Stanford and OHSU vs. UWash and Colorado

[pazu]

Hey everyone,

I currently have 4 interviews on the west coast (and Colorado) scheduled, but I am thinking about cutting them down to 2 in order to save time and money. After reading the forums, it seems Colorado is not as strong as the other programs, so I was thinking about canceling that interview. I also heard the chair was stepping down soon. It's too bad, as it would have been one of my top choices for location. However, I'm more concerned about program at this point.
I'm also tempted to cancel UWash because I've heard negative impressions on this board a couple years back (stressed out residents despite being a good name program) and Seattle is just a really expensive place to live. In other words, I'm more excited about Stanford and OHSU, and less so about Colorado and UWash.

I'd really like to get any last thoughts before I send the emails. On one hand, I feel like this is my opportunity to check as many programs out as possible, but I'm also getting really tired of going on interviews. If I already knew my top 3 programs at this point, I'd go ahead and cancel these other interviews, but I don't, so maybe it is safer to just go and check these other programs out?

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[ReformNot]

Based on what I have seen during my UWash interview and the info I got from my cousin who is a neuro PGY2 there, I think your impression of the program is way outdated. I did not apply to anything in California so I cannot say anything about Stanford. I do know that UWash is for sure a much better program than OHSU. Portland may not be as big a city as Seattle but don't think you can really save that much (just check the flight cost to/from Portland and you will see.)

Seattle is a freaking amazing city to work and live. I know because I lived (as a student) in both Portland and Seattle before (each for a couple of years.)

 

[aaddnl]

You should go to Stanford and OHSU. I have personal experience and know people at both programs (OHSU and UW) and grew up in the NW and OHSU is way better than UW--it's not even close. The previous poster is way off. People that even take a brief visit to both programs can figure that out. The info that was on here about UW a while ago is generally true--if UW didn't have those problems, why would you see people posting about it? I dont see that kind of thing on here about most other programs. Anyway, Stanford is very good too and worth a look. Good luck!

 

[aneuro]

i would also add that for a variety of reasons OHSU is a stronger program. ask most of the residents at OHSU why they ranked UW lower (or not at all) and I think those reasons still apply and have been the case at UW for 4 yrs or more...

first off, rarely have i met someone who interviewed at UW over the yrs who had the impression that the residents were happy there. there are indeed problems with the program, most of which have been detailed here over and over, and have not changed. it's too bad so few people are posting interview impressions in the thread above this season....

it helps everyone out now and in the future-please people, post what you thought about programs, even a few lines!!

will let people who interviewed at each this year leave their comments, but my feeling is that OHSU is a much stronger program, has happier residents, more subspecialty representation of each field of neurology with attendings (does UW have 7 clinical people alone doing neuroimmunology? and similar numbers in Movement Disorders, Epilepsy, Dementia, Stroke etc etc) plus basic science folks, may have more NIH funding/many more people working on research than UW, a more cohesive group of residents (since they are not routinely spread through seattle at affiliates/stuck in traffic), more cohesive/accessible attendings, a much more manageable call schedule/rotation schedule, amazing new facilities ...UW does have a large cachement due to WWAMI, however OHSU, the only academic center in Oregon daily has patients transferred from neurologists (ie good cases, not alcohol withdrawal at Harborview) from all over the state, idaho, southern washington, and northern cali... Seattle and Portland are both great places to live, though also quite different.

it's really worth checking out any program you are considering, in person though....

 

[Head]

All of these programs are quite different and I think you should look at it this way. Check out Stanford if you are really interested in going into an academic career as they probably have the best reputation. U Wash is probably the most inpatient heavy, so will give you the best training if you are thinking stroke / neurocritical care / neurohospitalist. OHSU is great if you are thinking more clinic based work in your future or a related subspecialty and want less call and a little lower cost of living.

Colorado losing their chair is not necessarily a bad thing. I wasn't a fan during my interview there and later knew a faculty member who was jerked around during the hiring process by him. Also a new chair usually means an influx of big money to the department with the ability to hire new faculty members. Having said that, I would probably only choose Colorado out of these 4 if you are really interested in neuro-immunology or have strong ties to Denver.

