Good FM residency programs??

[MyGuardian55]

I'm interested in applying to Family Medicine for residency. I have a number of programs already selected that I will apply to, but was wondering if there are other unopposed programs in the NY, NJ, Penn. Conn. region that residents reading this would recommended applying to. Thanks for the help!!

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[MtnDoc]

i'm Interested In Applying To Family Medicine For Residency. I Have A Number Of Programs Already Selected That I Will Apply To, But Was Wondering If There Are Other Unopposed Programs In The Ny, Nj, Penn. Conn. Region That Residents Reading This Would Recommended Applying To. Thanks For The Help!!

1

 

[MelissaBMD]

I have actually heard about the Spartanburg SC program. Supposedly they are one of the better programs- especially of all those that are unopposed. I talked to some folks from there when I was in Kansas City for the AAFP conference... Everyone seemed really nice and friendly- despite hearing it was very competitive... I was worried that it would be like dealing with a bunch of people who are very arrogant. It was pretty much the opposite though. They genuinely seemed to have a good time there. I also heard that there is a good primary care program in Washington but I don't know the name of the program... anyone else know?

 

[Mike59]

I also heard that there is a good primary care program in Washington but I don't know the name of the program... anyone else know?

You must be referring to Swedish Hospital's FP program in Seattle....Don't ask me where they got the name from

 

[MtnDoc]

MelissaBMD wrote:
Everyone seemed really nice and friendly- despite hearing it was very competitive... I was worried that it would be like dealing with a bunch of people who are very arrogant. It was pretty much the opposite though. They genuinely seemed to have a good time there.

1for anything.

 

[MelissaBMD]

It seems like if you want to stay on the East coast, that the better unopposed programs are in the south. Has anyone else found this to be true?

MtnDoc- are there some other programs I ought to look at in the SouthEast? You have been in our shoes, so of course you know that we'd be foolish to not look around. What criteria did you use to sort out the programs?

Does anyone else have advice on picking which residencies to apply to?

Would appreciate any input.

 

[RuralMedicine]

Melissa-If you're looking for Northeast Programs I'd look at:
Wilson Memorial Johnson City, NY --Semi opposed (IM only) but strong program and lots of OB
Kingston Family Practice Kingston, NY Unopposed they do lots of OB and decent Peds IM is weak I thought
Brown University
Lancaster, PA program

I looked at FP as a medical student and ultimately decided on Med-Peds so it was a few years ago and things may have changed but perhaps a few programs to check into.

 

[BrandieUSC]

It seems like if you want to stay on the East coast, that the better unopposed programs are in the south. Has anyone else found this to be true?

MtnDoc- are there some other programs I ought to look at in the SouthEast? You have been in our shoes, so of course you know that we'd be foolish to not look around. What criteria did you use to sort out the programs?

Does anyone else have advice on picking which residencies to apply to?

Would appreciate any input.

South Carolina has several excellent unopposed programs. I actually chose McLeod Family Medicine Residency in Florence, SC. For me I loved the family atmosphere. The residents are all close and very supportive. McLeod's is very big on procedures. You can easily get certified in endoscopy, colposcopy, OB, etc. You admit a patient for a GI bleed, you take them to the endoscopy suite and perform the endoscopy. We are a community based hospital with a very large referral area. The pathology here has been diverse. I have not regretted my decision for a second. Salary for first year is $43,800 with 30 paid vacation days. Cost of living is very reasonable. You get an opportunity to work one on one with most attendings in the hospital across all specialties.

 

[deleted6669]

You must be referring to Swedish Hospital's FP program in Seattle....Don't ask me where they got the name from

tacoma family medicine is actually the top program around here. lots of procedures and opportunity to do rural work as well as high risk ob with many c-sections

 

[MtnDoc]

It seems like if you want to stay on the East coast, that the better unopposed programs are in the south. Has anyone else found this to be true?
1

 

[JML MD]

(My apologies to MyGuardian55 about posting a response about a program in the Southeast when the original post asked about programs in the Northeast, but this post is a response to a question asked by MelissaBMD a few days ago.)

