Cardiac Fellowship Rank List 2016

[deleted684261]

Wondering if people can chime in and help me with making my rank order for CT fellowship. I am pretty sure of the bottom list of mine. It is the top and middle of the pack programs that I am having a hard time with. Things I look for in a program are doing own cases and working hard, good echo training, good transplant exposure, and general reputation of program. Things I don't care: geography, haven't decided PP vs academic, and cost of living etc. So far I have programs ranked like these in tiers but no particular order but really appreciate people's two cents. Thanks in advance.

1. Duke
2. CCF
3. Texas Heart
4. Brigham

5. Vanderbilt
6. Beth Israel Deaconess
7. John Hopkins
8. Northwestern
9. Mt. Sinai NY

10. Emory
11. U Michigan
12. U Alabama
13. Cedar Sinai

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[mostwanted]

I think top four are solid, BID is excellent as well. BID has some of the most cutting edge stuff (e.g. printing 3D mitrals for surgeons etc) Dr Feroze Mehmood's talk at SCA was very nice. I personally thought M.Sinai fellows looked exhausted and would rank Emory higher than them. If lifestyle is key factor, I think U Mich is supposed to be pretty chill. I think they supervise residents. Cedar Sinai is ranked appropriately.

Wondering if people can chime in and help me with making my rank order for CT fellowship. I am pretty sure of the bottom list of mine. It is the top and middle of the pack programs that I am having a hard time with. Things I look for in a program are doing own cases and working hard, good echo training, good transplant exposure, and general reputation of program. Things I don't care: geography, haven't decided PP vs academic, and cost of living etc. So far I have programs ranked like these in tiers but no particular order but really appreciate people's two cents. Thanks in advance.

1. Duke
2. CCF
3. Texas Heart
4. Brigham

5. Vanderbilt
6. Beth Israel Deaconess
7. John Hopkins
8. Northwestern
9. Mt. Sinai NY

10. Emory
11. U Michigan
12. U Alabama
13. Cedar Sinai

 

[itcomesnpints]

I think top four are solid, BID is excellent as well. BID has some of the most cutting edge stuff (e.g. printing 3D mitrals for surgeons etc) Dr Feroze Mehmood's talk at SCA was very nice. I personally thought M.Sinai fellows looked exhausted and would rank Emory higher than them. If lifestyle is key factor, I think U Mich is supposed to be pretty chill. I think they supervise residents. Cedar Sinai is ranked appropriately.

I am curious to know why Cedar Sinai should be ranked so low? Anything specific about the program?


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[RK.md]

Having rotated at Texas Heart for a few months, I can definitely vouch for the incredible cases there! Plus Houston is awesome... it was just time for a change in scenery for me. Good luck!

 

[Robotic Wis-Hipple]

Based on your desires I think Duke is your obvious #1. I might say CCF goes to your #4 position with Tx Heart and Brigham moving up despite CCF's pretty clear consensus #1 national rep. I second BID moving up to top tier as well. And Michigan, while awesome does not sound like a fit for you (I personally also wanted more hands on, which you won't get there). I didn't visit most of your middle programs. Overall, I think you're gonna be just fine lol.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

I liked cedars. The interview day was a little disorganized, but everyone was nice, and the fellows seemed really happy, and it seems like there isn't much lacking in the training.

Trying to find an affordable place to live in the area is a little intimidating, but apparently it can be done.

 

[anes121508]

Fantastic list, pm me if u would like, I have friends that are currently fellows or have graduated recently from many of those programs and I'll be headed to one of those in a month

 

[Shimmy8]

How the eff did you get enough time off to go to that many interviews??

 

[deleted171991]

How the eff did you get enough time off to go to that many interviews??

Good supportive program, that's how. (Usually a smaller one.) One of the things people don't look at, when choosing residency or fellowship.

 

[deleted684261]

How the eff did you get enough time off to go to that many interviews??

I used all my vacation days 15 days and was able to interview back to back for many of them.

 

[partydoc]

Good supportive program, that's how. (Usually a smaller one.) One of the things people don't look at, when choosing residency or fellowship.

you keep bringing up your program, I'm curious as to where you're at

 

[deleted171991]

you keep bringing up your program, I'm curious as to where you're at

Curiosity killed the cat.

And yes, I do love my program, because of the nice people in it. The attitude is always "how can we help?" versus "keep your head low and just do your job" during my residency.

 

[anes121508]

Curiosity killed the cat.

And yes, I do love my program, because of the nice people in it. The attitude is always "how can we help?" versus "keep your head low and just do your job" during my residency.

That's awesome

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

I'll play. In no particular order, I had the following interviews:

• Mt. Sinai
• Duke
• CCF
• Albert Einstein Montefiore
• University of Nebraska
• University of Florida
• University of Minnesota
• University of Pennsylvania
• Cedars-Sinai
• Oschner
• Tufts

For superstitious reasons, I won't list my rank order, but I am glad I went on as many interviews as I did. I don't really have anything bad to say about any of the programs. You can nitpick stuff, but I don't think I would be unhappy or get poor training at any of these places. I met a handful of people who said they really didn't like Tufts, but I thought they were fine. To me, it seemed like pretty good clinical training.

 

[mostwanted]

I am curious to know why Cedar Sinai should be ranked so low? Anything specific about the program?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

Met a fellow, who was so burned out, decided to do general after fellowship.

 

[Robotic Wis-Hipple]

Curiosity killed the cat.

And yes, I do love my program, because of the nice people in it. The attitude is always "how can we help?" versus "keep your head low and just do your job" during my residency.

Did you go back and do a fellowship after a few years out? But I completely agree with keeping your anonymity intact, I would never let anyone know the program I'm at, despite how much I love the program. Same with my fellowship program.

