Maine Medical Center

[billyverdin]

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I interviewed at MMC recently and am hoping to hear from other folks who have interviewed here as well. I thought the program was fantastic and quite unique due to its private practice attendings. The program is small, currently with 4 residents per year, but with approval for 5 residents this year.
The faculty was remarkable. Most are from MGH, Brigham, and Beth Israel, the next largest group are graduates of MMC, and then a handfull from Yale, UConn, Duke, UCSF, Hopkins, etc. Almost all are fellowship trained.
The residents were super friendly, down to earth people that felt their training was superb and that the attendings were collegial.
Caseload is tremendous and there are no fellows. Cardiac and Ob, Neuro and Peds very strong. Admittedly, regional is weak, but striving to make improvements.
Hospital is great, finanicially stable always growing.
Portland is the largest city in Maine, but is more of a big town. However, it does offer great dining, bars, is safe, and incredibly scenic. It's on the Atlantic and Casco Bay is just down the hill, many of the attendings sail during the summer and hang out with the residents. I am from Portland, so for me this is a year round playground. Winter is tough, but I just learned to accomodate and enjoy outdoor activities. Summer is short but so sweet. Lobster and seafood is fresh off the boat and people are friendly. Portland does have a good size young professional scene. All restaurants and bars are nonsmoking.
Salary and benefits allow a resident to live well...but that is all relative.
I have interviewed at the big names in Boston, have been to Duke, and a few others on the West Coast, many have impressed me. However, after my interviews with the attendings at MMC, two graduates of MGH, one of Duke, one of Yale, they all expressed that my training at MMC would be equal or superior to those places in clinical anesthesia!!! The positives are the atmosphere of the residents and attendings and because the number of residents are so small and the hospital has such a hight number of cases and complex ones at that, they get the best picks and ultimately become quite skilled and effecient since its a private practtice setting. Those seeking fellowships got choice, Boston Childrens, Toronto Sick Childrens, ect.. The negatives, which these attendings all stated was research, if looking for that go to MGH, B+W, or Duke...if want regional head to Duke, but if you want a well rounded program where you get great numbers of complex cases without competing with fellows this is a little gem. If you have interviewed here, please tell all, the good, bad, and ugly are all welcome. Peace.

 

[2ndyear]

I rotated there as a med student (now a CA-1, so it was a few years ago). You pretty much hit on all of the relevant high points that I could think of. The attendings are simply outstanding, mostly boston trained people who headed north for the lifestyle. The caseload seemed more than adequate and I recall many great cases that weren't covered by residents at all. In fact I never really was in a resident room for the whole month, I was one on one with attendings doing it all, from basic GA's to pedi hearts. I thought Portland was cool, I still go up there in the summer. Great restaurants and bars, and it's still only about 2 hours to Boston. Weaknesses? Small program, so this is either a strength or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. ICU was one big floor if I remember, with SICU, CTICU, PICU, etc. but most people don't get off on this anyways. I remember Dr. Higgens doing some regional blocks, surely not a powerhouse in regional, but so few places are anyways it's adequate and things are in place. I'm sure you'll learn the 4-5 blocks that you'd need for private practice.

If you really liked it and love the area, then go for it!