Maimonides Anesthesiology Program

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
I'm biased, because I'm a CA-3 resident, but I love the place.

If you don't mind my asking, why were you told to avoid the place, and when were you told this? A lot has changed for the better since I was a CA-1.

If you learn by doing, Maimonides is the place for you. You will get plenty of experience.
 
I'm biased, because I'm a CA-3 resident, but I love the place.

If you don't mind my asking, why were you told to avoid the place, and when were you told this? A lot has changed for the better since I was a CA-1.

If you learn by doing, Maimonides is the place for you. You will get plenty of experience.

I was told by my student advisor (who is in the Anesthesiology dept). He told me not to apply based on location and general educational experience. Fall 2006.

Why don't you tell us about your program? Strengths, weaknesses..
 
During my interview trail, a lot of other programs in NY/NJ and even in the Midwest told me to watch out for Maimonides. I heard they scut you out pretty badly and the teaching is not as strong as other programs but I wouldn't know firsthand.
 
I was told by my student advisor (who is in the Anesthesiology dept). He told me not to apply based on location and general educational experience. Fall 2006.

Why don't you tell us about your program? Strengths, weaknesses..

OK. Here is a brief reply, with weaknesses first since that's easier.

Weaknesses:

1. Lack of major trauma -- very rare. We record long bone fractures that get operated on within 24 hrs as trauma.

2. Very few intracranial aneurysm repairs -- our interventional radiology team is great at coiling them.

3. Very few awake craniotomies -- maybe 1/year.

4. No transplant -- although we should be going to Mt. Sinai (NY) for a liver transplant rotation soon (in the final stages of getting the rotation set-up).

Strengths:

1. Plenty of experience. The only thing I'm lacking numbers on is the nerve blocks for anesthesia column, but that should be fixed when I have my "Nerve Block" rotation next month. Nerve blocks used to be a weakness, but I don't think you can say that anymore. I feel comfortable coming up with and executing a plan for just about any case. We get plenty of sick patients here, most elderly -- so taking care of an ASA 1 or ASA 2 is like a break.

2. Good didactics -- 6:40 AM-7:15 AM Monday-Thursday (ideally 6:30 AM, but rarely happens), til 8:15 AM on Fridays. Once a month CA-1s and CA-2s will meet in afternoon as groups for didactics targeted to year of training. Board review in the afternoon for CA-3s at least every other week.

3. Great written board pass rates -- never followed up closely about orals. 100% for batch that just graduated. Only one person failed the year before -- she passed this year.

4. Good fellowship success rates -- I don't think anyone who wanted a fellowship didn't get one. Biggest name probably MGH for critical care and cardiac.

To address the scut issue: I don't feel like I'm scutted out. But feel free to ask around. I'm one person voicing an opinion.

As far as location goes, that's an individual choice. Safety is not an issue if that is what the concern was.
 
2. Very few intracranial aneurysm repairs -- our interventional radiology team is great at coiling them.

Wait a minute. You don't do anesthesia at your institution for coilings? What if the patient moves during the procedure? Man! That could be disastrous.

We do the full Monty for our coilings, mostly TIVA because they also get neuromonitored most of the time. That's right, tube + propofol + precedex + remi. Overkill? I don't know. But, we haven't had any disasters like a patient decides to sneeze or sit-up or freak-out laying on the table while that catheter is sitting in the most delicate of delicate parts of the cerebral vasculature.

-copro
 
Wait a minute. You don't do anesthesia at your institution for coilings? What if the patient moves during the procedure? Man! That could be disastrous.

We do the full Monty for our coilings, mostly TIVA because they also get neuromonitored most of the time. That's right, tube + propofol + precedex + remi. Overkill? I don't know. But, we haven't had any disasters like a patient decides to sneeze or sit-up or freak-out laying on the table while that catheter is sitting in the most delicate of delicate parts of the cerebral vasculature.

-copro

Copro, you misinterpreted what I wrote. Or the opposite -- I didn't write it clearly. We give anesthesia for the coilings alright. What I meant was very rarely do these cases go for open repair. I've done one open cerebral aneurysm repair. I know one of my colleagues who graduated did one last year.

Although I have to admit, I haven't seen anyone do neuromonitoring in the interventional suite. The patient gets tubed, A-line, propofol +/- gas, paralysis, and fentanyl bolus intermittently as needed. I haven't used precedex in the interventional suite, but that doesn't mean much b/c I haven't used it much anywhere.
 
Top