Preface: MS4 from Temple going into Gen. Surg.
Info: strengths - Trauma (we are the LA County of Philadelphia), 5/6 of our attendings are Shock Trauma trained
Colorectal - awesome young attendings trained in best fellowships - Cleveland Clinic, Fergusson Clinic
Great chairman - Dan Dempsey is a gentleman surgeon, U Penn trained, straight up, no BS, supports his residents
Great PD - Amy Goldberg (Trauma surgeon), outstanding surgeon, resident advocate, would give her soul for the program.
Camaraderie among residents is awesome because it's Temple and it's very resident-run. I would put up our chiefs in terms of quality against any from the "top" programs, and I know because I've rotated at some.
Weaknesses - ancillary support staff is not the best, you will probably wheel patients to Rads sometime while you're here. House call can be tough, we deal with a population that does not come to the doctor unless they are really sick... If you are looking for surgical research or basic science research, this is not the place. We are building up, but the clinical variety and exposure is the strength, not research.
Peds - our peds program is small, but slowly building. Our peds surgeons are great, but it's hard to compete when you have Children's Hospital of Phila and St. Christopher's within 5 miles.
Transplant - totally rebuilding, just doing some kidneys, currently so small that it's actually combined with the peds rotation.
One liner summary: Great clinical training with slowly developing research base.
Caveat: Our new Dean of the Medical School is the former Chair of Surgery at Cornell. He's trying to develop Temple into a more academic place and this will probably affect the Dept. of Surgery as well. I see this only as a good development of an already great clinical program.
And finally the answer to the inevitable question: Will I rank my own program?? The answer is an emphatic yes and my list also includes places such as the Brigham, Duke, and Michigan. Take that however you want...
feel free to PM with any further questions...
