Boston programs

[pediatricantobe]

Long time lurker!

Currently trying to make my ROL. I definitely want to be in Boston as my wife has a job here and can't move.

I think Tufts is a less strong program and so I'll be putting it at number 3 although there were things I liked on interview day.

I don't know how to rank MGHfC and BCRP. They're clearly very different but both appeal in different ways. I want to end up in academic pulmonology and I'd see myself wanting to do fellowship at one of the big academic centers. Pros and cons for residency ROL:

MGHfC: Very friendly and seemed supportive. Big emphasis on training strong general pediatricians. Very few fellows to get in the way. Less focus on academics. Does anyone know anything about the call schedule?

BCRP: Bruising call schedule. Slightly cold atmosphere on interview day. Rumor has it that few decisions are made at the resident level. Amazing academic opportunities but do they have any time to get involved?

Does anyone have any input on what order to rank in? I feel that I might have a more enjoyable 3 years at MGHfC but that when it comes to fellowship, I'd wish I'd tried to go to BRCP.

Would appreciate any input! Thanks in advance.

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[Slade]

Disclaimer: I did not interview at any of these programs.

I have only heard bad things about the atmosphere/snobism/lack of resident responsibility/etc. at BCRP from residents and attendings all over (seriously from the West coast to the East coast). You can perhaps attribute 50% of that to jealousy(?) but I'd be wary that the leftover 50% of negative opinions of BCRP were legitimate.
Tufts, I don't know anything about. MGH, I've heard good things.

 

[J-Rad]

Pediatric pulmonology is an uncompetitive residency like most peds subs. Coming from any decent program would likely get you into a fellowship at a good center. Have you given any thought to any of the other programs that are in a reasonable geographic radius as well? UMass Worcester, BayState, and Maine Medical? I don't have much to offer with respect to the Boston programs other than to reiterate that I doubt you're going to have a lot of trouble getting a fellowship somewhere you want to train at.

 

[pediatricantobe]

Thanks both of your for your replies!

Pediatric pulmonology is an uncompetitive residency like most peds subs. Coming from any decent program would likely get you into a fellowship at a good center.

Oops perhaps I should have been more clear. I totally agree that most decent programs would enable me to do a pulm fellowship but I haven't ruled out wanting to go down the phd/academia route post-fellowship and so I might be aiming at the top places. Does this make any difference?

Have you given any thought to any of the other programs that are in a reasonable geographic radius as well? UMass Worcester, BayState, and Maine Medical?

Yes, I interviewed at a couple of those and liked them. Too far from Boston, where my wife would have to commute to, for them to make the top of my list.

Thanks!

 

[themissinlink]

If it's helpful, this year, two MGHfC second year residents matched at MGHfC and one matched at Boston Children's. In any case, the advice I received applying into residency was to focus less on which program is the best option in your specialty of choice but rather which program is going to make you the best pediatrician. There are certainly academic pulmonologists at MGHfC as well, though they may be more easily approachable than at a larger institution. On the flip side, likely less depth and breadth to be seen, though certainly an option to do an away or even research across town.

 

[pediatricantobe]

If it's helpful, this year, two MGHfC second year residents matched at MGHfC and one matched at Boston Children's.

Thanks! I can't find their match list anywhere on their website so that's good to hear!

 

[Pedsdoc13]

I have to completely disagree with the opinion on Boston Children's and the BCRP. My mentors, including people who have trained there and people who haven't, think very highly of the training opportunities. I interviewed at both MGHfC and the BCRP, and also spent a month at Children's. I loved my time at Children's. The residents, fellows, and attendings were supportive, nice, and went out of their way to make me feel welcome. As for training, I thought it was top notch. Rounds, senior rounds (like morning report), noon didactics and afternoon teaching from the fellows were are all great. The nurses and ancillary staff were also nice, and I had lots of fun interacting with patients and their families. As for your concerns about fellows and decision making, fellows did not put in any orders, and they almost always wanted to hear the residents plan, and if they didn't agree, they explained why they would do it differently. I think the residents had enough autonomy to learn, but great back up and teaching with the fellows. I have nothing but positive things to say about the program.

I enjoyed my interview day at MGHfC as well. I think the residents were friendly and the training is good there too. The schedules, however, were quite different. BCRP has q 4 for the majority of second year and some of third year. MGHfC also does some q4 (I think), but the residents commented on how they felt they were "always" on back up. Apparently it's something the program is working on. Perhaps the scheduling differences contribute to this malignant reputation. I 100% agree that the programs have a very different feel, and people may fit in better at or the other (it sounds like you preferred MGH) but I just don't buy the malignant reputation many of these large academic centers seem to have.

Best of luck in the match!

 

[marinak]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me about the BUMC pediatric department and the floor? I know that BMC does not have its own residency program, but it is covered by the Children's pediatric residents. I'm considering it for my child neurology fellowship. If anyone has rotated there as part of med school rotations/electives, I'd appreciate your insight on the diversity of pathology that you see there and how wide the referral base is at BMC since there's several other children's programs in the city. I loved the child neuro faculty so my question is more about the hospital itself, the patient base, and the academics.

thanks!

 

[Downbytheicu]

Hi, it's been awhile since this post, but I thought I would respond to it for posterity. I am speaking as a current resident in the BCRP. BMC is one of the reason that many residents choose the BCRP over other large academic institutions. People often go on and on about Children's, the fellows, the lack of bread and butter, etc. and gloss over the fact that BMC accounts for about 30% of our residency training. There are very, very few fellows and only in the fellowships that you really want a fellow available (neuro and ID). There is a tremendous degree of pathology seen at BMC and it's often very bizarre, global health type stuff from Cape Verde (google it). Whereas people get off a plane from the middle east and present to Children's, people often get off a plane from Cape Verde and latin america to present to BMC. They are very complimentary experiences from both a medical and social-medical perspective.

As for the reputations, it's true that the program is very difficult and that the junior year is brutal. In some ways, I consider it to be a 2 year residency (q4 for ~ 10 months of junior year, and a large part of senior year, but also 3 months of research and typically 3 months of elective as a senior). I wouldn't describe the residents as snobbish (inherent bias), but there is the occasional academic type in the residency. Most of the people in the program are quite well rounded and I am always learning something new about music, sailing, traveling, cooking, or other hobbies from the people I work with.

As far as residency goes, I was told coming in that your learning will come from your patients and your fellow residents (especially the seniors). Go to a program where you will have great cases and great co-residents. On the flip side of the match, I think that there are many, many places that can offer the cases to be a good pediatrician. We do see some space-age stuff that is remarkable and probably patient identifiable due to the rarity so I won't list any examples. But, you don't need to take care of people walking around with their ECMO caths hanging out of them or with their own personal case reports in order to be a good pediatrician. I do think that we have a bright group of residents, and they are the ones that help me hold on during the rough days.

Hope that this helps in some small way.