Southeast Residency Programs

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sevo19

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Hi everyone,

I couldn’t find a thread discussing southeastern anesthesiology residency programs and wanted to get some more input as rank lists open up soon. Any thoughts/opinions on the following southeastern programs or how to rank them:
  • UAB
  • Vanderbilt
  • UVA
  • Duke
  • UNC
  • Wake Forest
  • MUSC
  • UF
  • UMiami
Having a difficult time ranking them, and don’t want to make the mistake of picking solely based on location if there is a much stronger and reputable program that would provide more opportunities during/after training. It’s been difficult to discern these things as a medical student basing our decision on one interview day. Thanks!

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Those programs are all very different in terms of the experience you'll get. For example, at Duke, you'll get an experience in research that probably can't be matched at any of the other programs. You'll get trauma experience at Miami and Vandy that you probably won't find at Wake or UVA. It all depends on what you're looking for in a program.
 
All are very good. I interviewed at all but the Florida programs and eventually chose Wake Forest for a variety of reasons (e.g., strong mentorship relationships, very good regional, focus on very strong clinical training, strong academics--though Vanderbilt and Duke are better at research, commute time, children's schools, location, etc.). Ultimately they are all very good academic programs and I just went with the gut feeling of "where will I be happiest" and "where do I fit in the best". I don't regret my choice at all. I found all aspects of my training to be particularly rewarding. I entered residency dreading OB and the department there is so good and people are so fun to work with that I even considered doing an OB fellowship (along with Neuro, Regional, Cardiac--all those fellowships would have been very rewarding). I loathe chronic pain, but I actually enjoyed even that part of my residency training at Carolina Pain Institute.

My current private practice is filled with UNC, Duke, B&W, Pitt, UVa trained partners and I feel very well prepared with no deficiencies at all. I even impressed some of my partners sometimes by e.g., yesterday doing a parasternal and apical TTE exam on a septic ERCP who coded to show no tamponade, right heart enlargement and globally decreased cardiac function in order to quickly decide on a Tx. Go where you feel like you will flourish as a person first, and secondarily as an anesthesiologist. A burned out physician with a "second-to-none" training is worth nothing. A well-grounded, balanced and happy person with a solid training is going to be much better for a satisfactory 30-year career.
 
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Hi everyone,

I couldn’t find a thread discussing southeastern anesthesiology residency programs and wanted to get some more input as rank lists open up soon. Any thoughts/opinions on the following southeastern programs or how to rank them:
  • UAB
  • Vanderbilt
  • UVA
  • Duke
  • UNC
  • Wake Forest
  • MUSC
  • UF
  • UMiami
Having a difficult time ranking them, and don’t want to make the mistake of picking solely based on location if there is a much stronger and reputable program that would provide more opportunities during/after training. It’s been difficult to discern these things as a medical student basing our decision on one interview day. Thanks!

I'm a current CA1, and I interviewed at every one of these places except Duke and UMiami.

My assessment (based on my interviews) is UAB=Vandy=Wake > UNC=UVA > MUSC >>> UF.

Vandy, UAB, and Wake all have very similar reputations. Depends on what you really value in a program. Vanderbilt is more research heavy, formally academic. Also more of a workhorse, formal program. Great reputation, diverse case assortment. Private hospital so smaller patient population. ICU very strong. Good peds also. Nashville is a plus. UAB very strong ICU experience, lots of liver transplants, lots of trauma, very sick OB population, residents are valued, reasonable work-life balance, unmatched moonlighting. Laid back residents. Peds isn't as good. Wake similar feel to UAB -- the best didactics, less good cases (no livers, less trauma). Very strong pain. Good moonlighting. Family friendly. Close to lots of outdoors stuff in NC. Still a great reputation.

The general sentiment on SDN appears to be that Duke, Vandy, UAB, and Wake are the best programs in the south. They will all give you excellent post-residency opportunities. I would pick from those over the others FOR SURE all things being equal.
 
Don't forget Emory as a strong southeast program. Atlanta is also a great city.

Interesting that most of your recent post history is devoted to bashing Emory. Guess your opinion changed.
 
Interesting that most of your recent post history is devoted to bashing Emory. Guess your opinion changed.


Well @TubeJockeyStile matched there so they got the real scoop. I’m glad it worked out. Illustrates how hard it is to judge a program as a medical student. Would be interesting if they chimed in on the difference between their impression as a medical student vs the reality as a resident.
 
For minorities, not so great an experience. Have heard this from reliable sources. Multiple reliable ones.

WHAT?!?! Atlanta is very diverse for the southeast and Emory is extremely diverse.

You think it’s better for minorities in Birmingham maybe? 🙂
 
WHAT?!?! Atlanta is very diverse for the southeast and Emory is extremely diverse.

You think it’s better for minorities in Birmingham maybe? 🙂
Hey, I know Atlanta is diverse. I know minorities who work and have worked in Emory who advised me not to go there as a minority. They have seen some interesting things happen to one another. At least three different people that is. Many choose to stay there because of what Atlanta has to offer to minorities. Not because they feel so well treated at Emory.

Look there’s racism and discrimination everywhere. As a minority, there are things that we experience that the majority don’t see, can’t see, or don’t acknowledge. So if multiple minorities with first hand experience are telling me this, then I take heed.
 