I am a current second year resident at a program in South Carolina. Rather than simply trying to promote just my program, let me tell you first about programs in the southeast in general and mention a few programs that I really liked.

Let me say that there are several great programs in the southeastern US, and I think that South Carolina is blessed with some of the best. I think of lot of that is a reflection of how Family Medicine is viewed in the region. There is no "perfect" program out there, and be very wary of anyone who tells you otherwise... There may be the perfect program for you however. Family medicine is very diverse, and that is one of the wonderful things about it. Programs are the same way, and you need to find the program that best meets your needs.

My approach when talking to medical students about a program is to talk about a program's strengths AND weaknesses - be very honest. It is in the best interest of both the student and program to do so, although there are some programs out there that will tell you whatever you want to hear or even put down other programs to sell theirs. Do be cautious of any programs or residents who put down other programs though, as no program should try to sell themselves by putting down another and it generally is a reflection of problems with that program (rather than the one they are putting down).

The programs in the NC, SC, and FL that I really liked or have heard good things about are in alphabetic order:
(BEFORE READING remember 2 things - one, this is only MY opinion, and two, just because a program is not listed does not mean it's not good as it may just mean that I simply do not know much about the program).

1. Anderson Fam Med in Anderson, SC
2. Cabarrus in Concord, NC
3. Halifax in Daytona, FL
4. McLeod Family Medicine in Florence, SC
5. Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood, SC

I encourage you to take a long look at these programs, and a lot of good info can be gathered from their websites. All of these programs have strong reputations and produce great doctors.

I am currently a resident at McLeod Family Medicine. I love this program, and for me it was the ideal fit. After being here for 16 months, I am so glad that I made the decision to rank this program #1. Many of you may have heard of McLeod because it was on the cover and featured in the cover article in a July issue of US News and World Report titled "America's Best Hospitals." I could go on forever about why I love McLeod, but let me just tell you a few things that make the program so special.

Although I wanted a Community-based training where I did not have to compete with other residencies for great patients, I did not want to sacrifice the ability to see a large number of patients and diseases. SC has 4 regional medical centers, but Florence (McLeod) is the only one to have an unopposed Family Medicine residency - serving a large rural population of over 1 million. Residents are treated just like the attendings, and the amount of pathology we see is incredible. The program also has a strong sports med program (I am the team doc for a local high school), excellent procedural training (including endoscopy, which is rare for family med program), and a very high-volume OB experience (BUT ONLY IF you want it... I do not want to do OB and glad it's not forced on me; the residents who want to do OB are very pleased). Also... nice EMR and TONS of moonlighting (malpractice insurance paid BY THE PROGRAM; we have to turn down opportunities because there are so many)!

The best thing about this program, however, are the people (residents, faculty, and staff) who make up the program. The camaraderie is incredible, from frequent informal gatherings to holiday parties to our co-ed softball team (which spouses and anyone from the Fam Med Center can play on). Moreover, the residents are smart and really love what they do.

The big drawback to the program is getting people to actually look in Florence, SC. I am not from the region and had never heard of the city until I came for an interview. In fact, I almost did not come because I had no idea that a city I had never heard of could have such an amazing hospital system and residency program. (I am obviously very glad that I did not cancel!). The city has enough of most things, and is close to the beach (about an hour), Columbia (also about an hour), Charlotte (about 2 hours), and Charleston (about 2 hours).

More info can be obtained from the website: www.mcleodhealth.org/fmc.

I would be happy to talk with anyone more about McLeod, other programs in the southeast, or Family Medicine in general. I will give you an honest and hopefully unbiased opinion, but I will never talk bad about another program - so please don't ask for that.

I hope this answers the questions posed by MelissaBMD. Good luck to everyone in your search and in your careers.

 

[generalIM]

Melissa-If you're looking for Northeast Programs I'd look at:
Wilson Memorial Johnson City, NY --Semi opposed (IM only) but strong program and lots of OB
Kingston Family Practice Kingston, NY Unopposed they do lots of OB and decent Peds IM is weak I thought
Brown University
Lancaster, PA program

As someone who at one time was considering FP and apparently has too much time on their hands, I will give my two cents for what they are worth (very little)...

