Anybody know anything about UNC, Duke, or Wake EM?

[mfrederi]

I have been browsing the ER forum since I started med school but have not really seen any of these programs discussed, maybe only Duke in passing a few times. I am interested in the "triangle" and would like some more info on these programs, if anybody could help. Especially UNC. By the way, seeing as how the chair of UNC EM is Tintinalli, I assume that it is a pretty competitive program. Is there any source out there other than word of mouth to asses how competitive a program is? Can you email the PD and just ask what kind of scores / people they take on average, or is this frowned upon? I just don't want to waste my time doing an audition somewhere that is ridiculously competitive.

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[Sheerstress]

I believe there are residents from at least Duke (Apollyon) and Wake Forest (Seaglass) around here - they'd probably have something to say.

Check the FAQs as well, where there are some good posts on the "competitive" aspect of EM residencies.

 

[Apollyon]

I can't speak to Wake Forest.

As for UNC, they're strong. However, Judy Tintinalli isn't the "end-all, be-all" - it's the name mostly. Cherri Hobgood and Josh Broder are two of the great, great assets to the program. UNC also has access to WakeMed, which is either #1 or #2 for volume in NC - 140,000 visits last year (Carolinas is the only competitor, volume-wise). Residents get their choice of where they want to go/what they want to do.

On the flipside, one person described the faculty as "stagnant - almost moribund" <-- a direct quote (this person is very well spoken).

Duke is outgrowing a lot of the growing pains - everyone from the first graduating class this June got what they wanted (2 for fellowship, one for academics, and 3 for private practice). The PD is TOTALLY connected - 5 of the 6 people got their jobs after a word from her. One thing the program doesn't capitalize on is 3 of the top 4 positions in the division are held by women (division chief, PD, and Peds ED director). Our faculty is young, but very strong. There's a new, big research push, and, once it brings the money in, the division will have much more juice to become a department. Soon.

 

[mfrederi]

Apollyon,

thanks for the info. Where did you originally rank Duke, would you go again? I assume both Duke and UNC are pretty competitive, is that correct?

 

[Seaglass]

I can speak to any questions about Wake Forest you may have. I have also heard rumors that since the Program director at UNC left abruptly at the start of last academic year that things have been a little rouch at UNC. Usually there is a UNC resident on here who corrects me on things like this, I would expect him to show up shortly.

 

[mfrederi]

Sea- Well, I guess just give me some generals, i.e. family friendly, good pathology / trauma, lifestyle. Any big time positives or negatives in your opinion? Do you have any thoughts on UNC, I know you guys have some interaction? Thanks.

 

[Seaglass]

Wake is very family friendly. Pathology is excellent, we have a wide referral area and I think our patient population is comparable to most other urban tertiary care centers. Trauma is mostly blunt with an increasing amount of penetrating. Our trauma involvement includes primary airway mgmt of all trauma as well as running leveled traumas as an HO3 or non-leveled or about-to-be-leveled as junior residents. We have a dedicated Peds ED with rotations there every month you are on ED rotation as well as a dedicated month yearly. We are on the way to starting a Peds EM fellowship as well. Research here is plentiful, especially research on cardiovascular emergencies. Big positives for me were lifestyle, quantity and quality of patients, and faculty. As for UNC or Duke, I really only know what I learned while interviewing there. I will say that we have faculty here who trained at UNC and they say that the training is comparable without a significant advantage to either. Also we've kicked their ass in the annual Emergency Resident Bowl (a jeopardy like quiz) for 2 or 3 years in a row.

It really comes down to whatever are your 2 or 3 big things as far as training. When I interviewed I liked UNC but I didn't like where I would be living, the amount of driving between hospitals, or the way they arranged their peds training. Actually I interviewed at most of the placed south of PA and north of FL and I really liked Wake the best.

 

[jjcoo79]

I have been browsing the ER forum since I started med school but have not really seen any of these programs discussed, maybe only Duke in passing a few times. I am interested in the "triangle" and would like some more info on these programs, if anybody could help. Especially UNC. By the way, seeing as how the chair of UNC EM is Tintinalli, I assume that it is a pretty competitive program. Is there any source out there other than word of mouth to asses how competitive a program is? Can you email the PD and just ask what kind of scores / people they take on average, or is this frowned upon? I just don't want to waste my time doing an audition somewhere that is ridiculously competitive.

So i tried sending you a message twice, but for some reason the computers at work keep cutting me off. I am aN intern at UNC and have enjoyed it so far. If you have serious questions, please feel free to call me.
-Jeff 508-335-1999, leave a message and I'll call you back, currently working a lot of hours in the CCU right now so you probably won't reach me on your first shot.

 

[thierryh]

Interviewed at all of them. Family is from North Carolina so looked pretty hard at these three and Carolinas. Didn't like Duke but nobody liked Duke the year I interviewed there. They were too new and were being, I think, too selective in who they interviewed. That combined with working out the kinks in the interview day itself and how they were selling themselves combined to make it a pretty lousy interview day. I also hate their basketball team and was raised thinking that every student at Duke was a spoiled brat from New Jersey, so I was biased. They seem to be doing much better the last two years and seem to be bringing in great people. Their program director is really getting heavily involved in EM leadership with ACEP so that's only going to enhance things. I had a lot of concerns about the physical plant too but they are probably addressing that (any comments from the folks from New Jersey on this?).
Bowman Gray (Wake) has a nice hospital and I think I remember thinking I would get along with the residents. While I liked all of my interviewers I can't remember interacting much more with the faculty. I came away impressed by the program but less so with Winston Salem. The word in North Carolina is that it isn't a great place for single folks.
UNC has the best basketball team amongst the three which is probably why I liked it the best of the programs you mention. While ultimately when I was ranking programs I came to the realization that I was too old and played basketball too poorly to make the squad and ultimately didn't factor the basketball team in to my rankings I enjoyed the faculty and residents the most here than at any program in NC. The hospitals are nice. Chapel Hill is a great place to live. Wake Med is on the far side of Raleigh which makes the two places you split time far from one another, especially in "triangle" traffic. Know several of their residents personally who enjoy it there, again possibly influencing my impression.
Bottom line, as long as Duke has addressed some issues in the past two years (which it seems they have), all seem, at least to me, to be quality residency programs. Apply, interview, and form your own conclusions. Each will feel differently to you and you should let that guide your decision.
-TH

 

[bulgethetwine]

Yup, Duke has a new ED that they've erected the foundation for. Due to a steady diet of funding from the Governor of New Jersey, it is doubtful that there will be significant delays and the ED is set to open sometime next year.

Aside to thierryH: Arsenal sucks 😛