Johns Hopkins

[pathdaddy]

I need a little help. I'm trying to come up with my final rank list and I can't decide where to rank JHU. It seems like the program has outstanding training with good residents. However, I've seen a somewhat bad review of it on scutwork by a resident. I was wondering what any of you might know about the program...good or bad.
I appreciate your input!

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[yaah]

Trust your input more than one bad scutwork review. You don't know where this is coming from. There will be bitter residents everywhere, and this one happened to go sort of public about it. I can't really answer your question specifically. Did you try a second look? If necessary, share your concerns with the PD or a resident if they gave you a contact. Ask about things you are concerned about - it's an important decision and shouldn't be based on hearsay or gut feelings.

good luck

 

[PathOne]

Personally, I've met truly excellent and happy people coming out of the JHU program, and would thus rate it highly. But completely agree with previous poster: SDN and other websites are great for advise, but be aware that it almost invariably will be biased and based on personal experiences. You have to make a decision on where you will be spending the next several years of your life, so do your own thorugh checking to come to an informed decision.

 

[mosche]

As someone who will be enduring the match next year, I have wondered about the JHU program as well. Fortunately, one of our Path. attendings is a graduate of the program, and she has given me great insight.

First, there have been some disgruntled residents who chose the program expecting it to be easy -- after all, it is a Pathology residency! Unfortunately for them, you don't choose one of the most highly regarded programs and not expect to work more than you would at a lesser regarded program. She has often told the story of one resident who blatantly stated: "The only reason that [he] chose Pathology was for the quality of life".

Second, as Yaah and others have said many times, take what you read on these forums with a grain of salt. Most Scutwork posts fall into two categories: 1) Rah Rah, cheerleader endorsements, or 2) the reviewed program is an 8th level of hell!
Either way, such extremes are seldom, if ever, accurate. Go with your gut feeling. Revisit the program if necessary, seek out past graduates whom you can trust, and one other thing that helped/helps me, talk to residents/graduates of ALL TOP programs to discover common pluses and minuses of such competitive programs. Chances are, there will be similar experiences at programs that are on similar academic par; though it's not 100% accurate, the advice will give you some insight into what to expect.

Best wishes.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I liked the Hopkins program very much despite that one particular review on scutwork.

I agree with the above posters...you need to ask yourself:

(1) why are you going into path?
(2) what are you willing to put in?
(3) what are your goals in life?
(4) will a particular program enable you to and perhaps maximize the chances that you reach those goals?
(5) and of course, the obligatory, will you be happy at that particular program?

 

[cytoborg]

I don't think personal experiences should be dismissed. Frst-hand comments from people who've been through it are pretty valuable, I think. The PDs and other faculty will always present their programs in the best possible light so it's important to hear the real story from the residents themselves.

But I do prefer to look at trends. If there is one person saying negative things while everyone else at that program seems to be perfectly happy, then that person is probably just an outlier with some individual issues. On the other hand if you're hearing it from more than one person...there might be something to it and I think it pays to take heed.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

But I do prefer to look at trends. If there is one person saying negative things while everyone else at that program seems to be perfectly happy, then that person is probably just an outlier with some individual issues. On the other hand if you're hearing it from more than one person...there might be something to it and I think it pays to take heed.

totally dude 👍 at hopkins, i didn't run into any bitter folks and i met quite a few residents during that visit. one seemed a bit tired and exhausted but he was doing surg path so i don't blame him. he still loved it there though.

 

[drPLUM]

Ok so I am bumping this thread. I did a search (now that it is back up!) for some info on Hopkins and found some good stuff. I'd appreciate it though if some of you who have been there would elaborate on the "poor location" of the hospital, as I've never been to Baltimore. Yeah, I know I'll find out some of this stuff on my interview but I'm curious now, dang it! 🙂

I've basically been in smaller cities and rural towns all my life. I'm planning to make a jump to a larger city for residency but I know it'll be an adjustment. So for Hopkins, what is so bad about the location? Do residents find places to live that are in a safer place, and how far away from the hospital does it become safe? Are there more suburban areas to live in that are accessible to the hospital?

Thanks for all your input everyone!

