ranking the philly programs

[Lex81]

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So whats the word on the philly programs:

Penn
Temple
Drexel
Jeff
Albert Einstein

Anyone with any info on how these stack up relative to each other?

 

[Kasey]

It completely depends on what you want from the programs as to how they 'stack up'. I've interviewed at all the Philly programs except Einstein (turned down that interview) and really, they're all good programs, but stylistically/pt population/strengths/focus differ. Searching through the residency reviews on this site and looking at the programs' websites should give you a basic idea about these differences.

Also, if you're looking at Philly programs, don't forget Cooper which is literally 10 minutes from my Philadelphia apartment and also a really strong program.

Everyone (including me!) have their opinions as to which the 'better' programs are, and these will completely differ from person to person.

 

[quideam]

I have a friend at Einstein, and it was her #1 choice by far... I have another friend at Cooper who loves it, though he says it's not particularly "academic" (just his opinion, and it all depends on what matters to you). He doesn't live in Philly but a few people in his class do, and it's totally doable. They get awesome trauma.

TOTALLY hearsay - i've heard from a bunch of people on the intervew trail that UPenn isn't especially busy and that much of the good trauma goes to other hospitals (BUT I have no personal experience with the program, this is only what i've heard repeated several times).

Try the Residency Reviews sticky - it's very helpful! And, of course, your own judgement when you actually interview... 😛

 

[EMCC]

Penn is actually the busiest trauma center in Philly...and I believe all of Pennsylvania as well. They see more penetrating trauma than any other trauma center in PA.

From what I have heard, however, the "regular" part of the ED isn't too busy...

 

[docB]

I think a lot of the Temple program. I went to med school there. The faculty is just steller.

I also think highly of the Einstein program. Great faculty and lots of pathology. They have a 4 year dual DO/MD program that addresses the 5 states isue.

 

[name?]

Been a resident there for a year and a half and, although it lost some of its new car smell for me, it's still the best place to be in Philly. Would make the same choice again in a second.

 

[boo2]

When considering Philly programs, don't forget about Christiana. We are only 30 min from Philly and definitely a solid program. A good number of our residents commute from Philly.

 

[Aloha Kid]

Penn is actually the busiest trauma center in Philly...and I believe all of Pennsylvania as well. They see more penetrating trauma than any other trauma center in PA.

Nope wrong. Lehigh Valley Hospital 1 hour North of Philadelphia is the busiest Trauma Center in PA. It alternates between Lehigh Valley and U of Pittsburgh.
The problem with Philly is all the traumas are divided among the hospitals trying to be trauma centers.

 

[EMCC]

You are right Aloha. What I meant when I wrote is that Penn is the busiest penetrating trauma center... It didn't quite come out that way.

I thought Pitt was busier than LVH. Did you guys recently increase the numbers for trauma? What was your census for 2007?

 

[MeBeAnEP]

I was told Temple was the place to be for trauma in Philly. Maybe that was just amongst the 3 year programs?

 

[jaeida8]

Trauma is so overrated, so don't base your decision on who has the most trauma numbers. I'm a 3rd year at Temple, and I've seen plenty of trauma...and at this point I'd rather spend my time seeing sick non-trauma patients, who tend to be way more interesting and fun.

 

[bravotwozero]

I'd rather spend my time seeing sick non-trauma patients, who tend to be way more interesting and fun.

How so?

 

[Aloha Kid]

Trauma is so overated because . . .


PANCT SCAN everyone!!!

Or

Call the Surgeon and get the OR ready

All paths are short, abbreviated, and no-brainers.

 

[quideam]

I guess a lot of us think that trauma is fun because resusces are where a lot of the 'action' happens - you tube, you fast scan, put in chest tubes, central lines, occasionally get to do (or at least see!) a thoracotomy, etc... and the patients are generally young and healthy, so no diffing around for the last vein in a demented 90 year old with decubs all over... also, when you're the one who gets to run the trauma (which to me, is very important), I feel like you really have a chance to utilize your skills as being a team leader in an emergency... i guess it's the closest we're ever going to get to M*A*S*H in the states 😛

All that being said, I certainly agree that diagnositcally, it's way more interesting to treat an unknown fever in a kid, or try and figure out why someone is septic or has a sudden altered mental status, or to deal with deteriorating CHFer... all those things are fun too, just in a different way.

 

[jaeida8]

Yeah, as a medical student trauma seems like fun but once you see a ton of traumas, thoracotomies, chest tubes, trauma tubes it really is just all cookbook. And a lot of the trauma activations are things like drunk with possible or known head bleed, little old lady transferred with head bleed, patient transferred with a cervical fracture, stable gun shot wound, etc....and no procedures. Last night I was dealing with a ton of traumas and the workups and management of my medical patients was much slower than usual, and I was getting killed by traumas when I needed to closely monitor one of my worrisome ACS patients and speak to Cards multiple times, etc.

There is also plenty of action in decompensating medical patients, pts with severe angioedema, patients in flash pulmonary edema, ST elevation MIs, unstable patients with Vtach, unstable patients with bradycardia who need to be paced, crashing asthmatic, medical codes, etc.

I thought trauma was awesome as a medical student...and now I'm looking forward to my awesome Texas job and much less trauma.

 

[jaeida8]

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