Please Don't Rank These Programs for Me

[Taintwax]

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Instead, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts about three university-based programs in nice livable cities in the southeast. After each interview day my gut told me to rank each of them #1. Unfortunately, this is the same gut that suggested I attempt to eat the free 72 ounce steak at the Big Texan in Amarillo. My still-aching duodenum belies the trustworthiness of these alimentary persuasions, therefore I appeal to the ever irreproachable counsel of the SDN. The programs, in no particular order, are:

University of Virginia
Vanderbilt
Wake Forest

Potential discussion topics might include but are not limited to:
"Vanderbilt, good teaching, but how much learnin-by-doin with a 40K volume?"
"Are there really any significant differences between these programs?"
"How come UVa is rarely mentioned on the SDN?"
"Is Wake overshadowed by the reputations of UNC and Carolinas, does the program seem to be on the rise with the addition of Hoekstra as chair?”
“If I might really want to be involved in academics someday, should I just forget about these programs and rank Denver or Cincinnati number one?”

Talk amongst yourselves and please opine liberally.

 

[colforbinMD]

Please add "calls OP Fatty McFattypants" to the poll. Thanks Fatty McFattypants. 🙂
jk Good luck with your ROL

 

[EctopicFetus]

All are good.. Nashville is a great great city to live in!

 

[Hercules]

University of Virginia
Vanderbilt
Wake Forest

Potential discussion topics might include but are not limited to:
"Vanderbilt, good teaching, but how much learnin-by-doin with a 40K volume?"
"Are there really any significant differences between these programs?"
"How come UVa is rarely mentioned on the SDN?"
"Is Wake overshadowed by the reputations of UNC and Carolinas, does the program seem to be on the rise with the addition of Hoekstra as chair?”

I interviewed at each of these programs last year, so I'll chime in. I think all of the questions you listed are good ones.

Vandy does get knocked on their volume by many. I did a rotation there and the volume didn't seem to be a huge issue to me while I was there. I've also got a good friend in the program right now who doesn't seem to think the volume is an issue either. One thing to keep in mind about volume is how exactly a program's volume is contributing to your education. I'm only one resident. When I work a shift, I can only see so many patients per shift. Once I'm seeing as many pts as I'm capable of seeing, then it really doesn't matter whether volume is 40k or 300k. If I find myself sitting around on shifts and waiting to pick up pts, its a problem. Otherwise I'm not sure its as big a deal as many make it out to be.

I think your point on UVa is great. I thought they had a phenomenal program with arguably one of the best sets of faculty in the southeast yet they never get mentioned here. I mean, half of their attendings are double-boarded 😱 Having a guy who's boarded in both Neuro and EM teach you how to approach Neuro issues in the ED must be awesome. Dr. G had some great plans for the future when I spoke with him, too. The only issue I had with the program was its location. A small college town was not where I wanted to be for residency in the end, but that's a personal choice.

I have to admit that I did Wake at the end of my North Carolina interview tour (3 in 4 days, thankfully I cancelled Duke or I would have done 4 in 4 days) and was a little burned out so my impressions were probably off. I know we have several Wake residents on this site so I'll let them address that question.

 

[Taintwax]

Excellent post with valuable insight. Thanks alot for your opinions. Please keep them coming!

 

[USAF MD '05]

Vandy is the place to go for sure. Nashville is a great town, and there a sure to be tons of hot women coming in to see the Batchelor from TV. He is a senior resident there. Granted, he'd be gone when you get there, but I'm sure his memory will live on. Good luck!

 

[Seaglass]

Vandy is a great program, on the academic scale it would probably be rated "most academic." Of course I'm biased towards Wake but I feel that we aren't holding second candle to anyone in NC. If you have specific questions let me know. I interviewed at UVa and I thought it was nice but a little to country for me. I didn't interview at Vandy so I don't know anything about it.

 

[southerndoc]

Vandy is a great program, on the academic scale it would probably be rated "most academic." Of course I'm biased towards Wake but I feel that we aren't holding second candle to anyone in NC. If you have specific questions let me know. I interviewed at UVa and I thought it was nice but a little to country for me. I didn't interview at Vandy so I don't know anything about it.

I rotated and interviewed at Vandy. I have nothing but excellent remarks about it. It was the only 3-year program that made it in my top 5. Corey Slovis and Keith Wrenn are awesome with their lectures, and conferences are excellent. Patient numbers can be a bit low, but the teaching by attendings during your shift is top notch.