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Hey, I know Atlanta is diverse. I know minorities who work and have worked in Emory who advised me not to go there as a minority. They have seen some interesting things happen to one another. At least three different people that is. Many choose to stay there because of what Atlanta has to offer to minorities. Not because they feel so well treated at Emory.

Look there’s racism and discrimination everywhere. As a minority, there are things that we experience that the majority don’t see, can’t see, or don’t acknowledge. So if multiple minorities with first hand experience are telling me this, then I take heed.

I don’t doubt that there are negative episodes at Emory or any place. But I know MANY minorities that trained for years at Emory and have worked for years as attendings there and find it to be a welcoming and progressive institution, not just for all races and nationalities, but for people of any religion, lifestyle or sexual orientation.

I can’t argue with the stories that you heard from your friends, but I still think it’s a false and unfair criticism of a relatively diverse and open minded institution.
 
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I don’t doubt that there are negative episodes at Emory or any place. But I know MANY minorities that trained for years at Emory and have worked for years as attendings there and find it to be a welcoming and progressive institution, not just for all races and nationalities, but for people of any religion, lifestyle or sexual orientation.

I can’t argue with the stories that you heard from your friends, but I still think it’s a false and unfair criticism of a relatively diverse and open minded institution.
Never heard this before.
Are you a minority? Just curious.

Sometimes minorities may not be telling you the entire truth if you aren’t a minority. We often get accused of seeing things that aren’t there when we know it’s not our imagination so sometimes it’s best to deny mistreatment and keep it moving.

Years ago I was very excited to possibly do my fellowship at Emory as they hadn’t filled. However, a friend who works there gave me a strong warning not to do it. He or she had seen some people of color not treated too well. Others have acknowledged that the environment exists when I asked. I have had enough difficulty in the past not lot listen to the people in the trenches.

In the South, we are still behind. In general, subconscious biases still exists and there is mistreatment in many places.
 
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Never heard this before.
Are you a minority? Just curious.

Not really, But for whatever it is worth (maybe nothing) I did an internship and residency there, trained with minority friends, dated a minority resident there, and have minority friends that are currently on faculty there.

I am sure bad things happen there. And there are a LOT of racist a-holes out there. But I don’t think racism or discrimination is systemic at Emory, at least any more than anywhere else.
 
Not really, But for whatever it is worth (maybe nothing) I did an internship and residency there, trained with minority friends, dated a minority resident there, and have minority friends that are currently on faculty there.

I am sure bad things happen there. And there are a LOT of racist a-holes out there. But I don’t think racism or discrimination is systemic at Emory, at least any more than anywhere else.
Yup. Maybe not anymore that everywhere else really. It was just one program I inquired about.
I was naive before residency. Then my eyes opened wide.
 
Yup. Maybe not anymore that everywhere else really. It was just one program I inquired about.
I was naive before residency. Then my eyes opened wide.

Actually, I am a minority myself. Two of the Emory residency associate program directors are minority. Several of the faculty and residents are minority. Several of the admins are minority. I could go on and on. So honestly, if you're not living the 'minority life' at Emory, I wouldn't bad mouth it.
 
Actually, I am a minority myself. Two of the Emory residency associate program directors are minority. Several of the faculty and residents are minority. Several of the admins are minority. I could go on and on. So honestly, if you're not living the 'minority life' at Emory, I wouldn't bad mouth it.
Good for you. Glad you are having a minority life experience worth talking about.
 
Well like I said, good for you for having a good experience.
Are you trying to pick a fight?

Do you not know when someone is actually wishing you well?
Also, let's not forget the minority experience for Asians is not the same for African Americans
 
What? He or she is Asian? And comparing that experience to the Black experience?
That’s hilarious.
I don't know what their ethnicity is. what I'm saying is that the two experiences are definitely not the same
 
And God forbid you are both Black and Asian. Just look what happened to poor Tiger Woods.

Yeah when I heard about him making millions, being world famous and hitting up chicks I was like damn rough lyfe
 
Ok so now I’m confused: Does being blasian make it easier or harder to get into college?? :shrug:
 
lol.. Im "blasian." So Ive heard a lot of these. Blasian, Black(anese), Tiger Woods (adj.).

Tiger always said he was Cablinasian (Caucasian, Black, American Indian, Asian).
 
My birth certificate says "asian/pacific islander." So I applied as asian. For me it was equally hard as everyone else or arguably harder.

bruh
i'd be like im all about the underserved communities
 
Don't forget Emory as a strong southeast program. Atlanta is also a great city.

I intentionally left off Emory; the program has had problems recently.

At the time I interviewed (2016-2017), they had an ACGME warning (it was legit, I looked it up on the ACGME website), had only matched half of their spots in the class who would be a year ahead of me (also legit), and had a brand new PD. When I asked what the warning was for and what they had done to address their poor match, I got indirect answers and excuses from all 3 of my interviewers. Additionally, I saw the commute between the two hospitals (appx 30 min during the tour on interview day) as a big negative.

I was so put off by their current state, I ranked the program last out of 14 places.

I do think you would get excellent clinical training there. However, with other programs like Duke, Vandy, Wake, UAB followed by UNC and MUSC where you get good clinical training AND a good program/work environment, I couldn't consider Emory a good option.

Hopefully over the last few years they have worked through their rough patch. They have the potential to be good. It was a hard no for me.
 
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