- Joined
- Jul 25, 2003
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
Does anyone know anything about the transitional year at Frankford Hospitals in Philadelphia, Pa. Any info is appreciated.
TY@Frankford Hospitals-Philly
- Thread starter cooperdonell
- Start date
Actually I almost interviewed there. But I decided not to...but not because of the quality of the program...I was dead tired.
From what I've heard from Jefferson Grads doing their transitional at Frankford, you have to be there a lot (meaning hours), but once you're there, you do nothing. Residents bring movies with them on call, cause they're so bored. Also nightfloat is 4 weeks apparently, and the person incharge of your schedules is not a resident, but some corporate management person.
Overall, I would say, average to below average, it's more like a medicine prelim than transitional. I do not think they have accreditation for next academic year, but that doesn't really matter since you're only there for a year.
From what I've heard from Jefferson Grads doing their transitional at Frankford, you have to be there a lot (meaning hours), but once you're there, you do nothing. Residents bring movies with them on call, cause they're so bored. Also nightfloat is 4 weeks apparently, and the person incharge of your schedules is not a resident, but some corporate management person.
Overall, I would say, average to below average, it's more like a medicine prelim than transitional. I do not think they have accreditation for next academic year, but that doesn't really matter since you're only there for a year.
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2004
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 0
I was supposed to interview at Frankford, but cancelled last minute when I heard they lost their accredidation for Transitional next year. I heard it doesn't really matter, though, I probably should've gone to check it out. Only thing I heard is that you do nothing while you're there, basically get paid to show up. I don't know anything else about hours,etc.
Well,
You have to consider the sources. None of us (that posted so far) have visited the program. I've rotated through Jefferson Anesthesia, and some of their guys did the Frankford TY. They didn't have anything overtly negative to say about it.
But then one of my old college friends told me that you just might find yourself in the middle of a code (in the middle of the night) and be the most senior person there...borderline scary.
Anyway, take all this advice with a grain of salt. If given a chance go visit and talk to their residents...of course with their ACGME status that might not be an option next year...
You have to consider the sources. None of us (that posted so far) have visited the program. I've rotated through Jefferson Anesthesia, and some of their guys did the Frankford TY. They didn't have anything overtly negative to say about it.
But then one of my old college friends told me that you just might find yourself in the middle of a code (in the middle of the night) and be the most senior person there...borderline scary.
Anyway, take all this advice with a grain of salt. If given a chance go visit and talk to their residents...of course with their ACGME status that might not be an option next year...
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2003
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
Is there anyone who has gone through the year that could give some insight? I start there in June, and really don't know much about the program, being that I scrambled into that spot. Thanks
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2003
- Messages
- 27
- Reaction score
- 0
Here's the official scoop on Frankford, intermixed on the side with my unofficial take (pm me for further details, and my credentials/sources, if you desire)
oh, and this only applies to the MD transitional, the specs are slightly different for the DO's, who are based out of Frankford-Bucks campus (heretofore referred to as Buckford):
The year goes as follows (unless they decide to make last-minute changes, which certainly can and will happen): 7 months of inpatient services, usually divided into one month each of surgery, icu, cardiology, and 4 months of medicine floors. The surg, icu, and med can all be assigned at either Torresdale (your main site) or Buckford. Cardiology will be at Torresdale. Then you get 1 month each of ER and outpatient medicine, and 3 months of electives. How each of these rotations treat you depends on numerous factors, but mainly depend on whether you're at torredale or buckford
At torresdale, they have night float. That means that there are 3 'terns assigned to each service (except cards...i'll get to that later), with 2 covering days and one covering nights, rotating weekly. So you're on night float 1 out of every 3 weeks. During days, you're either the early 'tern ("officially" go home at 5pm) or late tern (off at 7pm), alternating daily. Night float comes on at 7pm and stays till 8am (7-8 am morning report) from Sunday through Friday (Saturday Morning), and after finishing night float week, covers Sunday 7a-7p and then 24hrs the following Saturday (so your 2 week stretch of night float-post night float really sucks).
Basically you're in the hospital at some point just about every day at torresdale....no true weekends off. But here's the thing: there are two pagers for each service (one for each tern), but only one of them ever gets beeped for anything. So the early tern usually carries the "hot" pager in the morning, fielding all floor calls and taking the early admissions. Unofficially, early tern caps at 2 admissions, or (again, unoffically) 3pm--whichever comes first--then hands off the hot rock to the late tern (who has usually spent most of the day in the sleep lab, or "tv teaching" rounds, or "internet research" or working out). Late tern then handles all late admits and floor calls until night float comes on. (Night float you're on your own the whole shift, it can be brutal, but it can also be relatively quiet all night).
At buckford, it's a straight q4 call schedule, leave post-call at around 10am or so (give or take depending on service). Smaller hospital, less patients, but also less terns to divvy up the duties. Also, they have actual senior residents on the services here (through DO program), unlike torresdale.
Cards is a different beast. Only 2 terns. one is 7a-7p M-F, and the other is 7p-8a Sun-Thurs (Fri am). So you get about 2 weeks days and 2 weeks nights on this rotation. The night float cards beeper is the busiest pager in the hospital, so it really sucks. But the days are pretty light, just hanging with the attending and pa or np all day, doing consults. (From 4-7 pm you also do the cards admits and floor calls). On the plus side, you get weekends off on this block.
