Hopkins cuts its match positions

[MAC Man]

What is JHU doing? They are only taking 12 Advanced from the match this year, substantially fewer than other years. Is this a warning of longer hours in the future. I can't believe they think they'd do better filling 1/2 a class with people outside the match. What gives?

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[JP2005]

i think the remaining 12 are filled by...

1. categorical applicants (PGY1 yr)
2. outside the match

 

[MAC Man]

It looks like they are only offering a few categorical positions.

 

[xampower]

I am pretty sure they were only offering 4 categorical spots to begin with and the rest advanced.

 

[el guapo]

Only 12 spots? Just wondering, where did you see that? Is that for this year? Wow...


I was just there last month, and I believe they said 22 positions. I guess that could have included outside the match, but it didn't seem like it.

Bummer...

 

[ether_screen]

I AM NOT TRYING TO PRECIPITATE A FLAME WAR…REALLY!

Hopkins is attempting to recruit a fair number of CRNAs at both their Wolfe St. and Bayview campuses. Originally, I interpreted this as an apparent lack of residents to cover the busy case loads, but this post makes me think otherwise. University of Maryland is also beginning to utilize CRNAs, so I wonder what impact this will have there as well.

 

[MAC Man]

Only 12 spots? Just wondering, where did you see that? Is that for this year? Wow...


It's on the NRMP quota as 12 advanced positions for the match. If they are really getting 22, they must be taking a lot from outside the match.

 

[jester]

Hopkins has a unique track which is peds-picu-peds anesthesia. So, current peds residents apply for CA-1 positions in 2006. They finish their 3rd year of peds, then do 2 years of anesthesia and then 3 years of PICU. There were a fair number of applicants this year. Other spots probably went to DO students who don't go through the match. I am not sure why there are only 12 spots listed. Good luck.

 

[anesthesia1]

I was offered an out of the match position last year at Hopkins and turned it down because for me, it was worth the risk to go after one of the better programs. I could be wrong about this but, this is my feeling on the topic. Hopkins is a good program but they have been having many issues over the last two years that I will not go into detail on here. I recognized this last year and saw how aggresive they were to get highly qualified applicants outside the match. Many of these applicants were in the match (I actually spoke to several of them who were offered positions at Hopkins) awaiting to go to "stronger" programs but when you are offered a spot at Hopkins, (outside the match) it is hard to turn down because the match is not a certain thing. I think they do this because I believe they are not as competative as some of other programs at this time. This enables them the opportunity to compete with some of the programs that are more difficult to get into and try and pull attractive applicants away from them. The applicants they are going after are people who are going to be boarded in other specialties. Hopkins is still a very good place.

 

[NYC_anest_2004]

I was offered an out of the match position last year at Hopkins and turned it down because for me, it was worth the risk to go after one of the better programs. I could be wrong about this but, this is my feeling on the topic. Hopkins is a good program but they have been having many issues over the last two years that I will not go into detail on here. I recognized this last year and saw how aggresive they were to get highly qualified applicants outside the match. Many of these applicants were in the match (I actually spoke to several of them who were offered positions at Hopkins) awaiting to go to "stronger" programs but when you are offered a spot at Hopkins, (outside the match) it is hard to turn down because the match is not a certain thing. I think they do this because I believe they are not as competative as some of other programs at this time. This enables them the opportunity to compete with some of the programs that are more difficult to get into and try and pull attractive applicants away from them. The applicants they are going after are people who are going to be boarded in other specialties. Hopkins is still a very good place.

So, you turned down the pre-match offer to go to a "better program"? Did it work out for you? Where did you end up?

 

[bailey-b]

I was offered an out of the match position last year at Hopkins and turned it down because for me, it was worth the risk to go after one of the better programs. I could be wrong about this but, this is my feeling on the topic. Hopkins is a good program but they have been having many issues over the last two years that I will not go into detail on here. I recognized this last year and saw how aggresive they were to get highly qualified applicants outside the match. Many of these applicants were in the match (I actually spoke to several of them who were offered positions at Hopkins) awaiting to go to "stronger" programs but when you are offered a spot at Hopkins, (outside the match) it is hard to turn down because the match is not a certain thing. I think they do this because I believe they are not as competative as some of other programs at this time. This enables them the opportunity to compete with some of the programs that are more difficult to get into and try and pull attractive applicants away from them. The applicants they are going after are people who are going to be boarded in other specialties. Hopkins is still a very good place.

Interesting perspective of Hopkins. I haven't heard anyone comment on how Hopkins has had problems over the past few years. All that I hear is that the program has made much improvement with Dr. Mittman as the PD. I hope you expand on the problems b/c I think it would be news to the vast majority on this forum. I actually admire their aggressiveness in and out of the match. I feel they see an opportunity to get exceptionally strong applicants before everyone else. I think this is a loss to other programs. If I were a PD I would do anything within the rules to strengthen my program. Their aggressiveness was also apparent when applications were submitted in Sept. Hopkins was one of the first program to send out invites. From an applicants point of view, which I am, I am disappionted that their advanced spots are down to 12 but I understand their point of view as well. As far as competing with other programs, I think Hopkins definately holds their own. I went to some big name places and all of them at were comparing themselves to Hopkins at some point in the interview. The only complaint I hear from applicants is that Hopkins residents tend to work about 5 more hours per week than the average. However, this is improving with the new PD. They are bringing in some CRNAs to alleviate the burden. I think it will only improve. To each applicant a strong program is a relative term. We all want something different in a program. Academically however, I would say the vast majrity of PDs and chairs will agree that Hopkins is an exceptionally strong program and definately lives up to its classification of a top 5 program.

