Michigan - great program?

[surgeon2b forev]

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Hi, I've heard only positive things about Michigan. However, it's in Michigan... and I'm wondering if it's like the neurosurgeons and the Barrow in Phoenix Arizona... i.e. a fantastic program but without too many top applicants because of it's not-so-good location.

Is Michigan super competitive? Is it on par with Brigham/MGH... or not really?

I know it's been posted as already offering interviews.... but has anyone recently heard from them? I haven't received an interview, and I'm kinda hoping to at least check the place out.

thanks!

 

[msl2007]

I loved Michigan when I interviewed there, great training, great attendings, light on trauma but there's enough and plenty of tertiary referral cases. On par with MGH? Not by rep, likely by training, and certainly at the top of anyone's list. As for being in MI, it is in Ann Arbor, a great college town, you get al 4 seasons and it isn't that cold/snowy. I've lived there as well as in warmer climates and season-less climates and I liked MI alot. Only drawback would be that scrubs are cold in Feb at 4am. But if that keeps you from a program, there were probably other reasons that you didn't go there as well.

 

[surgeon2b forev]

Wow... that sounds cool. What about the training is so good... organization, number of cases, resident happiness?

I know they have really good research going on... just from reading the literature. They are a burn center too, which is cool. I wonder does anyone know if you also get VA experience there? that's always a plus 'cuz of operative autonomy experience and stuff.

Definitely somewhere I wanna check out! Has aaaaaaaaaaaanyone out there received an interview from them recently?

 

[Bones2008]

I'm a M4 at michigan. I'm not going into gen surg, but I can maybe help answer some questions.

you definitely get VA experience there. there is an entirely separate VA service that the residents rotate on. case volume, both at the U and the VA, is entirely adequate -- it's hard for me to think of a time when I saw more than one resident per case. on the whole, the residents are a happy group. I have little personal experience for comparison, but I'm told our gen surg attendings are collectively some of most pleasant in the country.

I think also that there is no in-house call after the PGY-3 year. not entirely sure about this one, but pretty sure.

hope that helps.

 

[jolu]

I'm also pretty interested in UMich.

What about Ann Arbor, what is it like?

 

[Winged Scapula]

I never attended Michigan but my mother's family lives there and all are grads. While I'm a warm weather gal, Ann Arbor is a great college town but with the added benefit that most of the retired professors stay around so in addition to the trendy bars and the like, you also have a very active arts scene, so its wonderful for "aging" college students as well as SOs who might want other things to do while you are at the hospital.

Michigan also has lots of outdoor pursuits and the UP is quite beautiful in the summer. Of course, Detroit is close to Ann Arbor so if you wanted something a little more gritty, that's available as well. The training at Michigan is reputed to be top notch and I think anyone would be well trained who came out of there...it is frequently mentioned as one of the strongest programs in the country for surgery.

BTW, to the OP: what's so undesirable about Phoenix in terms of The Barrow?😕

 

[doc02]

I don't know anything about Michigan, but something the OP said struck me. I don't think there's any "name" program that is respected and yet doesn't get applicants based on location. If a program is "good" and doesn't get applicants, then it's not as good as it makes itself out to be. The only time this is not the case is with community programs, since most people only recognize university programs (since they are usually associated with well-known hospitals or well-known colleges). I'd venture to say that most people know practically nothing about community programs except their local ones.

 

[madtowngirl]

Michigan's a great general surgery program. Definitely among the top in the country, and the chiefs there impressed me very much during my second look and interview. The residents as a whole were very friendly amongst themselves and with hospital staff. The only thing that dropped it lower on my ranklist was number of fellows. I was looking for a place with few fellows, especially in fields I was interested in. Research opportunities there are great, and 2 years of research is required. Ann Arbor is a very neat place if you like college towns.

And to put in my two cents on weather impacting residency applicants, I ran into numerous people on the interview trail who said things like "Mayo's a great program, but I'm not sure I want to live somewhere that cold." I think weather doesn't deter applications, but it might affect rank list order. I know for me, ranking in February definitely affected my list order!

 

[Blade28]

In a similar vein, I loved the city of Chicago and its programs, but the cold weather during my interview trip (around -15 degrees F) scared me a little. 🙂

 

[surgeon2b forev]

Hi everyone. Yeah, I think location affects how people rank programs. Mayo is a perfect example. Of course, it depends on people's preferences... some like cold, some like all-seasons, etc. To dr. cox... i actually have no idea i've never been to arizona! I was just told that by a friend who likes their program a lot, but the problem is its "not on a coast".whatever that means.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Hi everyone. Yeah, I think location affects how people rank programs. Mayo is a perfect example. Of course, it depends on people's preferences... some like cold, some like all-seasons, etc. To dr. cox... i actually have no idea i've never been to arizona! I was just told that by a friend who likes their program a lot, but the problem is its "not on a coast".whatever that means.