Overall, it's not too bad. The main negatives I think are the sheer number of days being in the hospital, 6 months of the year with no weekends off, and the constant night float/day float cycle (your circadian rhythm is always readjusting). Also, nights/weekends in general can suck depending on what kind of backup you have (they hire moonlighters to cover, and their desire to help varies greatly). On the plus side, you get 5 beeper-free months, and the daytime inpatient responsibilites are pretty light. A lot of this will also depend on your 3 chief residents. There are no true residents in the hospital outside of ER and Surgery (Surg residents rotate from Jeff). This year's chiefs are pretty good (one each from Temple, Jeff, and Einstein). Don't know who they have lined up for the coming year.
Multiple changes may be in store soon, but I don't know all the details yet. One thing for sure is that they are expanding the hospital by about 40-50 beds, including an acute stroke unit and a new telemetry unit (more work for the cards night float). Word on the street is that construction should be complete by October.
There are numerous other little details, but I feel like I've already written a book here. Feel free to PM me for specefic questions. Good luck to all who matched at the Big Frank....you may be its last intern class ever!
oh, and this only applies to the MD transitional, the specs are slightly different for the DO's, who are based out of Frankford-Bucks campus (heretofore referred to as Buckford):
The year goes as follows (unless they decide to make last-minute changes, which certainly can and will happen): 7 months of inpatient services, usually divided into one month each of surgery, icu, cardiology, and 4 months of medicine floors. The surg, icu, and med can all be assigned at either Torresdale (your main site) or Buckford. Cardiology will be at Torresdale. Then you get 1 month each of ER and outpatient medicine, and 3 months of electives. How each of these rotations treat you depends on numerous factors, but mainly depend on whether you're at torredale or buckford
At torresdale, they have night float. That means that there are 3 'terns assigned to each service (except cards...i'll get to that later), with 2 covering days and one covering nights, rotating weekly. So you're on night float 1 out of every 3 weeks. During days, you're either the early 'tern ("officially" go home at 5pm) or late tern (off at 7pm), alternating daily. Night float comes on at 7pm and stays till 8am (7-8 am morning report) from Sunday through Friday (Saturday Morning), and after finishing night float week, covers Sunday 7a-7p and then 24hrs the following Saturday (so your 2 week stretch of night float-post night float really sucks).
Basically you're in the hospital at some point just about every day at torresdale....no true weekends off. But here's the thing: there are two pagers for each service (one for each tern), but only one of them ever gets beeped for anything. So the early tern usually carries the "hot" pager in the morning, fielding all floor calls and taking the early admissions. Unofficially, early tern caps at 2 admissions, or (again, unoffically) 3pm--whichever comes first--then hands off the hot rock to the late tern (who has usually spent most of the day in the sleep lab, or "tv teaching" rounds, or "internet research" or working out). Late tern then handles all late admits and floor calls until night float comes on. (Night float you're on your own the whole shift, it can be brutal, but it can also be relatively quiet all night).
At buckford, it's a straight q4 call schedule, leave post-call at around 10am or so (give or take depending on service). Smaller hospital, less patients, but also less terns to divvy up the duties. Also, they have actual senior residents on the services here (through DO program), unlike torresdale.
Cards is a different beast. Only 2 terns. one is 7a-7p M-F, and the other is 7p-8a Sun-Thurs (Fri am). So you get about 2 weeks days and 2 weeks nights on this rotation. The night float cards beeper is the busiest pager in the hospital, so it really sucks. But the days are pretty light, just hanging with the attending and pa or np all day, doing consults. (From 4-7 pm you also do the cards admits and floor calls). On the plus side, you get weekends off on this block.
Overall, it's not too bad. The main negatives I think are the sheer number of days being in the hospital, 6 months of the year with no weekends off, and the constant night float/day float cycle (your circadian rhythm is always readjusting). Also, nights/weekends in general can suck depending on what kind of backup you have (they hire moonlighters to cover, and their desire to help varies greatly). On the plus side, you get 5 beeper-free months, and the daytime inpatient responsibilites are pretty light. A lot of this will also depend on your 3 chief residents. There are no true residents in the hospital outside of ER and Surgery (Surg residents rotate from Jeff). This year's chiefs are pretty good (one each from Temple, Jeff, and Einstein). Don't know who they have lined up for the coming year.
Multiple changes may be in store soon, but I don't know all the details yet. One thing for sure is that they are expanding the hospital by about 40-50 beds, including an acute stroke unit and a new telemetry unit (more work for the cards night float). Word on the street is that construction should be complete by October.
There are numerous other little details, but I feel like I've already written a book here. Feel free to PM me for specefic questions. Good luck to all who matched at the Big Frank....you may be its last intern class ever!
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2004
- Messages
- 18
- Reaction score
- 0
I interviewed there. Everything above is correct.
One addition: the director is very friendly and nice, but I understood the manager is problematic.
One warning: their accreditation is valid only for this upcoming year, and then they lose it. I don't know how it might influence their reputation on your CV...
One addition: the director is very friendly and nice, but I understood the manager is problematic.
One warning: their accreditation is valid only for this upcoming year, and then they lose it. I don't know how it might influence their reputation on your CV...
