Southeast Programs (also not a help me rank)

[Hova2005]

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I thought Parrothead had a good idea, as this forum really is dominated by Northeast and West Coast people.

Anyone (residents, students, applicants) care to comment on some of the Southeast programs? Compare, contrast, touch on reputation?

There are few people that posted their views on the Interview Experiences thread...just hoping to spark some more discussion.

 

[TulaneKid24]

I thought Parrothead had a good idea, as this forum really is dominated by Northeast and West Coast people.

Anyone (residents, students, applicants) care to comment on some of the Southeast programs? Compare, contrast, touch on reputation?

There are few people that posted their views on the Interview Experiences thread...just hoping to spark some more discussion.

Duke and UA-B are great programs and rival the big east/west coast places in terms of training, caliber of program and research opportunities (i.e. Harvard, Columbia, UCLA an SF, etc). However, as you noticed, people on this board prefer Boston, NY, and Cali.

Other great programs are Emory, Vanderbilt, UNC-Chapel Hill, Tulane. Many would argue that those programs offer better training and research resources than many of the Boston, NY, and California programs often discussed on this board (i.e. BU, Tufts, NYU, Sinai, USC, UC-Davis, etc). But then again, they are not in Boston or California so..............

If you don't mind NOT living on the East/West coast, then the Southeast offers many great medicine training options. Also, think about it this way, you will save lots of money vs living in those other "popular" cities. Your pocket will thank you! 😀

 

[carol ann]

I've interviewed exclusively in the southeast and I think I posted most of my impressions in the interview feedback...

Overall -- LOVED Duke, UNC, UVa
LIKED a lot - Wake Forest, UA-b, Carolinas Medical Center
Liked - Vanderbilt, MUSC

I am really stuck figuring out my top 3...the 3 programs I loved are all good places with very different strengths and weaknesses. Oh well, it'll all be over soon enough.

 

[dochubert]

I also interviewed exclusively in the southeast. One of my main concerns was finding a city where my family will be happy for the next three-five years. I stayed away from many of the supposed "top" programs because I either did not want to stay in the big city or because of personal experiences with their hospitals that swayed me away from them.

Just to name a few, I interviewed at the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky. I really liked both programs. The program director and the city of Louisville were both big selling points for my wife and myself. I did not get to see much of Lexington so I can not really comment on it, although I imagine it can not be too bad being a major university town. The housestaff at both places were very happy and enthusiastic regarding the leadership of their programs. They both do very well with fellowship placement as well.

I was also very impressed with the Medical College of Georgia. The administration is very focused on providing a good training environment for their residents. While Augusta may not be the greatest city in the world, it is not too bad. As with the programs in Kentucky, the cost of living is excellent and most residents own their own homes. I really liked their night float system and the way that the intensivist team takes over the care for all patients admitted by the nightfloat team so that you only follow the patients that you personally admit rather than picking up new patients from the overnight teams every morning (I am sure it has its exceptions though).

Well...that is my 2 cents worth. I will write about other programs I visited when I get more time.

 

[Fantasy Sports]

I have to second Duke and UAB, but if you are counting TX as part of the southeast (kinda sorta?) definitely check out UTSW, Baylor, and UTH. Also, UVA , Vanderbilt, UNC, Emory, and Miami are all excellent programs as well.

 

[Hova2005]

Any thoughts on the level of "malignancy" at Baylor, UAB, and Emory?

During interviews, the residents I spoke with all claimed to be within the 80 hour work week, etc. and didn't feel that their programs deserved to have that reputation. Granted, you are going to work hard at these programs; I just hope to do my residency in an environment that is not going to make me insane with b.s.

Carol Ann, I also really liked Wake Forest - did you (or anyone else) happen to know of any factors that led to them not filling in the match last year?

 

[Fantasy Sports]

Any thoughts on the level of "malignancy" at Baylor, UAB, and Emory?

During interviews, the residents I spoke with all claimed to be within the 80 hour work week, etc. and didn't feel that their programs deserved to have that reputation. Granted, you are going to work hard at these programs; I just hope to do my residency in an environment that is not going to make me insane with b.s.

Carol Ann, I also really liked Wake Forest - did you (or anyone else) happen to know of any factors that led to them not filling in the match last year?

I know Baylor has pretty decent hours and is reputable, the residents seem to like it. Emory is a wonderful training program, the hours can be a bit harsh, but the training is top-notch. Dont know about UAB, but I hear its an extremely underrated program (well, it IS in alabama...)

 

[carol ann]

Any thoughts on the level of "malignancy" at Baylor, UAB, and Emory?