I did a few rotations at Wilson Hospital and I must say the program is kind of weak, you work with primarily local doctors who are not all the interested in teaching, the OB is great, but otherwise it is sparse. The work load is light so that can be good or bad depending on your stance. The hospital is a small regional hospital without a lot of really great specialty exposure. If you are considering FP in NYS and had to pick a program, I would say St. Joe's in Syracuse is a stronger program. Strong in medicine, stronger in OB, top-notch specialists, no other programs. Larger city with more to do. Available rotations at both Upstate and Crouse (great for high-risk OB). Again, just my two cents.

By the way, Lancaster General is a great program.

 

[Taurean]

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[lowbudget]

I'd like to add another program to this list: Memorial Hermann Southwest in Houston.

If you're interested in an strong unopposed balanced FM program with an awesome group of residents, in a private hospital located in a city with strong practice management, with reasonable call and work load, and want to expand beyond rural family medicine, consider Memorial Hermann Southwest. It's rare to find an unopposed program with all the spoils of a big city with ridiculously cheap cost-of-living/real estate and no state/local income tax.

I'll post my take on the program on Scutwork soon. But feel free to PM me for more details.

I'd also like to vouch for JPS, Halifax, Contra Costa, Northridge, and Scottsdale as good programs to do FM.

 

[MtnDoc]

For those looking in the SE, is it bc you're from there or just want to move there?

 

[Galarneau]

If you are considering FP in NYS and had to pick a program, I would say St. Joe's in Syracuse is a stronger program. Strong in medicine, stronger in OB, top-notch specialists, no other programs. Larger city with more to do. Available rotations at both Upstate and Crouse (great for high-risk OB). Again, just my two cents.

I'm an intern at the St. Joseph's FP residency. Great program, with outstanding faculty and staff.

 

[med4]

I'm an intern at Duke Family Medicine. The program is horrible and I'm thinking of transferring out. The faculty and administration suck. The clinic sucks, no show rate is through the roof and the nurses seem like they don't even want to be there. The new program director is a lying piece of . . . . Applicants beware!!!!

 

[vcomplex]

I'm interested in applying to Family Medicine for residency. I have a number of programs already selected that I will apply to, but was wondering if there are other unopposed programs in the NY, NJ, Penn. Conn. region that residents reading this would recommended applying to. Thanks for the help!!

Hi!! I'm sorry that i cannot help you with the states that you're looking into applying; but, in case your interested still, there is a great unopposed program in Lynchburg, Virginia right in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains with four seasons and rich natural beauty. I am an intern and just love it! Ok, granted you might think I'm biased, but it's definitely hard to find somewhere where faculty and residents are all in smiles, hardly any creases on foreheads, everyone calls each other on first name basis, friendly hospital staff, always an opportunity for learning, AUTONOMY (for the most part, but, of course, with some guidance), strong support coming from all directions, and attendings/specialists who don't mind lending their time for you to "pick their brain" about one of your patients. We are well received and respected among the community (at least what i have heard from several of the patients and staff I've seen or encountered thus far).

Lynchburg Family Medicine (Centra Health) is affiliated with University of Virginia. We currently have 4 3rd yrs, 5 2nd years, and 4 1st years. We have been approved to expand the program to 6-6-6 per level. Day Shifts on several rotations are usually 6am-6pm. On call is usually every 2nd/3rd night with a few rotations. There is one month of total night float (6p-6a). So, basically, this type of scheduling offers a "real world" type of feel (plus, helps with circadian rhythm ). Clinic hours vary. Everyday has a time for teaching. The faculty are all trained in various specialties, which is an added benefit to learning. Many medical students rotate during the year, and have enjoyed their experience.

This is only a little bit of info about the program. If you have any questions, feel free to email/reply to me.

 

[Mara]

For all you SouthEasterners, have you heard anything about the Bayfront Medical Center program in St. Petersburg, FL?

And for all you NorthWesterners, I've heard the Swedish programs are great...why?

Has anyone interviewed at Ventura? I'm considering going, but afraid it's too much of a "cowboy program"...any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[fozzy40]

What do you mean by "cowboy?"

