Baylor/UT Alliance Program

[PMR TX MS]

I know this program receives much acclaim. However, after reading the reviews on scutwork, I am a little concerned with some of the negative reviews about this program. Can someone comment on the situation? How true are the criticisms? Thanks for your help.

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[DJPJ69Camaro]

I don't know what the criticisms are on the forum. But as a resident here, I am glad I will graduate with this program under my belt.

If the criticisms are that there is too much work, I won't deny it. It's tough here when working at TIRR our PGY-3 year. We work 12-hour days. But when we are not at TIRR, the rest of the rotations feel really easy in comparison. But usually those who complain about work are the ones who shouldn't be in our field anyway. Our chief residents have been working hard each year to improve the schedule to lessen the months of inpatient rotations and expose our residents to MSK and pain rotations. Before making judgements about the program, I would visit.

Like any other program, we have good attendings and bad attendings. We have big names and not-so big names. But for the most part, I would say the Attendings here are pretty good caliber. Like any other residency, it is what you make of it. And that's the best you can do. Even at a "good" program, you may end up a poor MD at the end because you skated by. I know of plenty of residents from smaller unknown programs that are some of the brightest Physiatrists. It's all a matter of taking advantage of what you have.

 

[DOctorJay]

I interviewed at Baylor/UT and was unable to correlate any of the scutwork information with what I had seen and/or discussed with the residents I met. I left very impressed with this program.

 

[Llenroc]

I thought the program was decent based on reputation and location and I ranked it pretty highly, but I can also agree with the bad reviews on Scutwork, because Baylor has the worst interview day imaginable. They start at 7 which is rather early. Everything was disorganized. Our schedules said one thing, and the residents - who seemed less than enthusiastic to be there - took us to something else. They drag you through a half dozen hospitals to impress upon you that everything is bigger at the Texas Medical Center, up and down countless parking garages. At the end of the day, they stranded us about a half mile from where we had all parked our cars and we had to trudge through heavy rain and 40 degree weather. To add insult to injury, the program secretary gave us all the wrong parking vouchers and we ended up paying something like $12 to get out.

In the evening there was a dinner at a local restaurant where they promised at least half the residents would show up to, but which when the interviewees went to we found out that not one single person from the program showed up.

Again, based on location and reputation I ranked it pretty highly, but I know a lot of the other interviewees that day were turned off big time.

 

[Disciple]

In the evening there was a dinner at a local restaurant where they promised at least half the residents would show up to, but which when the interviewees went to we found out that not one single person from the program showed up.

So, no one showed up with the department credit card?

 

[Llenroc]

So, no one showed up with the department credit card?

We asked one of the greeters at the door, and they said that said that the previous week a bunch of young guys in suits showed up at the same time, asked for "Baylor physical something or other", and ended up waiting around for a few hours at the bar before leaving.

We took a more pro-active approach. Knowing the dept. is big and that we might not recognize whoever showed, we actually went to all the larger tables and asked them if they were with Baylor PM&R. There were no attendings, no residents, no secretaries, no PT's, no janitors, etc. with the Baylor or UT-Houston PM&R dept. in that restaurant that night, but there were several inteviewees. It wasn't a very big restaurant. We waited around maybe 45 minutes, right at the door, before leaving.

I actually booked my flight for the next day, just because of the dinner. It's usually important to go to those things to learn more about the program. Once people loosen up, they start to spill the beans. But it's also important for showing interest. I had family to stay with in Houston, so it wasn't too bad, but I can imagine those who had booked a hotel room for an extra night weren't too pleased when no one from the program showed up at the dinner.

Maybe it's some kind of joke. Texas comedy?

 

[Disciple]

I can understand residents not wanting to go (PGY-2, no excuse for the chief), but no one showing up to pay the bill? On multiple occasions?

Good lesson for private practice on what not to do I suppose.

 

[OMMFellow06]

I'm a PGY2 in the program right now and I'll try to comment on a few of the things mentioned. First of all the original post that was commented on was from 2005! Secondly, most of the posts on scutwork are pretty old.

This program, as DJPJ69Camaro commented, is being improved yearly by the chiefs and the department. From talking to the seniors, our program schedule has definitely improved. We no longer do all inpatient rotations as a PGY2, they've mixed them up. They are always trying to improve our exposure to different aspects of rehab.

There are certain things about the program that we are strong in and that is inpatient general rehab, SCI, and TBI. Our SCI and TBI exposure is top notch. Our EMG exposure from what I'm told is good. And our oupatient MSK exposure is slowly improving. If what you're looking for is a program that will give you a good grasp of outpt MSK, then look elsewhere. I think that the residents that come into this program knowing that they want to do outpt MSK are the ones that aren't happy. If you come into the program with an open mind to PM&R then you will see all that it has to offer.

As far as the interview day, I'm sorry that you had such a poor experience. I hosted one of those evening dinners and only had 3 interviewees show up from like 10 on a day where it was raining pretty hard. So unfortunately its hit or miss. I can't imagine that nobody would have showed up because at the very least the host of the event should have been there, but i don't know what to tell you. I know that is something that we can work to improve.

Disciple, I don't think that he said it happened on multiple occasions. He said it happened on the day of his interview. I would be very surprised if it happened more than that one time.

I know it doesnt make a difference to those that interviewed this year, but i know it will be something I will work with the chiefs and the department to improve next year.

