resources of Stanford. Nice balance of clinical sites (though would want more time at SCVMC).
(-): Not a huge fan of Palo Alto. Felt like there was a lot of flux in the dept as they roll out the 4 year program, start with new PD, new vision. Some resident attrition recently. 3 weeks vacation.
11) CA- UCLA David Geffen/Olive View
(+): Nice balance of clinical sites. Flexible curriculum with lots of elective time. Best benefits in LA. Leadership seems very involved.
(-): Traffic/commute between sites. Personally didn't click with residents.
12) MA- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School
(+): 3+1 model seems pretty ideal for those committed to fellowship. Strong clinical training - the 3s are truly running the dept on shift. High acuity, busy ED. Diverse range of clinical sites.
(-): Lack of true county exposure. Less emphasis on social EM. Didn't personally click with residents. Big emphasis on speed/productivity on-shift (they publicly track #s). Many clinical sites requiring commuting.
13) IL- University of Chicago
(+): LOVE the PD. Great clinical diversity with single-site combo of academic/tertiary. Residents were enthusiastic and friendly.
(-): Partner and I decided against Chicago for personal reasons. Otherwise this is a great program.
14) IL- McGaw of Northwestern University (Chicago)
(+): Compelling pitch about fostering leaders in EM. LOTS of resources to support research and resident projects.
(-): Not enough of a social/county mission for me. Decided against Chicago. Had a couple of weird interactions with residents.
Anything else to add?
Was hard to put these in order! Think I would have been very happy at most places I interviewed.
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Denver, UCSD, UC Davis, U Washington, Vanderbilt, Emory, Penn, NYP, GW
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: PF/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: History as EMT-B
Main considerations in making this ROL: Perceived fit, Reputation, Location (midwest/south)
1) TN- Vanderbilt
Felt like the ultimate fit. Great EMS experiences available. Fantastic leadership. Love Nashville.
2) TX- University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Program
Went back and forth with this program a lot, but I had such a great interview day. I really think this program is heading in a fantastic direction under Dr. Berger. EMS fellowship coming soon. Although it is a newer program, it sounds like the other specialties are newer around the hospital as well i.e. less consulting according to the residents. Austin is a great city. Would be thrilled to end up here.
3) NC- Wake Forest University School of Medicine Program
Incredible program in a less than desirable location. Far from home. Awesome opportunity for EMS involvement and fellowship. Residents seem very happy here.
4) TX- University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program
Loved the program and the hospital. Didn't love the concept of consulting for what seems like everything. Also didn't love how dominant trauma seems to be here, and that the procedure month is 30 minutes away
5) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Program really seems to be on the rise. Really would have loved it more had the residents not seemed so miserable at the social. Great interview day and the hours don't seem so awful. Ultimately, the doom & gloom intro to the program by the 3rd year resident really turned me away.
6) MO- University of Missouri Kansas City
Program seems fantastic, and I love KC. For being such an established program, I was a little disappointed in their EMS opportunities (no fellowship, flight not allowed).
7) TX- Christus Health/Texas A&M College of Medicine/Spohn Hospital Program
Program seems fantastic and the residents come out competent to do ANY procedure on their own without consulting help. Location is far from family and I'm not sold on fellowship preparedness coming out of here.
8) FL- UF Gainesville
9) IL- Advocate Health Care (Oak Lawn, Chicago)
Wanted to love this program but just didn't vibe with the residents/faculty. Great patient population and residents seem very prepared.
10) KS- University of Kansas
11) MI- Spectrum Health/MSU (Grand Rapids)
12) MO- St. Louis University
13) IL- Southern Illinois University (Springfield)
14) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
15) UT- Nashville/Murfreesboro
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Rush, University of Nebraska, Medical University of South Carolina, U of Louisville, U of Iowa, U of Missouri - Columbia
Programs that rejected you:
Emory, U of Chicago, U of Illinois - Chicago, Indiana, University of South Florida, University of Florida - Jacksonville, Carolinas Medical Center, Hennepin
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: PF/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: History as EMT-B
Main considerations in making this ROL: Perceived fit, Reputation, Location (midwest/south)
1) TN- Vanderbilt
Felt like the ultimate fit. Great EMS experiences available. Fantastic leadership. Love Nashville.
2) TX- University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Program
Went back and forth with this program a lot, but I had such a great interview day. I really think this program is heading in a fantastic direction under Dr. Berger. EMS fellowship coming soon. Although it is a newer program, it sounds like the other specialties are newer around the hospital as well i.e. less consulting according to the residents. Austin is a great city. Would be thrilled to end up here.
3) NC- Wake Forest University School of Medicine Program
Incredible program in a less than desirable location. Far from home. Awesome opportunity for EMS involvement and fellowship. Residents seem very happy here.
4) TX- University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program
Loved the program and the hospital. Didn't love the concept of consulting for what seems like everything. Also didn't love how dominant trauma seems to be here, and that the procedure month is 30 minutes away
5) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program
Program really seems to be on the rise. Really would have loved it more had the residents not seemed so miserable at the social. Great interview day and the hours don't seem so awful. Ultimately, the doom & gloom intro to the program by the 3rd year resident really turned me away.
6) MO- University of Missouri Kansas City
Program seems fantastic, and I love KC. For being such an established program, I was a little disappointed in their EMS opportunities (no fellowship, flight not allowed).
7) TX- Christus Health/Texas A&M College of Medicine/Spohn Hospital Program
Program seems fantastic and the residents come out competent to do ANY procedure on their own without consulting help. Location is far from family and I'm not sold on fellowship preparedness coming out of here.
8) FL- UF Gainesville
9) IL- Advocate Health Care (Oak Lawn, Chicago)
Wanted to love this program but just didn't vibe with the residents/faculty. Great patient population and residents seem very prepared.
10) KS- University of Kansas
11) MI- Spectrum Health/MSU (Grand Rapids)
12) MO- St. Louis University
13) IL- Southern Illinois University (Springfield)
14) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
15) UT- Nashville/Murfreesboro
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Rush, University of Nebraska, Medical University of South Carolina, U of Louisville, U of Iowa, U of Missouri - Columbia
Programs that rejected you:
Emory, U of Chicago, U of Illinois - Chicago, Indiana, University of South Florida, University of Florida - Jacksonville, Carolinas Medical Center, Hennepin
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 220's/250's (USMLE) 600's/625's (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/HP
AOA: No
Med School Region: Southwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Leadership in EMIG, Alot of extracurriculars, 1st generation student, Non-trad student with job experiences
Main considerations in making this ROL: Strength of program, Best quality of life, Location, Gut feeling
1) TX- Christus Health/Texas A&M College of Medicine/Spohn Hospital Program
Pros: HIDDEN GEM, huge catchment area, unopposed program with only family med there, running ED and ICU services with only attendings, alot of independence to the residents, their procedure numbers are off the charts, 3rd year residents are incredibly strong, level 2 trauma center functions as a level 1 with very few transfers out, great quality of life living on the beach, transitioning to 9 hour shifts, brand new ED with beautiful trauma bays that are ALWAYS in use, faculty is incredible - there are a mix of seasoned and young attendings, everyone gets along great, a lot of social events, brand new SIM lab and entertaining didactics, unlimited food, free parking, increased their pay by $5k this year, intern year bonus to help with moves, 4 weeks of vacation every year, COL in the Corpus is fantastic, moonlighting is recommended and the residents make bank, longitudinal peds at a top tier children's hospital, I mean I could on and on about this program.
Cons: Corpus isn't the best town to live in, airport is tiny with very few direct flights, honestly no CONS about the program it's all about if you could live in the town for 3 years. EMR is meditech.
2) TX- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center-PLFSOM Program
Pros: Another HIDDEN GEM, amazing pathology from being a border town, vast catchment area, a huge amount of procedures, great relationship with trauma and ortho so reductions and tubes are done in the ED, it is not uncommon to deliver babies in the ED, great US experience, faculty is very invested but laid back at the same time, journal clubs and EMRAP sessions are off-site at attendings houses or nice restaurants, El Paso has a fantastic COL, the community was one of my favorite things about the program - the patients are grateful and kind, you'll leave this program proficient in medical spanish, amazing SIM lab experience, good didactics, the residents seem like they get along well, work 12s but get half of the month off and you get to choose 4-5 days off in a row that you'd like for the ED month (I've heard of residents scheduling week long trips off on their ED month with no issues), food stipend at the hospital, free parking, insurance for you and your entire family!
