Anesthesia at Northwestern in Chicago
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I am a current resident. NW is a very busy place. Every rotation and sub speciality has seen significant increases in volume over the last few years. Cardiac is expanding quickly. 4-6/day including transplants. Lots of big cases, livers, etc. Lots of small cases, plastics, Uro, gyn etc. Resident work very hard and sometimes feel over used, but the experience is intense. For example yesterday, on L and D I placed 16 CSEs and worked straight for about 20 hrs, taking care of some sick laboring pts.
Many residents feel over worked. But the confidence level among residents is high. Many get great jobs after residency.
Many residents feel over worked. But the confidence level among residents is high. Many get great jobs after residency.
sevo85288 said:
Thanx Sevo for replying to my post. I guess all this hard work will help residents become strong and more qualified doctors. I was wondering, what kind stats and credentials would be helpful in securing a residency at NW. I am 3rd year medical student with step1 225 and good grades and rank. Also, how did you decide on NW verses other program. How is NW's program compared to other programs in Chicago area. Thanx once again for taking time to reply my post.
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What kind of USMLE score is good for NW, assuming a DO student? Is a 240 safe, assuming other aspects of the appliation are average or above?
joshua_msu said:
A 240 is safe for ortho so I think you're ok.
You should rotate there if you want a decent shot. Busy OR's. Residents are nice. Just show up early. Hang with Dr. Christopher wray. The man is a super friggen star and a pleasure to work with. Do you like my little bitty sentences?
As for comparing Chicago programs use the search function and check this forum for "chicago programs."
NU is just a name and tahts that....i would much rather do a few less cases a day and have my sanity, be able to read and spend time with my family then be at a big name where people like to treat residents like Shi#.
i have friends at northwestern who dont leave many times til 8-9pm NOT on call only to be there early next am. board exam scores are below avg as well so you arent getting the time to read or the greatest didactics. at the end of the day its about passing the boards and feeling prepared to practice once u get out.
in chicago........ consider UIC ..hands down the happiest program with the best teaching..2-3 weekends off a month and good case mix
i rather enjoy my life..but then again thats just my humble opinion. 😀
i have friends at northwestern who dont leave many times til 8-9pm NOT on call only to be there early next am. board exam scores are below avg as well so you arent getting the time to read or the greatest didactics. at the end of the day its about passing the boards and feeling prepared to practice once u get out.
in chicago........ consider UIC ..hands down the happiest program with the best teaching..2-3 weekends off a month and good case mix
i rather enjoy my life..but then again thats just my humble opinion. 😀
Disse said:
Being edited by its original poster.
1)Very busy place. 35 ORs busy everyday. Sometimes 3-5 ORs running well into midnight. 3 Residents On call in Main OR each night. 3 on call in OB (see below) and 1 in the ICU. So a total of 7 anesthesia residents on call each night in the main hospital. (also 1 Cardiac/Liver call person in home call)
2) Case variety is amazing. Do lots of B and B and lots of sick pts, 5 hearts/day. about 120 cases per day in the main ORs. YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO GIVE AN ANESTHETIC AND TAKE CARE OF SICK PEOPLE. Tons of complex neuro/spine. We have a separate neurospine ICU with about 20-30 beds that is always full. Cardiac case morbidity is high. The pts are usually pretty old and sick before surgery. Tons of lines, TEE, etc. But you will stay late on cardiac, not unusal to be there until 8-10 PM even if you are NOT on call.Great faculty that love teach, young, energetic etc...getting new chieif of cardiac anesthesia. Thoracic experience is ok. Not a ton of complex thoracic, but good experience with DLTs, and OLV. Vascular and transplant are busy and full of sick people. We do liver,renal and now cardiac transplant.
3)OB: In the top 10 in the USA in term of volume of deliveries. Separate hospital (Prentice Women's Hospital) next to main hospital. We do around 9000 anesthetics per year. You will do around 400 epidurals/spinal in your 2 mo OB rotation. Get the sickest OB pt from Wisconsin, Indiana, etc. Lots of experience, great faculty, that love to teach and treat you well. But you work your ass off. No or very little sleep on call.
4) Regional: Excellent 2 month rotation to do just blocks ('block doc') with lots of ortho cases, you get plenty of experience. Expect to do over 50-70 of a variety of PNBs. Good faculty, although, we lost our best faculty member due to some political bull****. (more later)
5)PEDS: VERY STRONG: We go to CMH and do just peds for 4 months in our CA2 and 2 months in our CA3 yr. (elective) Excellent faculty, world renowned,tons of exprience.
6) Pain. Could be much better. Have good clinical case load, but poor faculty mentorship and some strange characters in the department. Could be much better with faculty who were normal people.
7) ICU: Lots of work, airways, vents, sick people. if that stuff turns you on, then we have it. Most resdients do about 3-6 months of ICU. Decent faculty, good teaching, but again some strange characters.
7a) No Traumas, we have no trauma experience.
8) Problems: every department has problems and we are not alone.
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the happiest, we are somewhere around 3-5. Average or below average. Main issues, have to due to work hours and call. We take on average 7 calls per month, and they are not easy, sleeping calls. This is an acutal 24 hr shift of work. 2-3 weekends per month on call can suck. Residents feel under appreciated (especially in the main ORs) and have to deal with some unsavory attendings.