 

[HappyPanda]

So for Hopkins, what is so bad about the location? Do residents find places to live that are in a safer place, and how far away from the hospital does it become safe? Are there more suburban areas to live in that are accessible to the hospital?

Could someone familar with Chicago share some insights about U Chicago neighborhood? I've heard some unfavorable things about that area and wonder if it is easy to find a safe place close to the hospital for a family to live.

 

[AngryTesticle]

Ok so I am bumping this thread. I did a search (now that it is back up!) for some info on Hopkins and found some good stuff. I'd appreciate it though if some of you who have been there would elaborate on the "poor location" of the hospital, as I've never been to Baltimore. Yeah, I know I'll find out some of this stuff on my interview but I'm curious now, dang it! 🙂

I've basically been in smaller cities and rural towns all my life. I'm planning to make a jump to a larger city for residency but I know it'll be an adjustment. So for Hopkins, what is so bad about the location? Do residents find places to live that are in a safer place, and how far away from the hospital does it become safe? Are there more suburban areas to live in that are accessible to the hospital?

Thanks for all your input everyone!

I went there for undergrad and having been to the medical on several occasions, the immediate vicinity around Hopkins medical campus is not very attractive. But this was back in the 90's and it really has gotten better...but this is hard to appreciate unless you lived there previously. It still isn't nirvana but it's only gonna get better. While I was in med school, my parents and relatives, who live near Baltimore, told me that New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg (a Hopkins alum) donated a ridiculous amount of money to make that area better. The plan was to buy out some of the bad neighborhoods and use that to build new buildings thereby expanding the medical campus, which is gargantuan already. My uncle experienced this first hand since he owned a store near there and his property got bought out. When I went to interview there, the positive change was quite palpable. But it's not perfect, there still are some sketchy areas adjacent to the medical campus. When you go to interviews, you will see a lot of security on campus. You will have a visitors badge and you will have to show this at various checkpoints. There are many parking spots on campus so you won't have to go far walking between where you work and your car.

And you certainly don't have to live in that part of the city. Many people who work there live in much better neighborhoods such as Fells Point, Federal Hill, Homewood (which is where the undergrad campus is), Inner Harbor area, and Towson (which is on the other end of Baltimore but you can use the I-695 "beltway"). If you're even willing to live around 30 minutes away and drive into work, you could even consider living in Columbia, MD. That is in Howard County which is one of the more affluent counties in the country. If you decide to exercise that option, it's a straight shot to Baltimore by taking I-95N. And if you get to the hospital early in the morning (rush hour can be nasty) like around 7 am, the traffic isn't bad at all. The only concern is once you get off I-95N on Exit 53, you have to use Pratt St. to get to the hospital. That road has lots of traffic lights and clogs up frequently. So if you have lots of road rage and are impatient, that's probably not the best option.

So yeah, if you really want to live relatively close by, I recommend Fells Point or Federal Hill. Great night life and lots of bars and nice places to live. You can even buy property there if you can exercise that option. I will warn you though that Baltimore has gotten better, more and more people are realizing this, and thus the property values are increasing. I think the best time to buy around that area was 5-10 years ago. But I don't think the property values are on the bubble yet and houses/condos will continue to appreciate as Baltimore improves further.

Oh, and I just remembered, I have a friend who is doing her postdoc at Hopkins med now. She got a really good deal on an apartment in White Marsh which is a nice area too. So you may want to check that out.

Don't worry though...when you interview at Hopkins, they will have a packet for you regarding living in Baltimore. They realize that Baltimore scares a lot of people off and really try to make a sales pitch about the city. You really can't talk smack about the institution itself; it's just that the immediate environment is a turnoff for many people. Personally, having lived in Baltimore, I don't think it's that bad but who knows, maybe I've been desensitized.

Good luck at your interview there. Hopkins is a fantastic institution with an awesome path program!

 

[miko2005]

I had a funny incident that illustrates the "oasis in the ghetto" comment. My running route used to go around the perimeter of Hyde Park: 47th street to lake to 63rd up cottage grove and then back down 47th. One hot summer day, I thought, "I'll go through Washington Park -- nobody is going to bother a runner." The route was quite a bit longer and I found myself huffing and puffing along by the basketball courts (typical shoe commercial scene). Suddenly all the guys stop and one somebody yells "White boy, don't you be running out of gas in the middle of the ghetto!" Needless to say, I found a sudden reserve of energy.