Carol Ann, I also really liked Wake Forest - did you (or anyone else) happen to know of any factors that led to them not filling in the match last year?

1. I heard from a Prelim at Baylor that he thought it was quite malignant. That may be prelim bias, I do not know

UAB does have a historical malignant reputation, but I think that you just work hard, I don't think that makes it malignant

As for WFU - from what I have heard it was multifactorial. 1. During interview season last year they were still working out how to find the best way to comply with the 80 hour workweek and were definitely in flux. 2. Last year it was early in the current PDs tenure which made some people worry about program stability...

Basically, they should've ranked a few more people; they probably didn't realize how many programs people were applying to. That was the first year that they didn't fill since the 1970s from what an alum told me.

I am not sure that wake will be my #1, but they will definitely be in my top 3...but I have to say that if I didn't want to stay in north carolina it might not be that high on my list.

CA

 

[killabee]

Any thought on the Florida programs?

 

[Fantasy Sports]

Any thought on the Florida programs?

I've heard good things about Miami. I think it is considered a solid program by many, and if you want to stay in Florida, it might be as good as it gets.

 

[Fantasy Sports]

1. I have actually heard from a Prelim at Baylor that it is actually quite malignant and full of itself. Whether that is just prelim bias, I do not know

UAB does have the malignant reputation, but I think that you just work hard, I don't think that makes it malignant

That's interesting, because Ive heard that for a top 20 program, both Baylor and UAB are fairly nonmalignant. Maybe it is just our basis of comparison (ie malignancy of Hopkins baseline vs. malignancy of a Kaiser program?) on which we disagree?

 

[carol ann]

That's interesting, because Ive heard that for a top 20 program, both Baylor and UAB are fairly nonmalignant. Maybe it is just our basis of comparison (ie malignancy of Hopkins baseline vs. malignancy of a Kaiser program?) on which we disagree?

well, its not as if I applied to warm fuzzy lets all hug each other programs(although I skipped Hopkins for personal reasons)...Duke has a reputation for malignancy, but I'm not sure I saw it...I also think it depends what you qualify as malignant. Some people think it's atmosphere, others think its the amount of work demanded....

UAb has somewhat of a reputation for malignancy in the past (the pre-80hour era) ...but his thought was that some people equate hard work with malignancy, and that was the etiology of the reputation and that it isn't malignant by atmosphere. Vandy also historically has a reputation for malignancy, but rumor mill says that the 80 hour work week has really normalized it.

All I said about Baylor was based on what a current Prelim told me -- it's not a program that I applied to(husband nixed Texas). He just felt like a lot of the attendings were had Napoleonic complexes and got a little snotty.

 

[Fantasy Sports]

well, its not as if I applied to warm fuzzy lets all hug each other programs(although I skipped Hopkins for personal reasons)...Duke has a reputation for malignancy, but I'm not sure I saw it...I also think it depends what you qualify as malignant. Some people think it's atmosphere, others think its the amount of work demanded....

UAb has somewhat of a reputation for malignancy in the past (the pre-80hour era) ...but his thought was that some people equate hard work with malignancy, and that was the etiology of the reputation and that it isn't malignant by atmosphere. Vandy also historically has a reputation for malignancy, but rumor mill says that the 80 hour work week has really normalized it.

All I said about Baylor was based on what a current Prelim told me -- it's not a program that I applied to(husband nixed Texas). He just felt like a lot of the attendings were had Napoleonic complexes and got a little snotty.

Haha I think we are just completely different people then. I keep hearing Duke is fairly malignant (but not Hopkins malignant). I agree with you on Vandy (suprisingly). Didnt know baylor had so many short attendings

Guess well just agree to disagree on this one carol. 😀

 

[beekinator]

I didn't perceive an atmosphere of malignancy while on interview at Duke. What have people heard/found with regard to Duke being malignant?

 

[TommyGunn04]

I didn't perceive an atmosphere of malignancy while on interview at Duke. What have people heard/found with regard to Duke being malignant?

I have to second this...as a current 3rd year student at Duke I can't say I've found the medicine program to be malignant whatsoever. If anything, I'd say it's the best program at the whole medical center! There's an unbelievable concentration of brilliant, friendly, and just all-around-great attendings, not to mention a ridiculously smart group of residents. It's a really impressive program where house staff are supported quite well (and given LOTS of free lunches paid for by the department, NOT by drug companies!). Maybe Duke used to be nasty back in the day, but now all that's left of the old era is the short white coat phenomenon. I'd stay at Duke in a heartbeat if I had the chance!