searching for relaxed residencies?

[swaamedic]

In researching which residencies I will apply to, I'm trying to find a good match for my personality; extremely laid back and easy going but with a hard work ethic. I'm trying to avoid residencies that train with an "in your face beat you down military style" this would clash with my personality and I don't find it motivating nor do I want to be miserable for 3-4 years. The information is hard to come by having searched scutwork/ EMRA/ SAEM for information but to no avail. I don't know if this will come through on the interview day. I also understand every residency has some hardass attendings and it is a mixture of personalities. Could anyone comment on residencies that are more generally more relaxed vs extremely rigid and vice versa.
thx

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[southerndoc]

You'll find that the majority of residencies are laid back. I think every program where I interviewed had a laid back atmosphere. Most attendings you call by their first names (we call our chair and PD by their first name). The reviews on Scutwork should be used as a guide only.

 

[hello23]

I think for the So Cal residencies, Irvine is very chill, but the nurses there have too much power. Nurse participates the interview process.
UCLA/Ollive View should be considered as another chill program, it is definitely not considered as hardcore residency...of course, then there is a negative image associated with that.
USC.. very hardcore, will most likely become EM monster afterward if you want to be one, but do you need to be a EM monster in a community ER if you just wanna practice in community?
UCSD...see UCLA, I think it's a bit more relaxed than UCLA.
MLK...USC in a nutshell, but with much greater chaotic component in terms of hospital administration, and stability...don't know much about the teaching from the faculty.
Kern... don't know.....

 

[Flopotomist]

Highland is very relaxed. (first name basis for everybody) Plus, it is an amazing place to be (and just a short 10 minute ride into San Francisco!!

 

[Sheerstress]

All four of the Michigan State residencies are very laid back.

 

[GeneralVeers]

I think for the So Cal residencies, Irvine is very chill, but the nurses there have too much power. Nurse participates the interview process.
UCLA/Ollive View should be considered as another chill program, it is definitely not considered as hardcore residency...of course, then there is a negative image associated with that.
USC.. very hardcore, will most likely become EM monster afterward if you want to be one, but do you need to be a EM monster in a community ER if you just wanna practice in community?
UCSD...see UCLA, I think it's a bit more relaxed than UCLA.
MLK...USC in a nutshell, but with much greater chaotic component in terms of hospital administration, and stability...don't know much about the teaching from the faculty.
Kern... don't know.....

MLK is very laid back.....it's almost as if you don't exist half of the time. Which is good because then you can't get in trouble. Teaching = nothing.

 

[blackbird03]

How competitive is it to match at a EM residency at one of the University of California campuses? I'm especially interested in southern california. Are there USMLE step I cutoffs or averages? Do you need to Honor most rotations your third year? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help.

 

[GeneralVeers]

How competitive is it to match at a EM residency at one of the University of California campuses? I'm especially interested in southern california. Are there USMLE step I cutoffs or averages? Do you need to Honor most rotations your third year? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help.

There's no set cutoff, but if you get above 220 you should be fine. You're also a California resident, which is a plus. You don't need to honor all your rotations, but honors in Emergency doesn't hurt.

If you definitely want to come to SoCal, just rank MLK. You're almost gauranteed a spot there if you have a reasonable application and you rank them.

 

[ER-ER-Oh]

In researching which residencies I will apply to, I'm trying to find a good match for my personality; extremely laid back and easy going but with a hard work ethic. I'm trying to avoid residencies that train with an "in your face beat you down military style" this would clash with my personality and I don't find it motivating nor do I want to be miserable for 3-4 years. The information is hard to come by having searched scutwork/ EMRA/ SAEM for information but to no avail. I don't know if this will come through on the interview day. I also understand every residency has some hardass attendings and it is a mixture of personalities. Could anyone comment on residencies that are more generally more relaxed vs extremely rigid and vice versa.
thx

Michigan State Univ. Lansing/Sparrow hosp. is a very chill Level 1 Trauma. I was quite surprised at the high degree of trauma, acuity, volume (over 105,000) and wierd pathology. Yet the program director is way laid back, and the mix of docs and nurses are easy going and extremely helpful. The transition so far from 4th year of medical school is more than I could have dreamed of as far as lack of arrogance, drama, and unnecessary bull****. Coming from the high anxiety crap of NYC and rotations in the ghettos of Brooklyn's Level 1 Trauma hospitals, complete with an unending flow of gangstas shooting each other in the foot (their aim seems to have gotten worse than when I first moved to Brooklyn 25 years ago, when the hard reputation was true, not made up to seem bad ass), this place is fantastic. People in the program, as well as the ancillary staff seem unflappable, which is unlike what I was used to in NYC where everyone thinks they're on "ER", complete with overwraught sensitivities and egos, as if that was necessary to be good at this job. There aren't as many "sexy" gunshot cases as in NYC (I'm way over that anyway), but the volume is more than anything I saw in the bowels of Brooklyn. I also don't feel like I'm constantly at some fraternity rush party, there's no pressure to hang as a group but we often casually get together. The senior residents don't come off as stand off-ish in any way and seem genuinely approachable and helpful. One difference from a lot of other programs: not much ED time 1st year, a lot of Unit rotations. I find them fun so far. Best thing is in house moonlighting after 1st year, and encouraged to moonlight with own lisence in one of the small satellite hospitals outside the city after step 3. This allows you to be on your own, but with backup from the program only a phone call and a short ambulance transfer away. I'm diggin it.

 

[castaway]

GeneralVeers,

I have sent you a PM.