Some questions on NYC programs

[Jason26]

Does anyone know anything about St. Vincents in the west village? How does it compare with St Lukes/Roosevelt in terms of quality of teaching, % of service patients, scutwork, etc. Also, how hard do the residents at Montefiore work? And, even though its more prestigious than the other 2; would there be reasons for choosing one of the other 2 over Montefiore other than location? Any input is appreciated.

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[DR]

St. Vincent's has less scut work, probably less work in general. St. Luke's is huge, so it's a lotta work. The teaching at St. Vincent's is supposed to be pretty good. St. Luke's a bit less so...but it's supposedly changing now, so maybe better than it used to be. Residents at Monte work notoriously hard. The residents there will repeatedly remind you on interview day that "this is by no means a cush program". Not to say that anyone anywhere else will say theirs is a cush program, but Monte has a rep for being hard work, and the residents kind of repeatedly remind applicants of it on interview day. Other than location, one would choose Monte over St. Luke's because it has a better rep and strong teaching; same with St. Vincent's, except they give you that nice apartment in the village, and the residents at St. Vincent's seem pretty happy.

 

[DR]

P.S. --if you can find any med students in the hospital on your interview day, ask them about these things. They usually have a pretty good idea about what goes on (because they are gonna be applying soon, so they're paying attention) and because they have no vested interest in making the place look good, so they are usually unbiased. I got some valuable info from med students I ran into on my interview days. For example...we saw noon conference and there were a lot of residents in attendance; the med student told me that this is rare, and possibly because there were applicants, because normally very few go, and many times the speaker doesn't show. Ask the students!

 

[rajvosa]

ok

 

[edjacinth]

I'm one of the new interns here and so far am happy here. It is busy but the program chiefs work hard at maintaining the Bell commision guidlines. We carry about 6-10 patients depending on the service and I'm usu able to sign out to backup by 5:30 and on good days 4:30. The repuation is fine. Columbia student rotate here so it's well known in that since, the teaching is also a priority here, many of the attendings are grads from columbia, cornel etc, that a plus. Overall they are all very apprachable. One surprised me the other day by aplogizing for being short on the phone. He then wenta nd gave me a detailed explaination of recent research on the topic I had asked him about. Anyway, I enjoy the fact that it's not a malignant env. as some of the hospitals I rotated thru in Boston last yr (Tufts med grad).
The housing and diversity is also another big plus.. Midtown (59th col cir. near roosevelt) manhattan with views of the Hudson river and a doorman... face it internship wil be a lot of work,, make sure you go to a place that fits you not just b/c it has a large endownment...
feel free to conatct me edjacinth@yahoo

 

[njib]

What about Long Island Jewish? How does that compare with Monte, Jacobi and Beth Israel(NYC)? I am in the process of trying to weed out some programs and can't get good info on some of these.

 

[rajvosa]

LIJ is bellow Monte and Jacobi. I think they are on the same level as beth israel.

 

[bartholomew]

Would it be worthwhile to interview at both Montefiore and Jacobi?

 

[rajvosa]

SURE. That's what I am doing.

 

[exjersey]

rajvosa - do you have opinions on other NYC programs. Where else have you gotten interviews in NYC?

 

[rajvosa]

Well, it should go like this:

Columbia (I am doing an elective there right now...Great program)

Cornell (I hear it is bellow Columbia from people that did electives in both places)

NYU/Sinai probably the same level. I hear that Bellvue sucks though.

Monte (well, if Monte was in Manhattan it would have been above Sinai and NYU).

Jacobi ( brand new hospital in a few months...Best computer system not only in the city but in the country). Less malignant than Monte.

St. Vincent's (I had interview there)...Looks like a great program in a nice area. Seems like a small program (16 cathegorical spots). Only American graduates in previous years and on my interview day (Cornell, NYU, Einstein, SUNYs, Michigen, Jersey, Sinai, Philly schools, etc). Good pay!!! (I think the best pay in NYC). Apartments $1300 on 15th street. NICE!!! Program not malignant at all. Loved it! Cons: not very prestigous like Col/Cornell/Sinai/NYU/Einsten.

Beth Israel (Nice location and nice apartments...Nice Phillips Center for ambulatory medicine right on Union Square.

I do not think I would consider any other program in the city.

 

[notimg11]

What about North Shore and other Long Island programs such as Winthrop and Stony Brook? I would also like to week out at least two of the four Long Island programs. Any suggestions or comments?