 

[deleted6669]

What do you mean by "cowboy?"

COWBOY= incredibly wide scope of practice...
at ventura( an unopposed program) the residents run the trauma service, do c-sections and high risk ob, run the icu, all procedures, appy/hernia surgeries, etc....that's why it's the best fp program in the country......not for the weak of heart or those lacking confidence.....

 

[lowbudget]

Just make sure that those are the things you plan on doing when you get out of residency. It doesn't make sense to train in things you won't use, only to take time away from things that you should have gotten during residency.

One of the resources I used when doing my research was looking at the AAFP Tables on privileging and performance (Table 61-91) and at CME deemed to be of high priority (Table 131-132) just to get a reality check. http://www.aafp.org/x530.xml

Good luck.

 

[deleted6669]

This century old mission in the heart of the Navajo Nation is an independent community health center and rural hospital. This is a wonderful place to live and practice medicine. A supportive group of family practitioners are looking for another colleague to assist in the delivery of full service family practice.

See and treat patients without the hassles of running a business and dealing with insurance companies – Spend more time doing patient care and be home with your family for an early dinner (or even walk home for lunch). Utilize all the procedures you’ve been trained to do with full support from surgery. Highly qualified mid-level providers support you and cover the evening and weekend clinics.

Feel the satisfaction of serving a community of patients who really need your care. See and treat real pathology. Have the time to do real preventive care and to educate your diabetic patients. Feel satisfaction and value in what you are doing.

Call is usually only once a week and one weekend a month, followed with an extra day off. Generous vacation allowance to give you time to explore the beautiful surrounding mountains. Great outdoor activities close by (fishing, hiking, skiing and mountain climbing, mountain biking, rock climbing, Native American arts, crafts and ceremonies).

We are in Ganado, AZ, a small community about an hour from Gallup, NM, two hours from gorgeous Flagstaff and four hours from the great cultural Mecca of Santa Fe. Telluride is only an easy five hours away, Phoenix about the same. Mountain climate, but desert environment means the weather is always beautiful, cool crystal clear nights with a million stars. No traffic or smog.

Highly subsidized housing available within walking distance of the hospital and main clinic. A very generous CME allowance. Guaranteed salary, good health insurance, disability and malpractice paid, retirement program. Both public and private schools available. NHSC scholars eligible and two programs for loan forgiveness.

What’s the down-side? You really do do everything, including ER and OB. ACLS required and ATLS, PALS and ALSO highly encouraged (but we will help you get it soon after hire). Must be board certified in family practice (if current resident, must pass boards this summer). Will need unrestricted Arizona license and DEA.

 

[BrighteyesMD]

I read the glowing post about the FM residency in Florence, SC from JML. I hope that JML is still active here. I would love to PM you or anyone else with knowledge about programs in the south eastern region. I sincerely regret not going into FM originally. (I also regret not having kept up with the family medicine residents and attendings from medical school.) I narrowed it down to OB/gyn, peds, or family medicine my fourth year. I am now looking to change to family. My main concern is that I may not be truly marketable to the first rate programs. My program was not gung-ho about releasing me and at best I most likely will receive a neutral to ok release letter.I would appreciate any advice that could be given to someone looking to change gears. A list of friendly programs, perhaps. I am not getting any younger and the allure of traveling all over to interview wore off after 4th year interviews. Seeing new cities is great, but I would rather focus my time and energy on institutions that are truly possibilities. Thank you for your time.

(My apologies to MyGuardian55 about posting a response about a program in the Southeast when the original post asked about programs in the Northeast, but this post is a response to a question asked by MelissaBMD a few days ago.)

I am a current second year resident at a program in South Carolina. Rather than simply trying to promote just my program, let me tell you first about programs in the southeast in general and mention a few programs that I really liked.

Let me say that there are several great programs in the southeastern US, and I think that South Carolina is blessed with some of the best. I think of lot of that is a reflection of how Family Medicine is viewed in the region. There is no "perfect" program out there, and be very wary of anyone who tells you otherwise... There may be the perfect program for you however. Family medicine is very diverse, and that is one of the wonderful things about it. Programs are the same way, and you need to find the program that best meets your needs.