Cons: El Paso is pretty far from anything, small airport with few direct flights, pay is lower than most programs I interviewed at, peds experience is non-existent in first year which is nuts, first years are not exposed to the trauma/resuscitation pod until late in their 1st year
3) TX- John Peter Smith Hospital (Tarrant County Hospital District) Program
Pros: Super strong county program, residents are exposed to very sick patients and crazy traumas daily, good relationship with surgery/ortho and take turns on traumas, high procedure numbers, faculty is fantastic, new didactic curriculum is very good per residents, no internal medicine residency so ED and FM residents are running a huge ICU service, benefits are fantastic, food stipend, 9-10 hour shifts, EPIC EMR w/ M-Modal, Fort Worth is a great city and growing constantly, less traffic than Dallas, COL is cheaper, external moonlighting is limited but allowed, homeless patient care elective, overall a really strong program but some flaws, family/close friends live nearby
Cons: the residents don't seem to gel together, they work well on shift but it doesn't come across as they hang out outside of work, less social activities as a class, 24 hour call q 4 on ICU months, commute to Dallas for all pediatric experiences
4) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
Pros: As everyone before me as said Dr. Muck is fantastic, he is one of my favorite PDs from interview season, the faculty is large but they seem very invested in the education of the residents, very nice didactics room, residents were friendly and seemed like they all hung out outside of work, ED is fairly new, residents procedure numbers were impressive but not like the residents at 1-3, supposedly good relationship with trauma, work 8s, teaching opportunities with medical students, global health electives, good COL in San Antonio, amazing food in the area
Cons: peds experience needs some improvement, trauma unit is separated away from the ED, unsure how trauma experience would be but was told there was no issues, San Antonio has horrendous traffic, very small meal stipend, only 2-3 weeks of vacation during specific months
5) MO- University of Missouri Kansas City
Pros: strong female presence in leadership, strong peds experience (full blocks and longitudinal), large catchment area, county feel, residents get great procedural experience, best interview dinners of the season, older program with EM leadership in higher levels of the hospital/medical school, Kansas city is a cool town, great benefits, interns work 15 8s starting out with 1 hour overlap, good relationship with trauma/ortho (didactics with surgery residents sometimes), NICU rotation, moonlighting opportunities, med ed fellowship, residents seemed very strong and all got along and hung out outside of work, would have been higher if it was in TX
Cons: away from family, colder weather, call on ICU months and surgery, heard ortho was a crap rotation, low food allowance, only 3 weeks of vacation, interns are sheltered the first year and do not get scheduled in trauma bays
6) LA- Louisiana State University Baton Rouge
Pros: loved the PD and majority of faculty, all the residents were laid-back and my kind of people, residents hung out after dinner and very friendly, very new hospital, benefits are great, free food in doctor's lounges, 3 weeks + XMAS or NYE in PGY1 and 4 weeks plus holidays in PGY2/3, 12s on weekends to allow 2 weekends off per ED month, 9-10 hour shifts regularly, traumas are ran by EM, residents procedures were fantastic, longitudinal peds, EPIC EMR, moonlighting allowed 3rd year, overall really great feel, Baton Rouge was a chill college town and only an hour drive to NOLA, would have been higher if it was in TX
Cons: only one month of elective, women's hospital is separate and only exposed to OB for 1 month, PGY2 &3 have q 4 call on ICU months, only see one area of the ED which is the resuscitation/trauma bays and very sick work up patients, see less level 3s/4s
7) OK- University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine (Tulsa) Program
Pros: Loved the PD and EM Chair, probably the nicest residents I've met on the trail, unopposed residency, residents had an impressive list of procedures, strong 3rd year residents, faculty was amazing, monthly meal stipend, 1/3 of residents go into academics, $700 moving stipend, 16/15/14 12s with non-vacation time off requests approved during ED months, unopposed traumas at level 2/3 centers, ENT/Ortho/Chest tubes all done by residents, PGY3 teaching shift elective, EPIC + dragon EMR, great moonlighting opportunities, Tulsa is a growing town with a beautiful new park The Gathering Place, Great COL
Cons: poor peds experience, one month in PGY1 at OU Childrens in OKC and no longitudinal after that, they state that you do see peds in the ED but residents said this was the weakest part of the program, level 2 trauma center isn't the main ED rotating site so trauma experience is hit or miss depending on your shifts/months scheduled, living in Oklahoma
8) SC- Medical University of South Carolina Program
Pros: loved the PD and faculty, beautiful hospital and grounds, laid-back and fun residents, all of them seem like they hang out after work and are genuinely happy at their program, free access to MUSC gym/rec center, free phone, state-of-the-art SIM center, work 9s with 1 hour of overlap 21/20/19 on month long blocks, 2 months of electives, a lot of fellowship opportunities, EPIC EMR, moonlighting in PGY3, good peds experience (longitudinal) Charleston is an awesome city that I could live in for 3 years, close to the beach, great food
Cons: poor trauma experience, separate trauma center with only one month there in PGY2, longitudinal shifts in trauma site, also they have a chest pain center separate from the regular ED that you take shifts at each ED month, not sure how to feel about a separate chest pain center but residents didn't seem to mind it, less procedures and lower acuity than the other programs I've listed, COL in Charleston is higher than other programs, salary is not inflated to the COL, very low food stipend at work, you have to pay for parking and health insurance
9) MS- University of Mississippi
Pros: strong county/academic program, 3rd year residents are very strong, moonlighting opportunities are unreal (a resident told me that they made $325 an hour at one place during holidays), close to family, great benefits, low COL in Jackson, snack lounge for residents, super cool telemergency system that MS uses to communicate with PAs/NPs in smaller communities, hybrid shifts so you work 12s, 10s, and 8s, Mississippi has VERY sick patients and this is the only level 1 trauma center of the state so the pathology is amazing, no call on ICU, fellowship opportunities, EPIC + M-modal, residents were laid back and chill, loved the faculty, woman PD
Cons: living in Jackson, pay is low compared to other programs, no longitudinal peds, have to be "assertive/aggressive" with ortho, trauma, and OB/GYN for procedures, only 3 weeks of vacation a month, work more than the other programs listed before
10) FL- Aventura Hospital
Pros: unopposed residency, residents get a lot of procedural experience, 4 weeks of vacation each year, 12 hour shifts but 16 shifts every month for all 3 years, easy to request days off that are non-vacation, residents seemed happy and did multiple social events during the year, faculty was very nice and invested in the well-being of the residents, free food at the hospital, free parking, good benefits, interns are thrown in trauma/resuscitation bays, no hierarchy for procedures, moonlighting opportunities in PGY3, living in Miami would be cool for 3 years, we have family in the area
Cons: HCA facility, wasn't crazy about the PD, high COL in Miami and salary is not adjusted, away rotations for peds/PICU - 1 hour away, away rotation for OB/GYN 1 mo - 30 minutes away, 1 mo community ED off site, only 3 ED months PGY1, no longitudinal peds shifts, meditech EMR
11) FL- University of Florida (Gainesville)
Pros: prestigious name, the PD was fantastic - very genuine and kind, residents were friendly and greeted us on our tours, very beautiful campus, low COL in Gainesville, large catchment area, large academic center so very interesting pathology, fair salary for COL, great health insurance for you and family, scribes available for PGY2 and 3 years, 9 hours usual shifts, 12 hour on weekends grantees 2 weekends off per month, longitudinal critical care shifts, longitudinal peds, EPIC EMR, lots of fellowship opportunities, moonlighting allowed in PGY3
Cons: this is the only interview that made me PAY for parking (WTH), you also have to pay for parking as a resident, low procedure numbers, I talked to a PGY2 half-way through the year and she said she hadn't done one chest tube, a lot of procedures are taken from ENT/Ortho/Trauma, only 3 weeks of vacation, worked more shifts than a lot of other programs - residents complained too, trauma months - no longitudinal shifts, wasn't a fan of the faculty (very bland), Gainesville is in the middle of nowhere Florida and the airport is tiny with very few direct flights, for me even though this is a great name program location/experience out won prestige.
