Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship 2020/2021 cycle

[csr56]

Need Help Ranking some Programs.

I realize a lot of these places are classic academic powerhouses.

My interest is getting good clinical training and clinical research experience. Likely will stay in academia but trying to avoid bench research

Biggest concern is avoiding a malignant program - or one that is going to push T32, K grant stuff

Current Order:
-MGH/BIDMC
-UColorado
-Emory
-Duke
-Northwestern
-JHU
-WashU
-Yale
-Vanderbilt
-UCLA
-UNC
-Rush
-BU
-UChicago

An important thing to consider if you want to stay in academics is that where you do your fellowship training is very likely where you will stay on as early faculty. As I am interviewing, I'm noting that the vast vast vast majority of my interviewers did their fellowship at the institution that they are currently at. I've only run into maybe 4ish people that did their training elsewhere and the majority of these people were senior faculty that started at their home institution and later on ended up where they are now.

I think all these places will get good clinical training (some better than others but you'll be fine wherever you go). I think some places you might have to be more proactive about getting procedural training, but if you want it, its there. I think it comes down to do you think you will want to stay for more like 5-7 years and how much support you think you will need to be productive during your research years. If you already have a lot of research experience and dont need a lot of hand-holding, honestly you could do well anywhere. But if you are like me and need a little bit more guidance, some programs have better infrastructure and mentoring to support fellows who are interested in research but dont have that experience to know what they are doing.

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[McatMcant]

Having interviewed at some of those programs last cycle if your priority is good clinical training then MGH/BIDMC has no business being your number 1 and if anything should be toward the bottom. My sense is among others such as Vanderbilt, Duke, Colorado, which are much more clinically heavy, MGH was extremely cush as fellows took very little call and the place seemed interested in breeding bench scientists. Take it with a grain of salt as I'm not a fellow at any of the above places.

Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[McRunner]

Any thoughts on VCU? Really loved the interview day.

 

[BLX91]

Guys I really need help with the first 9 the other ones I have them resolved

1. CCF Ohio (first for sure)
2. NYU Grossman
3. UTMB galveston
4. UI Chicago
5. Henry Ford
6. Baylor Dallas
7. U Kansas
8. U Kentucky
9. U Nebraska

Any insight about U Kansas and Kentucky looks like a very good programs.
Any suggestion or advice let me know pleaseee

 

[swimminginloansMD]

Having interviewed at some of those programs last cycle if your priority is good clinical training then MGH/BIDMC has no business being your number 1 and if anything should be toward the bottom. My sense is among others such as Vanderbilt, Duke, Colorado, which are much more clinically heavy, MGH was extremely cush as fellows took very little call and the place seemed interested in breeding bench scientists. Take it with a grain of salt as I'm not a fellow at any of the above places.

the regional differences re: research focuses and clinical training are so surprising - wonder how and why this evolved over time.... I also wonder if Covid may shake up these differences long-term. Or possibly make it worse? (if hospital hiring freezes continue or worsen, will only grant-funded physician scientists be able to secure employment post-training?)

 

[anriar]

Any thoughts on VCU? Really loved the interview day.

Same! I'll be honest - I wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly very surprised. They definitely jumped way up my list after interview day.

 

[Raven90]

Mayo Rochester vs UCSD?
Want good clinical training, career in academics. Interested in ILD, PH

 

[DR IM]

Mayo Rochester vs UCSD?
Want good clinical training, career in academics. Interested in ILD, PH

I think Mayo Rochester has a much bigger reputation compared to UCSD.

 

[DDEA]

Same! I'll be honest - I wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly very surprised. They definitely jumped way up my list after interview day.

Same experience, very pleasant interview. The faculty seems to be very supportive.

 

[DDEA]

Congratulations on these amazing lists so far!! I am also a long term lurker looking for advice because...you right @Patchesochuckles, it has been really hard to get the feel of programs!

1) What do people consider a "good balance" between clinical and research time? There are a few programs I have interviewed at that claim to have that but then have 18 months research requirement which seems atrocious for someone like me lol but not sure if I'm just ignorant and don't have the right expectations lol

2) I also want to go to a strong clinical training program! Can anyone advise on how they would rank the following?
University of Illinois @ Chicago
UMass
Brigham&Women's
Brown
Westchester Medical Center
Montefiore (Albert Einstein)
Lenox-Hill
UPMC
Cedars-Sinai
UCSD
UC Irvine
Harbor-UCLA

Brigham and Women’s is very heavy in bench research and most of the people end up doing a 4th and 5th year of research. For the others, I would put UPMC, Cedar Sinai, UCSD, UMass, Montefiore in that Order. Good luck. Awesome places!

