Cinci vs Hopkins vs Northwestern
Started by MonkeyChow
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I interviewed at a bunch of places and I had positive experiences at every program except 1... Hopkins. At first I was really impressed with the new hospital which is gorgeous! Then noon conference happened. It was a case conference but not a SINGLE resident said a word throughout the conference (except the one presenting). They arrived late and sat in the back. A few attendings came and sat up front. They were the only ones who contributed and spent probably 1/2 of the time arguing amongst each other (not just bickering or teasing, but seriously arguing amongst each other and not in a friendly way). The whole thing was painful. Then we were supposed to have a 1/2 hour to have dessert with the residents but all of them grabbed food and left except 3. Overall I got a really bad vibe at this place and although the program has a strong reputation, it is going to the bottom of my list.
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With regards to the post from PedsER-
Your experience in noon conference is far from the typical one and I'm sorry you had a bad experience. For those of you who are interested in Hopkins, please feel free to PM me if you are in the middle of decision making and want to chat.
As I've said in many threads, the program at Johns Hopkins has, IMHO, the benefits of a small, collegial program with the rewards of a prestigious program that has access to phenomenal clinical and research resources. There is no crazy hierarchy here, many attendings go by first names, the residents are respected and have lives of their own outside of their jobs. If you want to be a general pediatrician, it's a great program, if you want to subspecialize, it's a great program.
I can't comment personally on the other places mentioned, but Hopkins is a fantastic choice if you are looking for a friendly program where you will be trained to be a top-notch pediatrician
Your experience in noon conference is far from the typical one and I'm sorry you had a bad experience. For those of you who are interested in Hopkins, please feel free to PM me if you are in the middle of decision making and want to chat.
As I've said in many threads, the program at Johns Hopkins has, IMHO, the benefits of a small, collegial program with the rewards of a prestigious program that has access to phenomenal clinical and research resources. There is no crazy hierarchy here, many attendings go by first names, the residents are respected and have lives of their own outside of their jobs. If you want to be a general pediatrician, it's a great program, if you want to subspecialize, it's a great program.
I can't comment personally on the other places mentioned, but Hopkins is a fantastic choice if you are looking for a friendly program where you will be trained to be a top-notch pediatrician
I won't comment on the programs themselves since I'm currently in CCHMC and my opinion is obviously biased and I can't compare things to the other places where I haven't been for the past 6 months.
One thing I do feel is worth mentioning to keep in mind is the lifestyle outside of the hospital. In Cincinnati, you can stretch your salary quite a bit. My wife and I can afford living in one of the newer, fancier apartment buildings downtown on my salary and eat out, have fun and all that often enough.
The city is also in a very majestic upswing- the general mood is that of optimism, and it seems like the once very dangerous districts (such as over-the-rhine and downtown) are now bustling with activity- I'd say no less than 15 bars and restaurants have opened in the last 6 months in the area, two parks have been inaugurated, and I guess the amount of things to do in the city has grown incredibly. I was expecting to have a more "stay at home" lifestyle but that is definitely not the case.
Also worth mentioning, the city is not as diverse/cosmopolitan as others but that is actually a good thing- people in Cincy are kind and respectful for the most part. The hospital is a reason for pride for the city and this gives you a sense of belonging and you feel the hospitality. The city is diverse/cosmopolitan enough to have great events and shows and concerts year round, as well as absurdely impressive places such as jungle jim's or the party source (in NKY) where you can find anything and everything from anywhere (I've lived in Paris and New York and I'll tell you, my jaw drops whenever I go to JJ's or PS).
One thing I do feel is worth mentioning to keep in mind is the lifestyle outside of the hospital. In Cincinnati, you can stretch your salary quite a bit. My wife and I can afford living in one of the newer, fancier apartment buildings downtown on my salary and eat out, have fun and all that often enough.
The city is also in a very majestic upswing- the general mood is that of optimism, and it seems like the once very dangerous districts (such as over-the-rhine and downtown) are now bustling with activity- I'd say no less than 15 bars and restaurants have opened in the last 6 months in the area, two parks have been inaugurated, and I guess the amount of things to do in the city has grown incredibly. I was expecting to have a more "stay at home" lifestyle but that is definitely not the case.
Also worth mentioning, the city is not as diverse/cosmopolitan as others but that is actually a good thing- people in Cincy are kind and respectful for the most part. The hospital is a reason for pride for the city and this gives you a sense of belonging and you feel the hospitality. The city is diverse/cosmopolitan enough to have great events and shows and concerts year round, as well as absurdely impressive places such as jungle jim's or the party source (in NKY) where you can find anything and everything from anywhere (I've lived in Paris and New York and I'll tell you, my jaw drops whenever I go to JJ's or PS).
In terms of Cincinnati-- one thing I've experienced in the program is that the administration is truly on our side. Everyone works together, and enjoys working together, which is important when you spend so much time at the hospital. That being said, the schedule is such that there is time to spend outside the hospital with friends and family. I love how Cincinnati has a good mix of bread and butter peds, which you see when you are on general peds months, as well as plenty of more complex and rare cases you see on specialty rotations. As someone from the West Coast, I had concerns moving to Cincinnati, but it really has surprised me. As Andreji says, there is a lot going on, tons of things to do, and the cost of living is hard to beat.
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