 

[anesthesia1]

I interviewed at all the top programs and no one ever mentioned Hopkins. Do you not remember Baltimore when you interviewed there? I do and what a s....hole. I worked with the president of the Residency Review Committee for Anesthesiology last year and I can assure you, Hopkins had issues last year. They may be heading in the right direction with regards to their problems but by no means are they fixed. I am not at liberty to discuss these issues because things were told to me in confidence but you can find them out by talking to the right people. I get my information from a person who knows and where do you get your information from bailey-b? I am trying to help some of the med students out who would not otherwise have any idea of what is going on. It is almost impossible to get a true understanding from these programs with just an interview. After having gone through medicine and interviewed at a ton of places, you really have no idea what you are getting sometimes.

I am always reluctant to reply on these things because it always starts a pissing match with med students who often do not know what they are talking about.

 

[bailey-b]

I interviewed at all the top programs and no one ever mentioned Hopkins. Do you not remember Baltimore when you interviewed there? I do and what a s....hole. I worked with the president of the Residency Review Committee for Anesthesiology last year and I can assure you, Hopkins had issues last year. They may be heading in the right direction with regards to their problems but by no means are they fixed. I am not at liberty to discuss these issues because things were told to me in confidence but you can find them out by talking to the right people. I get my information from a person who knows and where do you get your information from bailey-b? I am trying to help some of the med students out who would not otherwise have any idea of what is going on. It is almost impossible to get a true understanding from these programs with just an interview. After having gone through medicine and interviewed at a ton of places, you really have no idea what you are getting sometimes.

I am always reluctant to reply on these things because it always starts a pissing match with med students who often do not know what they are talking about.

Easy there!! I never said I had any information if you read my post. I was asking you to expand your statements. If you are trying to give us information to help us out, then give us the info. It's not really fair to us or the program to simply say they have problems without explaining why. Simply stating to ask the right people doesn't help either. I understand and agree that is is hard to get the info from a day of interviewing but from that day and talking to advisors and other PDs and chairs I personally did not get a sense that the program is having any problems. Liking the city of Baltimore is realtive..to each his own on that opinion. I thank you for trying to give us the heads up but with 13 days before rank lists are due, generalized blanket statemnts don't help us at all. Can anyone else on this forum give some credibility to these statements?

 

[Fiend]

A few years ago when the Chair at Hopkins left, the supposedly had a mass exodus of faculty. They also weren't able to recruit young faculty. They have a new chair who seems to be taking the department places. Also, the P.D. is taking the program places by working on the issues that Hopkins and other elite institutions are notorious for - long work hours, lack of CRNA support, underwhelming didactics in the face of a big name, etc. From my experience on the interview trail, it appeas that Hopkins is doing a very good job addressing long work hours and didactics (they have a unique pre-call/post-call team didactic session). By the time anyone matching with Hopkins this year finishes residency in 2009, they will be back at the top. Right now, they are still near or in the top tier (depending on whom you ask). Also, Baltimore is undergoing urban redevlopment (like many other downtrodden U.S. cities).

 

[rhinosp_33]

I interviewed at all the top programs and no one ever mentioned Hopkins. Do you not remember Baltimore when you interviewed there? I do and what a s....hole. I worked with the president of the Residency Review Committee for Anesthesiology last year and I can assure you, Hopkins had issues last year. They may be heading in the right direction with regards to their problems but by no means are they fixed. I am not at liberty to discuss these issues because things were told to me in confidence but you can find them out by talking to the right people. I get my information from a person who knows and where do you get your information from bailey-b? I am trying to help some of the med students out who would not otherwise have any idea of what is going on. It is almost impossible to get a true understanding from these programs with just an interview. After having gone through medicine and interviewed at a ton of places, you really have no idea what you are getting sometimes.

I am always reluctant to reply on these things because it always starts a pissing match with med students who often do not know what they are talking about.

I think this is garbage. You don't want to get into a "pissing match"? Instead, you leave empty comments on an annoymous discussion board and have everyone try to speculate what exactly these "problems" at Hopkins were/are.

I'm gonna trust me my own feelings of the program when I interviewed than to speculate with you.

You said that Hopkins was not even mentioned as a top program? Again, no credibility. Most would agree the top 3 are ucsf/hopkins/mgh. Yes, I do know there were several Hopkins faculty who left a few years back, however if you look CLOSELY, you'll see most of those faculty left to be chairs/leadership positions at other programs. I see that as a potential benefit, as you may want to get a job or contacts with NYU/UPenn/Oregon in your future. (look up the chair of these programs and find out where they recently came from).

Now, if you dont like baltimore, that is one thing. But I didn't see much of any flaws in the training program or percieve any more of a malignant atmosphere compared to all others I intereviewed at. Then only thing I'm disappointed with is that they cut their match this year and it's likly gonna be more difficult to match there for myself being a 4th year.