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I had a long conversation with a resident in IM (2nd year) and was asking him for advise on applying to IM programs, etc.
For the first time I think I understand what a "strong program" is.....he told me to ask on interviews if I would be the only in house physician at times.
For instance, his med school (UAB) has a very strong IM program (according to him) because they train the residents how to put in lines, intubate, paracentesis, etc. He said that at this current program, surgery is consulted to put in a line/chest tube if the medicine people are struggling with it. She said it would suck to be a 3rd year resident and have to struggle with lines. And worse, if you are an attending, you won't be able to charge for a chest tube if you don't know how to put one in.
Also, a surgery resident once said...ask if the other departments are strong. If you have a strong surgery program for example, you won't get consulted to manage someone's diabetes....they will put them on insulin/whatever they need by the surgery staff. If going to a weak program, IM may be consulted to do bitch work. He did state that at times, there are lazy surgery residents who don't want to do anything...
So is this a good way to look at how strong programs are? By how their supporting departments interact with them, and how many lines/intubations/etc. that they do? (obviously if you want to do hospital medicine)
For the first time I think I understand what a "strong program" is.....he told me to ask on interviews if I would be the only in house physician at times.
For instance, his med school (UAB) has a very strong IM program (according to him) because they train the residents how to put in lines, intubate, paracentesis, etc. He said that at this current program, surgery is consulted to put in a line/chest tube if the medicine people are struggling with it. She said it would suck to be a 3rd year resident and have to struggle with lines. And worse, if you are an attending, you won't be able to charge for a chest tube if you don't know how to put one in.
Also, a surgery resident once said...ask if the other departments are strong. If you have a strong surgery program for example, you won't get consulted to manage someone's diabetes....they will put them on insulin/whatever they need by the surgery staff. If going to a weak program, IM may be consulted to do bitch work. He did state that at times, there are lazy surgery residents who don't want to do anything...
So is this a good way to look at how strong programs are? By how their supporting departments interact with them, and how many lines/intubations/etc. that they do? (obviously if you want to do hospital medicine)