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Am going to Maryland in a few days. Was wondering about advantages and disadvantages from people who visited or know about the program. Thanks.
U of Maryland
- Thread starter kickbackdude
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Trauma is a real science there. The con to this is that everything is really segregated. ie, you'll do a trauma anesthesia month where you tube every trauma patient, but very little tubes outside of your month. No real involvement with trauma outside of your trauma months.
Their curriculum is kind of neat.... they teach off journal articles rather than textbooks, so the info you're being taught is very new.
Baltimore is a pit. I thought I had seen some ghetto... until I went there. I didn't have a good answer to the question "Where should I live?" A lot of residents live in the hood near the hospital in "nicer" apartments. The surburbs surrounding there, however, are pretty ritzy. Seem sort of screwed in both instances.
I met the least amount of residents on this interview. And they did not look that happy. I know residents are worked, but if you can't even feign happiness for an hour . . .
The chair and PD both seem pretty cool. They have lots of resident activities that they pay for out of pocket (good because they're dedicated to the residents, bad because... why no funding?)
mike
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Hey man, thanks a lot for the info. I appreciate it. If there is any info I can give on the programs I interviewed at, feel free to inquire. My interview list:
Stanford, UCSF-Fresno, Drew, Kern, Maricopa, Madigan, Regions, Wake Forest, Duke, UConn, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Buffalo, Mayo, Advocate Christ, Resurrection, Christiana.
Stanford, UCSF-Fresno, Drew, Kern, Maricopa, Madigan, Regions, Wake Forest, Duke, UConn, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Buffalo, Mayo, Advocate Christ, Resurrection, Christiana.
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Actually, the last four on my list (Christ, Res and Christiana as well as Maryland) are ones I will be going to in the next few days. So haven't gone to Christiana yet. However, heard it is great. Happy residents, great facility, training and schedule. Pretty pumped about checking it out.
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UConn was great. I was very pleasantly surprised. Residents were happy and were a tight group. I got to meet atleast a dozen residents. Facilities are top notch. Schedule is one of the best. Training and teaching seemed terrific. However, if you're single and looking for a good night life, Hartford is not the place to be. But for a family, it's an ideal environment.
Everyone seems to have a different outlook on Madigan. My outlook is as follows: The big disadvantage of Madigan is the inevitable commute. It takes atleast 1 hour and 15 mins to get from Madigan Hospital (between Tacoma and Olympia) to Seattle (where Harborview, UW Med Center and Children's are). The rotations are scattered so you end up going back and forth a lot. Also, although they work 9 hour shifts at Madigan, they usually don't turn over their patients to the oncoming residents (there is some overlap in shifts to offset part of the effect, so the shifts are usually about 10 hours). At Harborview, they work 24 hours on-24 hours off for the entire month. That's pretty tough. However, the six months at UW Med Center provides a great schedule for the residents. So, overall the schedule is really about average compared to other residencies. It's the commute that's bad.
There are some very strong things about Madigan. The ED at Madigan is actually the busiest in the area and you see great cases there. The ED training at Madigan Hospital is better than you might think (tons of procedures, lots of patients, average acuity). Although you don't see all that much trauma, that's ok because Harborview gives you more trauma than you ever need. You also train 6 months at UW Med Center, a big university hospital which gives you exposure to a more advanced tertiary care university type setting. Overall patient population diverity is great. Didactics are strong and they do oral board practice 5 days per week at 7:00 AM each day (no, not everyone has to go to these, only the night before and day shift docs). Obviously, the Seattle area is probably the best area in the country to live, although the cost of living isn't all that great. Overall, I give Madigan thumbs up, but the opinions are extremely varied on the interview trail.
Everyone seems to have a different outlook on Madigan. My outlook is as follows: The big disadvantage of Madigan is the inevitable commute. It takes atleast 1 hour and 15 mins to get from Madigan Hospital (between Tacoma and Olympia) to Seattle (where Harborview, UW Med Center and Children's are). The rotations are scattered so you end up going back and forth a lot. Also, although they work 9 hour shifts at Madigan, they usually don't turn over their patients to the oncoming residents (there is some overlap in shifts to offset part of the effect, so the shifts are usually about 10 hours). At Harborview, they work 24 hours on-24 hours off for the entire month. That's pretty tough. However, the six months at UW Med Center provides a great schedule for the residents. So, overall the schedule is really about average compared to other residencies. It's the commute that's bad.
