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Sittin' around, studying for the boards (New Years Eve 
) and wondering why there's no chatter on our forum?
Mindy
) and wondering why there's no chatter on our forum? Mindy
Feelin' lonely...
- Thread starter Mindy
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Well, I for one would love to see some chatter from all you path applicants about programs you did and didn't like. Discuss your rank order lists, exchange opinions on atmosphere, debate the merits of various locations... and in the process, help us third-years decide where to apply and do rotations next year I'm particularly interested in thoughts on any and all East Coast programs (especially Columbia, Hopkins, Yale, Vanderbilt, Brigham, MGH and Penn). Many thanks to you, Mindy, for your response to my PM with your thoughts on several Northeast programs
The only thing I've heard so far (from several sources, including the PD at my school) is that MGH is the place to go to be a good diagnostician and Brigham is better if you're into basic research and want to set up your own lab.
I'm particularly interested in thoughts on any and all East Coast programs (especially Columbia, Hopkins, Yale, Vanderbilt, Brigham, MGH and Penn). Many thanks to you, Mindy, for your response to my PM with your thoughts on several Northeast programs The only thing I've heard so far (from several sources, including the PD at my school) is that MGH is the place to go to be a good diagnostician and Brigham is better if you're into basic research and want to set up your own lab.
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What the hey--I've certainly got nothing else to do. All opinions expressed below are OPINIONS, and are not necesarily correct. You get what you pay for--nothing in this case.
MGH: I Can't Believe They Work That Many Hours! No, but seriously, you will work alot here. Supposedly, it's better than it used to be (they recently hired 5 new PAs), but you will still get worked hard. On certain rotations (estimate was 2-3 months/year) you WILL be in the hospital until after 10, pretty much everynight. And other rotations are no picnic either. On the plus side, if you can keep your sanity, you will be an amazing diagnostic pathologist when done. There is a new push from the top to emphasize research. There is a new building going up next to the hospital which will be ready in 2006? and will have space for pathology-oriented labs. The MGH is a crowded, old hospital, and some of their stuff seemed to not be in good repair.
BWH: And WHY do you want to do AP/CP? Almost no one here does the combo AP/CP--alot of people start the AP 2 year track, then drop the CP and either do research or subspecialty training. Supposedly their diagnostic training is "as good" as MGH. Their CP, on the other hand, seems terrible, merely an afterthought of a year designed to get people to pass the boards and into research as fast as possible. Of course, everyone comes here to become a leader in academic path and start their own lab. They have an amazing track record of producing leaders in academic path. The future of the program is maybe in some question with the loss of Ramzi Cotran, who built the program up from scratch.
JHU: The Best Hospital in America. Enormous faculty, huge case load, nice facilities. Most people do AP/CP. They have a four day rotation while on AP which keeps the work load manageable. I liked JHU better than BWH and MGH. The residents seemed happy and enthusiastic about the program. Program loses points for being in Baltimore, but people there (of course) say it's not as bad as everyone thinks. And not many people live in baltimore proper, but rather in outlying communities.
I also interviewed at west coast programs, but this is already really long.
anyone care to comment?
-mrp
MGH: I Can't Believe They Work That Many Hours! No, but seriously, you will work alot here. Supposedly, it's better than it used to be (they recently hired 5 new PAs), but you will still get worked hard. On certain rotations (estimate was 2-3 months/year) you WILL be in the hospital until after 10, pretty much everynight. And other rotations are no picnic either. On the plus side, if you can keep your sanity, you will be an amazing diagnostic pathologist when done. There is a new push from the top to emphasize research. There is a new building going up next to the hospital which will be ready in 2006? and will have space for pathology-oriented labs. The MGH is a crowded, old hospital, and some of their stuff seemed to not be in good repair.
BWH: And WHY do you want to do AP/CP? Almost no one here does the combo AP/CP--alot of people start the AP 2 year track, then drop the CP and either do research or subspecialty training. Supposedly their diagnostic training is "as good" as MGH. Their CP, on the other hand, seems terrible, merely an afterthought of a year designed to get people to pass the boards and into research as fast as possible. Of course, everyone comes here to become a leader in academic path and start their own lab. They have an amazing track record of producing leaders in academic path. The future of the program is maybe in some question with the loss of Ramzi Cotran, who built the program up from scratch.
JHU: The Best Hospital in America. Enormous faculty, huge case load, nice facilities. Most people do AP/CP. They have a four day rotation while on AP which keeps the work load manageable. I liked JHU better than BWH and MGH. The residents seemed happy and enthusiastic about the program. Program loses points for being in Baltimore, but people there (of course) say it's not as bad as everyone thinks. And not many people live in baltimore proper, but rather in outlying communities.
I also interviewed at west coast programs, but this is already really long.
anyone care to comment?
-mrp
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Hey Crepitus were you just watching Ferris Bueller's Day off on VH-1? Cameron(?), Bueller's best friend, says that heybatterheybatter thingy while they're at the Cubs game and it struck me as coincidental that someone should say that right after the movie was on TV.
Anyway, about programs, I agree with mrpeters summary two posts above. I would add Mayo Clinic to the list of programs that really stood out, what with 100,000+ specimens, an unbelievably efficient work flow where almost all grossing occurs immediately, 80-90% of cases are signed out at frozen, 35,000 expert consultation cases and an amazing reference clinical lab that does every esoteric test under the sun including 50,000 tests/yr for porphyrias, how can you not be impressed? The frozen lab is the real star though. One of the residents said that on a slow day they will do 200 frozens, and on a heavy day 500+. When I visited the lab they were doing a frozen on ALL the LNs from a radical neck dissection! The numbers there are really incredible. And all of this pretty much in the middle of nowhere, where 2 brothers decided to set up a clinic over 100 years ago. It kind of reminded me of Las Vegas as one of those places you just have to see to believe.
Anyway, about programs, I agree with mrpeters summary two posts above. I would add Mayo Clinic to the list of programs that really stood out, what with 100,000+ specimens, an unbelievably efficient work flow where almost all grossing occurs immediately, 80-90% of cases are signed out at frozen, 35,000 expert consultation cases and an amazing reference clinical lab that does every esoteric test under the sun including 50,000 tests/yr for porphyrias, how can you not be impressed? The frozen lab is the real star though. One of the residents said that on a slow day they will do 200 frozens, and on a heavy day 500+. When I visited the lab they were doing a frozen on ALL the LNs from a radical neck dissection! The numbers there are really incredible. And all of this pretty much in the middle of nowhere, where 2 brothers decided to set up a clinic over 100 years ago. It kind of reminded me of Las Vegas as one of those places you just have to see to believe.