12) OK- Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (Lawton) Program
Pros: unopposed residency, large catchment area, large amount of procedures, unopposed traumas, experience with stabilization and transferring to OU in OKC if needed, free food, great moonlighting opportunities (ability to double resident salary), really liked the PD and faculty, residents were laid back, COL in Lawton is ridiculously low, closer to TX and family, ability to take off time that's not vacation during ED months is doable, very strong 3rd year residents
Cons: living in Lawton, there's NOTHING to do, salary was the lowest at any program I interviewed at, 6 months of your 3 years are spent outside of Lawton for away rotations, no longitudinal peds, 2 mos in Tulsa, 3 months in OKC, 1 mo in Atlus for rural ED, only 3 weeks of vacation
13) SC- Grand Strand Regional Medical Center Program
Pros: good relationship with trauma service, fair amount of procedures, free food, good benefits, living in near the beach, work at different hospitals in the city so you got a variety of patients from sick to not as sick, PGY2 elective to Honduras for 2 weeks, 2 months of electives, moonlighting opportunities at end of PGY2, most of the faculty was nice, residents were kind and seemed to hangout when they had off time
Cons: HCA facility, did not like the PD (weird vibe, talked about himself for >30 minutes in the interview presentation), Myrtle beach is semi-expensive to live and salary is not adjusted, procedures go to trauma/ortho more often, airport is tiny with few direct flights, farthest location away from family, work 18 12s in a 4 week block, no longitudinal peds, meditech
14) TX- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Lubbock Program
Pros: loved the faculty and PD, good baseline salary and low COL in Lubbock, level 1 trauma center, large catchment area, burn center, great benefits with health insurance for you and dependents, physician lounge accessible, 12 hour shifts with 16/15/14, 7 blocks in ED PGY1, longitudinal peds shifts in the ED, amazing moonlighting opportunities
Cons : BRAND NEW PROGRAM, I loved the idea of the program and if it had been a few years old it would have been higher on my list but I couldn't risk my training as a guinea pig for a new program, 1 mo of FM wards, 2 weeks of ortho clinic, living in Lubbock, unsure how the traumas are going to run as for procedures like chest tubes/reductions etc. with surgery residents, only 3 weeks of vacation in certain rotations
15) LA- Louisiana State University Shreveport
Pros: 4 weeks of vacation in PGY2/3, 8 hour shifts with 12 hour weekend shifts and shift reduction in PGY2/3, burn center elective, EPIC EMR, good moonlighting opportunities, liked the EM Chair and a couple of the faculty
Cons: did not like the PD (she made a rude comment about women residents getting pregnant in residency), overworked ED interns with 10-12 hour shifts (~20-21 shifts), trouble getting procedures other than airway on traumas, 1 mo in Marshall TX for community ED, only 3 weeks of vacation in PGY1, pay for meal plan, can purchase health insurance, med wards for 1 mo, 1 mo of OUT PATIENT PEDS (WHYYYY), residents didn't seem happy, overall terrible vibe here, plus you have to live in Shreveport
Anything else to add?
Applied to 56 programs, DO student
Programs that rejected you:
Maricopa, Emory, UNM, Cook County, Alabama, Indiana University, Hennepin, UA in Tucson
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 220's/250's (USMLE) 600's/625's (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: HP/Honors/HP
AOA: No
Med School Region: Southwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Leadership in EMIG, Alot of extracurriculars, 1st generation student, Non-trad student with job experiences
Main considerations in making this ROL: Strength of program, Best quality of life, Location, Gut feeling
1) TX- Christus Health/Texas A&M College of Medicine/Spohn Hospital Program
Pros: HIDDEN GEM, huge catchment area, unopposed program with only family med there, running ED and ICU services with only attendings, alot of independence to the residents, their procedure numbers are off the charts, 3rd year residents are incredibly strong, level 2 trauma center functions as a level 1 with very few transfers out, great quality of life living on the beach, transitioning to 9 hour shifts, brand new ED with beautiful trauma bays that are ALWAYS in use, faculty is incredible - there are a mix of seasoned and young attendings, everyone gets along great, a lot of social events, brand new SIM lab and entertaining didactics, unlimited food, free parking, increased their pay by $5k this year, intern year bonus to help with moves, 4 weeks of vacation every year, COL in the Corpus is fantastic, moonlighting is recommended and the residents make bank, longitudinal peds at a top tier children's hospital, I mean I could on and on about this program.
Cons: Corpus isn't the best town to live in, airport is tiny with very few direct flights, honestly no CONS about the program it's all about if you could live in the town for 3 years. EMR is meditech.
2) TX- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center-PLFSOM Program
Pros: Another HIDDEN GEM, amazing pathology from being a border town, vast catchment area, a huge amount of procedures, great relationship with trauma and ortho so reductions and tubes are done in the ED, it is not uncommon to deliver babies in the ED, great US experience, faculty is very invested but laid back at the same time, journal clubs and EMRAP sessions are off-site at attendings houses or nice restaurants, El Paso has a fantastic COL, the community was one of my favorite things about the program - the patients are grateful and kind, you'll leave this program proficient in medical spanish, amazing SIM lab experience, good didactics, the residents seem like they get along well, work 12s but get half of the month off and you get to choose 4-5 days off in a row that you'd like for the ED month (I've heard of residents scheduling week long trips off on their ED month with no issues), food stipend at the hospital, free parking, insurance for you and your entire family!
Cons: El Paso is pretty far from anything, small airport with few direct flights, pay is lower than most programs I interviewed at, peds experience is non-existent in first year which is nuts, first years are not exposed to the trauma/resuscitation pod until late in their 1st year
3) TX- John Peter Smith Hospital (Tarrant County Hospital District) Program
Pros: Super strong county program, residents are exposed to very sick patients and crazy traumas daily, good relationship with surgery/ortho and take turns on traumas, high procedure numbers, faculty is fantastic, new didactic curriculum is very good per residents, no internal medicine residency so ED and FM residents are running a huge ICU service, benefits are fantastic, food stipend, 9-10 hour shifts, EPIC EMR w/ M-Modal, Fort Worth is a great city and growing constantly, less traffic than Dallas, COL is cheaper, external moonlighting is limited but allowed, homeless patient care elective, overall a really strong program but some flaws, family/close friends live nearby
Cons: the residents don't seem to gel together, they work well on shift but it doesn't come across as they hang out outside of work, less social activities as a class, 24 hour call q 4 on ICU months, commute to Dallas for all pediatric experiences
4) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
Pros: As everyone before me as said Dr. Muck is fantastic, he is one of my favorite PDs from interview season, the faculty is large but they seem very invested in the education of the residents, very nice didactics room, residents were friendly and seemed like they all hung out outside of work, ED is fairly new, residents procedure numbers were impressive but not like the residents at 1-3, supposedly good relationship with trauma, work 8s, teaching opportunities with medical students, global health electives, good COL in San Antonio, amazing food in the area
Cons: peds experience needs some improvement, trauma unit is separated away from the ED, unsure how trauma experience would be but was told there was no issues, San Antonio has horrendous traffic, very small meal stipend, only 2-3 weeks of vacation during specific months
5) MO- University of Missouri Kansas City
Pros: strong female presence in leadership, strong peds experience (full blocks and longitudinal), large catchment area, county feel, residents get great procedural experience, best interview dinners of the season, older program with EM leadership in higher levels of the hospital/medical school, Kansas city is a cool town, great benefits, interns work 15 8s starting out with 1 hour overlap, good relationship with trauma/ortho (didactics with surgery residents sometimes), NICU rotation, moonlighting opportunities, med ed fellowship, residents seemed very strong and all got along and hung out outside of work, would have been higher if it was in TX
Cons: away from family, colder weather, call on ICU months and surgery, heard ortho was a crap rotation, low food allowance, only 3 weeks of vacation, interns are sheltered the first year and do not get scheduled in trauma bays
6) LA- Louisiana State University Baton Rouge
Pros: loved the PD and majority of faculty, all the residents were laid-back and my kind of people, residents hung out after dinner and very friendly, very new hospital, benefits are great, free food in doctor's lounges, 3 weeks + XMAS or NYE in PGY1 and 4 weeks plus holidays in PGY2/3, 12s on weekends to allow 2 weekends off per ED month, 9-10 hour shifts regularly, traumas are ran by EM, residents procedures were fantastic, longitudinal peds, EPIC EMR, moonlighting allowed 3rd year, overall really great feel, Baton Rouge was a chill college town and only an hour drive to NOLA, would have been higher if it was in TX
Cons: only one month of elective, women's hospital is separate and only exposed to OB for 1 month, PGY2 &3 have q 4 call on ICU months, only see one area of the ED which is the resuscitation/trauma bays and very sick work up patients, see less level 3s/4s
7) OK- University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine (Tulsa) Program
Pros: Loved the PD and EM Chair, probably the nicest residents I've met on the trail, unopposed residency, residents had an impressive list of procedures, strong 3rd year residents, faculty was amazing, monthly meal stipend, 1/3 of residents go into academics, $700 moving stipend, 16/15/14 12s with non-vacation time off requests approved during ED months, unopposed traumas at level 2/3 centers, ENT/Ortho/Chest tubes all done by residents, PGY3 teaching shift elective, EPIC + dragon EMR, great moonlighting opportunities, Tulsa is a growing town with a beautiful new park The Gathering Place, Great COL