 

[kasrainystudent]

A reputable community program claimed during the interview that a normal ICU census was 27-28 patients that are followed by 1 fellow. None of my other interviews even mentioned a number close to that. Most were somewhere around 15 +/- 2. Am I wrong to to rank this program last?

 

[NevilleThe2ndHeir]

Brigham and Women’s is very heavy in bench research and most of the people end up doing a 4th and 5th year of research. For the others, I would put UPMC, Cedar Sinai, UCSD, UMass, Montefiore in that Order. Good luck. Awesome places!

Thank you, I really appreciate your advice!

 

[McRunner]

Same experience, very pleasant interview. The faculty seems to be very supportive.

Glad I’m not the only one. Was expecting them to be towards the bottom and now they’re towards the top.

 

[Raven90]

Brigham and Women’s is very heavy in bench research and most of the people end up doing a 4th and 5th year of research. For the others, I would put UPMC, Cedar Sinai, UCSD, UMass, Montefiore in that Order. Good luck. Awesome places!

Can you explain why Cedars Sinai over UCSD ? I got the feeling that UCSD was stronger both in research and clinically.

 

[NevilleThe2ndHeir]

Can you explain why Cedars Sinai over UCSD ? I got the feeling that UCSD was stronger both in research and clinically.

I definitely want to hear what @DDEA and others have to say but my impression was that clinically Cedars > UCSD, research wise UCSD > Cedars. Personally, I like that for a highly "ranked" institution (#3 for pulmonology), Cedars is very clinical and flexible with its research requirements since that is not within everyone's career goals. The department is expanding quickly and attracting other pioneers in the field.

 

[logicomix]

Can someone rank the Southern California programs in terms of best clinical/research exposure and strength/reputation of program and perhaps give a little insight about each program and why they are ranked where they are?

Another lurker here. I have the same question but in regards to programs in the New York area.

Cornell, Columbia, NYU, Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai BI/West, NYU, Montefiore, Northwell, Yale, Rutgers,

 

[DDEA]

Can you explain why Cedars Sinai over UCSD ? I got the feeling that UCSD was stronger both in research and clinically.

It’s probably personal preference. I think both are world-class institutions. Cedar is ranked 3 in the country in Pulmonary and fellows have a good reputation. If you like more SD than LA and/or have family close to SD probably UCSD would be a better option. You won’t go wrong with any. Good luck!

 

[McRunner]

What are everyone’s thoughts on baylor Houston? I had heard lots of rumors that it was malignant but everyone seemed pretty happy and the PD seemed chill

 

[Patchesochuckles]

What are everyone’s thoughts on baylor Houston? I had heard lots of rumors that it was malignant but everyone seemed pretty happy and the PD seemed chill

Yeah I was worried about that too, but I had a good interview day! Probably ranking them near the top of my list

 

[PCCMNewbie]

Can someone share their views on the clinical training that you get at NIH CCM program?

 

[kasrainystudent]

Does anyone have any input on:

Tufts
St Elizabeth's MC
Maine Medical Center
UMMS Baystate
Einstein (philly)
St Luke's Bethlehem
University of West Virginia
University of Toledo
Stony Brook
Larkin

 

[vivdoc76]

Hi everyone ! How is the St Louis Mercy Hospital critical care fellowship program. Amy inputs would be greatly appreciated.

 

[NevilleThe2ndHeir]

A reputable community program claimed during the interview that a normal ICU census was 27-28 patients that are followed by 1 fellow. None of my other interviews even mentioned a number close to that. Most were somewhere around 15 +/- 2. Am I wrong to to rank this program last?

Is that just a COVID census or is that all the time? I don't think you're wrong to rank it last but I wouldn't make that the determining factor for choosing the program. Were you able to get a sense of how the fellows handled that type of census and their overall wellness/learning? What is the team structure, expected responsibilities, and support like? At my program 1 fellow manages around that amount overnight with two senior residents but there are two full teams during the day, and at no point do they have to do any progress notes (I would never go to a program where I had to do 27 prog notes daily lol)

You can always reach out to a fellow you talked to on interview day or even ask the coordinator to put you in touch with someone. If the fellows are happy and learning with that kind of census then it's probably not that bad??

