googled said:
Will be there in 2 wks.
How are the overall case loads there? Peds, cardio, transplant, etc?
And what attracted you to the program?
Overall caseload - quite heavy...in fact, we're in the latter stages of significantly expanding the number of OR & pre/post op services to deal with the volume. We just opened 4 new ORs (and man are they sweet! - I got to de-virginate the new vascular OR) & plan to serially close blocks of the older ones (I say "older", but the entire med center's facilities are only 12 years old) for remodeling.
Peds volume: sufficient to get the numbers you will need w/o having to bump elbows or compete w/ other residents to do so, but inadequate to support a peds anesth fellowship. However, DHMC is actively recruiting another peds GS because the expansion of current volume & demand for services. Due to proximity w/ Maine Med, Hasbro Children's (Providence, RI) & Boston Children's - we do not do, nor appear to be planning to start peds cardio surgery.
Transplant: Currently, DHMC only does renal transplants, but does quite a few of those. There are talks about adding additional transplant services, but that has not become a reality yet.
Cardio: Pretty damned impressive crew of CT cutters & being a tertiary referral center, we don't get too much of the garden variety CABGs. We tend to get the ones that fall apart in the cath lab or more than most want to take on. Two of our cutters do some pretty elobarate stuff in particular. And, we just added a non-cards thoracic surgeon to deal w/ the increasing volume of non-cards chest procedures.
All in all, especially for a facility significantly removed from a major metropolitan area, you will be most pleasantly surprised at the quantity & qaulity of your operative exposure here. Plus, if you're not fond of cities, you cannot beat this place in as far as lifestyle, friendly people & beauty.
As for me & my family...why were we attracted to this program? Well, I was seeking a high-volume, high-acuity, high-variety university-afilliated program in a small to med sized community. We both grew up in & have lived in large cities & no longer have any desire to live in one. So, as you might imagine, your list of options shrinks dramatically with that parameter. However, there are several good programs that fit that billing: Dartmouth, UFL, UVA, Penn St, URochester & VCU to name a couple off of the top of my head. But, we both love New England & the program here is superb! Personally, I would rate it in the top 20, maybe top 10 - but that is my opinion only. Furthermore, they offer the ability to undertake a co-residency in Leadership/Preventive Med where you add on a year earning an MPH & will be board eligible in Prevent Med. Plus, as I am interested in critical care med, they also offer a very strong ICU fellowship...all of this in a friendly, smallish community that is gorgeous & full of friendly people. Essentially everything we sought rolled into a single program.
The downsides of this area? Only 2 concrete things & 1 relative one come to mind.
Cost of housing - depending upon where you are from, housing prices & rent can be a
Kodak moment.
Childcare - generally, the childcare that is here is of good quality, but it is spread very thin, esp if you have a child under 2 years. And, it can be quite expensive.
Winter - we love it, but it can be quite intense. What does bother us is the duration! It generally is pretty solidly winterish by mid-Nov & stays that way until April & can snow into late-April & May. But, if you love winter, or at least don't mind it, it is an awesome place to live. Summers are nice. Spring (mud season) is even better & fall is incredible.
