I am an R3 at Vandy, ranked Vandy first and ranked BIDMC second. I also grew up in Nashville, and went to college in Boston. Canceled Carolinas interview so I can't comment there, but it sounds like a wonderful place and several of our outstanding faculty trained there. Several of our medical students also have matched at BIDMC, and one of our former chiefs is now faculty there.
I thought Vandy and BIDMC had a lot in common. Both awesome hospitals with great teaching and wonderful reputations. Both with lots of autonomy in the ED and great medical informatics developed in house. Excellent training at both places. Cool people at both places. Great job opportunities coming out of both.
The differences I saw were as follows:
1. More affiliate sites at BIDMC. This is either a plus or a minus depending on your viewpoint; pluses are increased diversity of training, minuses are increased commute and the need to familiarize yourself with different systems and personnel. I feel that Vanderbilt sees so much of everything including trauma and indigent medicine that this has been a nonissue, but this is very personal.
2. Plenty of sick patients at both, but less competition for them at Vanderbilt. We have other hospitals in town, but all of them send their really sick patients, and almost all their trauma, to Vandy. I like that we are really the only game in town for miles and miles.
3. A unique optional fourth year at BIDMC. Many of us at Vandy pursue fellowships both here and across the country when we finish, but the only people who are guaranteed to stay an extra year if they want to are the two people selected as chiefs. I don't have a special interest that I want to pursue right now, but my wife is interested in international health, and the mini-fellowship opportunities at the BI would be better a better choice for her than I think Vanderbilt would be. That said, two of last year's Vandy grads are currently in int'l/disaster health fellowship programs, one at Hopkins and one at Emory. Wherever you go, I think your career is really what you make of it.
4. Boston vs. Nashville. Boston has a more developed urban downtown core than Nashville, whereas Nashville has a more country/outdoorsy feel with neighborhood pockets of things to do. Nashville has better traffic (but you need a car in Nashville, unlike Boston) and a better cost of living. I bought a townhouse a mile from campus on my single resident salary, and will hopefully make $40K when I sell it in a few months. They say Nashvillians are nicer people, but I have found nice and rude people in both places. Again, personal preference.
I hope this is helpful, but to be honest, only the location and the people really matter. If you have a gut feeling about the city and the people you're going to be working with, you should listen to it. Everything else is really nit picking.
I know there are a bunch of comparison threads out there, but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on these three programs, especially in comparison with each other?
strengths/weaknesses/reputation/etc.
thanks!