Vacation scheduling is a problem. Difficult to get the weeks days you want off, because you are not the priority for vacations. Have to ask months in advance to schedule time off. Can be problematic. But not a big resident gripe, so not a big deal. Losing good attending due to political bull ****. Not good. Several months out of the year, the **** hits the fan. Volume picks up and residents end up staying until 7-9 PM even if not on call. Usually 2-4 months in a year. Can bring down moral. Less time to read then other programs, boards scores have been low.
9)Didactics are ok. Tue and Fri conference for one hr. 1/2 hr thu morning with the simulator dude. Nothing to get excited about. Resident Education is not the primary focus, making money and doing cases is.
10) Conclusion: Great clinical experience. Not very happy residents, political bull in the department. Average attendings (except OB, Cardiac, Regional) poor relationship with CRNAs, who are pampered and treated as equals vs. residents who are treated like hired help. I would go to NW if I couldnt get into to the top tier programs like UCSF,MGH, Hopkins, etc or really had to be in Chicago. Also, if you are into your family, hobbies, etc I would look somewhere else. Overall, clinically great, but lacks lots of other angles to keep you happy.
Pls excuse spelling and grammer. Thanks.
2) Case variety is amazing. Do lots of B and B and lots of sick pts, 5 hearts/day. about 120 cases per day in the main ORs. YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO GIVE AN ANESTHETIC AND TAKE CARE OF SICK PEOPLE. Tons of complex neuro/spine. We have a separate neurospine ICU with about 20-30 beds that is always full. Cardiac case morbidity is high. The pts are usually pretty old and sick before surgery. Tons of lines, TEE, etc. But you will stay late on cardiac, not unusal to be there until 8-10 PM even if you are NOT on call.Great faculty that love teach, young, energetic etc...getting new chieif of cardiac anesthesia. Thoracic experience is ok. Not a ton of complex thoracic, but good experience with DLTs, and OLV. Vascular and transplant are busy and full of sick people. We do liver,renal and now cardiac transplant.
3)OB: In the top 10 in the USA in term of volume of deliveries. Separate hospital (Prentice Women's Hospital) next to main hospital. We do around 9000 anesthetics per year. You will do around 400 epidurals/spinal in your 2 mo OB rotation. Get the sickest OB pt from Wisconsin, Indiana, etc. Lots of experience, great faculty, that love to teach and treat you well. But you work your ass off. No or very little sleep on call.
4) Regional: Excellent 2 month rotation to do just blocks ('block doc') with lots of ortho cases, you get plenty of experience. Expect to do over 50-70 of a variety of PNBs. Good faculty, although, we lost our best faculty member due to some political bull****. (more later)
5)PEDS: VERY STRONG: We go to CMH and do just peds for 4 months in our CA2 and 2 months in our CA3 yr. (elective) Excellent faculty, world renowned,tons of exprience.
6) Pain. Could be much better. Have good clinical case load, but poor faculty mentorship and some strange characters in the department. Could be much better with faculty who were normal people.
7) ICU: Lots of work, airways, vents, sick people. if that stuff turns you on, then we have it. Most resdients do about 3-6 months of ICU. Decent faculty, good teaching, but again some strange characters.
7a) No Traumas, we have no trauma experience.
8) Problems: every department has problems and we are not alone.
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the happiest, we are somewhere around 3-5. Average or below average. Main issues, have to due to work hours and call. We take on average 7 calls per month, and they are not easy, sleeping calls. This is an acutal 24 hr shift of work. 2-3 weekends per month on call can suck. Residents feel under appreciated (especially in the main ORs) and have to deal with some unsavory attendings.
Vacation scheduling is a problem. Difficult to get the weeks days you want off, because you are not the priority for vacations. Have to ask months in advance to schedule time off. Can be problematic. But not a big resident gripe, so not a big deal. Losing good attending due to political bull ****. Not good. Several months out of the year, the **** hits the fan. Volume picks up and residents end up staying until 7-9 PM even if not on call. Usually 2-4 months in a year. Can bring down moral. Less time to read then other programs, boards scores have been low.
9)Didactics are ok. Tue and Fri conference for one hr. 1/2 hr thu morning with the simulator dude. Nothing to get excited about. Resident Education is not the primary focus, making money and doing cases is.
10) Conclusion: Great clinical experience. Not very happy residents, political bull in the department. Average attendings (except OB, Cardiac, Regional) poor relationship with CRNAs, who are pampered and treated as equals vs. residents who are treated like hired help. I would go to NW if I couldnt get into to the top tier programs like UCSF,MGH, Hopkins, etc or really had to be in Chicago. Also, if you are into your family, hobbies, etc I would look somewhere else. Overall, clinically great, but lacks lots of other angles to keep you happy.
Pls excuse spelling and grammer. Thanks.
No anesthesia program should ever be over the 80+ work week although our rotation through the unit and cardiac comes damn close sometimes. As far as everything else posted...it's true (we lost 2 great regional/pain attendings and the number of attendings leaving to greener pastures is increasing weekly). I'm soooo glad to be done soon, but I am very happy with what I've learned clinically up til now even if I had little studying time. Oh, in regards to scores, I think that as the caliber of residents increases across the board in anesthesia (ours included) we don't have any issues with board scores anymore (since I have no clue how I just did on the in-training exam yet). 🙂
