BWH vs. MGH

[7abiby]

Hey guys,
What are some of the differences in the general surgery residency program between these two hospitals? Is one more research oriented than the other? I would like to do an AI at one of these programs but I'm having a hard time deciding and I can only do one month. Thanks in advance for your help

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[VilleValo]

MGH is harder to get into, and I don't know if you'll be able to get your AI there. If you do, people tend to know it for it's journal, and you have a little wow factor to your CV when you apply for residency. I attended some classes at both MGH and BWH in surgery. The surgical residents at BWH seemed a bit happier than the MGH residents. You'll have a good variety of cases no matter which hospital you choose. BWH tends to promote from within, so you really have a chance to shine. Good luck!

 

[7abiby]

MGH is harder to get into, and I don't know if you'll be able to get your AI there. If you do, people tend to know it for it's journal, and you have a little wow factor to your CV when you apply for residency. I attended some classes at both MGH and BWH in surgery. The surgical residents at BWH seemed a bit happier than the MGH residents. You'll have a good variety of cases no matter which hospital you choose. BWH tends to promote from within, so you really have a chance to shine. Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. What you mean though by "promote from within"? This will be an away AI for me.

 

[VilleValo]

I mean that they have a greater likelyhood of offering you an interview if you do your AI there and potentially matching. They also give many of their residents their desired fellowships there, even if they don't always have the exam scores one would expect. If you go there, work hard, pick a few attendings to introduce yourself and scrub with, and ask them for letters of rec at the end of your stay. Kiss lots of resident butt, too. AIs are a lot about likeability, not particularly skill. 😍

 

[BlondeDocteur]

I am not at all trying to be snarky or kick you when you're down... but didn't you (VilleValo) match into a small community program that is closing this year, thus forcing you to find a new position? Did you rotate at MGH and know all of this firsthand?

As an aside, I would say that over half of the people I've both talked to and seen post their ROLs on sdn favor the Brigham over MGH. They prefer the culture, think the fellowship opportunities are outstanding, and believe the clinical experience is superior.

That's all secondhand-- Boston is very much not in the cards for me so I've not looked into it myself.

 

[VilleValo]

I am in Boston now. Thank you for your concern.

 

[Bitsy3221]

I am a resident at MGH, and very happy here, as is the overwhelming majority of my colleagues. I think as a whole, we are a happy, down to earth and supportive bunch who all work very hard. I am constantly impressed at how much my colleagues love what they do and how committed they are, and have found that this is so important when you are doing a job as stressful as this for as many hours a day that is required. This place can come across as a bit intimidating on interview day (which I suppose is kind of the point) so I can understand some people coming away from that with negative feelings.

I do know residents at BWH as well as former BWH residents who are now fellows at MGH, and after several long discussions contrasting the two places, I found that the overall opinion from within the two places is that MGH residents probably spend more hours in the hospital, if you will, than the Brigham. I think that despite the impression that people have that we are a more unhappy bunch than the Brigham residents, we tend to be a more cohesive bunch, and spend more time with each other socially outside the hospital.

As far as the OP's original question regarding research, I don't think either one is necessarily more or less research oriented, except that most residents at both programs (but not all) end up doing some sort of research. Both the hospitals themselves as well as Harvard has a lot of funding, which helps alleviate the stress on the resident of finding grant money. I think, though I have no figures to prove so, that more residents go straight through at MGH than at BWH. MGH residents do the majority of their rotations on-site, with rotations at two community hospitals and at Boston Children's (with the BWH residents). We have a Level I Burn center, and a Children's Hospital (including Pedi Trauma) on-site which BWH does not have (though they still see some burn patients as I understand). BWH experience includes rotations at the VA, which we do not have. I think the residents at MGH probably do more in the ORs sooner than BWH, but the numbers all equal in the end and the clinical experience overall seems very similar.

If anyone has any specific questions, please feel free to PM me.

 

[7abiby]

Thanks for this info Bitsy3221. I sent you a PM

 

[annie5644]

bwh surgery residents are infinitely more normal and happier than mgh residents. it's not even close. they are both well trained and work hard but there is much, much, much less malignancy at bwh.

 

[7abiby]

Being that general surgery training at MGH seems to be more traditional and "malignant" according to some, how do you guys think it compares to Duke's?

 

[Orthodoc40]

MGH residents do the majority of their rotations on-site, with rotations at two community hospitals and at Boston Children's (with the BWH residents). We have a Level I Burn center, and a Children's Hospital (including Pedi Trauma) on-site which BWH does not have (though they still see some burn patients as I understand). BWH experience includes rotations at the VA, which we do not have. I think the residents at MGH probably do more in the ORs sooner than BWH, but the numbers all equal in the end and the clinical experience overall seems very similar.

If anyone has any specific questions, please feel free to PM me.

Hi - I just want to clarify that BWH is affiliated with Children's Hospital Boston, right next door to them, and my time in the OR at BWH led me to believe they probably also have pedi on-site stuff from CHB.

 

[NJA61479]

I went to med school in Boston and did surgical rotations at both hospitals (BWH and MGH). My opinion is that the residents were more intelligent and happier at BWH and work fewer hours. Both programs seem to go over hours and I believe that BWH has the OK to have their residents work 85 or 88 hours a week. MGH residents were routinely exhausted and were working 100+ hours a week. I also believe that BWH is more cutting edge and requires two years of research as opposed to MGH which relies on it past accomplishments. The research there is encouraged but not mandatory. Either way you will be working hard, surrounded by extremely talented attendings and residents, and will come out being able to get into the fellowship of your choice. You can't go wrong either way, unless you are like me and had to get out of the cold.