My approach when talking to medical students about a program is to talk about a program's strengths AND weaknesses - be very honest. It is in the best interest of both the student and program to do so, although there are some programs out there that will tell you whatever you want to hear or even put down other programs to sell theirs. Do be cautious of any programs or residents who put down other programs though, as no program should try to sell themselves by putting down another and it generally is a reflection of problems with that program (rather than the one they are putting down).

The programs in the NC, SC, and FL that I really liked or have heard good things about are in alphabetic order:
(BEFORE READING remember 2 things - one, this is only MY opinion, and two, just because a program is not listed does not mean it's not good as it may just mean that I simply do not know much about the program).

1. Anderson Fam Med in Anderson, SC
2. Cabarrus in Concord, NC
3. Halifax in Daytona, FL
4. McLeod Family Medicine in Florence, SC
5. Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood, SC

I encourage you to take a long look at these programs, and a lot of good info can be gathered from their websites. All of these programs have strong reputations and produce great doctors.

I am currently a resident at McLeod Family Medicine. I love this program, and for me it was the ideal fit. After being here for 16 months, I am so glad that I made the decision to rank this program #1. Many of you may have heard of McLeod because it was on the cover and featured in the cover article in a July issue of US News and World Report titled "America's Best Hospitals." I could go on forever about why I love McLeod, but let me just tell you a few things that make the program so special.

Although I wanted a Community-based training where I did not have to compete with other residencies for great patients, I did not want to sacrifice the ability to see a large number of patients and diseases. SC has 4 regional medical centers, but Florence (McLeod) is the only one to have an unopposed Family Medicine residency - serving a large rural population of over 1 million. Residents are treated just like the attendings, and the amount of pathology we see is incredible. The program also has a strong sports med program (I am the team doc for a local high school), excellent procedural training (including endoscopy, which is rare for family med program), and a very high-volume OB experience (BUT ONLY IF you want it... I do not want to do OB and glad it's not forced on me; the residents who want to do OB are very pleased). Also... nice EMR and TONS of moonlighting (malpractice insurance paid BY THE PROGRAM; we have to turn down opportunities because there are so many)!

The best thing about this program, however, are the people (residents, faculty, and staff) who make up the program. The camaraderie is incredible, from frequent informal gatherings to holiday parties to our co-ed softball team (which spouses and anyone from the Fam Med Center can play on). Moreover, the residents are smart and really love what they do.

The big drawback to the program is getting people to actually look in Florence, SC. I am not from the region and had never heard of the city until I came for an interview. In fact, I almost did not come because I had no idea that a city I had never heard of could have such an amazing hospital system and residency program. (I am obviously very glad that I did not cancel!). The city has enough of most things, and is close to the beach (about an hour), Columbia (also about an hour), Charlotte (about 2 hours), and Charleston (about 2 hours).

More info can be obtained from the website: www.mcleodhealth.org/fmc.

I would be happy to talk with anyone more about McLeod, other programs in the southeast, or Family Medicine in general. I will give you an honest and hopefully unbiased opinion, but I will never talk bad about another program - so please don't ask for that.

I hope this answers the questions posed by MelissaBMD. Good luck to everyone in your search and in your careers.

 

[HarveyCushing]

So does it mean that there is a significant difference between unopposed programs? Or will most unopposed programs provide the same type of training?

 

[HarveyCushing]

So does it mean that there is a significant difference between unopposed programs? Or will most unopposed programs provide the same type of training?

Bump for any responses.

 

[raidermedic]

So does it mean that there is a significant difference between unopposed programs? Or will most unopposed programs provide the same type of training?

Unopposed simply means that you don't rotate with IM, OB, or whatever service. Most your rotations are done with FM faculty (although said faculty could be an internist, OB, pediatrician, or what not). So no competition for patients or procedures. However thats not to say that all the rotations are good. You can certainly have a bad unopposed IM or OB service. For instance 2 programs may give you an unopposed OB service, however one may only have you come in for the delivery with the attending while another may have you managing the patient the entire time she is on the floor.