 

[DR]

LIJ is the stronger of those 3. North Shore is undergoing lots of changes (see the latest scutwork reviews...sounds bad). Winthrop is a nice place, but it's small, real community type hospital.

 

[bartholomew]

I have not received that much desired invitation to interview at Mt. Sinai or NYU...

I am still considering interviewing at Montefiore and Jacobi at the moment, however, I've heard differing opinions on what its like to live in or near the Bronx.

Since the NYC experience has been the primary appeal of these programs for me, could I expect to be happy in the Bronx? And while working at Montefiore in particular?

One person who recently came from NY told me I was looking at a long subway commute into Manhatten, and suggested I may actually have to drive in to keep it reasonable...But I want to get rid of my car!

PS. I can't believe I have this much time to ruminate on such things during an ICU month....

 

[rajvosa]

It all depends what you want to do. If you want a strong IM program from which you can get any fellowship you desire then Monte is for you. If you want to have fun then Beth Israel or St. Vincent's.

BTW, many residents do live in Manhattan (even surgery people who round at 5am) and drive every day. Also Einstein does provide apartments in Riverdale (a high middle class area of the Bronx...better than Forest Hills) with shuttle to hospital every 20 minutes or so. Riverdale is in a great area, on the Hudson river overlooking GW bridge and NJ.


BTW, I think that there are nice areas in the Bronx especially near Jacobi and Einstein Med school (Pelham parkway). It only takes 15 minutes by car to get to Manhattan anyway. What if you match at Columbia (quite bad area)????? There is only 10 minute difference between Columbia and Monte if you are coming from Lower East Side for example.

 

[Unplugged]

In terms of quality of teaching and fellowship opportunities, which hospital you guys thinks is better? Albert Einstein's Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx or New York's Medical College Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla,NY?

I would appreciate your opinions. Thanks beforehand.

 

[rajvosa]

JAcobi, but I am biased, of course.

I do not know much about the other program.

If we compare 2 schools then Einstein has much better reputation.

 

[dharmabum7]

just to clarify some of the things on this topic...

i think jacobi is better than valhalla...they do pretty well in terms of fellowships later on...new hospital should be pretty nice...

columbia - is full of lot cut-throat people, from what i hear...

st. vincents is okay - but fellowship match could be better...

nyu - bellevue is not that bad, depending on what you think of a large public hospital...it all depends on what you are looking for...

thats all...

 

[rajvosa]

My only problem with St. Vincent's is their fellowship match list. They basically all match mostly at St. Vincent's.

This is very small program: 16 cathegorical having 4-5 people match to different fellowships per year. I noticed that for Cardio and GI they only matched at St. Vincent's. So does this mean that they like it where they are and do not want to change or nobody else wants them???

 

[Molly Maquire]

HI,

Does anyone know what sort of USMLE scores or other credentials someone would need to interview/match at places like Monte or Jacobi ?

Also, are these places DO friendly (specifically for students from NYCOM)? Do they accept COMLEX?

 

[dharmabum7]

raj,

here's my take on st. vincents fellowship match...

i think academic breeding is done in 2 situation...1 if the institution you go to is so good (Harvard, Duke, Yale etc) that you want to remain there..

or 2 if you just can't get in anywhere else...

i think most people from st. vincents would probably want to move on for fellowship if they could...to some other institution, but the fact they don't makes me weary they are able to get into other places...

dharmabum

 

[rajvosa]

Things that are attractive in St. Vincent's:


Location, Location, Location

Best pay in NYC

All american grads (even on interview day everybody was from either a great or at least a solid americal med school).

Good teaching

Not malignant (call till 8pm q4)

Everybody seems to be VERY RELAXED

Apartments (11th and15th street) Great prices.





What i did not like:

FEllowship list (although I would match in Cardio there most likely...they take their own)


Hospital is not so great looking (quite old)


No PACS system


Although I would not mind going there if fellowship list was better (for example, some NYU , Einstein, Sinai cardio/GI matches).

 

[tellhimtoday]

my rank:

Columbia (malignant I've found, good learning)

Cornell (teaching not as good as you would think, with their rep)

NYU (the residents are not happy and over worked) I hear that Bellvue sucks though.

