Northwestern Internal Medicine

[scalpelicious]

Hi there. My husband is applying in internal medicine (we're couples-matching, I'm applying in general surgery), and I was wondering if anyone could tell me what kind of program Northwestern has in Internal Medicine. I'm particularly curious about their teaching, prestige (sorry, I have to ask ), rank, etc. If anyone could offer their thoughts, I would really appreciate it. After spending 4 years in a place where academic rigor and source-citing during rounds is the norm, I think he needs that kind of academic environment. Thanks and good luck to everyone!!

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[pintsized]

where do you go to school?

Ive heard good things about northwestern - i wonder if it is overshadowed by U Chicago tho.

 

[Seawolf]

Which program are we talking about? Evanston? Anyone from Chicago with info about these two programs are appreciated.

 

[Wrigleyville]

I'm just a 3rd year student, but I'll help you out as best I can--


The program is very much academic-oriented, with formal rounds every morning, etc. Residents and students are constantly drilled with the evidence-based medicine manta, and research/data are always being cited -- you are expected to be familiar with the major trials that back up the treatments we give patients.

Morning report monday through thursday is run by the chiefs, it is generally case-based and always pre-prepared, and takes place before rounds. Friday AM is grand rounds, which is invariably some bleeding-edge bench-to-bedside research that is way over this med student's head, but seems to be well-received. Noon conference is generally topical, and is either presented by one of the chiefs or a resident. FIRM confence takes the place of noon conference on Thursdays, it is presented by one of the teaching attendings, and generally consists of presenting zebra cases or the data and research behind disease treatment regimens.

Each ward team consists of a teaching attending (one of the academic faculty), a resident, two interns, a sub-I, a couple 3rd year students. The teaching attendings are on service for two weeks at a time and are completely dedicated to teaching during the two weeks they're on service. This means they're around to do teaching if there is time in the afternoon while we aren't on call. The hospitalists handle overflow patients.

Except for the hospitalists, the medicine service is entirely resident-run in the sense that private attendings can not admit at the hospital unless they come in and do all of the work themselves.

At any rate, I spend six weeks at NMH and six weeks at the Evanston hospital (which has an entirely separate residency program, and is a more community-based affair). The NMH program is academically rigorous, almost to a fault. If that's what your husband is looking for, he'll certainly find it here.

 

[Mumpu]

Interviewed at NW recently. Very impressive, a must-see program IMHO. According to several people I talked to, it's taking over as the major academic center in Chicago.

 

[Zolpidem25]

Interviewed at NW recently. Very impressive, a must-see program IMHO. According to several people I talked to, it's taking over as the major academic center in Chicago.

did anyone who interviewed at NW get the impression/feeling that the housestaff was somewhat homogenous... maybe it was just the people i met, or my imagination, but i felt compared to other programs i've been to, there wasn't as much diversity amongst the residents. not that this will detract me from ranking the place highly, cause i think its a great place... but it does come across as somewhat high brow.

 

[maddog75]

I got this very stuck up feeling from them also. Also got "Uchicago is better" vibe from one interviewer.

 

[Mumpu]

Do you mean homogenous from the standpoint of ethnicity?

 

[Zolpidem25]

Do you mean homogenous from the standpoint of ethnicity?

yes, that's what i was getting at....

 

[Mumpu]

Does it matter? Certain minorities are badly underrepresented in medicine and that will be the case no matter where you go. I didn't find Northwestern to be very different from other places I've visited.

 

[jonhsuey]

I went to medical school at Northwestern, and I found the residency program there to be awesome...

I'm currently in my intern year at MGH and looking back at the residency program now as an intern, I truly feel that Northwestern will be THE forefront of medicine in Chicago very shortly. The location is unbeatable, the call schedule is great and the academic nature of the institution is just like anywhere else with a great reputation...

Seeing that I am writing this from a call room right now, I'm telling you, lifestyle will be important to you during your residency... Kudos to Northwestern for being able to give you a great residency training as well as allowing you to have a life...(Then again, I love MGH as well, so maybe I'm just an optimist)

 

[enigma1800]

How does NW compare to McGaw Med Center-Northwestern in Glenview,IL??
Is it a good program as well?

 

[Doctor&Geek]

That's a community program, not a large academic program.

 

[enigma1800]

Yeah, that I know...but how is that program anyways? Is it any good?

 

[jhug]

bump...any other thoughts about NW-Evanston...other than it's a community program?

