IM Residency in America's most dangerous city

[Bananahammock]

Well, I gotta say that I'm kind of pumped to start intern year at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ which has been declared America's Most Dangerous City 2 years running (see here)! In making my rank list I made a conscious decision to stay away from hospitals with a more affluent patient base because the variety of pathology just isn't as good and the patients tend to be snottier, so I think I came up with a real winner in this regard...who's with me on this one? And being across the bridge from downtown Philly I think you get the best of both worlds.

The hospital seems nice and the faculty even nicer. What's the general consensus on this place?

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[Mumpu]

See if Sally Mae will give you a loan on a riot shotgun and some Class IV ceramic body armor.

 

[Benzo4every1]

I passed. I cannot handle blood and I faint at the drop of blood

 

[LedBedder]

You'll love it at Cooper. I went to medical school at Robert Wood Johnson and chose to stay down in Camden for my clinical years. You will get a socioeconomically diverse array of patients, including referrals from all over South Jersey, but the population of Camden is truly the reason to train here. I saw everything from scurvy to schistosomiasis to adrenoleukodystrophy. The faculty are very supportive and approachable. I will be staying here for categorical medicine as well. Look forward to working with you!

 

[Bananahammock]

You'll love it at Cooper. I went to medical school at Robert Wood Johnson and chose to stay down in Camden for my clinical years. You will get a socioeconomically diverse array of patients, including referrals from all over South Jersey, but the population of Camden is truly the reason to train here. I saw everything from scurvy to schistosomiasis to adrenoleukodystrophy. The faculty are very supportive and approachable. I will be staying here for categorical medicine as well. Look forward to working with you!

Great to have my feelings confirmed. See you at the drink-up on the 14th!

 

[GuP]

Can anyone comment more on this program? Hows the fellowship placement? Work Hours? Didactics? Full of FMGs? Good program or not? And anything else that comes to mind. Thanks!

 

[Poety2]

Can anyone comment more on this program? Hows the fellowship placement? Work Hours? Didactics? Full of FMGs? Good program or not? And anything else that comes to mind. Thanks!

This is my home school too - I really enjoyed my clinical years there. I would recommend going to scutwork.com and checking that out for details about the residency - personally its harder for med students to judge since thats what we know - however, attendings are very approachable, PD is very nice and brilliant, some FMG's, they have a contract I think with some foreign school. Fellowships galore that mostly go to their own as long as you do well during your general training.👍 Hope this helps!

 

[BlackNDecker]

...unfortunately, NJ is one of only a handful of states that has "may issue" legislation regarding concealed carry gun permits. This is a perfect example (albeit in reverse) that legal ownership of guns, including concealed carry guns, generally reduces crime rates (1, 2). The most dangerous city in america and the least number of armed law abiding citizens🙄

May as well get started on the paper work. You might get lucky and get a permit, plus it takes the feds 6 months to get back to you.

1. Gary A. Mauser, Simon Fraser University, Don B. Kates, retired; Would Banning Firearms Reduce Murder and Suicide? A Review of International Evidence

2. Tennessee Law Review, "Guns and Public Health: Epidemic of Violence or Pandemic of Propaganda?", 1994.

 

[Hernandez]

...unfortunately, NJ is one of only a handful of states that has "may issue" legislation regarding concealed carry gun permits.

It's probably easier to get Cleet certified, and hired as a police officer then quit and get the federal concealed carry than to get a legal civilian concealed carry in Jersey.

But as for Cooper, I don't know much about their program, but I do know that when My F.I.L. was there, the docs knew their stuff. I caught them off guard and didn't tell them I'm a doc when he was in the unit.

 

[Poety2]

...unfortunately, NJ is one of only a handful of states that has "may issue" legislation regarding concealed carry gun permits. This is a perfect example (albeit in reverse) that legal ownership of guns, including concealed carry guns, generally reduces crime rates (1, 2). The most dangerous city in america and the least number of armed law abiding citizens🙄

May as well get started on the paper work. You might get lucky and get a permit, plus it takes the feds 6 months to get back to you.

1. Gary A. Mauser, Simon Fraser University, Don B. Kates, retired; Would Banning Firearms Reduce Murder and Suicide? A Review of International Evidence

2. Tennessee Law Review, "Guns and Public Health: Epidemic of Violence or Pandemic of Propaganda?", 1994.

What if you already OWN a gun? Then what? <strutting around with her glock>

 

[BlackNDecker]

What if you already OWN a gun? Then what? <strutting around with her glock>

Then you gotta keep it under your pillow at home. You still have your 2nd amendment right to own a gun...however, the bill of rights does NOT grant you the freedom to tuck it into your waistband while shopping at Wal-Mart (you need a concealed carry permit to do this😉).

Unfotunately, there is talk that the supreme court will review an appeal this year rexamining the 2nd amendment (i.e. did the founding fathers mean guns strictly to arm a militia, or did they intend for individual citizens to own handguns).

 

[Hernandez]

Then you gotta keep it under your pillow at home. You still have your 2nd amendment right to own a gun...however, the bill of rights does NOT grant you the freedom to tuck it into your waistband while shopping at Wal-Mart

Really? What exactly does the word "Bear" mean? Keeping firearms doesn't mean jack if you can't bear them.

We'll know shortly if Parker (now called District of Columbia v. Heller) if taken up. It'll be interesting to see how this goes. It could be a major decision and potentially one of the more important decisions of the last 10 years.

 

[BlackNDecker]

Really? What exactly does the word "Bear" mean? Keeping firearms doesn't mean jack if you can't bear them.

You seem to know your gun laws and I'm sure you realize I'm over-simplifying...underpillow = twirl on your finger while watching Oprah, transport to and from car, "bear" on the pistol range. Some states, albeit very few, have open carry laws (side holster exposed on hip)...though I'm pretty sure NJ isn't one of these.

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

Well, I gotta say that I'm kind of pumped to start intern year at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ which has been declared America's Most Dangerous City 2 years running (see here)! In making my rank list I made a conscious decision to stay away from hospitals with a more affluent patient base because the variety of pathology just isn't as good and the patients tend to be snottier, so I think I came up with a real winner in this regard...who's with me on this one? And being across the bridge from downtown Philly I think you get the best of both worlds.

The hospital seems nice and the faculty even nicer. What's the general consensus on this place?

I ranked this program past my 10th choice. Most residents at that program live in PA. It's dangerous to just drive to this hospital.

 

[RokOnk]

Have to pipe in here...As a resident in "America's most dangerous city" I think this is overblown. Sure it's in a crappy part of NJ but the are immediate surrounding the hospital isn't that bad. When I say immediately surrounding I mean you get off the freeway, drive a half mile to the parking garage walk across the street and you're good. I wouldn't want to break down in between! That being said I've never had a problem. There have been occasional car vandalisms and break ins but which program that's worth going to doesn't have those. Can't remember when I heard of the last incident.

The hospital itself is top notch. Most, if not all, the attendings are very good at teaching and very approachable. The program director is great and really interested in the residents future, especially boards and fellowships. The program has had 100% board pass rate for a number of years. Most in house candidates have a great chance at the fellowship of their choice and Cooper has nearly every fellowship except endo and geriatrics. Research opportunities are endless and the hospital is continuing to grow, as a new 10 story patient tower is now going up.

Sure, you'll work hard here but you won't get killed. There's tons of back up but you'll also enjoy tons of autonomy. I don't really have anything bad to say about the program. PM me if you have more questions.

 

[HoodyHoo]

Not to downplay Camden's dangerous atmosphere but I believe St. Louis won the crown last year as the most dangerous city.