 

[sophiejane]

So does it mean that there is a significant difference between unopposed programs?

Yes.

Or will most unopposed programs provide the same type of training?

No, definitely not.

There have been many discussions here on the topic. If a search isn't helpful, I'm sure someone will rehash it for you.

In a nutshell: unopposed means FM residents do everything (ped, ob, medicine, ICU, ER, etc). There are no other residents in the hospital. Some programs call themselves unopposed but have several rotations that are definitely opposed.

The general consensus is usually that unopposed programs provide more comprehensive training, and tend to have a more intense curriculum, at the expense of the benefits of being in a large tertiary care academic setting (though I honestly can't think of many benefits of that for the FM resident).

 

[HarveyCushing]

In a nutshell: unopposed means FM residents do everything (ped, ob, medicine, ICU, ER, etc). There are no other residents in the hospital. Some programs call themselves unopposed but have several rotations that are definitely opposed.

The general consensus is usually that unopposed programs provide more comprehensive training, and tend to have a more intense curriculum, at the expense of the benefits of being in a large tertiary care academic setting (though I honestly can't think of many benefits of that for the FM resident).

Thank you. So really no two "unopposed" programs will necessarily provide the same training as some programs will define what "unopposed" means differently? However, if a program is truely unopposed (ie. no other residency programs), the training should be fairly equal, right (if all else is equal)? Or does this depend more on each program, since some are stronger at OB, others at EM, others at surgery, the location of the program, and diversity of cases/patient population? I am just trying to get an idea of what makes a program stronger than another and what to look for when I get to that point.

 

[sophiejane]

Thank you. So really no two "unopposed" programs will necessarily provide the same training as some programs will define what "unopposed" means differently? However, if a program is truely unopposed (ie. no other residency programs), the training should be fairly equal, right (if all else is equal)? Or does this depend more on each program, since some are stronger at OB, others at EM, others at surgery, the location of the program, and diversity of cases/patient population? I am just trying to get an idea of what makes a program stronger than another and what to look for when I get to that point.

I think in general, the training you will get at unopposed programs is probably very similar, but yes, they all have their strengths and weaknesses. You really have to go program by program, unfortunately.

 

[HarveyCushing]

I think in general, the training you will get at unopposed programs is probably very similar, but yes, they all have their strengths and weaknesses. You really have to go program by program, unfortunately.

Thank you. Would the directory of family practice residency programs by the AAFP be the best place to look at when comparing programs at first?

 

[VuDOo]

Thank you. Would the directory of family practice residency programs by the AAFP be the best place to look at when comparing programs at first?

That would be an excellent place to start. The best place to research the different programs is at the AAFP Conference in Kansas City. There you'll be able to visit with reps from almost every residency in the country.

 

[HarveyCushing]

That would be an excellent place to start. The best place to research the different programs is at the AAFP Conference in Kansas City. There you'll be able to visit with reps from almost every residency in the country.

Sweet thanks for the idea. Since I will be going to schoo in KC, I will definately check it out next year as a MSII or is that too early? Maybe wait until MSIII?

 

[Frijolero]

That would be an excellent place to start. The best place to research the different programs is at the AAFP Conference in Kansas City. There you'll be able to visit with reps from almost every residency in the country.

Speaking of which, how much time is necessary to get a handle on a fair number of booths? I know they're open for some blocks on thursday, friday, and saturday. I was planning on getting there thursday night and leaving saturday afternoon. Good plan?

 

[hilseb]

I checked out the Halifax program. It sounds great. Is the reason why there are no DOs out of 24 residents listed just because of the ratio of MDs graduating to DOs? Or is it that most DOs do FM residencies at DO affiliated programs?

 

[sophiejane]

I checked out the Halifax program. It sounds great. Is the reason why there are no DOs out of 24 residents listed just because of the ratio of MDs graduating to DOs? Or is it that most DOs do FM residencies at DO affiliated programs?

No, there are plenty of DOs at ACGME FM programs. Sometimes, the fact that there are no DOs can tell you something about the gestalt of the program, but not always. Look back a couple of years if you can. I've never heard of an ACGME FM residency program actively rejecting DO applicants.