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.