NYC Surgery Residencies: Cornell, NYU, Columbia, Mt. Sinai

[zb]

Hi -

Any one out there have any thoughts on the relative strengths and weaknesses of these programs?

Here's what I've gathered:
Cornell: great experience to be affiliated with Memorial Sloane Kettering, benign program, great name with a powerful chairman

NYU: lots of independence but bad lifestyle, getting a new chairman, "macho" reputation

Columbia: more "old school," bad ancillary staff, lots of CT surgery

Mt Sinai: operate a lot, less academic -- less of a "name factor," great for GI transplant

Want to compare notes

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MikeS 78]

from what I was told while working at Sloane-kettering, cornell/NYH is not affiliated with MSKCC at all, despite the fact that they are across the street

Columbia is as known for its Neuro surgery as its CT

 

[zb]

Thanks for the input. You're right-- I shouldn't have used the word "affiliated" -- I just meant the fact that the Cornell residents operate there 4th and 5th years is great experience.

 

[turtleboard]

Are those the only university programs in NYC that are worth mentioning? Just curious as I'm looking into general surgery residencies too (but of course I'm just a second-year).

There are other university programs in the city, but perhaps they're not really all that prominent: Einstein/Montefiore and SUNY Downstate/Kings County Hospital.

I wouldn't be surprised if most people wouldn't consider these two on their list of NYC surgical residencies worth getting, but I just wanted to get more opinions on other programs in the city. What about community programs like St. Luke's-Roosevelt? St. Vincent's? Lenox Hill? Would you take a position at any of these places over a position at SUNY or Einstein?

Thanks!

Tim W. of N.Y.C.

[This message has been edited by turtleboard (edited 01-17-2001).]

 

[zb]

Hi -

No, they aren't the only ones worth mentioning, its just that those are the ones I hear about most often.

I don't know much about Einstein or SUNY/Downstate except that I was told not to apply to SUNY/Downstate (I was told it wasn't too good).

The rap on community programs (St. Luke's etc.) is that you should aim for them if what you plan on doing is community surgery. I.e., if you want to be an old-time general surgeon who takes care of bread and butter stuff (e.g., hernias) you should aim for programs more like that. But if you're looking to be in a tertiary care center doing specialized surgery and you want do some type of fellowship after residency, it is better to aim for a university based program.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[thyroidectomy]

Interested in updated opinions on the NYC programs. Where do they (NYU, Cornell, Sinai, Columbia, Einstein) stand amongst each other and nationally?

 

[VisionaryTics]

Interested in updated opinions on the NYC programs. Where do they (NYU, Cornell, Sinai, Columbia, Einstein) stand amongst each other and nationally?

Thirteen years, bro. This thread is thirteen years old.

 

[thyroidectomy]

I agree, which is why I'm asking for "updated opinions." Reasonable, no?

 

[Winged Scapula]

I agree, which is why I'm asking for "updated opinions." Reasonable, no?

No. You've already asked the same question in the Surgery forum. You received no answers either because there is no answer or because most residents aren't as obsessed with ranking as premeds and med students seem to be.

Interestingly, in 13 years since this was last posted user turtleboard has graduated from medical school, completed a general surgery residency in New York City, a vascular fellowship, has had a couple of children, and spent several years in practice. Time flies!

 

[Metzenbaum7]

I do not care about "ranking" but I do have question: is Mt. Sinai the non-community NYC program most likely to let you go straight through in 5 clinical years? I am an MS3, applying gen surg next year, and I have a strong preference to not do mandatory or nearly mandatory dedicated lab years (like my home institution, unfortunately). I would really like to be in the City, and it seems like Mt. Sinai is academic enough for my taste but not ridiculously academic like here at home. I can only tell a little bit from their FREIDA page (they just returned basic info) and residency website. Any current wisdom about Mt. Sinai gen surg would be amazing. Perhaps they have a bit more of a northeast regional draw, as I can usually find med alum to email and not bother with begging SDN for inside info.