East Coast Cardiology Programs

[lub-dub]

Dear colleagues,

I am currently a 2nd year IM resident applying to Cardiology (for 2007). I have attended college, med school, and even IM residency all in the west coast. However, I am curious about the east coast programs such as MGH, B&W, Hopkins, Duke, Yale, Georgetown.

1. Any info/scoops on these programs? pros? cons?
2. If you are to rank them, what is your rank list?
(Inputs from east coast folks are much appreciated!!!)

Thanks and best wishes!

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[irlandesa]

From what I hear, you can't go wrong with any of those; I went to med school and undergrad and am doing my residency on the East Coast. I unfortunately don't have any specific feedback on the programs you mentioned, but I would caution that well-reputed state school affiliated fellowship programs on the East Coast tend to take their own and may not be worth as much of a look unless you went there for residency (and likely, med school). These places really tend to take their own.. Examples include UMASS, University of Maryland, UNC, etc.. Of those you mentioned, my personal preferences would be Duke (warmer weather) and Yale (no competition as Yale is the only show in town). But everyone values something different; Boston is a beautiful city (albeit expensive and COLD), and DC is fun as well (although also expensive and not easy to get around in in spite of the spiffy Metro).

I'm looking to move west in a few years; may even apply for Cards. Any particular West Coast programs I should keep in mind (community programs included)? Any thoughts on UCSD, Arizona, UNM, UCLA (and any affiliates), UCI, Loma Linda, USC?

 

[P Diddy]

I'm looking to move west in a few years; may even apply for Cards. Any particular West Coast programs I should keep in mind (community programs included)? Any thoughts on UCSD, Arizona, UNM, UCLA (and any affiliates), UCI, Loma Linda, USC?

come west, you won't regret it.

UCSD has the reputation of not being that great clinically (heard that from one of the faculty at Scripps I interviewed with - a former fellow).

if you're checking out UCLA, look at UCLA-Harbour as well. UCLA faculty, county population, not as much volume but happy fellows and nice lifestyle. their interventional is weak (night interventions get sent to USC) and they get farmed out to off-site hospitals for some rotations which can be hit or miss. no heart failure inless you do an elective at USC (and there are 9 months of elective 3rd year).

UCLA proper is a great program, very research oriented. fellowship is essentially 5 years long since they try and shunt every Cards fellow into the STAR program (PhD). one of my resident colleagues is there for fellowship and enjoys it, but the clinical rotations can be demanding due to both volume (CCU is call Q1 for 2 weeks with 2 days off or something crazy like that) and not quite as strong housestaff (lots of calls at night).

scripps was a nice program. the most beautiful location, fellows were also happy. great interventionalist program. only 2 fellows per year, and one drawback is that you admit after the team on call caps (sometimes even admitting non-cards patients!).

I liked USC. the new program chair Pohost seems committed to research and county can't be beat for crazy patient presentations. the word is that the echo rotation entails a lot of self teaching and there is some scribe work when dealing with university (private) patients. gets you into the LA area if you want to do private practice, which is a difficult market to break into.

check out UC Davis as well - i didn't interview there but heard it was a strong program from one of my friends. it is also 1 hr from snowboarding.

p diddy