Cons: poor peds experience, one month in PGY1 at OU Childrens in OKC and no longitudinal after that, they state that you do see peds in the ED but residents said this was the weakest part of the program, level 2 trauma center isn't the main ED rotating site so trauma experience is hit or miss depending on your shifts/months scheduled, living in Oklahoma
8) SC- Medical University of South Carolina Program
Pros: loved the PD and faculty, beautiful hospital and grounds, laid-back and fun residents, all of them seem like they hang out after work and are genuinely happy at their program, free access to MUSC gym/rec center, free phone, state-of-the-art SIM center, work 9s with 1 hour of overlap 21/20/19 on month long blocks, 2 months of electives, a lot of fellowship opportunities, EPIC EMR, moonlighting in PGY3, good peds experience (longitudinal) Charleston is an awesome city that I could live in for 3 years, close to the beach, great food
Cons: poor trauma experience, separate trauma center with only one month there in PGY2, longitudinal shifts in trauma site, also they have a chest pain center separate from the regular ED that you take shifts at each ED month, not sure how to feel about a separate chest pain center but residents didn't seem to mind it, less procedures and lower acuity than the other programs I've listed, COL in Charleston is higher than other programs, salary is not inflated to the COL, very low food stipend at work, you have to pay for parking and health insurance
9) MS- University of Mississippi
Pros: strong county/academic program, 3rd year residents are very strong, moonlighting opportunities are unreal (a resident told me that they made $325 an hour at one place during holidays), close to family, great benefits, low COL in Jackson, snack lounge for residents, super cool telemergency system that MS uses to communicate with PAs/NPs in smaller communities, hybrid shifts so you work 12s, 10s, and 8s, Mississippi has VERY sick patients and this is the only level 1 trauma center of the state so the pathology is amazing, no call on ICU, fellowship opportunities, EPIC + M-modal, residents were laid back and chill, loved the faculty, woman PD
Cons: living in Jackson, pay is low compared to other programs, no longitudinal peds, have to be "assertive/aggressive" with ortho, trauma, and OB/GYN for procedures, only 3 weeks of vacation a month, work more than the other programs listed before
10) FL- Aventura Hospital
Pros: unopposed residency, residents get a lot of procedural experience, 4 weeks of vacation each year, 12 hour shifts but 16 shifts every month for all 3 years, easy to request days off that are non-vacation, residents seemed happy and did multiple social events during the year, faculty was very nice and invested in the well-being of the residents, free food at the hospital, free parking, good benefits, interns are thrown in trauma/resuscitation bays, no hierarchy for procedures, moonlighting opportunities in PGY3, living in Miami would be cool for 3 years, we have family in the area
Cons: HCA facility, wasn't crazy about the PD, high COL in Miami and salary is not adjusted, away rotations for peds/PICU - 1 hour away, away rotation for OB/GYN 1 mo - 30 minutes away, 1 mo community ED off site, only 3 ED months PGY1, no longitudinal peds shifts, meditech EMR
11) FL- University of Florida (Gainesville)
Pros: prestigious name, the PD was fantastic - very genuine and kind, residents were friendly and greeted us on our tours, very beautiful campus, low COL in Gainesville, large catchment area, large academic center so very interesting pathology, fair salary for COL, great health insurance for you and family, scribes available for PGY2 and 3 years, 9 hours usual shifts, 12 hour on weekends grantees 2 weekends off per month, longitudinal critical care shifts, longitudinal peds, EPIC EMR, lots of fellowship opportunities, moonlighting allowed in PGY3
Cons: this is the only interview that made me PAY for parking (WTH), you also have to pay for parking as a resident, low procedure numbers, I talked to a PGY2 half-way through the year and she said she hadn't done one chest tube, a lot of procedures are taken from ENT/Ortho/Trauma, only 3 weeks of vacation, worked more shifts than a lot of other programs - residents complained too, trauma months - no longitudinal shifts, wasn't a fan of the faculty (very bland), Gainesville is in the middle of nowhere Florida and the airport is tiny with very few direct flights, for me even though this is a great name program location/experience out won prestige.
12) OK- Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (Lawton) Program
Pros: unopposed residency, large catchment area, large amount of procedures, unopposed traumas, experience with stabilization and transferring to OU in OKC if needed, free food, great moonlighting opportunities (ability to double resident salary), really liked the PD and faculty, residents were laid back, COL in Lawton is ridiculously low, closer to TX and family, ability to take off time that's not vacation during ED months is doable, very strong 3rd year residents
Cons: living in Lawton, there's NOTHING to do, salary was the lowest at any program I interviewed at, 6 months of your 3 years are spent outside of Lawton for away rotations, no longitudinal peds, 2 mos in Tulsa, 3 months in OKC, 1 mo in Atlus for rural ED, only 3 weeks of vacation
13) SC- Grand Strand Regional Medical Center Program
Pros: good relationship with trauma service, fair amount of procedures, free food, good benefits, living in near the beach, work at different hospitals in the city so you got a variety of patients from sick to not as sick, PGY2 elective to Honduras for 2 weeks, 2 months of electives, moonlighting opportunities at end of PGY2, most of the faculty was nice, residents were kind and seemed to hangout when they had off time
Cons: HCA facility, did not like the PD (weird vibe, talked about himself for >30 minutes in the interview presentation), Myrtle beach is semi-expensive to live and salary is not adjusted, procedures go to trauma/ortho more often, airport is tiny with few direct flights, farthest location away from family, work 18 12s in a 4 week block, no longitudinal peds, meditech
14) TX- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Lubbock Program
Pros: loved the faculty and PD, good baseline salary and low COL in Lubbock, level 1 trauma center, large catchment area, burn center, great benefits with health insurance for you and dependents, physician lounge accessible, 12 hour shifts with 16/15/14, 7 blocks in ED PGY1, longitudinal peds shifts in the ED, amazing moonlighting opportunities
Cons : BRAND NEW PROGRAM, I loved the idea of the program and if it had been a few years old it would have been higher on my list but I couldn't risk my training as a guinea pig for a new program, 1 mo of FM wards, 2 weeks of ortho clinic, living in Lubbock, unsure how the traumas are going to run as for procedures like chest tubes/reductions etc. with surgery residents, only 3 weeks of vacation in certain rotations
15) LA- Louisiana State University Shreveport
Pros: 4 weeks of vacation in PGY2/3, 8 hour shifts with 12 hour weekend shifts and shift reduction in PGY2/3, burn center elective, EPIC EMR, good moonlighting opportunities, liked the EM Chair and a couple of the faculty
Cons: did not like the PD (she made a rude comment about women residents getting pregnant in residency), overworked ED interns with 10-12 hour shifts (~20-21 shifts), trouble getting procedures other than airway on traumas, 1 mo in Marshall TX for community ED, only 3 weeks of vacation in PGY1, pay for meal plan, can purchase health insurance, med wards for 1 mo, 1 mo of OUT PATIENT PEDS (WHYYYY), residents didn't seem happy, overall terrible vibe here, plus you have to live in Shreveport
Anything else to add?
Applied to 56 programs, DO student
Programs that rejected you:
Maricopa, Emory, UNM, Cook County, Alabama, Indiana University, Hennepin, UA in Tucson
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/High Pass
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: First author non-EM pub, 1 EM co-author pub, interesting journey into medicine/previous life
Main considerations in making this ROL: South >>> Reputation> COL > S/O preference
1) NC- Carolinas Medical Center Program
Pros: Fantastic away rotation here. High acuity and busy but felt supported on almost all of my shifts. Great autonomy and no lack of procedures. South but not too southern. Most fun residents I'd met. No commuting to other sites! Really enjoyed all that Charlotte had to offer.
Cons: Not a huge fan of Charlotte traffic but it could be worse. I'll eventually get tired of drinking beer. Peds floor month (although I've heard this is tolerable). Below average vacation policy compared to 99% of other programs.
2) TN- Vanderbilt
Pros: Grew up recognizing Vanderbilt as "the Harvard of the South" so good name recognition. Personable PD and residents. S/O would have an easier time finding a job. Nashville can be fun sometimes (see below).
Cons: Nervous about starting under a new chair. Slovis asked me "any other questions?" for 20 minutes. Nashville is fun but is still pretty honky tonk and tourist heavy (which is apparently part of its appeal or something). Less reasonable COL. Was told pretty outright that my research interests wouldn't be a great fit for the Nashville demographic.
3) NC- Duke University Hospital
Pros: Really enjoyed this program. The PD gives the most inspiring and hyped talk about why Duke and why he loves EM. Durham is a cool city to live in sometimes (see below). Collegial residents. Great research opportunities. Hyperbaric center (I really don't care about this but that doesn't mean it's not cool).
Cons: Just didn't have all the warm and fuzzy vibes I was hoping to walk away with. I also felt like I was in undergrad again the entire time I was moving around the city.
4) FL- Jackson Memorial (Miami)
Pros: Collegial residents. Miami is a cool place to live sometimes (see below). Pretty okay pay and benefits for living in a high COL city. Hospital campus is gorgeous. I speak Spanish (as a 2nd language) so this would definitely be a good place to use it frequently.
Cons: Didn't really have any aha-click moments that stood out to me. Lyft ride back to my hotel was about 25 minutes longer than expected because of traffic. Everything that I did during my stay felt more expensive than I'd be willing to pay for 3 years. I hate the website layout (it's the little things). Tbh this program and #5 did a switcharoo.
5) NC- University of North Carolina
Don't even know where to begin or end. Won't even try to deny being negatively influenced by the last-minute hooplah. Overall good program but hated the thought of commuting as much as they do. Probably the most engaging didactics that I've sat through. I just felt a little misled by all of the conflicting information that was going around but not enough so to drop it off or all the way down my list.