St. Luke's-Roosevelt (a program worth giving a 2nd look at, now with the way they have re-done their program, always known for being a hospital that puts out great clinicans, now with more research opportunities esp in GI and cards, reknowed GI Dr Kotler is based there, anyway given the key location of it's two campuses 59th and 110th manhattan, I'm ranking this high

(I'm currently doing research in one of the depts and have interacted with the im residents (tot ~40 interns) they're smart and def. happy).

Jacobi ( new host, but in the Bronx)

Vincent's (great program, but way two small with 16 cathegorical spots. pay is good , is there with St-Lukes-Roos at ~$48,000/yr

 

[Jason26]

I noticed this too re fellowship placements at St Vincents. Also, they didn't mention in their packet how residency grads do in terms of fellowships other than cards and gi w/ the exception of one or two placements in other fields. Is this to mean that most of each residency class does not go for fellowship?

 

[Jason26]

If a program has fellowships that it favors its own residents for, isn't that what is important? St Vics does this and I hear Winthrop which has far less of a rep also does this, but who cares? If your goal is a fellowship, then you have more chance of attaining it.

 

[dharmabum7]

i think out of a class of 16, 8 doing fellowships makes sense...
i think they weren't trying to hide anything...pretty much thats who matches...and those are the fields they go for...

my point in regards to fellowship is that if you are relying on the fact that the school you go to will be the only one willing to give you a card/gi fellowship, you may be disappointed later on...its better to come from a place that has good placement at other instiitutions as well....

if st vincents take 4 cards, and they are only willing to take 2 in hosue, and you aren't one of the two, you better hope that they their name carries weight at some other place....

the fact that they hardly get people into other places would make hesitate a bit...since it makes me wonder if their name means anything at other institutions...

 

[Unplugged]

Which one do you guys thinks is better, in terms of teaching, fellowship opportunities and reputation between New York Medical College/Westchester Medical Center at Valhalla,NY or SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn?

I've seen both hospitals and the surrounding area...I know that the SUNY one is located in a very bad area, which makes it a little undesireable, but there is quite nice places to live nearby and it's only 10-15 minutes car ride away from Downtown manhattan. The one in Valhalla is located in a very good suburban area but farther away from manhattan (30 minutes ride)..

I would appreciate your views on this matter

 

[rajvosa]

St. Luke's-Roosevelt (a program worth giving a 2nd look at, now with the way they have re-done their program, always known for being a hospital that puts out great clinicans, now with more research opportunities esp in GI and cards, reknowed GI Dr Kotler is based there, anyway given the key location of it's two campuses 59th and 110th manhattan, I'm ranking this high


Vincent's (great program, but way two small with 16 cathegorical spots. pay is good , is there with St-Lukes-Roos at ~$48,000/yr [/B]

St.Luke's is a community program (not university-based). I stay away from those.

 

[rajvosa]

Still St. Vincent's felt really good...Actually I did not expect much when I applied. Nonetheless, I had a good feeling during my visit about the program and the athmosphere was great. Everybody was sooooo relaxed.

 

[dharmabum7]

look i agree with you...st vincents felt really good when i went to...but nonetheless, i'm just trying to be objective...and to take everything into consideration...

seriously if the match list was just a bit better, i would probably be ranking it high...

 

[fscmd]

St Lukes vs NY Methodist?

Which has a stronger program? Aside from location and program size I dont see many differences. Anyone got more info?

 

[DR]

St. Luke's over Methodist.
Regarding the New York Med vs. Downstate....no contest. You'd be crazy to choose Downstate. Just talk to some med students from Downstate and you'll see that none of them want to end up there. The hospital is infamous for being a hellhole.

 

[lurkerboy]

Hey- what is everyone's opinion now that you've all gotten through most of your interviews?

 

[june015b]

I already posted the same one in the other thread. This is a repeat of the one I posted.

My IM faculty advisor and I ranked the programs in the country:

Prest/Research Reputation:
Harvard>Columbia=U Penn>NYU=Mount Sinai>Cornell>Montefiore=U of Maryland

Clinical Training Reputation:
NYU (Bellevue Hospital!)=montefiore>Columbia=Harvard=Penn>Cornell=Mt. Sinai


If you want to stay at Harvard for card, you should go to Harvard for residency. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same match rates for these programs. They all get into top notch fellowship programs. If you however want to do Heme/Onc, NYU would be a better choice since it's affiliated to Memorial Sloan Kettering CC and have the best match rates. You should also think about what types of hospital setting you like the most-->i.e. being 100% at private hospital (losing autonomy), vs. public hospital (more autonomy), vs. a combination of both