beth israel, brigham and mgh

[alabaster]

Is Beth Israel/Deaconess the red-headed stepchild of Brigham and MGH? i.e. Are the latter two the really "prestigious" programs in Boston with Beth
Israel running a distanty third? Anyone have any substantive experience comparing these 3 programs?

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[b&ierstiefel]

I ain't touchin' this topic even with a 6 foot pole.

 

[DarksideAllstar]

I ain't touchin' this topic even with a 6 foot pole.

*Hands AM a 7 foot pole*

 

[yaah]

Is Beth Israel/Deaconess the red-headed stepchild of Brigham and MGH? i.e. Are the latter two the really "prestigious" programs in Boston with Beth
Israel running a distanty third? Anyone have any substantive experience comparing these 3 programs?

They all have their strong points. They are all excellent programs. BIDMC is more known for GI path than anything else, but doesn't suffer in any areas from what I know.

BTW there are two other path programs in Boston and others in the state.

 

[dermpathlover]

You can learn a lot of path no matter where you are. It is all in the textbooks.

However in terms of making academic connections and prestige in general I always thought it was Brig>MGH>>BIDMC.

BIDMC might be "strong" in GI, but the guy that wrote the current bible in GI is at the ****ing Brigham.

 

[yaah]

Pick your bible. Antoniolli and Goldman are both at BIDMC.

You also make your own prestige. Depending on other peoples' prestige is something that the weak depend on.

 

[mcfaddens]

You can learn a lot of path no matter where you are. It is all in the textbooks.

However in terms of making academic connections and prestige in general I always thought it was Brig>MGH>>BIDMC.

BIDMC might be "strong" in GI, but the guy that wrote the current bible in GI is at the ****ing Brigham.

I hate to agree somewhat with this guy but I do perfer Odze's work and text IMOP.

 

[deleted113029]

You also make your own prestige. Depending on other peoples' prestige is something that the weak depend on.

How true! Use your own wings to fly.

 

[yaah]

I hate to agree somewhat with this guy but I do perfer Odze's work and text IMOP.

This is a stupid "argument." The OP was not about this - the OP was a veiled slam against an excellent pathology training program. Whether anyone thinks Odze or Goldman is a better GI pathologist is a silly argument and one that I would wager neither of them would have anything to do with.

The POINT is, all three harvard programs are good training programs with excellent faculty in many different areas. MGH and Brigham may have more "names," but that may not mean diddly squat for any individual resident who is looking for the best training program for them.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

BIDMC might be "strong" in GI, but the guy that wrote the current bible in GI is at the ****ing Brigham.

Yes, but he trained under Antoniolli

 

[mcfaddens]

This is a stupid "argument." The OP was not about this - the OP was a veiled slam against an excellent pathology training program. Whether anyone thinks Odze or Goldman is a better GI pathologist is a silly argument and one that I would wager neither of them would have anything to do with.

The POINT is, all three harvard programs are good training programs with excellent faculty in many different areas. MGH and Brigham may have more "names," but that may not mean diddly squat for any individual resident who is looking for the best training program for them.

Dude relax I was just stating that I like the book no big deal, I wasnt making any sort of assumption or point

 

[b&ierstiefel]

*Hands AM a 7 foot pole*

Woops...did I say 6 foot pole? I meant 7 foot pole

yaah, I had the same feeling about this thread...looked like a disguised attempt to bash on BI. It's funny, BI is practically across the street from us (since BWH and BI are both in the Longwood area)...yet I really don't know anything about how their program works. Sure, there are always rumors out there...I mean, hell, look at LaDoc00 perpetuating the rumor that we're a bunch of "dorks" It's all good man

 

[LADoc00]

Woops...did I say 6 foot pole? I meant 7 foot pole

yaah, I had the same feeling about this thread...looked like a disguised attempt to bash on BI. It's funny, BI is practically across the street from us (since BWH and BI are both in the Longwood area)...yet I really don't know anything about how their program works. Sure, there are always rumors out there...I mean, hell, look at LaDoc00 perpetuating the rumor that we're a bunch of "dorks" It's all good man

Im not spreading rumors, BWH residents are serious workaholics and there is a very very big difference between the institutional mentality there vs. a place like UCSF, UCLA or Stanford. Not good or bad, just calling it like I see it.