 

[SFcazam34]

Hi everyone ! How is the St Louis Mercy Hospital critical care fellowship program. Amy inputs would be greatly appreciated.

I would love to know the answer to this question too Kinda confused about all Mercy and SLU thing and eventually does that count as SLU ccm or Mercy. University name will make some difference when applying into future academic jobs.

 

[AFMD1992]

Any input about ranking the following?
Baylor Houston, UT San Antonio, UNebraska, U Kentucky, MCW, Temple. Looking for strong clinical training with decent clinical research.
Thank you!!

 

[Doc_Slytherin]

Does anyone have any input on:

Tufts
St Elizabeth's MC
Maine Medical Center
UMMS Baystate
Einstein (philly)
St Luke's Bethlehem
University of West Virginia
University of Toledo
Stony Brook
Larkin

I was surprised by West Virginia University, to be honest. I have some connections there from years ago but in the past few years, there has been a huge amount of growth in the hospital system and the addition of lung transplant will be huge. It seems to be on that cusp where it's big enough to give awesome clinical experiences but not so big that subspecialist fellows are taking procedures or watering down PCCM fellow exposures. Fellows seemed happy, enjoyed each other's company, and were well-supported by faculty. On the other hand, there definitely isn't as much dedicated time for research, but I'm assuming from your list that research isn't a huge priority for you, so maybe that doesn't matter as much. There also isn't a ton of name recognition, especially outside the region, so if you wanted an academic career, you'd probably be limited (which seems to also be the case on their list of where prior fellows ended up). Anyway, just my 2 cents!

 

[Doc_Slytherin]

Any thoughts on Oregon Health Sciences vs University of Minnesota with regards to setting oneself up for clinical research and an academic career? OHSU seems to be newer to the research scene but Minnesota seems heavily basic science. Am I way off base?

 

[timurx]

I sent thank you emails to places that are in my top 5, saying that I will be ranking them very highly. I also sent individual emails to interviewers if we had some particular connection, even if I am not trying to match there - I mean, they did take the time to read my application and speak to me, so thanking them for that doesn't seem unreasonable to me. With that said, I don't have any illusions that thank you emails are going to move me up or down their rank list.

Fair enough, your approach seems genuine and reasonable. Best of luck to you if you're still waiting to hear!

 

[DDEA]

Any input about ranking the following?
Baylor Houston, UT San Antonio, UNebraska, U Kentucky, MCW, Temple. Looking for strong clinical training with decent clinical research.
Thank you!!

Probably by reputation Baylor is first. However, I really liked Temple. Very strong program since they have a huge amount of transplant. Philly is also an amazing city. Good luck my friend very strong university programs!

 

[AFMD1992]

Probably by reputation Baylor is first. However, I really liked Temple. Very strong program since they have a huge amount of transplant. Philly is also an amazing city. Good luck my friend very strong university programs!

Thanks so much I really appreciate it!! Good luck to you as well!!

 

[elam1001]

Hi guys need some help with my rank list. Things that matter to me is good clinical training & reputation. Currently my list is:
1. Rush
2. Cleveland clinic
3. Temple
4. Loyola
5. University of Minnesota
6. University of Kentucky
7. MCW
8. Casewestern
9. Wake Forest
10. University of AZ- Phoenix
11. UCSF- Fresno
12. Georgetown
13. Penn state

any help/ thoughts are appreciated! Thanks guys!

 

[ccm33]

Hey guys . Any help with ranking these programs:

Univ of Nebraska
Univ of Louisville
Univ of Tennessee Knoxville
SUNY Upstate
Cook County Chicago
Spectrum Health/MSU
Univ of Arkansas
Westchester Medical Center
Yale /Bridgeport hospital
WVU/Charleston medical center

Looking for strong clinical training

Biggest dilemma between SUNYUpstate ,Univ of Tennessee Knoxville and Cook

Thank you !

 

[kasrainystudent]

Sending a love letter to your top program to let them know about your intentions when deep down you know that it's a huuuuuge stretch that they will take you is just a gut wrenching feeling that I have not experienced since my dating days.

