+'s/-'s of your training program

[Notanerd]

I was hoping some of the current CA-1's 2's and 3's at different training programs can way in on some of the things they think are great at their program but most importantly some of the things they were hidden from on the interview day. Or any +'s/-'s at their programs that could really help people out.

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[deleted9493]

Residents at fellow-laden programs will experience a dilution of case complexity that would not occur if the fellowship programs were not in their institutions. I don't care what program directors tell you to the contrary. Sagely advice was given many years ago on this forum that spoke to this idea and it is advice that has proven to be true in my experience as I have transitioned into fellowship.

It's an important question that you need to ask yourself in applying to residencies: is pedigree more important to me than my clinical exposure? I don't want to make the two sound to be mutually exclusive but there are some (if not many) programs considered to be elite that offer only marginal clinical experience during the subspecialty months (due to the demands of getting fellows good cases).

That being said, commitment and fervor in developing your skills/knowledge in anesthesiology will carry you farther than any program ever will.

 

[Notanerd]

Any specific programs come to mind... I am changing specialties and from interviewing my first time around I know that programs really tell you whatever you want to hear.

thanks

 

[Lightwand]

Residents at fellow-laden programs will experience a dilution of case complexity that would not occur if the fellowship programs were not in their institutions. I don't care what program directors tell you to the contrary. Sagely advice was given many years ago on this forum that spoke to this idea and it is advice that has proven to be true in my experience as I have transitioned into fellowship.

It's an important question that you need to ask yourself in applying to residencies: is pedigree more important to me than my clinical exposure? I don't want to make the two sound to be mutually exclusive but there are some (if not many) programs considered to be elite that offer only marginal clinical experience during the subspecialty months (due to the demands of getting fellows good cases).

I will say that my program has fellows in nearly every sub and we (currently a fellow) don't typically sit cases. Rather, we act more as junior attendings and help to teach residents, while furthering our own education. Some of the fellows do sit cases occasionally, but it certainly isn't a scenario where we are stealing cases from residents. I'm not sure if this is an exception to most programs, but I'm thinking it might be.

Your best bet to find out whether fellows truly take cases from the residents is to ask about it at the dinner or lunch with the residents. They will be able to tell you whether fellows sit cases and if they do, whether they feel that they are losing out on cases due to sharing caseloads with the fellows.