Columbia

[Radiologyreviews2015]

What are everyone's thoughts on Columbia?

I really enjoyed my interview day there and am considering ranking them in my top 2-3. It seemed like strong clinical training with nice people.

However, I've heard vague grumblings from applicants and residents (at other programs) about 'problems' there a few years back. I know a programs history might not effect my future experience there, but I just wanted to get a better sense of what went down and if it could be a continued issue there?

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[Radiologyreviews2015]

Columbia is still in rebuilding and growth phase, the new kid on the block. After turnover from the last chair change some years ago, it is still hiring lots of new faculty five years later. The students that match there seem to come from schools that are a notch below that at NYU and Cornell. The size of the program is smaller than the vast majority of programs in the top 25 and one of the PDs related that it would not be increasing anytime soon. I got a paternalistic vibe from the PD though. The residents had really good camaraderie. Board scores are high. As with all the northeast programs, the call experience is not independent. Research opportunities are good; one resident has an RSNA grant; the vice chair for research is a potentially good mentor. The interview day exceeded my expectations (though I did have low expectations based on its historical reputation). I view ranking Columbia as a high risk/high potential reward choice given its upward trajectory.

 

[Radiologyreviews2015]

Completely agree, I almost cancelled my interview here and so happy I didn't. Completely exceeded my expectations. PD was very warm and friendly and really seemed to have residents back. One thing that stood out was the "consult radiology" rotation, where the rads resident rounds with medicine teams and goes over images with them and discusses disease trajectory and treatment. They're really into showing other specialties the value of radiology which was interesting. I was really impressed with the residents at noon conference and thought the didactic lecture was one of the better ones I've seen on the trail. They all match into really great fellowships and I thought it was very unique how involved the chairman of radiology (who came from sinai but trained at columbia) was as he lead the group tour on the interview day. He seemed very kind and personable. I don't think you can go wrong with this place at all, also the residents seemed really laid back and cool but worked hard.

 

[Radiologyreviews2015]

I thought it was very unique how involved the chairman of radiology (who came from sinai but trained at columbia) was as he lead the group tour on the interview day. He seemed very kind and personable.

The chair did not lead my tour, the executive vice chair did. It was cool but not as eye-opening as the NYU tour, which was led by the chair and exposed us to big ideas and non-traditional aspects of the department (eg, structured and multimedia radiology reports, virtual consults, tech notes on PACS, process improvement, MR coil lab). The columbia exec vice chair was awkwardly interested in what other programs we had interviewed at and liked. Inferiority complex? It was also awkward when he was listing IRs who are department chairs elsewhere, and he left off Rob Min right down the island at Cornell. Do they have beef? The tour also went too long so his talk afterward shortened the noon conference and the chair didn't have time to talk to us. A bit of a mess.

 

[Radiologyreviews2015]

The chair did not lead my tour, the executive vice chair did. It was cool but not as eye-opening as the NYU tour, which was led by the chair and exposed us to big ideas and non-traditional aspects of the department (eg, structured and multimedia radiology reports, virtual consults, tech notes on PACS, process improvement, MR coil lab). The columbia exec vice chair was awkwardly interested in what other programs we had interviewed at and liked. Inferiority complex? It was also awkward when he was listing IRs who are department chairs elsewhere, and he left off Rob Min right down the island at Cornell. Do they have beef? The tour also went too long so his talk afterward shortened the noon conference and the chair didn't have time to talk to us. A bit of a mess.

I've never seen someone read so much into a tour. Maybe we were there different days, but I thought both Columbia and NYU's tours were equally boring.

 

[Radiologyreviews2015]

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[AlphaBeta<3]

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Theres an entire thread dedicated to columbia 2015-2016

 

[Radiologyreviews2015]

Been told by multiple academic attendings that Columbia's new chairman has been making tremendous moves that if its reputation changes, it will be for the better. IMO, radiology depends on diversity of cases, and as the top referral center they at least match if not surpass all the NYC programs in craziness of cases. Also has the only stand alone children's hospital in manhattan, the Neurological Institute, lots of research collaboration with the engineering school, technology ventures (some of the residents got patents through the university technology transfer office). It seems to me that Columbia offers more than just clinical radiology. I also thoroughly enjoyed talking with the people there during my interview day - very down to earth. Will be ranking highly.