Least Malignant Programs

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Anybody have a list of the least malignant IM residency programs and how their call schedule is like (they don't have to be top tier)? Starting the application process soon and with the limited amount of $$ I have, would like to apply to the ones I know I won't be miserable at. Thanks!
 
Anybody have a list of the least malignant IM residency programs and how their call schedule is like (they don't have to be top tier)? Starting the application process soon and with the limited amount of $$ I have, would like to apply to the ones I know I won't be miserable at. Thanks!

i'm not really clear what you are looking for. university programs? community programs? university-affiliated? i see you're an md/phd. are you planning on staying in academics? then you probably need a university program. a couple of places that had cush call schedules when i interviewed were virginia mason in seattle, and cedars-sinai in la. cedars is university affiliated. i don't remember what their call schedule was, but i do remember talking to an intern who said his census was rarely above five patients. the cap for an intern per acgme is 12 patients. virginia mason has a night float schedule during weekdays, so you end up taking overnight call only about twice a month on call months. however, you admit during the day every other day.
 
Yes, I am interested in an university based program, but I'd like to know about community ones too (since I'll be applying to some). I earned my pHD before medical school, so I guess that label is really incorrect!
 
Second those thoughts on Virginia Mason in Seattle - was really impressed by the care they take of their residents. I think it starts with their program Dr Calderon - he seems like he is really out to create and sustain a great environment in which to train.
 
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I'll put in a word for my current program (which I'll be leaving in 4 days), OHSU. Yes, we have crap rotations w/ bad call schedules (CCU - just pure crap...regardless of the odd call schedule and night float; VA ICU is q3 overnight) but overall it's pretty good.

MICU, CCU and VA wards all have night float so you only do 1 or at most 2 overnight calls in a month (plus a week of nights on CCU and MICU). University wards are Q5 overnight but there's a cross-cover resident on overnight Su-Th nights to alleviate the cross-cover crap. VA ICU is bad, as mentioned above but, as an intern, that was the only rotation I consistently got any sleep on (didn't have to do it as a resident).

The upside to all of this is that as an intern, you'll only have 7-8 call months (out of 13 blocks) and R2s and R3s have 4-6 depending on their schedules. Rotations are largely geared toward education rather than service (except the CCU which is strictly service in my experience and ER where you function and weekend/holiday coverage), there is essentially no scutwork (unless you think examining and writing orders on patients and talking to consultants and support staff is scut) and there is excellent support from the administration and faculty.

I imagine there are other university programs like this out there but out of the 24 interviews I went on as an MS4, I didn't find anything even closely resembling it.
 
I'll put in a word for my current program (which I'll be leaving in 4 days), OHSU. Yes, we have crap rotations w/ bad call schedules (CCU - just pure crap...regardless of the odd call schedule and night float; VA ICU is q3 overnight) but overall it's pretty good.

MICU, CCU and VA wards all have night float so you only do 1 or at most 2 overnight calls in a month (plus a week of nights on CCU and MICU). University wards are Q5 overnight but there's a cross-cover resident on overnight Su-Th nights to alleviate the cross-cover crap. VA ICU is bad, as mentioned above but, as an intern, that was the only rotation I consistently got any sleep on (didn't have to do it as a resident).

The upside to all of this is that as an intern, you'll only have 7-8 call months (out of 13 blocks) and R2s and R3s have 4-6 depending on their schedules. Rotations are largely geared toward education rather than service (except the CCU which is strictly service in my experience and ER where you function and weekend/holiday coverage), there is essentially no scutwork (unless you think examining and writing orders on patients and talking to consultants and support staff is scut) and there is excellent support from the administration and faculty.

I imagine there are other university programs like this out there but out of the 24 interviews I went on as an MS4, I didn't find anything even closely resembling it.

UPMC is a lot like this, except the CCU here is awesome (q3, but an interesting teamwork dynamic--you write notes only post call on every patient, you go through the to do list if you're on call, so precall, you just help the post-call team and maybe a few to do things, so post call and precall you're out by noon usually sometimes earlier, and the facutly are all about teaching). The VA ICU here has been getting revamped to optimize learning, though it was still a good rotation before, just sometimes got a bit busy so faculty started worrying about giving residents more of a learning experience. Most of the faculty in general here LOVE to teach. The environment is pretty collegial overall, definitely not malignant.
 
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