Which is more recommended for my interview - Take the Broad St. line to Allegheny and then walk or drive? Is it safe to walk (Will get there around 7 am and leave in the afternoon.)
To Temple from Center City
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I took the Broad Street Line from Center City to the Erie Station and walked backwards down Broad to Temple University Hospital. It seemed okay to me. Typical ghetto stuff. I wasn't terribly fearful for my life, but being a non-black man walking around in a suit and a leather-bound portfolio in one hand on your way to the hospital, well, you're likely to get more than a few stares and occasional harassment. And that area is BAD, my research later lead me to believe. Like I think all the violent crimes in all of Philadelphia are committed right there in that area. Erie Street happens to be a commercial avenue, and that's why I decided to take the train there. I figured if it's got activity, it can't be that bad, right? Suuuuuuuuuuuure...
I was later told by a native Philadelphian that the smarter thing to do would've been to take the train to Allegheny, which most TUH employees/residents take and then walk the three or four blocks north to the hospital.
Finally, I'd suggest that you just drive or take a cab. Philly, especially North Philly, is one of the country's most dangerous cities. Random violent crime happens all the time. According to the FBI something like 1,500 incidents of violent crime per 100,000 people. Compare that to Los Angeles with 1,200 incidents/100,000 people, Chicago with 1,100 incidents/100,000 people, and New York City with fewer than 700 incidents/100,000 people. And you'll be walking about in a suit or fancy dress of all things... Most people there aren't so picky about their clothing, to say the least.
And the Philly subway system is uber nasty. Smells like pee everywhere (kinda like New York), but there's a hint of dried blood too. 🙂
I was later told by a native Philadelphian that the smarter thing to do would've been to take the train to Allegheny, which most TUH employees/residents take and then walk the three or four blocks north to the hospital.
Finally, I'd suggest that you just drive or take a cab. Philly, especially North Philly, is one of the country's most dangerous cities. Random violent crime happens all the time. According to the FBI something like 1,500 incidents of violent crime per 100,000 people. Compare that to Los Angeles with 1,200 incidents/100,000 people, Chicago with 1,100 incidents/100,000 people, and New York City with fewer than 700 incidents/100,000 people. And you'll be walking about in a suit or fancy dress of all things... Most people there aren't so picky about their clothing, to say the least.
And the Philly subway system is uber nasty. Smells like pee everywhere (kinda like New York), but there's a hint of dried blood too. 🙂
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Wow. With that kind of review, I'd ask about the availability of any armored trucks that day to make the commute
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replace any instance of the word "walk" in the above posts with the word "run" and you have a slightly higher chance at survival.
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Yeah, Temple's a dump. No offense to Temple Alumni or house staff, but that area sucks mooseballs.
At night they've got these giant floodlights that light up the blocks surrounding the hospital, kind of like what you'd see on the grounds of a maximum security prison. Why would you ever wanna work in a place like that?
So I went on an interview there last February. They took us on a tour. Pretty standard hospital kind of crap. We went across Broad to the research building. Saw some of their labs. Old. Dirty. No big deal. Came back out onto Broad Street. "OK, this is the end of the tour. Thanks again for coming to interview with us today."
Imagine about 15-20 men and women standing on Broad Street on a Saturday afternoon dressed in their best interview attire this side of the Atlantic Ocean. As we're about to say our goodbyes and farewells and the typical, "I hope to see you again," a local North Philadelphian came walking south on Broad Street. I suppose maybe 15-20 people did kind of obstruct the flow of pedestrian traffic a bit, but let's face it, who in his or her right mind would be walking anyway? So this local approaches us and screams, "Why the f*** y'all blocking the sidewalk 'n' $hit? What y'all f***ing loooking at?"
On completing her Shakespeare-inspired soliloquoy she hocked a loogy and that bad boy landed on one of the candidate's heads. It was like one of those loogies from that Seinfeld episode with Keith Hernandez, Kramer, Neuman, and the grassy knoll.
Work there? Yeah right...
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The walk from Center City to Temple on Broad street isn't bad.
Never felt uncomfortable doing it, but I've never done it that early in the morning.
The few times I had to go to Temple, I'd always bike or walk. I don't know what the Broad Street Line would be like.
However for an interview especially at 7am in the winter - I'd consider a taxi.
Never felt uncomfortable doing it, but I've never done it that early in the morning.
The few times I had to go to Temple, I'd always bike or walk. I don't know what the Broad Street Line would be like.
However for an interview especially at 7am in the winter - I'd consider a taxi.
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Actually I was trying to remember how I got to Temple when I interviewed there (a long time ago.) Since I was in a suit I doubt I biked. I think I took the Broad street line there and walked back. So taking the Broad street line is fine. But if you are not familiar with Philly - I'd still consider a taxi.
This was a while ago - but supposedly the city has improved since then. Although doesn't sound like it has in North Philly.
This was a while ago - but supposedly the city has improved since then. Although doesn't sound like it has in North Philly.
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If you stick to Broad Street in the daylight you will be fine. Late at night things can be dicier. Still I wouldn't call it dangerous. Crime can happen anywhere in Philadelphia, but very little of it actually occurs on Broad Street.
However, depending on where you are coming from, if you aren't familiar with SEPTA, I would take a cab or drive rather than use a public transportation system you haven't used before...not for safety reasons, more to avoid the "oops I got on the train going the wrong way and now I'm going to be late" type of situations.
However, depending on where you are coming from, if you aren't familiar with SEPTA, I would take a cab or drive rather than use a public transportation system you haven't used before...not for safety reasons, more to avoid the "oops I got on the train going the wrong way and now I'm going to be late" type of situations.
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not a resident or even applying to residency, but I did interview there for med school.
I had never been to Philly before and was staying in center city. Being strapped for cash, I opted to take SEPTA. It really wasn't hard, and I didn't get lost. I took the Market Street line and transferred to the Broad Street line and got off at Allegheny. I was a bit disoriented when I got out of the station, but just asked a random person on the street which direction I needed to go. I walked the 2 blocks to the SOM with no problem. I didn't feel like I was in danger or anything.
I should note though that there are two trains on the BSL. There is one that bypasses all the stops and one that makes all the stops. Make sure you don't get on the bypass train. I did this and had to get off a few stops later and take another train back. Since I gave myself ample time, I still got there early.
I had never been to Philly before and was staying in center city. Being strapped for cash, I opted to take SEPTA. It really wasn't hard, and I didn't get lost. I took the Market Street line and transferred to the Broad Street line and got off at Allegheny. I was a bit disoriented when I got out of the station, but just asked a random person on the street which direction I needed to go. I walked the 2 blocks to the SOM with no problem. I didn't feel like I was in danger or anything.
I should note though that there are two trains on the BSL. There is one that bypasses all the stops and one that makes all the stops. Make sure you don't get on the bypass train. I did this and had to get off a few stops later and take another train back. Since I gave myself ample time, I still got there early.