 

[aneuro]

agreed (re post by Head), though inpatient bias/stroke training toward UW may reflect on where OHSU from a few yrs back. at ohsu pgy2s now run the stroke service-there is much autonomy early on.. and ongoing enrollment in far more stroke or neurovascular clinical trials than most places (check into it, talk to stroke fellows)... ohsu also has a Neuroicu set up by well known people from Hopkins over the last couple of years, and something like 5-6 neuro-interventionalists or more (one very well known nationally) doing clot retrieval, stents etc etc...there are 6 beds for VEEG, and a busy inpatient service...

for some reason ohsu is often under the radar for people but is very strong all around, i think there are institutions with well established names nationally, that have far worse neuro programs... i'm not so sure about neuroimmunology at colorado being a better option, certainly colorado or hopkins would be a good place for exposure to neuro-virology, i wont comment publicly what i've privately heard about their previous chair, but also agree this may not be a bad thing to have a change there ...the chair at ohsu and the head of neurology at the VA in portland are well known neuroimmunology people and as i said above, there are 7 or so physician neuroimmunologists at ohsu (look at the web site) plus all the basic science folks... some of the best people at UW for neuroimmuno left years ago, a decent number of the folks up there doing MS are PM&R... (perhaps one thing UW has that these other places do not, is ones of the best PM&R programs in the country)...

i wouldnt decide on a program based necessarily on the strengths of a department/subspecialty you think you are going to go into in 4yrs. i think if you surveyed neuro residents only a small number go into what they thought they were going to go into. it's probably a better strategy to make sure that you get to work with good people active in each area fo expertise, so you can make an informed decision later...

ultimately, most of these programs will provide solid training, particularly with strong self-motivation. fellowships are not hard to get into in neuro either, regardless of where you do residency...

 

[coleus blumei]

Hey everyone,

I currently have 4 interviews on the west coast (and Colorado) scheduled, but I am thinking about cutting them down to 2 in order to save time and money. After reading the forums, it seems Colorado is not as strong as the other programs, so I was thinking about canceling that interview. I also heard the chair was stepping down soon. It's too bad, as it would have been one of my top choices for location. However, I'm more concerned about program at this point.
I'm also tempted to cancel UWash because I've heard negative impressions on this board a couple years back (stressed out residents despite being a good name program) and Seattle is just a really expensive place to live. In other words, I'm more excited about Stanford and OHSU, and less so about Colorado and UWash.

I'd really like to get any last thoughts before I send the emails. On one hand, I feel like this is my opportunity to check as many programs out as possible, but I'm also getting really tired of going on interviews. If I already knew my top 3 programs at this point, I'd go ahead and cancel these other interviews, but I don't, so maybe it is safer to just go and check these other programs out?

Colorado has a new chair, he started in November. The old one was around for thirty (?) years and was not liked at all. He's still around the hospital, doing research, but he's not gonna be involved with residents anymore.

 

[caelum7]

I have heard from two other current applicants that the UW residents looked really overworked and unhappy... but I have no personal experience there.

However, I have been to OHSU and Colorado and will be visiting Stanford later. I will say that Colorado does have a friendly new chair who has been there for several months, and with him of course comes money for hiring new faculty. They seem particularly strong in movement, epilepsy, and neurovirology, and weak in neuro-ICU. The Colorado residents seemed the most normal and happy of all the residents I've met, and emphasis is on lifestyle balance and outdoor activities. Their call is actually similar in quantity to OHSU but front-loaded. I think CO is an underrated program, probably because it appeals mostly to midwesterners, but they seem to fill their spots with stronger applicants than some other respected programs (cleveland clinic, tufts, sinai, ucsd). Cost of living in Denver is lower than Portland.

I also read these forums closely but my own experiences are often contradictory. Best of luck, let us know how it turns out.

 

[caelum7]

double post sorry

 

[pazu]

Thanks for all the input! I think I will go ahead and check out the programs. It's good to know Colorado may benefit from its new chair.