Harvard Hospitals
Started by DrIM
Their primary hospital is MGH. There is some controversey over whether B+W or MGH is a better hospital to train at. I've met some attendings trained at B+W who say that it was/is better; but I guess that I've never met anyone who trained at MGH. Both have much stronger reputations then BID though.
MGH is definitely the biggest and oldest of the 3. The clinical breadth/strength across medical/surgical fields is probably a bit stronger than BWH. However, many would say that the internal medicine training program at BWH has eclipsed MGH in terms of prestige and selectivity at this point. That said, you couldn't possible go wrong training at either place. BID also offers great training, and a wonderful educational environment, but it lags slightly in academic prestige.
A few pals were HMS students, or residents at MGH/B&W/BID - the word they give is that MGH is more malignant, and B&W is more "touchy-feely" - but that the education at either is the highest echelon.
There is no "primary" Harvard Teaching Hospital. This point has been stressed for a long time by Harvard University presidents and HMS deans for almost a century now. Even the plans to merge the three hospitals adjacent to the medical school (Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston Hospital for Women, and Robert Breck Brigham Hospital) in 1980 to form "Harvard Medical School Hospital" did not get approval from the dean and president and the merged hospitals were named "Brigham and Women's Hospital". None of the 17 or so affiliated hospitals/medical centers are considered primary. None of the bigger ones is better in absolute terms either. There are so many areas in which one excels more than the others, or more HMS students prefer to do rotations. This topic has been beaten to death in the past 100 years by HMS faculty, Boston politicians, medical journalists, etc. The bottom line is there is no primary Harvard teaching hospital.
In 2004, this is even less of an issue, considering the many integrated residency/fellowships in which the residency program involves rotating through the different hospitals, e.g. derm, ortho, neuro, pulmonary, etc.
In 2004, this is even less of an issue, considering the many integrated residency/fellowships in which the residency program involves rotating through the different hospitals, e.g. derm, ortho, neuro, pulmonary, etc.
word on the street is that for internal medicine, the brigham is easily the top harvard hospital. mass general may be better in other specialties.
Depends which street you're talking about. Maybe that's the word on Francis street, but it's not the word on Fruit Street.
Just by saying one "easily tops the the other", one is making a fool out of oneself. They are not all that different. One is better in some areas and the other in other areas, but marginally so. They're both very good, but the personalities are somewhat different.
of course they're both very good. they're both extremely good!
truth is, in the past, all i ever heard was about mass general. i always assumed that was the best hospital around.
but in applying for internal medicine spots this year, it just sounds like the brigham is really the residency of choice for a lot of applicants.
truth is, in the past, all i ever heard was about mass general. i always assumed that was the best hospital around.
but in applying for internal medicine spots this year, it just sounds like the brigham is really the residency of choice for a lot of applicants.
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My understanding is that MGH was the first Harvard Hospital, and BWH was only added in the last ~50 yrs to the Harvard system. Also, although affiliated through the Harvard name, I've heard that there is little corroboration among the hospitals (other then giving the residents and med students the option of doing rotations at the different hospitals) in terms of administration and research. This is just what I've heard at my school, I don't know if it's true or not. Most people in academics do seem to think that BW offers better IM training then MGH too, for whatever reason.
I have heard many a residents complain about the malignant environemt at MGH. Obviously, I have no personal experience to validate this, but when I was visiting BI, I was told that the program provides an excellent academic environment without the harshness of MGH.
Bits and pieces I have heard around!
-Harps
"Interviews (california) UCSF, UCD, Stanford
(out of state)Northwestern, Yale, Cornell, Harvard
Acceptances: Northwestern, USC, UCI, UCSD, UCLA
Rejections: (oh...they're coming)"
You have been offered 5 positions outside of the match?
(out of state)Northwestern, Yale, Cornell, Harvard
Acceptances: Northwestern, USC, UCI, UCSD, UCLA
Rejections: (oh...they're coming)"
You have been offered 5 positions outside of the match?
Hehehehe....no no...I will be starting medical school in the fall. I happened to bump into a old friend doing his residency at MGH while I was interviewing at Harvard. My previous post reflects more or less his sentiments in addition to what I've heard from other people. 🙂
-Harps
Brigham and Womens, Beth Israel, Dana Farber and the Children's Hospital are all equidistant from the medical education center. Proximity does not mean anything, they are all teaching hospitals of Harvard!
MGH stands out among the hospitals because it is the oldest, and (many would argue) has the most, overall prestige.
Check out:
http://www.hmcnet.harvard.edu/map.html#matrix
(which actually calls them all affiliates)
.
If you're actually in the position to have your pick between the three hospitals just pick the one that feels best to you when you interview there. US Crap rankings mean nothing if you're not meshing with the people you matched with or hate your job. Or barring that go to BU.
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There is also the Joslin Diabetes Institute, which is apparently very highly rated for medicine & ophthalmology. Anyone heard of what it's like to work there?
Thanks.
Do you know what it's like to work there? Is it pretty intense / busy / Osler's marine sort of stuff like Hopkins, or more pleasant working conditions with time to think about the interesting patients you see?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Do you know what it's like to work there? Is it pretty intense / busy / Osler's marine sort of stuff like Hopkins, or more pleasant working conditions with time to think about the interesting patients you see?
Any advice would be appreciated.
lurkerboy said:
The Joslin Diabetes Center / Beetham Eye Institute