 

[adam6]

Evanston Northwestern is actually a great program in my-very-biased-humble opinion. I'm currently a 3rd year res there right now.
Here are some good points:
1)Residents are quite happy
2)Administration is supportive
3)Great options for primary care
4)Impressive fellowship matches (eg: last 2 years - Beth Israel Deaconess, Northwestern and U of Chicago for nephrology; Vandy, Northwestern, U Pitt for heme/onc; Wisconsin (a couple diff ones) and some others I can't remember for GI; Creighton for Allergy, Illinois Masonic for cards, etc etc)
5)Good mix of academic(university-affiliated) and community program
6)Lots o' research opportunities
7)Opportunities to teach (it's a Northwestern teaching hospital so there are always MS3s and sub-i's around)
8)Completely paperless electronic medical record system - it's awesome!

Drawbacks:
1)Not everyone likes the private attending system
2)Cards matches can be a bit tough - not impossible, though...
3)The other associated hospital, Glenbrook, is a little homogeneous (older, affluent, nursing home population) - but still good experience, I guess...
4)You are limited in the number of clinical rotations you can do at Northwestern Memorial downtown. But you can do all your research there, if you want.

Anyways, I have no regrets and LOVE the program!

 

[spitfire]

What types of jobs do people get coming out of Evanston Northwestern? Do most go into private practice?

 

[adam6]

Of those going into general internal medicine (40-60%), there are a few options:
1)A number stay within the ENH system in one of the group practices
2)A number go into outside private practice
3)An increasing number are trying out hospitalist positions (either with ENH or elsewhere)
4)Some go outside of traditional medicine to business/consulting careers or industry

Of those specializing (40-60%), there's a mix of academics and private practice.

I'm applying for endocrinology fellowships for 2008 right now. So far I have interviews scheduled at Georgetown, U Mich, Jefferson, UIC, and Mt. Sinai (NY) - still waiting to hear from a bunch more ^_^ (I hope).

Hope this helps!

 

[LastDance]

Is it possible to get a cardiology fellowship if one does an Internal Med, residency at Evanston Northwestern, or any other competitive fellowship? Further, how is the Evanston Northwestern IM residency ranked?

Thanks a bunch

 

[adam6]

Competitive fellowships:
1)Cardiology: this has been the most difficult match, in all honesty... We've had a few people match in cards over the last few years - but not a large number. In my year (I'm a PGY3), we had one person match in cards though 3 applied. There are excellent cards research opportunities and cards is very strong at the hospital and at NMH downtown. But, with any university-affiliated/community program, it's tough but not impossible.
2)Allergy: a few matches over the last few years. One resident my year was accepted to ~5 allergy programs (and decided on Creighton - over some chicago programs like Rush). Again, research opportunities are available at Northwestern Memorial downtown.
3)GI: quite a few matches

Other fellowships: lots o' great matches (as I mentioned previously)

As for program "ranking" - I don't know what that really means ^_^
If you are asking that, you probably don't want to go to a university-affiliated/community program, anyway! This is not your big-power IM program like Hopkins. But if you're looking for a great hospital, wonderful atmosphere, superior training, and good work-life balance....then this is the program for you! (I sound like quite the PR person, huh?)

Though I think IMGs are often fantastic and super-smart, if it means anything, the program has more and more US grads - to the point where my year (18 total categoricals/year BTW) we had 2, the PGY2s have ?1, and the PGY1s ?0-1. Again, same disclaimer with DOs, but approx 1/4-1/3rd of the class are DOs. Hope this does not offend - but some people on these forums see this as a marker of program status - for whatever reason....

Anyways, hope this helps!

 

[LastDance]

Hey thanks alot adam6!! yeah i was looking at the residency match list of Midwestern, and they had a few students match IM at ENH. So i was just wondering how difficult it was to get a really good fellowship like cardiology from ENH. Also, when applying for Cardiology, what do program directors look for, if i am at ENH doing IM, what do i have to do, or should do, to get into Cardiology?

Thanks alot!!

 

[adam6]

Glad I can be of some service

Going into endocrine, I'm not the perfect person to ask...but here are some suggestions for pursuing cards after ENH IM:
1)Take advantage of ENH's 1 mo of research that is available to interns - not all programs allow you to do research your first year!
2)Talk to others pursuing cards
3)Get to know the cards faculty early on - at ENH and at NMH downtown (can go there for elective and/or research)
4)Think about pursuing a chief residency spot (they are selected early in the PGY2 year)
5)Do well in your rotations and get to know the administration - they can be your advocates and call programs on your behalf!

I guess it's just the basics.... but I'd keep asking around for other opinions!

 

[vkrn]

Hi--thanks for all the good input re: Northwestern. Could someone please clarify the situation with private attendings? I really want to avoid a place with a lot of private attendings. What's the average percentage of private patients will a Northwestern resident generally handle?

 

[remedios]

all hospitalist system now. no private attendings, at all.

 

[spitfire]

Adam6 - I sent you a private message!