Program Evaluation Scale

[EMguy]

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Ok, I have attempted to come up with a rating sheet that I would fill out after interviewing at each program so that I could have an easier time ranking them in February. Now I completely understand that the way I do my rank list is probably going to come down to a gut feeling. However, I figured this might serve as a good tool to try and make the process as objective as possible and to keep me honest as to the reason I choose a certain program. It could also benefit me when ranking those other programs (2-5) that may have less deferentiation in my head from the number 1 place my gut tells me to rank.

The way I went about this is that I started with 100 total points. I then sat down and thought about what factors are most important to me in a program. The most important aspects (weather, cost of living, proximity to family) got higher points/weighting then less important aspects (departments financial situation, standing within hospital). Now that my weightings are all done, I can now go through and give each program the amount of points that they deserve for each factor. The most objective way I could think of to do this is by a multiplier. So that each factor would be giving a rating based on the following scale (1.0 perfect, 0.8 great, 0.6 above average, 0.4 below average, 0.2 poor, 0.0 absent). I would then multiple the rating by the weight for that factor to come up with the total points for that factor (example, niceness of the facility for X program is great, I give it 0.8 rating and multiply by 3 for the weighting, equaling 2.4 for that factor). I would then add down the column to come up with the total score for the program.

I would really love to hear the comments people have on this scale and welcome any criticism on the way I have things weighted. Again, this is MY weighting on what factors are important for me. Some people may feel that other factors are more important to them. I gave 65% to the program and 35% to the location. Some peole may think that this is too much to the location, but for me where I live and how I enjoy living is very important.

I would especially appreciate hearing from any current residents on what they think about this scale and how some of the weightings play out in their lives.


Program 65% Weight

Department
-standing within hospital 1
-financial situation 1

Facility
-Volume 1
-Niceness 3
-Patient flow 1

Prestige
-hospital 2
-department 2

Hospital
-overall niceness 2
-only training site 1
-parking/cafeteria 1
-on site gym 3

Rotations
-months in ED 3
-schedule while in ED 3
-quality of off service dep 1
-usefulness to ER resident 4
-electives/special opps 2

Faculty
-chair 1
-residency director 2
-other 2

Residents
-intelligence 2
-work ethic/habits 2
-moral/camaraderie 4

Curriculum
-ultrasound/simulation 3
-lectures/lecture space 2
-cadaver/animal labs 1

Trauma Experience
-volume 2
-quality 2

Moonlighting
-allow it 1
-feasibility 1

Orientation
-quality 1

EMS
-quality of experience 3

Fellowships
-peds/tox/sports 2

Jop Oppurtunities
-in surrounding area 2

Descretionary 1

Location 35%

Weather 9

City
-ease of living 5
-cost of living 5
-neighborhoods 3
-things to do 3
-professional/college sports 3

Proximity to family 7

 

[Hercules]

Thanks for posting that. It's really interesting to see people's systems for determining the best program for them. Just like you said though, I hear that a lot of people come up with elaborate rating systems like yours only to chunk it by the end and go with that gut feeling.

 

[waterski232002]

I started doing one of these rating systems before I even started interviewing at programs and decided not to go forward with it. First of all, like yours, my system was very elaborate and analyzed every aspect of the residency program. While I was filling out the evaluations, I realized that a lot of the areas I was critiquing (sp?) were areas I really didn't care about either way. I was giving points for aspects of programs that made no difference to me and I was being distracted from the truly important things. For me... these important things were geographic location, size of city, proximity of friends/family, and reputation of hospital/program. To be honest, the rest really made almost no difference at all to me. How many ultrasound machines the program has, what off-service rotations the residents do, and how many beds the ED has, etc, etc, etc, are worthless if the few things you really need in a program to be happy are not present.

I suggest figuring out what the MAJOR things are that you want in a program to be happy and focus on the presence/absence of those things. The small things will fall into place and/or you can always work around them. So it may be helpful to cut out lots of the detail in your scoring (lots of 1 pt categories), and make it more basic and broad (less categores, but worth more pts each).

Just my thoughts....

 

[margaritaboy]

I also created a scale for all my interview spots. Although it was helpful for me to put it on paper, it was more helpful that I really took the time to think about what was important for me.

Another thing that really helped a lot was taking notes after the interview day was over. At the end of the day, I made myself sit down and type out all my experiences, encounters, impressions, etc. It was painful to do that at the end of a long day, but ultimately it proved to be very helpful come February when it was hard to keep some program details straight. Going back over my notes, it was amazing the things that I had forgotten, but were never the less significant for that interview site.

I recommend trying to enjoy your interview day, with your eyes and ears open of course, and then write down as much as you can remember at the end of the day.

Just my opinion of course.

 

[WilcoWorld]

Simplify - That sounds like good advice to me. For, worrying about the minutiae tends to disract me from what's important, and just mucks up the whole decision making process. However, I also realize that certain "details" are actually quite important. To paraphrase Einstein - Things should be made as simple as possible, and not a bit more.

Here's what I'd like to know - What are some of the things you thought wouldn't matter before residency, but ended up being very important in hindsight? Also what seemed important at first, but ended up being trivial?

 

[lawmd]

location, gut feeling, department standing amongst the hospital, weather, ultrasound experience. gut feeling being the most important-they may have 15 US machines, great facilities and benefits, but if the residents are tools and the attendings are pricks-who cares. i say go with gut feeling

 

[Aloha Kid]

I also did a similar list based on my interview experiences. The calculations, however, don't seem to add up to some of my gut feelings. Nonetheless, I think this is a good way to work through some of the things.

It may also be helpful to have family members and friends there to help you work out the rankings so you can decide together.

 

[kungfufishing]

1. dont rank anywhere that doesnt have an acceptable curriculum or location.
2. now that you have a list of places you are willing to go, rank them on gut feeling.

 

[WakeMedHeel]

Here's what I'm looking at...

1. Location...
2. Will I fit in with the program...
3. Will the program keep all my doors open (academic or community)...
4. Will I be happy there for three or four years...

That's really it. In the end, the other details just aren't going to matter too much to me.

 

[la gringa]

for me it's strong peds, location (although i didn't apply anywhere i thought i just couldn't go), gut feeling about the residents and PD, and variety of opportunities.

when those are relatively equal i'll look at things like access to outdoor activities, <relative> ease of living for larger cities ie can i live anywhere near the hospital. in the end those kinds of things might make or break my happiness, but who really knows.