I was asked to write an updated review of the TT El Paso program. Most of what was written previously still very much applies. We do have an awesome set of faculty, all whom love to teach and are a pleasure to work with. In fact, several residents on other services have commented on how much they liked their EM rotations for that very reason. Having said that, I should also mention that the different services get along well. We work very close with surgery during traumas, SICU rotations etc, and there isn't a hostile relationship like I've heard about at other facilities. The same goes with anesthesia, medicine, OB, etc. Of course each specialty has different ways of approaching medicine, and there can be disagreement, but that should be expected.
It is a very busy ED, one shift I was working on the ortho service and 4 level 1 traumas rolled in one after the other. The ED is in the process of being completely updated as well. We just opened up 10 new trauma bays which we can use for conscious sedation procedures etc...and an entire east wing that is functioning now as more of an urgent care and then the "old" side will be overhauled soon as well. In addition, we have brand new OR's and a CT scanner that are connected to the ED and a children's hospital that should be finished in 2012.
Some misc items of note, free garage parking. Seems trivial, but I interviewed at a few programs where parking was outside, or limited and residents, attendings and all other staff were fighting each other for spots. If any of you have looked on the website at the stipend, its a few years and about $3K outdated. We also get $200 every two weeks to use in the cafeteria if you keep your medical records up to date, which isn't difficult to do. The food is pretty good, btw, but hospital food nonetheless. Insurance benefits are also very good. We receive medical, dental and vision from Blue Cross Blue shield of Texas and Avesis for dental and vision.
I know many people are also interested in how well the residents get along with one another. I feel that my intern class is my extended family. We all have very similar personalities, have similar interests and we just have fun together. One of the interns cooks regularly for everyone, we usually all go to someone's house or go out once a week if our schedules permit and of course we have a lot of fun during our Thursday conferences. I'm not sure if we just got lucky, or if we all chose this program because of our own needs/personalities, but I think I speak for us all when I say we have a good group. I would say the same about the 2nd and 3rd year class as well, but for the exception of a couple of the 2nd years, I haven't had a chance to be around them outside of work. That being said, all the residents are great, they are very helpful and sincere and have made me feel welcome.
ED rotation details are as follows. PGY1 4 ED months. First month in July we have medical spanish daily and misc. lectures and 4 twelve hour shifts on weekends. For the remaining months, one month has 19 x 12hr shifts, the other two are 15 shifts. PGY2 we work 7 months with one month 18 shifts and the others 16 shifts. PGY3 is 9 months in the ED one 17 shift and the rest 15. I should also mention that during our ED months, we can work up to 4 shifts in a row, and schedule about 5 days (sometimes more) off for vacation, and some residents have 7 weeks off a year. Even if the scheduling doesn't permit 7 weeks in a row, its still nice to have half a month off. Thursdays are protected from 7-12 for conference. We usually have faculty lectures and occasionally resident directed lectures mixed in with procedure labs at the new medical school across the street in the cadaver lab (1st cadaver lab I've ever been in I didn't leave smelling like cadaver).
Many of you are probably wondering about the patient population. Patients are mostly spanish speaking ~60 to 70% in the ED and 90% on some other services. Having never had spanish in high school or college I was worried I would be lost. But after a little more than 3 months, I can take a fairly decent H&P for most complaints. I think this is definitely one of the perks of the program.
I tried to include everything that would be generally relevant and I know I probably left some things out, but If anyone has any specific questions please ask. I started a thread which can be found at
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=10228660