I wont pass judgement BUT I will say I have never seen a residents dissed so hard than those at BID. I have witnessed open mocking by BWH people, which frankly isnt cool. In some sense, BID has brought it on itself by taking less than spectacular residents for many years. It is insanely hard to compete in a city like Boston vs the BWH and to a lesser degree MGH pathology empire. If BID was in say Portland, it would be spectacular, but it isnt.

I personally wouldnt go to BID because even tho I think its a solid place, I would go ballastic the first time someone from across Longwood avenue starts talking trash.

 

[yaah]

Dude relax I was just stating that I like the book no big deal, I wasnt making any sort of assumption or point

I am relaxed. My pulse rate is currently 55.

 

[mcfaddens]

I am relaxed. My pulse rate is currently 55.

Good

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Im not spreading rumors, BWH residents are serious workaholics and there is a very very big difference between the institutional mentality there vs. a place like UCSF, UCLA or Stanford. Not good or bad, just calling it like I see it.

Well...I guess you're in a better position to compare programs than I. You're like information central, man. And somebody's gotta put that info out there.

Yeah, I would be lying if I said that our residency program was a cupcake program. There are times when we can get worked hard...specimen volume is high and all the in-house cases are previewed by residents since we haven't switched to the MGH system where there is subspecialty signout and there are resident free services (i.e., some of the cases go straight to the attendings without resident review). Of course, you knew this since you alluded to this a while ago in one of your earlier posts. That being said, we hired 2 new PAs this year and life has improved dramatically. We never grossed in biopsies but we used to spend some afternoons grossing in small specimens (like wedge resections, benign breast excisions, parathyroids, lymph node biopsies). Those days are gone. And we have increased help in cutting in the bigger resection specimens. I think that's awesome since that allows us to start previewing like at 2 pm (as opposed to let's say 6 pm after a day of cutting), spend more time carefully looking at the slides and writing up solid reports (which makes signout the next morning quick!), and still leave the hospital at a much much more reasonable hour (what's for dinner? beer?). I really can't complain and life is damn good! I can learn my stuff but can have hobbies and a social life during evenings.

I wont pass judgement BUT I will say I have never seen a residents dissed so hard than those at BID. I have witnessed open mocking by BWH people, which frankly isnt cool. In some sense, BID has brought it on itself by taking less than spectacular residents for many years. It is insanely hard to compete in a city like Boston vs the BWH and to a lesser degree MGH pathology empire. If BID was in say Portland, it would be spectacular, but it isnt.

That's unfortunate. Well, I'll take your word for it since you spent some time at the Brigham during the Paleolithic era, right? While I've been here, I haven't heard "open mocking". In fact, we really don't talk much about other programs...honest! Topics like that really don't come up during daily conversation. Once in a while, an MGH resident will rotate in our department and it's cool to chat and compare notes about what goes on in our respective programs. That's when the real Grade A information comes out (and sleeves are rolled up and fistacuffs occur...just kidding ) On the other hand, I haven't met any current BI residents yet so I haven't been able to get the scoop on their program and basically know very little to nothing about the BI. Yeah, I could say some general comment like BI is a strong program (and sound patronizing) or BI is a solid program or yada yada yada, but I have no facts on which to base those comments...hence, I'm still not touching that issue with a 14 foot pole (yeah, I have a chubby and my 7 foot pole just became a 14 foot pole).

I personally wouldnt go to BID because even tho I think its a solid place, I would go ballastic the first time someone from across Longwood avenue starts talking trash.

Not likely...we actually go in the opposite direction from BI across Huntington Ave. to go grab a beer for happy hour and dinner.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

You also make your own prestige. Depending on other peoples' prestige is something that the weak depend on.

