Comparison of DR programs in TX

[TXRads]

Hey everyone! Piggybacking off of a post made earlier, I am looking for any insight or opinions on TX programs. Making a rank list is a bit tougher this season but I'm mainly basing it off of location and prestige. In particular I am curious about UTSW and BSW Temple. There was a post earlier about Houston Methodist but if anyone wants to add to that as well that would be cool. It's hard to know where I would "fit" best since I didn't get to meet everyone in person so any advice is appreciated.

Thank you!

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[clutch21]

I’m sending you a direct message on the topic.

 

[abcSoup]

I’m sending you a direct message on the topic.

Can you DM me as well? Looking at Methodist and Baylor

 

[odyssey2]

Me too please? Looking at Baylor

 

[TXRads]

Hey yall I can send yall the msg he sent me if yall want, just send me a msg pls.

 

[futureRADres]

An R3 resident of UT San Antonio, TX DR program:

I suggest you all read the post in SDN posted in 2019 (.):

First of all, good luck with this year's match. I wish you all the best. If you match at UTHSCSA, this will be your future in UTHSCSA Rad:

• Dr. Gomez, the PD, the happy twitter face, is not who he looks like. He is a new PD after he took the position of Dr. Kist, the previous PD, due to an 95% dissatisfaction rate in the ACGME resident survey. Like his predecessor, almost all residents are not happy with his performance as PD. Don't judge a book by its cover. The rumors are he will be replaced with another faculty member (Dr. Rohweder) next year, which is another awful choice for PD.

• Education: almost zero. Dr. Gomez does not believe in education; the residents should find everything they need to learn from the internet.

• Faculty members show up around 10 am and usually staff residents remotely. They come and staff the reports very quickly. Do not expect one-on-one teaching.

• Matching in radiology is hard, but worse when you match to a program that doesn’t care about residents. I wish someone had told me. Do not rank UT San Antonio EVEN if you are really desperate. You are going to be in a 4-year nightmare. Ask previous graduates about the things I listed.

Find any of the current residents and email them: How to find the residents' email: [Last name] followed by [First letter of first name] @uthscsa.edu

Teaching is the worst part of UTHSCSA rad and is getting worse each year.

We do not have didactics, no protected study time. All you get is noon-1pm lectures that are worth nothing.

• Board Pass rate: Awful. 2 out of 9 residents failed during last year's board exam. The reason is clearly that the program does not give you any time to study. We do not know how the results will turn out for this year yet.
• Extremely busy program. Think of 300 studies in one ED night. Calls are crazy. Long calls are 20 hrs, short ones are 11 hrs for one month in a row, with mostly no fellows after 10 pm. The night float rotation is awful. Most nighttime faculty members will not help you if you are behind the list. Specifically, ask the residents how the night rotation is.
• Flexibility/ Open door policy: There is no tolerance for feedback; if you start giving them feedback or complain about anything, expect nothing to change.
• If your annual in-service score is below the 30-40th percentile, you will be bullied and threatened by the Chair! You will not be allowed to do moonlighting that year.
• Between 2019 and 2020, 5 residents have been dismissed or have resigned!!!!
• Residents want to leave this program. If you don’t believe it, look at resident swap website.
• Even many faculty members are leaving. The faculty turnover is high, with the most common complaint being their salary.

I hope you find this message to be helpful as you contemplate programs on your rank list. Good luck!

 

[Gigem2636]

So much false in this post from someone who has nothing better to do at 1 am. Feel bad for you that you feel this way. I’m also a third year and I’m very happy with my choice.

 

[Rad2TheBone]

An R3 resident of UT San Antonio, TX DR program....

I'm an R3 at uthscsa. I completely disagree with the above post.

Dr Gomez has and continues to be an excellent PD with a strong emphasis on education. I haven't heard any replacement rumors. And no, 95% of us aren't unhappy.

We have plenty of education including board review series for 3rd years and daily noon conference + scattered tumor or case conferences. The acgme does not allow dedicated study only time for boards, instead we attempt to schedule more relaxed rotations during the 2nd half of your 3rd year.

Most faculty are in house and there at 8-830am. Obviously covid has caused some to read from home.

I am sorry you felt it was a 4 year nightmare, but that 100% is not my experience.

Everyone last year passed the boards, 2 people originally had to retake, doing so successfully. The fail rate last year for the US was 16%. Life happens. The past years before that was 100% on the first attempt.

We are a busy program. But more like 180-220 studies during Longshift (5pm to 7am). My max was 225, crazy night. We don't have 20hr shifts.

I have given tons of reasonable feedback over the years without concern and with success.

Inservice scores under 30% year after year may signal deficiencies and its reasonable that the program might have you stop moonlighting to encourage studying and improvement.

Residents leaving (and entering) happens. Sometimes it's personal choices, sometimes a resident isn't able to safely take care of patients, other reasons etc.

Faculty turnover has been really good overall, with the most changes occurring in neuro.

Overall I'm proud of my program, I'm super happy I choose it, and I would choose it again. I don't have anything to gain from writing this post (I'll have graduated before a current ms4 becomes an R1). But I don't want people to miss out due to one person's post/opinion. I do feel bad for the above poster who was unhappy while writing this, and I wish them the best in their career and life.

 

[IllDefined]

Current upper level UTHSCSA radiology resident-

Dr. Gomez (our fearless PD) is among the best teachers we have and one of the kindest people I have ever met. He is an embodiment of the soul of our program. We work hard, we care for our patients, we strive for excellence and we have a lot of fun doing it. And when the Texas power grid isn't frozen over- this is a pretty kick ass place to live. I have loved living and training here. I have made life long friends and feel this program has put me on a trajectory to be a successful radiologist. I would chose to train here again without hesitation.

Feel free to DM me for specifics about the program!

futureRADres- My heart breaks for the place you must be in that caused you to write this. I don't want to diminish your experience, but painting broad strokes of negativity about our program doesn't seem justified given the uniqueness of your circumstance. I wish you all the best and hope things start looking up for you.

 

[princessrad]

Also an upper level from the UTHSCSA program, and I am heartbroken about the original post. FutureRADres, I am sorry that you feel the way you do and felt like this was the way for your grievances to be heard. But I feel compelled to say that my personal experience at our program has been the complete opposite, and I would definitely choose to come to this program again without any hesitation.

Both Drs. Gomez and Rohweder, along with the rest of the faculty, have been amazing leaders and teachers and have always been there for me when I needed their support/advice. They have worked endlessly to address resident concerns and feedback, and I do truly feel like I have a voice in this program.

From an educational standpoint, I feel like the program has done an excellent job in preparing me for the “real world” in terms of volume, pathology, and didactics. Yes, I can’t deny that the ER overnight months are hard. However, those months are also some of the most rewarding times of my residency thus far, particularly in regards to professional/personal growth and becoming more independent as a radiologist.

All in all, this program has become like a second family to me, and I have made some of my best friends here. Please feel free to DM me with any specific questions or for further elaboration.