Hi everyone,
First time poster, but have been using this site off and on since medical school. I matched into GI this year (hooray!) and hope this info can be helpful to others. I applied to 21 programs, received interviews at 17, and attended 12. I realize that # applied to can vary greatly depending on background, geographic preference, etc. I felt that applying to ~20 was a good number, but I was exhausted after attending 12 interviews.
My impressions of those I attended:
----West cost----
UW: I loved everything about this place. Fellows were down to Earth, approachable, affable, and seemed to really enjoy fellowship in general. The interview day consisted of about 8 applicants, with ~4-5 interviews each, one with the PD and one with the division chief. The PD was incredibly welcoming, clearly someone who loves his job and is "fellow-centric". My impression is that it is a primarily clinical program with a growing research reputation. Call is divided over the three years and you end up averaging call about once a week. Scoping experience is above average for a large academic center.
UCSF: The interview day consisted of about 12 applicants, with several (8?) interviews of 2-3 faculty each. It was a little daunting, but nice to meet a significant portion of the Division, including the PD, APDs, and division chief. You also spend a lot of time with fellows, half the day is spent touring SF with them. I had two main takeaways: (1) fellows are independent and confident, probably because they are (2) worked very hard. Call is q2 for the first year (6 fellows a year, three sites = 2 fellows/site). I was surprised that vacation weeks are not covered by 2/3 years...your co-fellow at that site become q1....all of this equates to tons of clinical experience, ridiculous #s of scopes, and (since there is no advanced endoscopy fellow) plenty of experience with advanced cases as well. It seems like fellows are almost independent endoscopists midway through. There was a bit of a concern over the amount of teaching they get despite the hours they work.
UCLA: very large interview day 30-40, several (6-7) interviews each. I met the co division chief, did not interview with the PD. Similar to UCSF, fellows work hard. They cover 6 hospitals. Call ends up being q2, or at some sites, 1 week on, 1 week off. Sounds like next year Cedars will have their own GI fellowship, so it will no longer be one of the sites. The hospital is beautiful and it's hard to top southern California weather. Fellows seemed a bit over worked, but clinically very strong.
--MIDWEST--
Northwestern: about 12 applicants, 8 interviews each. I met with the PD and chief. Main takeaways were that fellows are happy, strike a nice work-life balance, call schedule is manageable, NW Memorial is beautiful, and the lunch was amazing. The division chief strikes me as a bit eccentric, but clearly a national leader in motility and runs a strong division that is getting stronger. NW is poaching faculty left and right from UChicago and others nationwide. They have the money and ambition to do so. I do think at this point they are, along with Michigan, tops in the Midwest.
Michigan: about 15 applicants, about 7-8 interviews each including PD and chief. I was very impressed with everything from the interview day starting with the PD. He was very welcoming and clearly dedicated to fellow education and mentorship. I very much enjoyed speaking with each faculty member and felt each one felt an obligation support fellows through the program. Multiple leaders in GI are current faculty. It is one of a handful of programs that offers formal research training and the opportunity to receive a Masters in the three years of fellowship. Call is divided among the 21 fellows over three years, aka q21 call (!!!). There is also night float home call system, meaning regular call ends at 5 or 7 PM....I don't think you can beat this call schedule anywhere you end up. I thought the fellows were nice and approachable.
--EAST COAST--
Hopkins: about 10 applicants, 6 interviews each, including the PD. Division chief was not there. I enjoyed the tour given by the PD. Faculty were a mixed bag, some genuinely interested in learning about you, some seemed to be riding on the Hopkins reputation. The interview day was hopelessly disorganized, with most interviews starting almost an hour late, no one coming to get you or showing the way to your next interview. Call is front loaded, emphasis is definitely on research. Pay is poor (think pay cut from intern year), especially given that Baltimore is surprisingly expensive to live in. I am not sure what impression I received from the fellows. I guess they are, for the most part, satisfied.
Penn: about 8-10 applicants, 4 interviews each. Did not interview with PD or division chief, although both were present. Definitely was the quickest interview day, out by 11 AM. I think no doubt one of the strongest Divisions in the country. Division chief has an amazing reputation of being one of the most supportive, accomplished, yet humble leaders in GI (was AGA president last year). Only met one fellow on interview day, but did attend dinner night before and met a couple more then - all seemed down to earth. Call q3, and front loaded to first year. Heavy emphasis on research years 2/3.
Columbia: did not enjoy this one and will leave it at that.
NYU: 4 applicants, 4 interviews, including PD and chief. Awesome people, but not as research rigorous as I wanted. For a primarily clinical program with a very supportive PD, I think this is an excellent choice. Other benefit is that all sites are basically on the same couple of blocks = no driving, short walks, able to make all conferences with ease. Not sure if there are private attendings at Tisch, but sounds painful if that's the case.
Yale: 8 applicants, 4-5 interviews. I thought the faculty were, for the most part, easy to talk to. The fellows seemed genuinely happy. Research opportunities are there, including some limited opportunities to acquire additional research training. I thought the fellows trying to convince us that New Haven was a cool city was a stretch, but at least they didn't seem to be on the spectrum like at some programs.
MGH: 8 applicants, 8-9 interviews including chief, PD, APDs. I think very similar to the program at Penn, but even more research focused. Many, if not most fellows are MD/PhD. Most are, as you would expect, from the Harvard family. Schedule is front loaded. Call first year I believe q3. Final 2/3 years are for scholarly pursuits. There is the opportunity to obtain a MPH from HSPH if you do a fourth year. Faculty are world renowned as one would expect. It was unclear why they didn't have an advanced fellowship. It was also unclear why general GI fellows didn't get more advanced experience if there was no advanced fellow. We met multiple first and 2/3 years during the day, which is always a good sign.
Brigham: 5 applicants, 4 interviews including PD and APD. Did not meet the Division chief. Overall vibe was one that was very welcoming from the program directors and fellowship coordinator. Fellows seemed like "normal" people you would hang out with outside of work. Rotate at three sites, including a VA and community hospital. Call is front loaded, about q3 I believe. # procedures is on par with most of the large East cost academic programs. The program at BWH allows the opportunity to earn a MPH at HSPH within the three year fellowship, which as I said above, is a unique and tremendous opportunity. One negative is the lack of transplant hep, but that is made for through rotations at MGH. Advanced endocopy is strong. With Dana Farber next door, superb opportunities in GI oncology.
Finally, I agree that pedigree gets you in the door. Beyond that, letters, connections, and interest in research are all important. Some programs require an extra letter (IM PD + 3 - UCSF/UW). Hope this is helpful!