 

[Dr.lung]

Hey guys!
I appreciate it if anyone can provide some insight to Henry Ford vs UC Irvine. looking for good clinical and procedural training.

 

[mudderMD]

Sending a love letter to your top program to let them know about your intentions when deep down you know that it's a huuuuuge stretch that they will take you is just a gut wrenching feeling that I have not experienced since my dating days.

Lmfao

 

[kasrainystudent]

Am I the only one really struggling with ranking based on academics vs location/partner/family factors?

As in what’s the point of going to a great program if your partner is going to be miserable for 3 years?!

 

[MelMcT2009]

Am I the only one really struggling with ranking based on academics vs location/partner/family factors?

As in what’s the point of going to a great program if your partner is going to be miserable for 3 years?!

nope, this was me too. I passed up an offer at a much bigger name place to go to a program in a location my husband (and I) would be happy. I loved the program too so that helped. I felt like I wouldn’t be happy if my spouse wasn’t happy

 

[Unknownpccm]

Help needed in Ranking
Temple vs Thomas Jefferson vs Loyola University vs UVA
what are thoughts.
I was thinking
Temple
TJUH
UVA
Loyola

Looking for Academic carrier down the road.

 

[TheBDP]

Best of luck to everyone in the coming month! Can't wait to see where we all end up.

 

[DDEA]

Help needed in Ranking
Temple vs Thomas Jefferson vs Loyola University vs UVA
what are thoughts.
I was thinking
Temple
TJUH
UVA
Loyola

Looking for Academic carrier down the road.

I can be bias because I didn't apply to Thomas Jefferson but I loved Temple. Def a good clinical/research balance. I would probably put them first as well. Awesome places! good luck.

 

[pccm19902020]

Hey everyone,
Need your help and input on ranking following programs. Looking for more emphasis on clinical training. Location is not a consideration.

1. University of Kentucky
2. Medical College of Wisconsin ( No prior knowledge about the program, input appreciated)
3. University of Nebraska
4. Virginia tech, Carilion Clinic ( No prior knowledge about the program, input appreciated)
5. DMC Wayne State
6. West Virginia University

Thank you so much!

 

[BLX91]

Guys how will you rank this 4 places:
1. Baylor Dallas (Can please somebody tell me what they think about this program, I'm not sure about it just because has only 2 fellows and is kind of new)
2. University of Nebraska
3. University of Illinois Chicago
4. University of Kentucky

Location is not a big problem, most important is clinical experience

 

[DR IM]

Guys how will you rank this 4 places:
1. Baylor Dallas (Can please somebody tell me what they think about this program, I'm not sure about it just because has only 2 fellows and is kind of new)
2. University of Nebraska
3. University of Illinois Chicago
4. University of Kentucky

Location is not a big problem, most important is clinical experience

Baylor Dallas is a new program, started 4 years ago. This year is going to have its 2nd batch graduating. Relatively easier rotations then other programs, no night calls. They do not have any IP person in their program so a lot of advanced IP procedures go out to the community physicians to which a fellow merely acts like a glorified observer. But the program does have potential to become a big name in future.

Do not know much about other programs.
Best of luck

 

[CH1234]

Hey guys have anyone received pre match offer from mercy St. Louis program ? I know there was mention about this program but just curious .

 

[ubermenger]

Can anyone here comment on the vibe at Duke PCCM? Obviously good clinical training with lots of airways and lots of transplant medicine. Obviously good research opportunities. I'm wondering more about the medical culture - are people nice, is resident/fellow wellness a focus of the department, are the faculty socially progressive? Thanks.

 

[kasrainystudent]

Wondering if anyone has the list of sleep medicine unfilled programs? The sleep medicine thread seems dead.

 

[SFcazam34]

Hey guys have anyone received pre match offer from mercy St. Louis program ? I know there was mention about this program but just curious .

nothing yet

 

[mudderMD]

Where are my Cooper CCM folks? Anyone?

 

[pccm19902020]

Guys, how will you rank these programs?

1. University of Kentucky
2. Medical College of Wisconsin
3. University of Nebraska
4. Virginia tech, Carilion Clinic
5. DMC Wayne State
6. West Virginia University

 

[CO1234]

Trying to remember, do fellows do own intubations at UCSD?