6) AL- University of Alabama
Pros: Would be close to friends and family. Had a blast at the pre-interview dinner (definitely the best one out of all my interviews). PD and APD were super honest. PD is very personable and has a way of making you feel excited.
Cons: S/O okay with but not ecstatic about living in Birmingham-- in fairness, the last thing they did before leaving the city was visit the Civil Rights museum which is located across the street from 16th Street Baptist Church; talk about putting a damper on things. Weird alternating schedule with anesthesia for trauma airways.
7) FL- Orlando Health
Yes, everyone is happy, although I feel like this stereotype is so hyped that I ended up not caring. Tbh, I don't really remember much about this interview but had overall positive feelings. Neither I nor S/O would be ecstatic about living in Orlando. Went out one night and paid $14 for a drink and that was that.
8) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
Pros: Lots of recognition in the EM world and for good reason! Fantastic program overall and met several great residents. Fun pre-interview dinner.
Cons: Indianapolis.
9) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
Cool program, but nothing really jumped out at me.
Cons: Pretty heavy military vibes in leadership and even was surrounded applicants who had substantial military affiliation on my interview day. I just felt a bit left out.
10) AL- University of South Alabama
Brand spanking new program (recruiting their 2nd class I believe). Too nerve wracking of a feat to jump aboard.
Cons: Mobile. Cool city to visit though!
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined:
LSU- New Orleans, Maricopa, Univ of Arizona, Emory, MUSC, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Univ of South Florida
Programs whose interviews you attended:
All ranked
Programs that rejected you:
Ghosted by UT Southwestern
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 250's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/High Pass
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: First author non-EM pub, 1 EM co-author pub, interesting journey into medicine/previous life
Main considerations in making this ROL: South >>> Reputation> COL > S/O preference
1) NC- Carolinas Medical Center Program
Pros: Fantastic away rotation here. High acuity and busy but felt supported on almost all of my shifts. Great autonomy and no lack of procedures. South but not too southern. Most fun residents I'd met. No commuting to other sites! Really enjoyed all that Charlotte had to offer.
Cons: Not a huge fan of Charlotte traffic but it could be worse. I'll eventually get tired of drinking beer. Peds floor month (although I've heard this is tolerable). Below average vacation policy compared to 99% of other programs.
2) TN- Vanderbilt
Pros: Grew up recognizing Vanderbilt as "the Harvard of the South" so good name recognition. Personable PD and residents. S/O would have an easier time finding a job. Nashville can be fun sometimes (see below).
Cons: Nervous about starting under a new chair. Slovis asked me "any other questions?" for 20 minutes. Nashville is fun but is still pretty honky tonk and tourist heavy (which is apparently part of its appeal or something). Less reasonable COL. Was told pretty outright that my research interests wouldn't be a great fit for the Nashville demographic.
3) NC- Duke University Hospital
Pros: Really enjoyed this program. The PD gives the most inspiring and hyped talk about why Duke and why he loves EM. Durham is a cool city to live in sometimes (see below). Collegial residents. Great research opportunities. Hyperbaric center (I really don't care about this but that doesn't mean it's not cool).
Cons: Just didn't have all the warm and fuzzy vibes I was hoping to walk away with. I also felt like I was in undergrad again the entire time I was moving around the city.
4) FL- Jackson Memorial (Miami)
Pros: Collegial residents. Miami is a cool place to live sometimes (see below). Pretty okay pay and benefits for living in a high COL city. Hospital campus is gorgeous. I speak Spanish (as a 2nd language) so this would definitely be a good place to use it frequently.
Cons: Didn't really have any aha-click moments that stood out to me. Lyft ride back to my hotel was about 25 minutes longer than expected because of traffic. Everything that I did during my stay felt more expensive than I'd be willing to pay for 3 years. I hate the website layout (it's the little things). Tbh this program and #5 did a switcharoo.
5) NC- University of North Carolina
Don't even know where to begin or end. Won't even try to deny being negatively influenced by the last-minute hooplah. Overall good program but hated the thought of commuting as much as they do. Probably the most engaging didactics that I've sat through. I just felt a little misled by all of the conflicting information that was going around but not enough so to drop it off or all the way down my list.
6) AL- University of Alabama
Pros: Would be close to friends and family. Had a blast at the pre-interview dinner (definitely the best one out of all my interviews). PD and APD were super honest. PD is very personable and has a way of making you feel excited.
Cons: S/O okay with but not ecstatic about living in Birmingham-- in fairness, the last thing they did before leaving the city was visit the Civil Rights museum which is located across the street from 16th Street Baptist Church; talk about putting a damper on things. Weird alternating schedule with anesthesia for trauma airways.
7) FL- Orlando Health
Yes, everyone is happy, although I feel like this stereotype is so hyped that I ended up not caring. Tbh, I don't really remember much about this interview but had overall positive feelings. Neither I nor S/O would be ecstatic about living in Orlando. Went out one night and paid $14 for a drink and that was that.
8) IN- Indiana University School of Medicine
Pros: Lots of recognition in the EM world and for good reason! Fantastic program overall and met several great residents. Fun pre-interview dinner.
Cons: Indianapolis.
9) TX- University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
Cool program, but nothing really jumped out at me.
Cons: Pretty heavy military vibes in leadership and even was surrounded applicants who had substantial military affiliation on my interview day. I just felt a bit left out.
10) AL- University of South Alabama
Brand spanking new program (recruiting their 2nd class I believe). Too nerve wracking of a feat to jump aboard.
Cons: Mobile. Cool city to visit though!
Programs Whose Interviews You Declined:
LSU- New Orleans, Maricopa, Univ of Arizona, Emory, MUSC, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Univ of South Florida
Programs whose interviews you attended:
All ranked
Programs that rejected you:
Ghosted by UT Southwestern
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/250's (USMLE) 600's/625's (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: Unsure/Unsure/Unsure/Unsure
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: ED scribe/scribe trainer/quality assurance person, a lot of involvement/leadership positions during med school, was told I have "strong" SLOEs but no idea how legit that is
Main considerations in making this ROL: people/fit, strength of training, location (urban>>), patient population, proximity to SO and family
1) IL- Advocate Health Care (Oak Lawn, Chicago)
Pros: Rotated here and loved it from day one. This was the only program that I immediately knew I meshed with the residents and the faculty. I liked the one-on-one resident to attending ratio- I dont think it was hand holding I think it allowed attendings to really teach the interns so that by third year they were pretty much able to handle anything. Superb training with an underserved community. SUCH SICK PATIENTS (cliche but for real some days it was just code after code). I've lived in chicago and have friends/family there.
Cons: SO will be five hours away, but this was my dream program and was the best decision for me. its cold as s***. I didnt love the dedicated trauma months instead of longitudinal, but that wasnt a deal breaker.
2) OH- Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Program
Pros: This was not one of the placed I rotated at, but my SO will be in Cleveland so after a lot of thought I decided to put this as second. It doesnt have the reputation like some other programs on my list because its a younger program but it has so much potential. It was the only program I interviewed at but didnt rotate that I got the "warm fuzzies". The faculty seems incredible. They were so excited about their program and it showed. Made it clear that if there were things you wanted to tackle during residency that they would make it happen for you. I do like the idea of making a program your own so this resonated with me. Great critical care experiences. Urban, underserved patient population. Cleveland is underrated city.
Cons: I have some hesitations about the way their trauma is set up with surgery/anesthesia, but again not a deal breaker. Younger programs have growing pains and I think those will still be there during my time there.
3) LA- Louisiana State University (New Orleans)
Pros: Rotated here and loved it. Great group of residents and attendings. Love the social mission and commitment to diversity. Underserved community. They have a really strong connection to the community after Katrina and that really hit home with me. I love NOLA- being the weird but awesome city that it is leads to weird but awesome cases. I know Id be able to handle anything coming out of here. Warm weather would be nice (although humidity in the summer is also a con).
Cons: NOLA is far away from my SO and had to compromise which is ultimately why it was my number three.
4) MO- University of Missouri Kansas City
Pros: Rotated here as well and also loved it. Dr Stubbs is awesome, but so is the rest of the faculty. They were probably the nicest people out of all of my rotations. Residents were also great. Underserved community. Receives most of the trauma for the city and good set up with surgery. KC is also an underrated city.
Cons: Despite the strong female faculty, the few female residents dropped this one a little lower on my list. Wasnt quite the volume of some of my other programs. I have no doubt I would be an extremely strong, competent physician coming out of here, but I do want to challenge myself during residency and felt that would happen more at other places. Also far from SO.
5) NY- SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn
Pros: No doubt would be able to handle anything coming out of this program. Reputation speaks for itself. I loved the social mission and the commitment to the community and diversity. Brooklyn is awesome and I have friends/family there. Would definitely be a challenge that I'm looking for.
Cons: Heard mixed opinions on whether it was a malignant program or not. To me, the residents seemed tired and like they worked hard, but also seemed to genuinely like the program. While I'm looking to challenge myself, I questioned whether it had crossed the line from challenging to just pointless. Brooklyn is expensive and dont think the salary compensates enough for that.
6) MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
Pros: Academic powerhouse with the resources to match. Would be a great place to develop connections and do research if I pursue academics. Residents did seem really close and were very friendly, just didnt have that click that I had at some other places. Underserved patients with tons of trauma. Family in the area.
Cons: Really wanted to put this one higher, but I just didnt click there with the residents as well as I did at other programs. I'm pretty familiar with the STL area and know that its a city with a lot of violence. This is great for trauma purposes, but I wish they had a greater social mission emphasis. If they had, I probably wouldve moved them above SUNY.
7) SC- Medical University of South Carolina Program
Pros: Charleston is great. Incredible weather. Everyone was very friendly and enthusiastic. If I didnt get one of my top programs this would be a great place to live and work.
Cons: I don't really have anything bad to say about them, but they also didnt stand out in any major way. I wanted more of an urban underserved population and wasnt sure I would get that here.
8) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
Rotated here and had a good experience, but just didnt mesh well with the residents. Had someone say they didnt remember who I was after working multiple shifts with them (just me resident and attending), which was a major turn off. Also, couldnt buy into the four site thing. Multiple EMRs, getting to know a new set of consultants, building rapport with nurses/techs, commuting. It just wasnt my cup of tea.
9) MO- St. Louis University
Great trauma experience and underserved patient population. Would definitely know how to care for sick patients after this. Again, wish there was a bigger social mission here given STL's reputation as a violent city. Also, know someone who rotated there and had the former PD make a comment about them "not having a brain because theyre a DO" in front of a patient and their family. Considering ill be a DO this just left a bad taste in my mouth.
10) NY- University of Rochester
Really loved this program. Had great conversations with all of the residents and attendings on my interview day. The critical care bay that you get to run as a second year was awesome. Think I would get great training here. Wasnt exactly the patient population I was looking for and at the end of the day I just dont want to live in Rochester.
11) NY- University at Buffalo
Enjoyed my interview day here. Had good conversations with all of the people I met. Unfortunately, I didnt get to meet a ton of residents so I think thats why it ended up here. Regardless, it has great training and you'd be a solid physician coming out of here. Also dont want to live in Buffalo.
12) NY- New York- Presbyterian/Queens
Loved the PD here. He was incredibly enthusiastic. I wanted to put this higher because of him and because of location, but I just had some awkward interactions with other attendings and residents and I dont think it would be the greatest fit.
13) GA- WellStar Kennestone Regional (Marietta)
I think this will be a strong program someday, but its just early for me to be confident in the outcomes when it comes to boards, fellowship placement etc. Super high volume with great faculty which I do think leads to good training. Still so many questions. Atlanta would be great to live in.
14) IA- University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Program
The people and facility were very nice here. I'm just not looking to be in a rural/college town location. I thought it was a little weird that they have a free for all set up where they pick up patients like first come first serve. Would worry that would either lead to gunner co-residents picking up everyone or slackers picking up no one. Also when asked about their weakness the resident said US. Big red flag for me.
15) NY- St. Barnabas (Bronx)
Only interview day I didnt enjoy. Residents were over worked and burned out. They had no qualms about sharing that. They were joking about how they used to get assaulted by patients all the time until they built their psych unit. When asked about their least favorite part of the program one response was "the patients" and other resident laughed "its an us vs. them mentality". I dont think they were cold careless people, but in my opinion, if I ever get to the point in my career where I'm so burned out that I hate all of my patients, I would be doing them a disservice by continuing to practice. I really dont want to hit that point before I've even graduated residency.
Anything else to add?
My top 6 were incredibly difficult to differentiate. They were very different in some ways, but I think I would be happy at any of them. To third years looking into rotations now, I would recommend any of these programs.
Programs whose interviews you declined:
University of Arkansas, Mt Sinai Florida, Albert Einstein
Programs That Rejected You:
Denver, Emory, U of Alabama, Temple, U of South Florida, Lincoln Med, Kaiser Permanent, UT Austin, U Pittsburgh, Cooper, U of Maryland, U of Florida-Jacksonville, Akron, UCLA, Allegheny. Silence from quite a few: Cook County, UTSW, UT Houston, MetroHealth, and others
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 230's/250's (USMLE) 600's/625's (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: Unsure/Unsure/Unsure/Unsure
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: ED scribe/scribe trainer/quality assurance person, a lot of involvement/leadership positions during med school, was told I have "strong" SLOEs but no idea how legit that is
Main considerations in making this ROL: people/fit, strength of training, location (urban>>), patient population, proximity to SO and family
1) IL- Advocate Health Care (Oak Lawn, Chicago)
Pros: Rotated here and loved it from day one. This was the only program that I immediately knew I meshed with the residents and the faculty. I liked the one-on-one resident to attending ratio- I dont think it was hand holding I think it allowed attendings to really teach the interns so that by third year they were pretty much able to handle anything. Superb training with an underserved community. SUCH SICK PATIENTS (cliche but for real some days it was just code after code). I've lived in chicago and have friends/family there.
Cons: SO will be five hours away, but this was my dream program and was the best decision for me. its cold as s***. I didnt love the dedicated trauma months instead of longitudinal, but that wasnt a deal breaker.
2) OH- Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Program
Pros: This was not one of the placed I rotated at, but my SO will be in Cleveland so after a lot of thought I decided to put this as second. It doesnt have the reputation like some other programs on my list because its a younger program but it has so much potential. It was the only program I interviewed at but didnt rotate that I got the "warm fuzzies". The faculty seems incredible. They were so excited about their program and it showed. Made it clear that if there were things you wanted to tackle during residency that they would make it happen for you. I do like the idea of making a program your own so this resonated with me. Great critical care experiences. Urban, underserved patient population. Cleveland is underrated city.
Cons: I have some hesitations about the way their trauma is set up with surgery/anesthesia, but again not a deal breaker. Younger programs have growing pains and I think those will still be there during my time there.
3) LA- Louisiana State University (New Orleans)
Pros: Rotated here and loved it. Great group of residents and attendings. Love the social mission and commitment to diversity. Underserved community. They have a really strong connection to the community after Katrina and that really hit home with me. I love NOLA- being the weird but awesome city that it is leads to weird but awesome cases. I know Id be able to handle anything coming out of here. Warm weather would be nice (although humidity in the summer is also a con).
Cons: NOLA is far away from my SO and had to compromise which is ultimately why it was my number three.
4) MO- University of Missouri Kansas City
Pros: Rotated here as well and also loved it. Dr Stubbs is awesome, but so is the rest of the faculty. They were probably the nicest people out of all of my rotations. Residents were also great. Underserved community. Receives most of the trauma for the city and good set up with surgery. KC is also an underrated city.
Cons: Despite the strong female faculty, the few female residents dropped this one a little lower on my list. Wasnt quite the volume of some of my other programs. I have no doubt I would be an extremely strong, competent physician coming out of here, but I do want to challenge myself during residency and felt that would happen more at other places. Also far from SO.
5) NY- SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn
Pros: No doubt would be able to handle anything coming out of this program. Reputation speaks for itself. I loved the social mission and the commitment to the community and diversity. Brooklyn is awesome and I have friends/family there. Would definitely be a challenge that I'm looking for.
Cons: Heard mixed opinions on whether it was a malignant program or not. To me, the residents seemed tired and like they worked hard, but also seemed to genuinely like the program. While I'm looking to challenge myself, I questioned whether it had crossed the line from challenging to just pointless. Brooklyn is expensive and dont think the salary compensates enough for that.
6) MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
Pros: Academic powerhouse with the resources to match. Would be a great place to develop connections and do research if I pursue academics. Residents did seem really close and were very friendly, just didnt have that click that I had at some other places. Underserved patients with tons of trauma. Family in the area.
Cons: Really wanted to put this one higher, but I just didnt click there with the residents as well as I did at other programs. I'm pretty familiar with the STL area and know that its a city with a lot of violence. This is great for trauma purposes, but I wish they had a greater social mission emphasis. If they had, I probably wouldve moved them above SUNY.
7) SC- Medical University of South Carolina Program
Pros: Charleston is great. Incredible weather. Everyone was very friendly and enthusiastic. If I didnt get one of my top programs this would be a great place to live and work.
Cons: I don't really have anything bad to say about them, but they also didnt stand out in any major way. I wanted more of an urban underserved population and wasnt sure I would get that here.
8) IL- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
Rotated here and had a good experience, but just didnt mesh well with the residents. Had someone say they didnt remember who I was after working multiple shifts with them (just me resident and attending), which was a major turn off. Also, couldnt buy into the four site thing. Multiple EMRs, getting to know a new set of consultants, building rapport with nurses/techs, commuting. It just wasnt my cup of tea.
