Top southern programs...

[Shades McCool]

Hey guys. Here is a little background info:

MS3 at UAB
MCAT: 33
Class rank at the end of 2nd year: Top 25%
Step One: 254/99
Research: Yes (in plastics) possibly being published, poster at ACS Conference

I am curious about which programs in the south/east are highly thought of. I am pretty excited about my step one score but I don't know too much about the ortho programs around here. Thanks in advance!

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[ortho060802]

Your program is pretty good. I did a month there a few years ago.
Other good programs are Campbell clinic, Duke, Mississppi, Greenville SC, Orlando, there are other but I interviewed at these.

 

[Mav979]

My opinion, FWIW, is the following are the 10 best in the South:

Campbell Clinic
University of Florida
Vanderbilt
UT-Southwestern
Duke
UT-San Antonio
Emory
UAB
UNC
Carolinas



I heard good things about Greenville... a community program, but my friends that went there said they wouldn't want to live there and that's what kept them from ranking it highly.

 

[PenguinHead]

I wonder if anyone else has something to add to this.

There is a related thread on orthogate here

On a related note, any opinions on the weaker programs in the south (w/o bashing any schools..)?

 

[thethom]

You guys are kidding about Duke right..!? One of the most malignant programs out there, residents are worked to death...

 

[EveeSTi]

Quick related question:

Can you compare the relative reputations of UT Southwestern and Baylor?

 

[PenguinHead]

From their wikipedia sites:

UTSW: The medical school ranked 19th in the 2007 U.S. News and World Report ranking of the top medical schools in the research category (ranked 6th among public medical schools), ranked 18th in primary care category, and ranked 21st in terms of research funding from the National Institutes of Health (2004).

Baylor College of Medicine was ranked seventh overall in the 2009 U.S. News and World Report top medical schools for primary care and 13th for research. The composite ranking of these two categories (research score plus primary score) gives Baylor an overall ranking of seventh amongst medical schools for 2009. Each year around 172 medical students join the medical school, about 75% of whom are Texas residents. For entering medical students in 2007, the average undergraduate GPA was 3.82 and the average MCAT score was 34.5, making it one of the top ten medical schools in the country when measured by quality of matriculants.

 

[EveeSTi]

Thanks, I was actually hoping for a comparison in terms of their Ortho Surg. residency reputations.

 

[GAdoc]

Thanks, I was actually hoping for a comparison in terms of their Ortho Surg. residency reputations.

I'm also wondering if anyone has any good info (other than what's on FREIDA) about some of the Southeastern programs. Specifically, can anyone talk about any of the programs in Fl, AL, GA, SC, NC, TN?

Got Step 1 back a couple weeks ago: 246/99...I have some research experience but it is in cardiology/cardiothoracics; still don't know if it will be published. Biggest thing I'm concerned with is whether my school (I attend Mercer) will hold me back from some of the big programs (UF, Orlando, Palmetto, Emory, etc). What do you guys think?

 

[PenguinHead]

I'm also wondering if anyone has any good info (other than what's on FREIDA) about some of the Southeastern programs. Specifically, can anyone talk about any of the programs in Fl, AL, GA, SC, NC, TN?

Got Step 1 back a couple weeks ago: 246/99...I have some research experience but it is in cardiology/cardiothoracics; still don't know if it will be published. Biggest thing I'm concerned with is whether my school (I attend Mercer) will hold me back from some of the big programs (UF, Orlando, Palmetto, Emory, etc). What do you guys think?

I don't think you're school will hold you back. You're step score is very solid and will get you interviews at most of those places. Provided the rest of your application is strong and you interview/rotate well, you could have a chance to match at any of them.

Here's the info I had already gathered on the places you asked about.

UF - has a reputation as a numbers program (ie 260's step I). really good program, great place to live (college town type place). lots of fellows and attendings with good reputations.

Orlando - great community program, take 3/year. They get a ton of op experience. Seemed to be very well-rounded, and getting good fellowships doesn't seem to be a problem. They claim to have a great lifestyle, and there is plenty of great golf and other outdoor activities in Orlando. very laid back, nice town, great experience. Great community atmosphere. Large case load.

Emory- Bigger name in the area. Huge, Huge volume of trauma. Typical inner city program, hospital lacks funding, OR staff is often rude and NOT in any type of hurry to turn rooms, so you operate LATE. Great attendings, great Spine guys but they can be jerks and there are fellows as well. Research facilities VERY available if that is your thing. I think the operative experience and clinics (which there are LOTS of) help you in decision making because there is little supervision.

 

[GAdoc]

I don't think you're school will hold you back. You're step score is very solid and will get you interviews at most of those places. Provided the rest of your application is strong and you interview/rotate well, you could have a chance to match at any of them.

Here's the info I had already gathered on the places you asked about.

UF - has a reputation as a numbers program (ie 260's step I). really good program, great place to live (college town type place). lots of fellows and attendings with good reputations.

Orlando - great community program, take 3/year. They get a ton of op experience. Seemed to be very well-rounded, and getting good fellowships doesn't seem to be a problem. They claim to have a great lifestyle, and there is plenty of great golf and other outdoor activities in Orlando. very laid back, nice town, great experience. Great community atmosphere. Large case load.

Emory- Bigger name in the area. Huge, Huge volume of trauma. Typical inner city program, hospital lacks funding, OR staff is often rude and NOT in any type of hurry to turn rooms, so you operate LATE. Great attendings, great Spine guys but they can be jerks and there are fellows as well. Research facilities VERY available if that is your thing. I think the operative experience and clinics (which there are LOTS of) help you in decision making because there is little supervision.

Thanks for the reply. It's interesting that UF is as numbers oriented as you suggest. I don't know if the programs in Gainesville and Jacksonville are comparable in terms of operative experience but I've heard that the Gainesville program lacks in that area. In fact, I was asking an ortho attending about it the other day (he trained at Jackson Memorial in Miami which would probably be similar to Grady in Atlanta) and he said to pick Orlando over UF for that reason.

My ultimate goal would be to work as a general orthopaedist in my rural hometown. I have no interest in academic medicine or even being well-published. With that in mind, would I be better looking at the programs with more operative experience as opposed to a "bigger name"?

Also, where are some places you would recommend doing aways?