I'm going to cover a few in rapid succession here:
YORK
PGY 1-3
All of the faculty are very professional and do a good job of promoting the program. The PD spent 4 years at Northwestern (Chicago) and 8 years at Emory (Grady, in Atlanta). He has a great program in place that really doesn't need much tinkering.
The hospital has a high volume at 70,000, the 4th-busiest in the state with 11 EM residents and ~28% admit rate. During the dinner the night before, the residents were raving about how much they get to do and see. The trauma is 90% blunt and 10% penetrating. It is a level 2 center, but the PD went to great length to explain why that's not a weakness. There are no nearby Level 1 centers so York sees everything, and they're planning on getting the Level 1 designation within the next few years anyway. I don't think there's any shortage of action here.
There is a Medical SimCenter under construction - a separate facility that looks like it's going to be very nice.
Overall, York is a rural community hospital program with emphasis on getting residents up to speed to practice in community hospital EDs. It meets all the RRC requirements for research, of course, but I didn't get the impression that it was a focus. One of the biggest things you'll have to consider about the program is its location. The area is within a couple hours drive of some cities, but the immediate location is basically a small city in the Pennsylvania countryside.
MUSC
PGY 1-3
This program will be accepting its second class of residents with our year. That means there are no senior residents, and some of the kinks will have to be worked out of the program, but I was very impressed with the faculty and think they have a great model.
The ER does not currently have departmental status, but it's moving in that direction. The Division Director and Program Director are completely behind the residency and supportive of the residents. They have met with the residents frequently this year to assess the early stages of the program and get feedback. Trauma delineation is systematized and there were no complaints from the residents about issues with the trauma service. The ED handles all airways.
The physical set-up at their main ED is a bit convoluted, and there are plans to update it, but that won't happen for a few years. I didn't hear any complaints from the residents about it though. The residents all came out for the pre-interview dinner and were a great group. Very relaxed and fun to hang out with.
Charleston is one of the most gorgeous little cities I've ever seen. Resident salaries can afford small places on or near the beach. I mean, come on, how sweet is that?! The culture is very Southern. College football is huge and people are friendly and courteous. Yes ma'am, no sir. All that jazz.
Shifts are 18 12's. Volume is >50K.
Overall, I think this program has a lot of potential in a very fun place to live. It has some unavoidable drawbacks due to its age (lack of seniors and curriculum tweaks), but I think anyone who matches here will be well-trained after three years, tanned and happy. Not a bad deal.
EVMS
PGY 1-3
I was very impressed with this program. The program director was professional and polished, but definitely approachable. The primary ED (Sentara Norfolk) is a Level 1 with 51K volume. A fairly low admit rate from what I've seen, at 20%. but the residents had no complaints about seeing enough patients or getting experience at procedures. The 23 8-hr shifts allow for more free time per day than your 12-hrs, and the program emphasizes reading and research to supplement your ED work. I was surprised at the friendliness of the residents and the amount of things to do in the Norfolk area. Virginia Beach is only 15-20 minutes away, and there is affordable housing to rent or buy within a quick drive.
Overall, I think I'd like to go back for a second look to make sure the ED is busy enough and residents are getting enough action. But otherwise, the faculty, education, facilities and lifestyle seem excellent and I would be happy to match here.
A couple more coming soon...