U Miami

[Plesso]

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Any thoughts on Miami? 450+ applicants...10 interview sessions and about 6-7 applicants per session.

Pros: Good name/reputation. (fellowship placement??) Chairman Walter Bradley is leaving in March, but they have been recruiting for a long time to replace him...will likely replace with a big name in an area other than neuromuscular....Also amazing patient population/pathology; neurology afterall is like dermatology in the sense that you've got to see it to best remember it....also 8 guaranteed PGY1 slots which have no overnight call d/t hospitalists....great depth in faculty except for headache/behavioral/sleep...Excellent faculty teaching...Best morning report/chairman's rounds I've seen anywhere while on the interview trail!

Cons: Too busy?...especially ER consults...also heavy censuses and really busy clinics...(reasonable call schedule but no sleep on call...no call on VA service)... I believe 3 residents have left in the past 1-2 years due to them discovering that the program was more busy than they could handle. An aside however is that 2 of these 3 residents left the neurology program after completing a cush internship elsewhere, and the other resident switched to Houston for personal reasons...Also during interviews, I was told the program was "very busy," and "don't get sick!" Still paper charts for everything...at least 3 years until paperless....

I've heard estimates upwards towards 70% of patients speaking Spanish only...that can't be right?

 

[AznTrojan]

cool... they got PGY-1 years for all the incoming neuro applicants.. 👍

out of my neuro class (including neurokid.. the broke ass intern who's getting married.. 😀 ).. only 5 of us are doing our intern year at UM-JMH..

intern year has thus far been pretty chill.. much easier than i would have thought.. you only take overnight call on VA medicine wards, cardiology, oncology and MICU.. as for me.. since i don't have oncology.. i only have 3 months of overnight call for the entire year.. 😀

as for neuro.. i've seen their clinics.. and yes.. they are busy.. but i came from a program with just as crazy neuro clinics (USC).. and not nearly half as organized as the one they have here.. and neuro consults can be pretty damn hectic.. but hey.. neurology is specialty.. most of what you will be doing will be consult work..

if you come to this program.. expect to work hard.. and have fun.. nevertheless, i honestly feel i worked harder as a 3rd year med student than i have during intern year..

the neuro attendings i've come across have been nothing but absolutely amazing.. it's little wonder why it's become one of the most popular rotation for med students.. in fact.. 10+ UM students are applying for the neurology program here.. i know about half of them want to stay at UM.. but i believe they traditionally only take 2 of their own..

rumor has it that UM only interviewed US grads this year.. owing to the increased popularity of neurology and stronger applicant pool.. not sure if it's true or not though.. but i'm glad to see the increasing popularity of neurology..

as for the patient population.. a good portion of out patients will speak spanish.. some will speak creole.. and a few will speak english.. there are always translators available.. but your life is much easier if you have some knowledge of medical spanish..

as for paper charts.. well.. there's nothing you can do about it.. i prefer it over typing up H/P, progress notes, etc. everyday..

 

[neuro kid]

ooooooooooooooooo, I missed the bus- I guess yesterday was rank-order day. Its not often that Miami is discussed in forums like these.

The program (like my west coast friend professes) is extremely clinical and busy. I agree with whatever he and Plesso have to say about the program, other than some facts about the resident population. First, seven (not five) of my class of eight are doing our intern year here (trojan is a bit of a loner, and most people hate him enough to not befriend him). The eighth one, I have heard is going to join us after completing his internal medicine residency somewhere (he is a pgy3). I know of 2 people who left the program in the last 5 years. Both of them had to move to their home towns for family reasons. I dont know about the third one, but I can imagine someone leaving because of the busy nature of the program (they do kick our asses here).
All this aside, I think that the residents in the program are its biggest assets. I still have to come across a resident I dont like.

Other than that, I agree with trojan's observations about its excellent faculty.... and difficulties with spanish and paper charts, (which are easily overcomeable). PGY1 year is like any other medicine intern's year (and I think its important to have it that way- I do need to learn some internal medicine. I would hate to consult medicine every time I see CHF or AFib).


The bottom line is that program is a busy clinical program that aims at making its graduates good confident neurologists.
It is definately old school, very old school.

 

[AznTrojan]

really?!?!.. there's 7 doing intern year at UM.. .. damn i'm out of the loop.. haha.. 😀

oh well.. i'll be on neuro next month.. so i'll find out who matches here..

ooooooooooooooooo, I missed the bus- I guess yesterday was rank-order day. Its not often that Miami is discussed in forums like these.

The program (like my west coast friend professes) is extremely clinical and busy. I agree with whatever he and Plesso have to say about the program, other than some facts about the resident population. First, seven (not five) of my class of eight are doing our intern year here (trojan is a bit of a loner, and most people hate him enough to not befriend him). The eighth one, I have heard is going to join us after completing his internal medicine residency somewhere (he is a pgy3). I know of 2 people who left the program in the last 5 years. Both of them had to move to their home towns for family reasons. I dont know about the third one, but I can imagine someone leaving because of the busy nature of the program (they do kick our asses here).
All this aside, I think that the residents in the program are its biggest assets. I still have to come across a resident I dont like.

Other than that, I agree with trojan's observations about its excellent faculty.... and difficulties with spanish and paper charts, (which are easily overcomeable). PGY1 year is like any other medicine intern's year (and I think its important to have it that way- I do need to learn some internal medicine. I would hate to consult medicine every time I see CHF or AFib).


The bottom line is that program is a busy clinical program that aims at making its graduates good confident neurologists.
It is definately old school, very old school.

 

[neuro kid]

Actually, Dr Bradley has a fabulous barbecue every year in August to introduce the new interns to everyone. This year's BBQ was cancelled in the wake of hurricane Katrina.
Had Katrina struck a weekend later, Trojan would probably have known better.