9) MO- St. Louis University
Great trauma experience and underserved patient population. Would definitely know how to care for sick patients after this. Again, wish there was a bigger social mission here given STL's reputation as a violent city. Also, know someone who rotated there and had the former PD make a comment about them "not having a brain because theyre a DO" in front of a patient and their family. Considering ill be a DO this just left a bad taste in my mouth.
10) NY- University of Rochester
Really loved this program. Had great conversations with all of the residents and attendings on my interview day. The critical care bay that you get to run as a second year was awesome. Think I would get great training here. Wasnt exactly the patient population I was looking for and at the end of the day I just dont want to live in Rochester.
11) NY- University at Buffalo
Enjoyed my interview day here. Had good conversations with all of the people I met. Unfortunately, I didnt get to meet a ton of residents so I think thats why it ended up here. Regardless, it has great training and you'd be a solid physician coming out of here. Also dont want to live in Buffalo.
12) NY- New York- Presbyterian/Queens
Loved the PD here. He was incredibly enthusiastic. I wanted to put this higher because of him and because of location, but I just had some awkward interactions with other attendings and residents and I dont think it would be the greatest fit.
13) GA- WellStar Kennestone Regional (Marietta)
I think this will be a strong program someday, but its just early for me to be confident in the outcomes when it comes to boards, fellowship placement etc. Super high volume with great faculty which I do think leads to good training. Still so many questions. Atlanta would be great to live in.
14) IA- University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Program
The people and facility were very nice here. I'm just not looking to be in a rural/college town location. I thought it was a little weird that they have a free for all set up where they pick up patients like first come first serve. Would worry that would either lead to gunner co-residents picking up everyone or slackers picking up no one. Also when asked about their weakness the resident said US. Big red flag for me.
15) NY- St. Barnabas (Bronx)
Only interview day I didnt enjoy. Residents were over worked and burned out. They had no qualms about sharing that. They were joking about how they used to get assaulted by patients all the time until they built their psych unit. When asked about their least favorite part of the program one response was "the patients" and other resident laughed "its an us vs. them mentality". I dont think they were cold careless people, but in my opinion, if I ever get to the point in my career where I'm so burned out that I hate all of my patients, I would be doing them a disservice by continuing to practice. I really dont want to hit that point before I've even graduated residency.
Anything else to add?
My top 6 were incredibly difficult to differentiate. They were very different in some ways, but I think I would be happy at any of them. To third years looking into rotations now, I would recommend any of these programs.
Programs whose interviews you declined:
University of Arkansas, Mt Sinai Florida, Albert Einstein
Programs That Rejected You:
Denver, Emory, U of Alabama, Temple, U of South Florida, Lincoln Med, Kaiser Permanent, UT Austin, U Pittsburgh, Cooper, U of Maryland, U of Florida-Jacksonville, Akron, UCLA, Allegheny. Silence from quite a few: Cook County, UTSW, UT Houston, MetroHealth, and others
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 240's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Possibly my involvement with the AMA and being class President
Main considerations in making this ROL: 3 year programs, living in a fun city with outdoor activities was important to me. I weighed this against the quality of training. Also preferred programs with strong US training and chances for international electives.
1) UT- University of Utah Program
Love the residents here and love Salt Lake City! World class hiking, skiing, etc. Love how the program splits time at a large community site (Intermoutain medical center). Strong US, and international medicine opportunities. Ortho month at the base of ski resorts. Saw conference during my interview day and i really liked how the residents and attendings openly discussed things. Awesome PD and good benefits too.
Only possible negative is the acuity may not be as high as other places, but on the flip side everyone seemed very happy and not worn out.
2) MN- Hennepin
Absolute power house residency program. County program but with resources of a fancy academic center. Best US program I saw on the trail; 28 machines and doing TEE in the ED. Probably my favorite residents. Really good free food. Minneapolis is dope (although way too cold). This program was the exception to the location/climate rule i had, but the training is that good. It was tough not making this my number one. In the end i just saw myself being happier at Utah. Would be pumped to end up here though.
Cons: Too cold, potentially not good opportunities for international electives as its limited to two residents per year. Rent seemed kind of expensive compared to the salary for residents and for being in the midwest.
3) AZ- Maricopa
Great residents, great location, Phoenix is amazing. Really like the Spanish population here. PD is a little different, but he pushes for creating tailored training for each resident hence why they have 3 elective months and pays for you to attend a national conference every year. Lots of site variation including Mayo and a top tier neuro hospital.
Cons: slighlty worried about the resources here and how the merge with Creighton, and opening a new hospital will change things. In the end I completely expect it to better this program, but being caught in the middle of it might suck.
4) CA- Riverside
Favorite PD on the trail. I was astonished in how many ways I agreed with him on how residency and emergency medicine should work. New program, but thats what allowed him and the other leadership to do exactly what they wanted and to create a place that is residency education centered. Great patient population and they own ortho/trauma with lots of procedures. This program is amazing. Riverside is close to the mountains (including a ski resort), the beach and LA. COL/trafic did not seem bad since its not actually in LA. Plan to start US fellowship soon.
HCA but ED docs actually apart of Vituity.
Cons: did not fit in nearly as well with the residents as I did with my top 3. Use meditech as EMR 🙁
5) TX- University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Program
Residents are treated fantastic. 1:1 with attendings, 18-9hour shifts all 3 years. Free food in cafeteria, plus access to the doctors lounge with more free food. Good salary. Training is plenty good, but in my opinion not as good as my 1-4. Austin is sweet although there is limited outdoor activities here
6) IL- Advocate Health Care (Oak Lawn, Chicago)
Amazing training. 1:1 with attendings. 3 electives! Great US with the countries first fellowship. South side of Chicago with a sick urban population. Only reason its not higher was due to location for me. Chicago is a cool city (although lacking outdoor activities), but to live in Chicago you would have to drive 45-60 mins to work in traffic everyday which is apparently what the residents do. They act like its not bad and you get used to it, but few things in this world i hate more than a long commute in traffic. Also didn't like the idea of only being at one site for three years. I'm not sure what type of ED i want to work in post-residency and this would not help me figure that out.
7) CA- Loma Linda
Another great program with lots of cool things going on: event medicine (Coachella for example), tox, work at both LLUMC academic center and large county hospital. Maybe the best PEDs training of places i interviewed at. Just a gut decision that this place didn't end up higher.
8) KS- University of Kansas
Great program with sick patients. Kansas City is awesome. Best BBQ i have ever had. But I am from the Midwest and I want to go live in another part of the country for a few years
9) MO- University of Missouri Kansas City
Same as above.
10) WI- Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program (Milwaukee)
Milwaukee is actually pretty sweet, but can't justify the coldness up their. A lot of cool stuff going on here though and great EMS training, but again location/climate was huge for me.
11) MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
I rotated here and loved my month. Badass training with a badass PD (Jason Wagner). Loved the residents too. For me though I realized i couldn't justify a 4th year and St louis is just average.
12) NV- UNLV
Las Vegas is actually way more than just the strip. Near lots of great hiking and climbing and warm which is why i went on this interview, but i just didn't mesh with the residents or faculty. Everyone seemed nice just didn't fit in for whatever reason.
13) TX- Christus Health/Texas A&M College of Medicine/Spohn Hospital Program
Hidden gem. I rotated here and loved it. I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about this ED and the residents/faculty. Best moonlighting i have ever heard of. Would recommend doing a rotation here, very relaxed with unlimited free food and super easy end of rotation exam. However during my month here I realized that a) for me the beach gets old pretty quick and b) for me personally at this time in my life i need a bigger city. The airport here would also make it really difficult to get home and to visit friends. Also outside the ED rotations sounded very average.
14) NV- Sunrise Health
Cool new program and I love Vegas, but for me its just not quite established enough. Just needs a year or two more to get things all worked out and get US, off-service rotations and electives more established. Would still be a great program to train at. Also PD is a little strange, but I think his teaching style and the way he runs didactics is legit.
Programs whose interviews you declined:
UTSW, Nebraska, Arkansas, Regions, San Antonio, U of Wisconsin. Peoria-Illinois, Providence Resurrection, St. Louis University, U of Louisville, a couple more I can't remember.
Programs That Rejected You:
Duke, UNC, New Mexico, U of Chicago, Carolinas, UC-Davis, and a few others I can't remember.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 240's/250's (USMLE)
EM Rotations: Honors/Honors/Honors
AOA: No
Med School Region: Midwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Possibly my involvement with the AMA and being class President
Main considerations in making this ROL: 3 year programs, living in a fun city with outdoor activities was important to me. I weighed this against the quality of training. Also preferred programs with strong US training and chances for international electives.
1) UT- University of Utah Program
Love the residents here and love Salt Lake City! World class hiking, skiing, etc. Love how the program splits time at a large community site (Intermoutain medical center). Strong US, and international medicine opportunities. Ortho month at the base of ski resorts. Saw conference during my interview day and i really liked how the residents and attendings openly discussed things. Awesome PD and good benefits too.
Only possible negative is the acuity may not be as high as other places, but on the flip side everyone seemed very happy and not worn out.
