Hospital of Saint Raphael vs. Nassau University Medical Center

[misyel]

I have been invited to interview with both Nassau University Medical Center (East Meadow, NY) and Hospital of Saint Raphael (New Haven, CT). I would like to go to both; unfortunately, both hospital has offered me an interview for the same date. I would like to hear what people's opinions are about either program to see which hospital I should prioritize. Does anyone know how many categorical spots each program is offering for the incoming year?

Just on a side note, I prefer to stay in the New York area, but I would sacrifice location for the quality of a program, considering it's only two hours away from NY.

Thanks in advance!

Michele

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Winged Scapula]

According to FREIDA, St. Raphael takes 4 categoricals per year and Nassau 3.

Have you considered asking either program if another interview date was possible? Its not like they don't know you aren't interviewing elsewhere.

 

[misyel]

I tried... but all the other dates they offered conflicted with another interview. Grr!

How about the caliber of the programs? Any thoughts?

 

[Castro Viejo]

I have been invited to interview with both Nassau University Medical Center (East Meadow, NY) and Hospital of Saint Raphael (New Haven, CT). I would like to go to both; unfortunately, both hospital has offered me an interview for the same date. I would like to hear what people's opinions are about either program to see which hospital I should prioritize. Does anyone know how many categorical spots each program is offering for the incoming year?

Just on a side note, I prefer to stay in the New York area, but I would sacrifice location for the quality of a program, considering it's only two hours away from NY.

NUMC has been plagued by financial issues for the last decade. I dunno if this means that one day NUMC will go POOF! and you're out of a job, but the threat of going bankrupt and closing has been brought up several times in the last five years. I don't think it's such a great program, but being from NYCOM, you may already have a bit of a relationship with them and know things that I don't.

St. Raph's is supposed to be a solid community program in the shadows of Yale. Good all-around, from what I understand, but I don't know anyone who had ever trained there.

I'd go with St. Raph's, but that's only my opinion.

Good luck.

 

[Blade28]

St. Raphael's (NOT pronounced like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, if anyone here gets that reference!) was a solid program when I interviewed there. Plus they put you up in a nice hotel and woo you with a crazy dinner in a fancy club. When I was an MS-IV, the SCC fellow was a graduate from there and he was solid.

 

[IFNgamma]

i'd go w/ St. Raphael.

I was also invited to interview at both places, went to Nassau because they invited me early, didn't go to St. Raphael cuz it was really late (I had already done 20+ interviews when I was supposed to go so I cancelled it).

I don't think Nassau is a good program. The hospital was old and crappy for one thing. One of the knocks on Nassau was that there was just not enough cases to do there. I remember one of the residents saying they would get enough to graduate but their total # cases was way below national average.

good luck.

 

[gasnewby]

i know a surgery attending from St. raph's who is about 5 years out of training. he's pretty solid. the program director at the time sounded like a d***. he's now gone, not entirely by choice. the new guy is supposed to be good. overall sounded like a cushy hospital that gives you a good foundation.

 

[drtx]

I left St Raph's after my second year. The PD was asked to resign. The program is currently on probation. There IS a new PD but that old one really left that place in shambles. a LOT of people have left (a couple of years ago 50% fo every class didn't make it)- but I hear things are changing if you are willing to take that chance...

 

[gasnewby]

damn, didn't know it was on probation! sounds like my buddy got out at the right time.

 

[drtx]

Oh yeah, it got BAD....75% of my class left by the time my 2nd year was done. 2 of us are still in surgery, though.

 

[Castro Viejo]

I too am surprised that St. Raph's is on probation.

You may want to try and find out the exact reason for probation. You may then want to consider NUMC, which is still accredited (I just checked on the ACGME website), but know that if they're having trouble with keeping up with the 500 major case requirement for graduation, they're REALLY going to have trouble when the RRC raises that to 750.

Below is information about St. Raph's pulled from the ACGME website:

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Hospital of St Raphael Program [4400821063]
Hospital of St Raphael
1450 Chapel Street
New Haven, Connecticut 06511

http://srhs.org/gme/gme_gensurg.asp

Sponsoring Institution: Hospital of St Raphael
Specialty: Surgery

DIRECTOR INFORMATION COORDINATOR INFORMATION
Geoffrey Nadzam, MD
Program Director
Director First Appointed: March 23, 2007
Phone: (203) 789-3443
Fax: (203) 867-5248
Email:
Lillian Figueroa
Residency Specialist

Phone: (203) 789-3443
Email: [email protected]


ACCREDITATION AND GENERAL INFORMATION
Original Accreditation Date: June 13, 1953
Accreditation Status: Probation
Accreditation Effective Date: October 25, 2007
Accredited Program Length: 5 years

Program Format: Standard

Last Site Visit Date: September 20, 2006
Cycle Length: 1 years
Approximate Date of Next Site Visit: October 1, 2008

Program Requires Prior or Additional GME Training: NO
Program Requires Dedicated Research Year: NO
Government Affiliation: No Military or Government Affiliation

 

[gasnewby]

when will the rrc up its case reqs to 750?

 

[misyel]

Thanks for the heads up! I will definitely ask that during my interview. I don't know if I wanna go to NUMC, just because everyone I talked to told me about their low case loads...

What about NYMC St. Vincent's Medical Center vs Penn State Milton Hershey vs Maimonides Medical Center? I'm in a similar bind, and I have to rearrange my schedule somehow so I can go to only two of these three... How would you rank them?

I wish everyone would send interview invitations on the same day so I can arrange my schedule once, and that's it!

Thanks for the advice guys, I really appreciate it!

Michele

 

[Castro Viejo]

when will the rrc up its case reqs to 750?

Or maybe it was the ABS? In any event, I think that 750 major case requirement's gonna be for Chiefs graduating in 2009 and thereafter.

It shouldn't be a big deal for most places (Chiefs in my program average 1200-1300 cases), but for the few who will struggle, it'll be a real problem to increase your case load PER Chief Resident by 50%. It could potentially kill some programs, I think, including my medical Alma Mater (where the average case load for a graduating Chief is 600-700).