If anyone has any questions regarding the program, feel free to PM me.

Good luck to those that Matched and those that will be applying for next years Match.

 

[Disciple]

Disciple, I don't think that he said it happened on multiple occasions. He said it happened on the day of his interview. I would be very surprised if it happened more than that one time.

I was just going by what was said here:

We asked one of the greeters at the door, and they said that said that the previous week a bunch of young guys in suits showed up at the same time, asked for "Baylor physical something or other", and ended up waiting around for a few hours at the bar before leaving.

 

[drusso]

It seems like things haven't changed much in the last 6-7 years. I'm amazed how little time, money, and energy physiatry programs put into resident recruitment, interview days, etc. I mean they're trying to RECRUIT you, right?? Programs say that they want to recruit the best residents possible and then turn around and no faculty show up to "meet and greets," or interviewers don't review applicant folders, or people say really off the wall things, etc? Where are the department chairs?

When you compare a residency interview to a real job interview it's such a different dynamic. Whatever happened to "you never get a second chance to make first impression."

 

[agdoc04]

We were also left with a rainy cold walk across the TMC.
At the lunch, one or two residents showed up, and the program director came.
Being from the Houston area, I know that this doesn't exemplify the quality of the program or the residents, but it was repeated numerous times by other interviewees that they had received similiar hospitality.

Everybody I met was very nice, and very proud of the program. It had the largest and most spread out facilities of the programs i interviewed at. Coming from the area, I was there for the interviews and to ask questions about the program, which I got to do.
Those folks from across the country coming in don't know anything about life in Houston, the medical center, and what makes texas different than anywhere else in the nation...not to mention they spent several hundred dollars to come interview.
Somehow other programs of the same caliber are able to tie it all together, while Houston seems to have developed a reputation for a subpar interview day.

 

[Disciple]

It seems like things haven't changed much in the last 6-7 years. I'm amazed how little time, money, and energy physiatry programs put into resident recruitment, interview days, etc. I mean they're trying to RECRUIT you, right??

Maybe not. Maybe it's just another interview season, another match, etc.

I think alot of programs would need to have several bad years in the match, in a row, before changing things.

The Academy is making this big push to promote Physiatry, to keep things moving forward. The academic world should be on the front end of that, not the back.

Personally, I don't think we can afford to have that kind of attitude. We're certainly not Derm or Plastics.

 

[PMR TX MS]

Hey,

I am actually the original poster of the question. I'm a bit surprised at the responses considering I originally posted in 2004, when I was still interviewing!

Any how, ironically, I am now a PGY 2 resident at Baylor/UT Alliance.

It's funny how the perspective changes once you become a resident here and before you are a resident here.

Regarding the issues that have come up though, there seems to be a discrepancy between appearance and reality. I had concerns when I was interviewing because of the posts that are out there. Unfortunately, these posts do not accurately reflect the program.

Being from the program, I know it seems that I'd want to "talk up" my program. But, at the same time, I ranked this program #1 on my list prior to being here.

The interview day may have had its lack of cohesion in the past. Sorry for the mistakes that may have been made regarding the interview process (and thanks for the feedback, which can be used for improving things in the future). However, the interview day comments above are not representative of the program itself. We have outstanding attendings (not just in terms of publishing, but in terms of teaching also) such as Dr. Tan (EMG secrets), Dr. Kothari (wrote parts of TBI section in Braddom), Dr. Kevorkian (on the editorial board for AJPMR), Dr. Bloodworth (pain society board member), etc. Dr. Benny has started a new pain fellowshp here, which may become ACGME accredited. We also have rotations through the MD Anderson pain program. The TBI/SCI rotations at TIRR are some of the best you'll have because you're going to manage them as the primary team at your own free standing hospital rather than "too many cooks in the kitchen" at many other places. You'll get excellent polytrauma and ortho rehab experience at Hermann hospital.

Looking back at the posts, one thing is that they're all relatively old. Second, the biggest complaint has been the work load. To the people who want to look at PM&R as a "plenty of money and relaxation," don't come here. You will work hard, especially at TIRR. But you'll also get some of the best experiences out there. At the same time, the months away from TIRR are not too bad (avg 50hrs/wk w/ weekends generally off). You will be well prepared as a general physiatrist. Inpatient will definitely be the strength of this program. However, MSK/pain is improving tremendously even from the current year to the upcoming year. You'll have the opportunity to cover football games (and get paid doing it), cover the Houston marathon w/ Dr. Cianca, etc.

Overall, this is an excellent program. Whether it's the best program for someone or not depends largely on whether the program personality matches the individual's personality. That's an individual assessment.

Teaching, experiences, opportunities, etc are outstanding here. Fellowship placement is not an issue. All of our graduating seniors this year are getting their top picks for fellowship (4/4 for pain/MSK, other residents also applied for TBI, SCI, and jobs).

Feel free to PM me (or anyone from our program) for further questions.

 

[DJPJ69Camaro]

Damn... It's been 11 years since I wrote about my experience at The Alliance. I still don't regret going there. I made some lifelong friends and I still get compliments from other doctors about attending the program. Although I hear that it's no longer an Alliance, it was fun seeing everyone together at AAPM&R in San Diego last year. We still act as if Baylor and UT are one. With any match process, you need to trust the process. I wouldn't discount either program now based on a bad interview day. Remember PM&R residency is three years not one day.