U of C and Christ

[Eidee]

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Help....


I've been star-struck by both programs and I still haven't made a decision about which I should rank higher. I know probably the biggest difference is the flight experience but Flight isn't a crucial decision making factor for me. I rotated at Christ later in the year and it was great but was also very impressed with U of C's experience at the interview. U of C carries a great name nationwide while from what I understand, Christ is known more regionally. Can anyone out there provide any feedback about these 2 great programs?

thanks!

 

[waterski232002]

Help....


I've been star-struck by both programs and I still haven't made a decision about which I should rank higher. I know probably the biggest difference is the flight experience but Flight isn't a crucial decision making factor for me. I rotated at Christ later in the year and it was great but was also very impressed with U of C's experience at the interview. U of C carries a great name nationwide while from what I understand, Christ is known more regionally. Can anyone out there provide any feedback about these 2 great programs?

thanks!

Hey Eidee... I posted some info about the U of C program in a couple other threads ("UIC vs University of Chicago" thread... and "U of Chicago: Flight program?" thread). I can't give you any input on Christ b/c I didn't interview there. But if you've still got questions about U of C, feel free to PM me.

 

[carmelvalley]

Wow, cool website...

My guess is either you are a local Chicagoan stuck inside the box, unable to see out or otherwise get access to an outside perspective, or you are from away but have mentors that are not that connected to the field of EM. So here's my perspective from the great state of Califor-NI-A...

Both programs carry a great reputation nationwide. Obviously the University of Chicago name is well-known, I think they are the oldest EM program in Chicago, but Christ is no shrinking violet in EM on a national level. I didn't actually look at either because I was committed to staying in Cali but they are both well known here, Christ especially for their ultrasound work. Their residents and faculty are all over ACEP and SAEM each year.

You mention that a flight experience isn't crucial, but the more important thing to figure out at this point is what IS crucial, and can you get it at either place, or is one better that the other? Sounds like you had some clinical experience at Christ already, maybe you should see if you can do some shadow shifts at U of C so you can compare them on the same level.

Anyway, this was my "virgin" post and I'm not sure if it helps or why I even decided to respond, except that I had an analagous experience between two programs (big University name vs program that I rotated at and had a great experience). If you felt that you fit a both programs, then again I would try to get some clinical experience at U of C so you know what the program is like beyond a single interview.

If you're agonzing over the "name," an analogy my mentor gave me that helped is this...(a little weird, but think about it)...when you buy clothes, do you buy the ones that fit and look good on you, or do you go for ones maybe a little less comfortable just to get a "designer label?"

Help....


I've been star-struck by both programs and I still haven't made a decision about which I should rank higher. I know probably the biggest difference is the flight experience but Flight isn't a crucial decision making factor for me. I rotated at Christ later in the year and it was great but was also very impressed with U of C's experience at the interview. U of C carries a great name nationwide while from what I understand, Christ is known more regionally. Can anyone out there provide any feedback about these 2 great programs?

thanks!

 

[morgaleese]

Ummm, OK, here's my take on ALL of Chicago's allopathic programs:

Fill in the blank:

If you are really concerned about or interested in ______________, _______________ is the best Chicago EM program for you.

1. International Medicine and/or Public Health; UIC
2. Flight Medicine; U of C
3. Clinical Medicine/Education; Christ
4. Clinical Research; Resurrection
5. Customer Service; Northwestern (sorry, can't think of a better way to say it but they have some really demanding/entitled patients)
6. Serving the underserved; Stroger Hospital

Fair assessment? After 9 years in Chicago Emergency Medicine, I think so. Honestly all of the Chicago programs rock, and my wish for you is that you get your #1!!! Best of luck!


Hey Eidee... I posted some info about the U of C program in a couple other threads ("UIC vs University of Chicago" thread... and "U of Chicago: Flight program?" thread). I can't give you any input on Christ b/c I didn't interview there. But if you've still got questions about U of C, feel free to PM me.[/QUOTE]

 

[Eidee]

thanks for the replies everyone!

 

[placebo_B12]

1. International Medicine and/or Public Health; UIC
2. Flight Medicine; U of C
3. Clinical Medicine/Education; Christ
4. Clinical Research; Resurrection
5. Customer Service; Northwestern (sorry, can't think of a better way to say it but they have some really demanding/entitled patients)
6. Serving the underserved; Stroger Hospital

Fair assessment? After 9 years in Chicago Emergency Medicine, I think so. Honestly all of the Chicago programs rock, and my wish for you is that you get your #1!!! Best of luck!

I would mostly agree. Except about Res being the best for Research. U of C gets more NIH funded money than any other Emergency Medicine program in the country. They have 3 current K awards, and 2 more in the process of being finalized. That is big $$$, mostly out of their EM Resuscitation Center. They also have mutliple members helping on the new ACLS protocols and hypothermia.

 

[EMResident]

I would mostly agree. Except about Res being the best for Research. U of C gets more NIH funded money than any other Emergency Medicine program in the country. They have 3 current K awards, and 2 more in the process of being finalized. That is big $$$, mostly out of their EM Resuscitation Center. They also have mutliple members helping on the new ACLS protocols and hypothermia.

Several of U of Chicago's key research faculty are leaving U of C for UPenn (currently the #1 "ranked" Dept of EM for NIH funding, FYI... U of C doesn't qualify for ranking in EM as they are a division of internal medicine). Another research faculty member is considering leaving too... at least that's the word on the streets.

 

[morgaleese]

I would mostly agree. Except about Res being the best for Research. U of C gets more NIH funded money than any other Emergency Medicine program in the country. They have 3 current K awards, and 2 more in the process of being finalized. That is big $$$, mostly out of their EM Resuscitation Center. They also have mutliple members helping on the new ACLS protocols and hypothermia.

Good to hear we agree for the most part. My impression of Res being strong from the research standpoint has to do with the impressive amount of research that they ACTUALLY PRODUCE and present each year, especially at the national meetings. Personally, this means more to me than funding and "participation"...UIC also gets a lot of funding, as does Northwestern, and much of this is a function of being a University program. The fact that a program so young (they didn't even have a program when I was applying!) could start producing so much right out of the gate really speaks for their committment to research. Much harder for them to accomplish it, given they don't have a lot of money thrown at them, so I think they deserve to be recognized for it. I definitely think "academic" when I think of the University of Chicago Hospital itself, but the U of C EM program is not what comes to mind when I think of clinical reseach activity in EM...sorry. I think whirlybirds.

 

[Calabar]

I guess "acutally produce" is also kind of misleading -- U of C EM strength seems to be in basic science research. Sure it may not be represented as much in the EM circles, but if you look in JAMA, Circulation, AHA meetings, Resuscitation, etc. -- they are pretty well represented in those forums. Here is just a sample of a a pubmed search for "Vanden Hoek" -- one of the research faculty at U of C. Considering that there is federal grant funding behind the research is impressive. I defintely think that U of C is probably the only place in Chicago where this type of basic science EM research is being done. The question that I have is that should this make a difference with regard to residency training? Perhaps if a resident wants to get involved in basic science research, but knowing the characteristics of most EM folks -- I don't think this will be much of a factor.

The flight program may be a bigger factor as it directly impacts the residency training.


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