True true senor. But other people's prestige, let's shorten it to OPP (yeah, you know me!). Yeah, OPP can serve as excellent tie-breakers I'm being somewhat sarcastic Yeah yeah...it's the same childish debate and rigamarole we go through when we're applying to med schools...

OP: "oh should i take the scholarship to go to the 50th ranked med school or pay the full tuition to go to the 5th ranked med school?"
Poster 1: "oh i think you should pay money because if you go to the 50th ranked med school, you'll automatically be seen as a crappy doctor"
Poster 2: "i disagree, if you work hard and go to any med school, you'll be a great doctor."
Poster 1: "but i wanna go to the #1 medschool in the whole wide world so that I can be in a better position to get a dermpath fellowship"
Poster 3: "but if you go to the #1 med school in the universe, you won't even need dermpath...you can go into derm and secure a position for a mohs fellowship automatically 8 years in advance!"
Poster 4: "quiet children, you make your own prestige."
Poster 5: "oh you so got PWNED!"
Poster 6: "agree with the above"
Poster 7: "i concur"
Poster 8: *postpad*
Poster 9: "i met a hot woman on the interview trail. i wanna ask her out but i dunno if i should ask her for her phone number the next time i run into her."




Where the hell am I going with this? OK, I'm going to bed. Peace

 

[yaah]

You forgot to add in the post where someone corrects grammar.

 

[Tappat]

If anyone would like to hear about the BIDMC pathology training program from a resident who is actually there, please feel free to private message me. Perhaps I can provide some insight to those who are on the interview trail or will soon be. I have not grilled people here on their ranklists, but I know I am hardly alone in having chosen BIDMC over other very fine Boston programs and who was quite excited to see its name in their match letters. The program that will suit you best (and vice versa) is something everyone needs to choose for themselves.

 

[yaah]

The program that will suit you best (and vice versa) is something everyone needs to choose for themselves.

That should be permanently posted on the top of our forum.

 

[LADoc00]

I agree people need to choose for themselves and find a place/location that best suits them but listen to me now and believe me later: you are visiting a place for a half a day, talking to maybe half a dozen bullcrap "ra-ra, we're the best" types who need to get people to go their program.....then deciding what fits the best?! Listen to the absurdity of that. Seriously, sometimes knowing a little about a program can be far far worse than no knowledge at all.

Why not pick a speciality you will do for the rest of your working life based solely on a half-assed 4-week medical student rotation...oh, never mind, we already do that....

 

[DarksideAllstar]

Why not pick a speciality you will do for the rest of your working life based solely on a half-assed 4-week medical student rotation...oh, never mind, we already do that....

Don't get me started

 

[deschutes]

Hmm. What do you suggest then?

 

[LADoc00]

Hmm. What do you suggest then?

If I had a brighter idea, trust me I would share....maybe everyone should just listen to the "smartest guy in the room" when it comes to these decisions.

 

[deschutes]

"When you got something good, you stick with it! STICK!"

 

[LADoc00]

"When you got something good, you stick with it! STICK!"

Reminds me of that time when a fellow student in med school tried to donate a used vibrator to the goodwill, the old lady volunteer there was like "WTH is this, ooo its a massage stick" and started rubbing the pink penis end on the back of her bare neck, right there in front of everyone.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Reminds me of that time when a fellow student in med school tried to donate a used vibrator to the goodwill, the old lady volunteer there was like "WTH is this, ooo its a massage stick" and started rubbing the pink penis end on the back of her bare neck, right there in front of everyone.

That's the funniest thing I've heard all day (well on the forums that is...)

Thanks!

 

[deschutes]

Reminds me of that time when a fellow student in med school tried to donate a used vibrator to the goodwill, the old lady volunteer there was like "WTH is this, ooo its a massage stick" and started rubbing the pink penis end on the back of her bare neck, right there in front of everyone.

In the version of the story I heard, a woman with a crick in her neck was offered a vibrator by her grandmother.