I interviewed at UCLA Olive View. I liked it and will probably rank it in the top three. They are very strong in research and evidence based medicine. A lot of their attendings are also board certified in medicine and some even a third specialty (a couple in ID, public health...). Both faculty and residents were friendly and laid back, and seemed to be fun to work with. For the most part, everyone seemed dedicated to the county population. They also have the chance to do half their ED months at UCLA--tertiary care, lots of consultants etc. Kind of the best of both worlds. Residents also loved working with some real EM gurus on their faculty, though this was true at other places as well.
LA was prettier and nicer than I thought, and traffic was not nearly as bad as in my imagination. People generally seemed to manage living in the westside and commuted with minimal problems to the valley. They seemed to hang out together and some even carpooled on nightshifts to use the carpool lane in the am. Residents really enjoyed living in LA, with great weather and lots of stuff in easy driving distance (ski, hike, surf, golf, movie premieres, nightlife). The 12 hour shifts (mostly) allowed for a good number of days off (no more than 4 shifts/week).
Overall, seems like they're happier than the Harbor or LAC folks, and they're in a good position for jobs, especially in LA area.
Can you tell me anything about UCD? I don't know where they are on my list yet. Curious too, why Highland if UCD was so strong.
Help!