 

[nimbus]

Met a fellow, who was so burned out, decided to do general after fellowship.

That speaks more to the fellow than the program. I know a couple of recent grads who were happy with the program.

 

[DocFocker]

I used all my vacation days 15 days and was able to interview back to back for many of them.

What a waste. If you got that many interview you won't fall below your top 3.

 

[psychbender]

What a waste. If you got that many interview you won't fall below your top 3.

Well, maybe it took that many interviews to figure out which three programs to put at the top. I know my pre-interview season list was very different from my post-interview rank list. Program websites actually tell very little about the culture of a program.

 

[pgg]

What a waste. If you got that many interview you won't fall below your top 3.

To an extent, very competitive applicants go on interviews not just to be interviewed, but to interview the program and decide where they want to go.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

I think probably 3 of my top 6 or so on my rank list are places that I almost didnt apply to for one reason or another. I say go to as many places as you can, because you never know.

 

[deleted171991]

I think probably 3 of my top 6 or so on my rank list are places that I almost didnt apply to for one reason or another. I say go to as many places as you can, because you never know.

Agree. Even big names can disappoint.

As a CA-3, I interviewed at a huge name for a post-residency position. I got so scared by how exhausted some fellows were, it took me years to even consider CCM again.

 

[nimbus]

Out of curiosity, can anyone provide a list of programs where you can gain proficiency in placement of percutaneous retrograde cardioplegia catheters?

 

[anes121508]

I remember u chi mentioned that they did them occasionally

 

[prop.sux.tube]

anybody contact your favorite programs to let them know how they look on your rank list? Any of those programs get back to you?

 

[mikey014]

Only one of my programs called. I was pretty happy about that. Otherwise, it's been quiet. I emailed my top 5 programs. Anyone have any luck?

Good luck y'all. An anxious two weeks!

 

[deleted171991]

Why would they call?

 

[RK.md]

Good luck to all!

 

[Shimmy8]

Currently debating closer to home vs better clinical training/acuity.

Thought I had decided last month but last night almost had a change of heart. Argh.

 

[Man o War]

Currently debating closer to home vs better clinical training/acuity.

Thought I had decided last month but last night almost had a change of heart. Argh.

Without a doubt, go where you get better training and acuity. My fellowship year went by so fast and I didn't have much time to see family anyway. You will get a better return on your investment going to a strong training program.

 

[contango]

.

 

[Consigliere]

Met a fellow, who was so burned out, decided to do general after fellowship.

I'll go ya' one better.....I KNOW a fellow who did a fellowship at CCF then pushed propofol for several years at GI centers afterward and has never stepped inside a cardiac OR since.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

 

[Robotic Wis-Hipple]

Sounds like he gave away 3-400k......

 

[nimbus]

Sounds like he gave away 3-400k......

And possibly millions over his career.

 

[Man o War]

I'll go ya' one better.....I KNOW a fellow who did a fellowship at CCF then pushed propofol for several years at GI centers afterward and has never stepped inside a cardiac OR since.

Damn. That's crazy. Anyone who gets into CCF's cardiac program should have known what was in store!

 

[Consigliere]

And possibly millions over his career.

That's one way to look at it. Another is to say he realized the misery of doing cardiac cases, being the "cardiac guy", taking cardiac call, and dealing with CT surgeons for 30+ years and cut his losses.

 

[Consigliere]

Damn. That's crazy. Anyone who gets into CCF's cardiac program should have known what was in store!

I disagree. I "knew what was in store" when I did an anesthesia residency. Now that I know what's REALLY in store I would have done something else.

 

[pgg]

Man, supervising 3:1 or 4:1 at a GI center sounds like an unpublished chapter of Inferno that Dante thought was too extreme and horrific to include.

 

[prop.sux.tube]

Why do we have to wait two weeks??????

 

[deleted171991]

Why do we have to wait two weeks??????

Because it's an old computer.

 

[Cocoloco]

Match day finally arrived! I matched, though not where I had hoped. Hope everyone else was successful!

 

[deleted684261]

Going to Duke pretty excited.

 

[AdmiralChz]

It's been a long time since I posted on here! I will be heading to Texas Heart next year, I'm very excited about it. I wonder how competitive everything was overall? Any insights?

 

[gasdoc77]

Man, supervising 3:1 or 4:1 at a GI center sounds like an unpublished chapter of Inferno that Dante thought was too extreme and horrific to include.

That would depend ENTIRELY on whether you were doing it as an employee or if it was your own $mall independent gig.

 

[RK.md]

It's been a long time since I posted on here! I will be heading to Texas Heart next year, I'm very excited about it.

You're going to love the cases we do here (even as residents)! Congrats!

 

[mikey014]

Matched at my top choice!

 

[Shimmy8]

Didn't match.

Disappointed, but not really upset. Read to get to work!

I will be curious to see the stats when they come out, though. Considered myself fairly competitive.

 

[mikey014]

Hey sorry to hear that dude. I'm sure you were a great candidate looking at your interview list. The whole process was a crapshoot. No rhyme or reason to the entire process at all. I just submitted my application really early. And I wrote a thank you email to my top 3 to 4.


But I wonder if there might be a list of unmatched slots that you might consider. I know USC was on that list last year.

In the grand scheme of things, you're going to get a great job and cash in on the relatively good market early.

Didn't match.

Disappointed, but not really upset. Read to get to work!

I will be curious to see the stats when they come out, though. Considered myself fairly competitive.

 

[Man o War]

Didn't match.

Disappointed, but not really upset. Read to get to work!

I will be curious to see the stats when they come out, though. Considered myself fairly competitive.

Keep trying. I actually liked going back after practicing for a while. I was so burnt out after residency- don't think I would've put in or gotten as much out straight out.