How would you rank these programs?

[skinknee]

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I'm looking for a program that has:

1. Wide range of specimens; good exposure of abnormal stuff.
2. Strong, well-known faculty; willing to teach. (don't have to be warm & fuzzy)
3. Ability to land a solid fellowship/job after finishing residency.

Geography is not a big part of my equation.
So these are the programs I'm looking at.

UTSW
U of Chicago
Indiana U.
Mt. Sinai (NYC)
UCSD
Cleveland Clinic

 

[bertie wooster]

Hi,

Of your list the only programs I can comment on are UTSW, UChicago, and UCSD.

UTSW is a very good program and I think the faculty are pretty solid and there is a pretty good amount and variety of material. It's also got a good variety of fellowships. It's a pretty large program and the residents are all good peeps and very helpful. Material-wise it's high volume. You've always got time to preview but you'll be staying some long nights to do so sometimes.

I thought UChicago had an excellent program and the faculty seemed to be excellent and to place quite an emphasis on teaching. I can't comment personally on the material but I've been told there is not as much variety and that it is lower volume. This can be good thing b/c you can preview and not get home at 10pm. The university is in a pretty crappy part of town.

UCSD is a good program and gets an A+ on location. I was turned off by the speed dating style interview with 6 other candidates. The residents all seemed pretty cool.

I got the impression that residents at all 3 got good fellowships/jobs. UChicago has definitely got the most name recognition.

 

[listeriaismfb]

Hi,

I thought UChicago had an excellent program and the faculty seemed to be excellent and to place quite an emphasis on teaching. I can't comment personally on the material but I've been told there is not as much variety and that it is lower volume. This can be good thing b/c you can preview and not get home at 10pm. The university is in a pretty crappy part of town.

I got the impression that residents at all 3 got good fellowships/jobs. UChicago has definitely got the most name recognition.

You had to know I would throw my 2 cents in...
U of C sees about 26k-28k surgicals per year, variety is good, except relatively rare orchiectomy specimens. A typical day on SP ends no later than about 7 PM. The faculty is, as a whole, world class and very much interested in teaching.

I applied & interviewed with some NYC programs in 2003 and I deliberately did not apply to Mt. Sinai. Things may have changed in the last 6 years, but back then it had a reputation for tons of scut. But hey, the Central Park view is great and you'd certainly be adequately trained....

 

[LADoc00]

*edited*

I hate threads like these because they are so highly dependent on what your plan is, any ranking is worthless.

PLEASE at least take a paragraph to explain what your 1-, 5- and 10-year plans are post-training.

 

[skinknee]

UCSD is good because of one man. That is really a problem IMO.

I hate threads like these because they are so highly dependent on what your plan is, any ranking is worthless.

PLEASE at least take a paragraph to explain what your 1-, 5- and 10-year plans are post-training.

I know I'm not looking to be an academian. I think teaching would be great but that would be something I would consider doing at the end of my career (after 30 years of working). I think I ultimately want to be able to get a job.
1year--Work for a group or in a hospital
10year--Possiby entertain the idea of starting my own group.

Honestly, these outlooks are premature as I'm still a student and still know so little as to how things work. Also I don't know what may capture me while I'm a resident. I don't really hold any expectations. Who knows, I may reconsider and go into academia right out of residency...So I don't have a solid plan. I do know that I want to be a sharp pathologist coming out of training with a good reputation so I can get the best job out there.

 

[asrt101]

UCSD is good because of one man. That is really a problem IMO.

I hate threads like these because they are so highly dependent on what your plan is, any ranking is worthless.

PLEASE at least take a paragraph to explain what your 1-, 5- and 10-year plans are post-training.

I think I know who that one man is. Why is the program only good because of him? Aren't the other faculty good as well?

 

[mrp]

Sorry, we can't all be Noel here at UCSD. All of us non-Noel pathologists do our best though. I think we do a reasonable job of educating our residents.

 

[LADoc00]

Sorry, we can't all be Noel here at UCSD. All of us non-Noel pathologists do our best though. I think we do a reasonable job of educating our residents.

Ack, I didnt mean to imply you guys arent giving 110% down there. I retract my ******ed comment, my intent was that people tend to go training programs for a specific person, in your case Noel is the draw.

The problem with that is if for whatever reason he is on sabbatical/retires etc. your reason evaporates quick especially considering how far in advance you need to plan to land a spot there.

But dont feel too butthurt mrp, you reside in one of the greatest locations on Earth and Im sure you have no problem whatsoever getting trainees. Im picturing the faculty lounging around down there at Pacific Beach bemoaning how tough it is to be one of the "beautiful people" in SoCal while sipping Mai Tais..

