Hi medInUSA,
I'm currently a resident at BIDMC and would like to give some insight into our program.
In terms of reputation, I think both are very strong. Many people get the impression that BID is the little sibling to MGH and Brigham, but it has a very strong reputation both within Boston and nationally (I'm currently applying for fellowship and have been getting tremendous responses thus far). Dr. Brett Simon, our new Chair, is great and really is focusing on faculty development to improve teaching (which is pretty good already). He is also a big advocate for research and is very supportive of any of these endeavors. Penn is great, and Dr. Lee Fleischer has his hand in MANY things, so they do have an excellent academic tradition as well.
Clinically, BID is EXCELLENT. I think we get top-notch clinical and academic training and are very well-prepared to handle most difficult clinical situations. We have airway workshops, a top-of-the-line simulation center, frequent didactics, journal clubs, great regional experience, our TEE experience is top-notch, our ICUs utilize bedside TTE (vs PA catheters) which is fantastic and is one of the few centers in the country that is doing this, we have lots of faculty who are involved in research and are very happy to have residents participate, we all have to complete senior projects, and have recently implemented a biannual Mock Orals to ensure adequate preparation for the real Oral Boards. In other words, we're really strong academically. BUT, we've also have a great deal of "street smarts" which is super helpful when s&*t hits the fan (which in anesthesia, you can almost guarantee it will!).
We've got an overall great work environment, where we're pretty much on a first-name basis with all of our attendings (most insist you don't call them "doctor"). It's pretty laid-back, we joke around a lot, and overall, it's a pleasant place to work. We're a mid-size program (about 18 residents per year), which makes it very easy to get to know everyone, and all of the residents tend to help one another out (we compete with ourselves, not with our co-residents). We had a number of personal situations arise this year, and all of the residents jumped to help out their peers - it was pretty amazing. Our hours are pretty darn good (you take more call as a CA-1, but the call load gets much less as you become senior; most CA-1s work 60-65 hours a week, but by your CA-3 year, you'll average around 50-55 hours a week) and have a significant amount of didactics. I would say that our QOL is very high, and overall, I can't say I have any major complaints of our program.
In regards to location, this is really up to you. How important is the city? If it's very important, then you have your answer in regards to which you should choose over the other. If it's not as important, then you need to ultimately decide where you think you would be the "best fit". This is super-important: don't pick a place because somebody tells you it's better than the other. Pick it because you would be happy working there for 3 years of your life. I know the interview is only one day, but consider the dinner the night before, the residents you met, the attendings you met, the overall feel of your interview day, and THEN make your decision based on your gut and where you think you would fit in.
Both places are fantastic - you'll get great training at each. You can't go wrong. The only way you could go wrong is if you don't pick the place YOU think you would ultimately be happy.
I hope this helps make your decision easier.