 

[TysonCook]

I really liked both Vandy and Wake, I think that it may be a geographical decision for you. I liked Nashville, but Wake had fishing nearby 😍 I'm not a big city guy, so I could end up in either. Both are in my top 5 of my ROL, which changes quicker than the sheets in a whorehouse. 🙂

Good luck to you, we may be interns together come next fall! I'm not so anonymous 🙂

 

[Radiohead]

Both are in my top 3. There are aspects of both that I really liked. Wake: 8 hour shifts, Nice people, affordable COL. Vandy: Great teaching, cool town, nice people as well. ED volume means nothing to me, personally. As long as you get to manage enough critically ill patients, you will be fine, as you can only see a fixed number of patients. It's one thing if you are standing around waiting for something to do, that definitely sucks. BTW, has anyone heard from the aforementioned programs?

 

[Taintwax]

Radiohead

I have heard from all three programs, but nothing that made me feel special. I wish someone would send me some good vibe. The only 'special handshake' I got was from the program ranked next to last on my list.

Wake sent a brief e-mail from the PD that said something about assuring me of their interest since they only interviewed 20% of the 500 applicants and I happened to be one of them. I think everyone got this. I was inclined to reply that they should be advised of my potential interest since out of 126 EM programs I only applied to 20 and interviewed at 10 and they happened to be one of them.

Vandy was just responding to a question I sent one of the faculty, but I got a very nice response.

UVA sent a nice letter from the PD that looked like somthing everyone might have received. I think it said that I was considered "very competitive" or something along those lines.

I too am curious about everyone's feedback from these programs.

 

[shanaa]

Radiohead

I have heard from all three programs, but nothing that made me feel special. I wish someone would send me some good vibe. The only 'special handshake' I got was from the program ranked next to last on my list.

Wake sent a brief e-mail from the PD that said something about assuring me of their interest since they only interviewed 20% of the 500 applicants and I happened to be one of them. I think everyone got this. I was inclined to reply that they should be advised of my potential interest since out of 126 EM programs I only applied to 20 and interviewed at 10 and they happened to be one of them.

Vandy was just responding to a question I sent one of the faculty, but I got a very nice response.

UVA sent a nice letter from the PD that looked like somthing everyone might have received. I think it said that I was considered "very competitive" or something along those lines.

I too am curious about everyone's feedback from these programs.

As far as UVA is concerned, you're one up on me - I never got any such generic letter from the PD! Good luck on the match - S

 

[la gringa]

i'm a wake alum - didn't consider staying b/c i am a single liberal-leaning female, LOL... i had to get out of winston!!!! i'm now at a county hospital in a big ole city - there was some culture shock at first but now it's smooth sailin'.

anyway, all 4th year students rotate there so i did my month and i have nothing bad to say about the program. faculty are great (you are right about hoekstra btw and he is a great guy to know, and nice/approachable), hospital and facilities are relatively updated and now that i'm elsewhere, i can say ancillary services are very very helpful. not much malignancy anywhere in that hospital. patient mix is pretty good - insured, noninsured, and you can pick up some spanish if you wish in peds and OB/gyn. winston is a great place to have a family and whatnot. traffic is nonexistent except for near the hospital at "rush hour" times and near the mall at christmas.

relative weaknesses (will depend on what matters to you) - i'm not sure what they do for tox as no faculty are fellowship trained. u/s still in development from what i saw. trauma is vast majority blunt. lot of patients transferred in from far away due to wide (geographic) catchment. have to get a medicine consult to admit pts to medicine.

those things being said, training in general there is solid and i have heard that baptist has the highest acuity in the state. UNC and dook "duke" it out a lot over east, dilutes the patient base.

i interviewed at vandy, wasn't a good fit for me. liked wrenn fine but slovis rubbed me the wrong way. never was sold on nashville either. as far as volume - they are/were doubling the size of their ED.

only thing i know of uva is the wahoos and i went to charlottesville once for a football game. way more of a college town than nashville or winston.

 

[Radiohead]

Radiohead

I have heard from all three programs, but nothing that made me feel special. I wish someone would send me some good vibe. The only 'special handshake' I got was from the program ranked next to last on my list.

Wake sent a brief e-mail from the PD that said something about assuring me of their interest since they only interviewed 20% of the 500 applicants and I happened to be one of them. I think everyone got this. I was inclined to reply that they should be advised of my potential interest since out of 126 EM programs I only applied to 20 and interviewed at 10 and they happened to be one of them.