Well, that eliminates a LOT of the country, doesn't it?

If the desire its to be near the water, well...residency isn't really conducive to relaxing at the beach, especially a Nsgy one.

If he means that the coasts have more to offer in the way of nightlife, liberal attitudes, etc., I think Phoenix/Scottsdale, at the 4th largest city in the US, has a fair bit of that as well.

Then again, I've lived on both coasts, abroad, etc. It would a shame if The Barrow really is that highly regarded to discount it because its not on the coast. Phoenix is hardly Dubuque!

 

[icare4u]

Anyone know anything about Grand Rapids? Watch that invitation, it comes outside ERAS, just to your personal e-mail. I nearly missed it. They seemed SOOO nice...really like they couldn't wait to meet me.
Anyone with any input about that program? It's a LONG way from Texas.🙁🙁🙁

 

[Winged Scapula]

Anyone know anything about Grand Rapids? Watch that invitation, it comes outside ERAS, just to your personal e-mail. I nearly missed it. They seemed SOOO nice...really like they couldn't wait to meet me.
Anyone with any input about that program? It's a LONG way from Texas.🙁🙁🙁

I can tell you about the town as my grandmother and aunt live there...

yes, it is a long way from Texas and flights there relatively expensive (but you could easily drive to Detroit)

a fair bit of snow and cold weather given the location on the lake

but its beautiful..check out the local library on the lake if you have a chance

very active arts scene and lots of outdoorsy type of stuff

good public school system, relatively high standard of living (especially for Michigan)

 

[icare4u]

Doctor Cox, do you know anything about the program itself? Eventually, I would like to land a fellowship in breast. Do you think there is any chance coming from a program like Grand Rapids? (With lots of hard work, of course)

 

[Winged Scapula]

Doctor Cox, do you know anything about the program itself? Eventually, I would like to land a fellowship in breast. Do you think there is any chance coming from a program like Grand Rapids? (With lots of hard work, of course)

I don't know anything about the surgery program (otherwise I would have mentioned it above).

Fellowships are definitely possible frm community programs and while Breast may have more applicants than positions now, that may or may not be the case in 5 years when you apply (during fall of your Chief year). At this time its certainly possible to match into Breast from a community program although at some of the big names (ie, MD Anderson, Memorial) they will be looking for people with more of a research or academic background.

 

[doc02]

but its beautiful..check out the local library on the lake if you have a chance

If checking out the local library was the only thing you could think of to sell that city, I'll take a pass. Nothing against literacy, by the way. Literacy good.

 

[Winged Scapula]

If checking out the local library was the only thing you could think of to sell that city, I'll take a pass. Nothing against literacy, by the way. Literacy good.

Well, its not like my aunt and grandmother are into the club scene so I haven't had much of a chance to check other social things out.

Wait, there's a new Kohl's! Woo-hoo!!!

(maybe libraries have changed as I haven't been in a public one in years but this is so much more than books...DVDs to check out, a fish tank, a dinosaur exhibit and floor to ceiling windows to check out the lake!)

 

[doc02]

Well, its not like my aunt and grandmother are into the club scene so I haven't had much of a chance to check other social things out.

Wait ...so you don't go to clubs unless your grandmother and aunt are there with you? tee hee hee.

(maybe libraries have changed as I haven't been in a public one in years but this is so much more than books...DVDs to check out, a fish tank, a dinosaur exhibit and floor to ceiling windows to check out the lake!)

What? A fish tank?!? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO ORIGINALLY?!?!? *Performs crazy and illegal U-turn in street and drives over several road signs in haste to drive to Grand Rapids.*

 

[baylor06]

I've been a junior resident on a service with a third year CT fellow who graduated from the GR surgery program. He really liked the program a great deal. The way he described the attendings and the nice chief year, I have to admit there are moments when I think I should have gone to his program! Everyone sounded very supportive of each other. That being said, I'm in a university program with the usual personality challenges that come with the academic world. I don't know how you'll stand for fellowships but I think you'll be well-trained if you go there. The way he described the program is it's basically a well-run supportive private practice community program. Hope that helps....

 

[icare4u]

Thanks, Baylor, for taking the time to reply. I've gotten numerous invitations, but there was something about this GR invite that was just...different. They seemed to really want me! It was a very personable invitation, then followed up with a phone call. Asked questions about me, and seemed to really care. Honestly, Michigan was probably the LAST place I wanted to go, but as I say, there is just something about that personal touch that impressed me.
Thanks for sharing your input. I can't really find anyone here at my program that knows that much about it.

And Dr. Cox, I can't wait to see the acquariums! 🙂