Still, I would jump at the chance to live there again.

That is so funny!! I have also spent time at UofC but our comfort area was limited from 51st to 58th street!! We once had to go to the post office on 49th and it was wayyyy out of comfort range. I loved UofC but not sure I would want to live there again.

 

[drPLUM]

BUMPing this old post again...

I read on scutwork that JHU residents only do 6 months of Surgical Pathology for the whole residency (poster stated that hours were rough but it was only 6 months out of 4 years). I thought this seemed a llittle odd. Did he mean 6 months per year or something like that? Do any other programs only do 6 months for the whole residency? Maybe its just late and I've been hitting the Newcastle's a little too hard... (who drinks and then comes in to post on SDN anyway, I must have no life at this point).

 

[CameronFrye]

BUMPing this old post again...

I read on scutwork that JHU residents only do 6 months of Surgical Pathology for the whole residency (poster stated that hours were rough but it was only 6 months out of 4 years). I thought this seemed a llittle odd. Did he mean 6 months per year or something like that? Do any other programs only do 6 months for the whole residency? Maybe its just late and I've been hitting the Newcastle's a little too hard... (who drinks and then comes in to post on SDN anyway, I must have no life at this point).

This is straight from my interview materials:

You have 6 months of surg path at Hopkins, 3 months at Hopkins Bayview (a much lighter case load), 3 months of Gyn Path (also a lighter load than general surg path), and 2 months on the Hopkins Consult Service.

 

[AngryTesticle]

Yeah 6 months of surg path at the main hospital over 4 years isn't surprising. Remember, if you're AP/CP, you do two years of AP and two years of CP. The AP consists of much more than surg path. For instance, you do a few months of cytology, several months of autopsy, then you do some pediatric pathology, and gyn path. Then you have some electives mixed in as well. At the end, this all adds up to 2 years. At Hopkins, you do a few months at the Bayview hospital to get a glimpse of what private practice pathology is like. This is good exposure especially for those contemplating practicing in a community setting.

Trust me, if you did 2 whole years of surg path, you would be a zombie. Surg path involves a lot of work and are difficult months (but at the same time, quite rewarding).

 

[drPLUM]

Yeah 6 months of surg path at the main hospital over 4 years isn't surprising. Remember, if you're AP/CP, you do two years of AP and two years of CP. The AP consists of much more than surg path. For instance, you do a few months of cytology, several months of autopsy, then you do some pediatric pathology, and gyn path. Then you have some electives mixed in as well. At the end, this all adds up to 2 years. At Hopkins, you do a few months at the Bayview hospital to get a glimpse of what private practice pathology is like. This is good exposure especially for those contemplating practicing in a community setting.

Trust me, if you did 2 whole years of surg path, you would be a zombie. Surg path involves a lot of work and are difficult months (but at the same time, quite rewarding).

Hmm... thanks for the replies everyone. I knew that AP was more than surg path, but I guess I assumed it would be more than 6 months out of 4 years, as it is at my home program. To be honest, even the worst surg path hours don't seem so bad if its only 6 months over 4 years. For instance, the Hopkins scutwork says that on the infamous surg path you leave at 5 every 4th day and only stay really late every 4th day. How many surgery/medicine residents would love to have this schedule and sleep in their own bed every night? I can only speak for myself, but somtimes being in pathology can make you forget what hours other residents are putting in, and that even our 'worst' schedule is considered normal by their standards. And on top of that, they actually have to do surgery/medicine everyday. In path you get relatively good hours (even by other entry-level professional jobs... think about first year large-firm lawyers) and get the most interesting/least bull-@#$% job in medicine. (I know path has some scut but go back and spend a day on an internal medicine service Q4). We should all thank our lucky stars. To this day I do not understand how path isn't more competitive.

 

[CameronFrye]

To this day I do not understand how path isn't more competitive.

Well, it's heading in that direction. One PD told me that the number of applications from american med students had doubled in just the past 3 years. 😱

 

[CameronFrye]

Well, it's heading in that direction. One PD told me that the number of applications from american med students had doubled in just the past 3 years. 😱

And, as an addendum, I do think path is pretty competitive at the top programs.