Vandy was just responding to a question I sent one of the faculty, but I got a very nice response.

UVA sent a nice letter from the PD that looked like somthing everyone might have received. I think it said that I was considered "very competitive" or something along those lines.

I too am curious about everyone's feedback from these programs.

I received similar correspondences from UVa and Wake. I was told that I was "extremely competitive" by Dr. G, or something like that. I liked UVa alot, but I don't think Charlottesville was for me. I got an email from one of the rising chiefs at Vandy and a phone call from Dr. Thurman, the assoc. program director, both of whom I interviewed with. They were just asking if I had any questions/concerns, etc. No "special handshake" though.

 

[shanaa]

I received similar correspondences from UVa and Wake. I was told that I was "extremely competitive" by Dr. G, or something like that. I liked UVa alot, but I don't think Charlottesville was for me. I got an email from one of the rising chiefs at Vandy and a phone call from Dr. Thurman, the assoc. program director, both of whom I interviewed with. They were just asking if I had any questions/concerns, etc. No "special handshake" though.

Ok now I'm pretty sure that the "correspondence" from UVA is not generic. **** Charlottesville anyways, Detroit is a much nicer, cleaner, friendlier city. Bastards.

 

[shanaa]

Ok now I'm pretty sure that the "correspondence" from UVA is not generic. **** Charlottesville anyways, Detroit is a much nicer, cleaner, friendlier city. Bastards.

I didn't know that profanity is censored. Although, strangely my patients have always appreciated the occasional F-bomb thrown their way.

 

[po' boy]

Hey folks,

I'm a PGY1 at Vandy and I love it. I love the teaching, the facilities, the patient variety, and the fact that I am not beaten down or overstressed when I'm at work. When I was making my ROL last year I was concerned about the volume too, and I'll tell you now that it is a non-issue. I am busy during every shift I work except towards the end of overnights. As an R2 and R3 I'll be even busier since I'll be on the A-pod all the time. When things are slow, there is time to read about your patients and receive bedside teaching from attendings, and that is a huge plus. It is really hard to make yourself read at home after a shift.

po'

 

[CS_22]

I didn't know that profanity is censored. I should probably abandon "F-U-C-K" from my repertoire of professional communication anyways. Although, strangely my patients have always appreciated the occasional F-bomb thrown their way.

Ha ha. No love from UVa here either. But I think its probably due to the funny look I gave Dr. G when he informed me of his view on ultrasound in the ED. I'm not here to bash, so if anyone is interested, just drop me a PM.

CS

 

[Taintwax]

i interviewed at vandy, wasn't a good fit for me. liked wrenn fine but slovis rubbed me the wrong way. never was sold on nashville either. as far as volume - they are/were doubling the size of their ED.

It would appear that you are not the only person who finds Dr. Slovis somewhat abrasive. At the same time, I think his opinionated, raw and uncensored nature is also endearing. I think he is a phenomenal educator, but I could forsee us having some personality conflicts. Should this be a non-issue? Po Boy, I would appreciate your thoughts. PM me if you would prefer.

 

[Jeff698]

I didn't know that profanity is censored. I should probably abandon "F-U-C-K" from my repertoire of professional communication anyways. Although, strangely my patients have always appreciated the occasional F-bomb thrown their way.

Profanity? I don't think so. With the expansion of ultrasound in the EM tool box, which residency program isn't teaching the Focused Ultrasound in detecting Cholecystitis and Kyphosis?

OK, the kyphosis was a reach but it was the best I could come up with.


Take care,
Jeff

 

[shanaa]

Profanity? I don't think so. With the expansion of ultrasound in the EM tool box, which residency program isn't teaching the Focused Ultrasound in detecting Cholecystitis and Kyphosis?

OK, the kyphosis was a reach but it was the best I could come up with.


Take care,
Jeff

Ok this could be real fun. A real splendid way of cutting some of the edge I'm feeling right now as I rearrange my rank list for the billionth time.

Sonography for Hidden blood In Trauma

 

[EctopicFetus]

Sweet!! BTW I just certified.. I entered it 2 weeks ago and just never bothered certifying... I decided I would do it now because I didnt want to deal with 10K people on the nrmp site on Feb 22.

 

[Seaglass]

With regards to Wake:

US training pretty solid now, fellowship trained faculty joining us in July. Penetrating trauma becoming a bigger component.