Yeah you guys are hurting

 

[mrp]

No offense taken. To be honest, I get pretty uncomfortable when NW's on vacation. Also, he was a big draw in my decision to come here. Luckily, he's not planning on retiring for a while.

BTW, the marina where my sail boat is kept is almost in that picture you posted. Nice.

 

[cmz]

1. Utsw
2. Utsw
3. Utsw
4. Utsw
5. Utsw

 

[malchik]

1. Utsw
2. Utsw
3. Utsw
4. Utsw
5. Utsw

Very insightful. Thank you.

 

[scurred]

LOCATION RANKINGS(Based on Food Choices, Coolness, and Awesomeness)
1) UCSD
2) UChicago
3) Sinai
4) UTSW
5) Indiana
6) CC

MOST LIKELY TO GET SHOT, STABBED, OR ROBBED RANKINGS
1) CC
2) UChicago
3) Sinai
4) UTSW
5) Indiana
6) UCSD

SCUT RANKINGS
1) CC
2) Sinai
3) UChicago
4) UCSD
5) Indiana
6) UTSW

BEST EDUCATION RANKINGS
1) UChicago
2) Indiana
2) UTSW
2) UCSD
3) Sinai
4) CC

LEAST EXPENSIVE C.O.L. RANKINGS
1) CC
2) Indiana
3) UTSW
4) UChicago
5) UCSD
6) Sinai

 

[djmd]

LOCATION RANKINGS(Based on Food Choices, Coolness, and Awesomeness)

Thanks for your input, high school student who hates Cleveland Clinic.

 

[scurred]

There were no hate rankings and the clinic is notorious for being a factory albeit one with model efficiency

Thanks for your input, high school student who hates Cleveland Clinic.

 

[chromogranin]

There were no hate rankings and the clinic is notorious for being a factory albeit one with model efficiency

are you a medical student at the clinic or have you otherwise done a rotation there? medical students are notorious for speaking out of their butts.

 

[djmd]

There were no hate rankings and the clinic is notorious for being a factory albeit one with model efficiency

And your vast knowledge of CC and other programs comes from?

 

[PathDr]

Before I speak let me state for the record that I am a medical student. I also did a fourth year rotation in Pathology at the Clinic. So, take my opinion for what its worth. I thought the program was excellent. The education was great and the attendings loved to teach during signout. I know that me saying this will cause some to change their rank list and put my chance of matching there at risk, but I can't stand un-founded accusations against the Clinic.

 

[podtsan]

Before I speak let me state for the record that I am a medical student. I also did a fourth year rotation in Pathology at the Clinic. So, take my opinion for what its worth. I thought the program was excellent. The education was great and the attendings loved to teach during signout. I know that me saying this will cause some to change their rank list and put my chance of matching there at risk, but I can't stand un-founded accusations against the Clinic.

I didn't even apply there, but you've convinced me to rank it #1. Well done!

 

[listeriaismfb]

Scurred, I hate to call you to the carpet again, but I recently completed residency at the U of C and I found it to have minimal scut. Gross room help is abundant...

The only "scut" is that there are 14 weeks of CP call in total because this is a mid-sized program; you'll take less CP call at bigger programs. Big whoop....

Otherwise, I found the entire experience to be pretty benign

 

[scurred]

Can everyone please put things in perspective here? This is a ranking of 6 great programs...no one said that the Clinic was a horrible place to end up. Did no one see that the majority of the rankings I made were in jest?

I don't know one person that wouldn't choose SD as a place to end up, so it gets bonus points in all my rankings. People should stop getting defensive.

Scurred, I hate to call you to the carpet again, but I recently completed residency at the U of C and I found it to have minimal scut. Gross room help is abundant...

The only "scut" is that there are 14 weeks of CP call in total because this is a mid-sized program; you'll take less CP call at bigger programs. Big whoop....

Otherwise, I found the entire experience to be pretty benign

 

[pathstudent]

I'm looking for a program that has:

1. Wide range of specimens; good exposure of abnormal stuff.
2. Strong, well-known faculty; willing to teach. (don't have to be warm & fuzzy)
3. Ability to land a solid fellowship/job after finishing residency.

Geography is not a big part of my equation.
So these are the programs I'm looking at.

UTSW
U of Chicago
Indiana U.
Mt. Sinai (NYC)
UCSD
Cleveland Clinic

1) UCSD
2) University of Chicago
3) Mt Sinai
4) CC

Unranked: UTSW, Indiana (unless you are a GU guy/gal)

 

[106174]

1) UCSD
2) University of Chicago
3) Mt Sinai
4) CC

Unranked: UTSW, Indiana (unless you are a GU guy/gal)

I am very curious to find out what your reason is for advising not to rank UTSW.