2) MN- Hennepin
Absolute power house residency program. County program but with resources of a fancy academic center. Best US program I saw on the trail; 28 machines and doing TEE in the ED. Probably my favorite residents. Really good free food. Minneapolis is dope (although way too cold). This program was the exception to the location/climate rule i had, but the training is that good. It was tough not making this my number one. In the end i just saw myself being happier at Utah. Would be pumped to end up here though.
Cons: Too cold, potentially not good opportunities for international electives as its limited to two residents per year. Rent seemed kind of expensive compared to the salary for residents and for being in the midwest.
3) AZ- Maricopa
Great residents, great location, Phoenix is amazing. Really like the Spanish population here. PD is a little different, but he pushes for creating tailored training for each resident hence why they have 3 elective months and pays for you to attend a national conference every year. Lots of site variation including Mayo and a top tier neuro hospital.
Cons: slighlty worried about the resources here and how the merge with Creighton, and opening a new hospital will change things. In the end I completely expect it to better this program, but being caught in the middle of it might suck.
4) CA- Riverside
Favorite PD on the trail. I was astonished in how many ways I agreed with him on how residency and emergency medicine should work. New program, but thats what allowed him and the other leadership to do exactly what they wanted and to create a place that is residency education centered. Great patient population and they own ortho/trauma with lots of procedures. This program is amazing. Riverside is close to the mountains (including a ski resort), the beach and LA. COL/trafic did not seem bad since its not actually in LA. Plan to start US fellowship soon.
HCA but ED docs actually apart of Vituity.
Cons: did not fit in nearly as well with the residents as I did with my top 3. Use meditech as EMR 🙁
5) TX- University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Program
Residents are treated fantastic. 1:1 with attendings, 18-9hour shifts all 3 years. Free food in cafeteria, plus access to the doctors lounge with more free food. Good salary. Training is plenty good, but in my opinion not as good as my 1-4. Austin is sweet although there is limited outdoor activities here
6) IL- Advocate Health Care (Oak Lawn, Chicago)
Amazing training. 1:1 with attendings. 3 electives! Great US with the countries first fellowship. South side of Chicago with a sick urban population. Only reason its not higher was due to location for me. Chicago is a cool city (although lacking outdoor activities), but to live in Chicago you would have to drive 45-60 mins to work in traffic everyday which is apparently what the residents do. They act like its not bad and you get used to it, but few things in this world i hate more than a long commute in traffic. Also didn't like the idea of only being at one site for three years. I'm not sure what type of ED i want to work in post-residency and this would not help me figure that out.
7) CA- Loma Linda
Another great program with lots of cool things going on: event medicine (Coachella for example), tox, work at both LLUMC academic center and large county hospital. Maybe the best PEDs training of places i interviewed at. Just a gut decision that this place didn't end up higher.
8) KS- University of Kansas
Great program with sick patients. Kansas City is awesome. Best BBQ i have ever had. But I am from the Midwest and I want to go live in another part of the country for a few years
9) MO- University of Missouri Kansas City
Same as above.
10) WI- Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program (Milwaukee)
Milwaukee is actually pretty sweet, but can't justify the coldness up their. A lot of cool stuff going on here though and great EMS training, but again location/climate was huge for me.
11) MO- Washington University-B-JH/SLCH Consortium (St. Louis)
I rotated here and loved my month. Badass training with a badass PD (Jason Wagner). Loved the residents too. For me though I realized i couldn't justify a 4th year and St louis is just average.
12) NV- UNLV
Las Vegas is actually way more than just the strip. Near lots of great hiking and climbing and warm which is why i went on this interview, but i just didn't mesh with the residents or faculty. Everyone seemed nice just didn't fit in for whatever reason.
13) TX- Christus Health/Texas A&M College of Medicine/Spohn Hospital Program
Hidden gem. I rotated here and loved it. I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about this ED and the residents/faculty. Best moonlighting i have ever heard of. Would recommend doing a rotation here, very relaxed with unlimited free food and super easy end of rotation exam. However during my month here I realized that a) for me the beach gets old pretty quick and b) for me personally at this time in my life i need a bigger city. The airport here would also make it really difficult to get home and to visit friends. Also outside the ED rotations sounded very average.
14) NV- Sunrise Health
Cool new program and I love Vegas, but for me its just not quite established enough. Just needs a year or two more to get things all worked out and get US, off-service rotations and electives more established. Would still be a great program to train at. Also PD is a little strange, but I think his teaching style and the way he runs didactics is legit.
Programs whose interviews you declined:
UTSW, Nebraska, Arkansas, Regions, San Antonio, U of Wisconsin. Peoria-Illinois, Providence Resurrection, St. Louis University, U of Louisville, a couple more I can't remember.
Programs That Rejected You:
Duke, UNC, New Mexico, U of Chicago, Carolinas, UC-Davis, and a few others I can't remember.
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 768
Posted anonymously via Google Form.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 220's/220's (USMLE) 500's/625's (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: PF/Honors/Honors/Pass
AOA: No
Med School Region: Northwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Left blank
Main considerations in making this ROL: Fit, training quality, potential future fellowship
1) NE- University of Nebraska Medical Center Program
Awesome hospital facilities, opportunities for education involvement, draw from a huge region, really liked the residents.
2) OH- Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Program
Really loved the PD and other faculty, residents seemed to really like working together and faculty did a lot of teaching throughout shifts. Cleveland isn't a bad city.
3) MI- Lakeland Health (Saint Joseph)
Fantastic PD, faculty, and residents. Lots of autonomy throughout the hospital. Super cute little town.
4) IL- Southern Illinois University (Springfield)
Nice facilities and liked the two different hospital set up. Didn't jive super well with some of the residents but really liked some of the faculty. I hate that they wear their white coats. Also longest interview day ever.
5) GA- WellStar Kennestone Regional (Marietta)
Crazy volume, residents do everything, tons of procedures. About to have a beautiful giant new ED. PD was a little off putting with all his "I left Emory for this".
6) PA- Geisinger Health System Program
Really nice leadership. Some residents better than others. Really concerned about procedure numbers.
7) RI- Kent Hospital Program
Really this a location rank. Not super impressed with the program, but people were really nice.
8) OH- Mercy St Vincent Medical Center/Mercy Health Partners Program
Legit hospital, sure there will be a lot of pathology. Not excited about Toledo, Catholic hospital system, or TeamHealth
9) PA- UPMC Harmot
didn't love it.
10) OH- St Elizabeth Boardman Hospital Program
11) NV- Sunrise
12) CA- St. Joseph's
13) FL- Orange Park
14) MI- Henry Ford Macomb (Clinton Township)
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Eisenhower, Grand Strand, Conemaugh, Cozer Chester, Lehigh Valley, Aria
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
Applicant Summary:
Board Scores: 220's/220's (USMLE) 500's/625's (COMLEX)
EM Rotations: PF/Honors/Honors/Pass
AOA: No
Med School Region: Northwest
Anything else that made you more competitive: Left blank
Main considerations in making this ROL: Fit, training quality, potential future fellowship
1) NE- University of Nebraska Medical Center Program
Awesome hospital facilities, opportunities for education involvement, draw from a huge region, really liked the residents.
2) OH- Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Program
Really loved the PD and other faculty, residents seemed to really like working together and faculty did a lot of teaching throughout shifts. Cleveland isn't a bad city.
3) MI- Lakeland Health (Saint Joseph)
Fantastic PD, faculty, and residents. Lots of autonomy throughout the hospital. Super cute little town.
4) IL- Southern Illinois University (Springfield)
Nice facilities and liked the two different hospital set up. Didn't jive super well with some of the residents but really liked some of the faculty. I hate that they wear their white coats. Also longest interview day ever.
5) GA- WellStar Kennestone Regional (Marietta)
Crazy volume, residents do everything, tons of procedures. About to have a beautiful giant new ED. PD was a little off putting with all his "I left Emory for this".
6) PA- Geisinger Health System Program
Really nice leadership. Some residents better than others. Really concerned about procedure numbers.
7) RI- Kent Hospital Program
Really this a location rank. Not super impressed with the program, but people were really nice.
8) OH- Mercy St Vincent Medical Center/Mercy Health Partners Program
Legit hospital, sure there will be a lot of pathology. Not excited about Toledo, Catholic hospital system, or TeamHealth
9) PA- UPMC Harmot
didn't love it.
10) OH- St Elizabeth Boardman Hospital Program
11) NV- Sunrise
12) CA- St. Joseph's
13) FL- Orange Park
14) MI- Henry Ford Macomb (Clinton Township)
Programs whose interviews you declined:
Eisenhower, Grand Strand, Conemaugh, Cozer Chester, Lehigh Valley, Aria
Note from @Stephanopolous : To anyone who would like to contribute or change anything, you can also PM me your ROL or any other information that was left off your submission on the spreadsheet. Your anonymity will be maintained.
- Status