There are some very strong things about Madigan. The ED at Madigan is actually the busiest in the area and you see great cases there. The ED training at Madigan Hospital is better than you might think (tons of procedures, lots of patients, average acuity). Although you don't see all that much trauma, that's ok because Harborview gives you more trauma than you ever need. You also train 6 months at UW Med Center, a big university hospital which gives you exposure to a more advanced tertiary care university type setting. Overall patient population diverity is great. Didactics are strong and they do oral board practice 5 days per week at 7:00 AM each day (no, not everyone has to go to these, only the night before and day shift docs). Obviously, the Seattle area is probably the best area in the country to live, although the cost of living isn't all that great. Overall, I give Madigan thumbs up, but the opinions are extremely varied on the interview trail.
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I was surprised to hear what Mike had to say about the program, specifically the living aspect. I've never been there, but plan to interview there next year, however I thought it would be a nice place to live, what with the waterfront and all.
Thanks for the post, it is great hearing that aspect of a program that you would not and could not get unless you were there. It does make you wonder if the "best" representative residents weren't happy.
Anyone else feel the same or different?
Thanks for the post, it is great hearing that aspect of a program that you would not and could not get unless you were there. It does make you wonder if the "best" representative residents weren't happy.
Anyone else feel the same or different?
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Kickback and the rest of the dudes and chicks-
I rotated at the University of Maryland this past year... I thought it was a great program. I also rotated at another residency this past year, and thought Maryland was better than that program (won't tell you the other program until ROLs are out).
The residents there are REAL good, a lot of them it was their 1st or 2nd choice, varied resident body, which was nice. There's an IM/EM and EM/Peds and they were awesome to work with. Most, if not all, the attendings were top-notch and very willing to talk/explain/DDx. Facilities are great, esp with the new ED... 50 beds, very modern, a lot of the exma rooms have bathrooms in them... nursing staff is great, very supportive.
Baltimore is a craphole though. There are nice parts but I think it is (like MCWRU said) one of the dirtiest cities... lots of poor, lots of IVDU, lots of HIV, more than what I saw in Philly or down here in FL (although Ft. Laud has a lot of HIV/IVDU/Crime). The hospital is pretty sweet (i thought). Again, though, I come from a small osteopathic hospital so anythign with more than 150 beds is pretty sweet to me. 🙂
I am ranking UMD very high on my list. Their residents were getting some great jobs out... some were even offered positions at other EM residencies. Which is kinda wierd but I thought spoke very highly of the program. Also, teh PD and RD are super nice.
Q
I rotated at the University of Maryland this past year... I thought it was a great program. I also rotated at another residency this past year, and thought Maryland was better than that program (won't tell you the other program until ROLs are out).
The residents there are REAL good, a lot of them it was their 1st or 2nd choice, varied resident body, which was nice. There's an IM/EM and EM/Peds and they were awesome to work with. Most, if not all, the attendings were top-notch and very willing to talk/explain/DDx. Facilities are great, esp with the new ED... 50 beds, very modern, a lot of the exma rooms have bathrooms in them... nursing staff is great, very supportive.
Baltimore is a craphole though. There are nice parts but I think it is (like MCWRU said) one of the dirtiest cities... lots of poor, lots of IVDU, lots of HIV, more than what I saw in Philly or down here in FL (although Ft. Laud has a lot of HIV/IVDU/Crime). The hospital is pretty sweet (i thought). Again, though, I come from a small osteopathic hospital so anythign with more than 150 beds is pretty sweet to me. 🙂
I am ranking UMD very high on my list. Their residents were getting some great jobs out... some were even offered positions at other EM residencies. Which is kinda wierd but I thought spoke very highly of the program. Also, teh PD and RD are super nice.
Q
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I go to the U of Maryland and have worked with a couple of EM interns during my medicine and peds (intern in EM/peds) rotations. They didn't voice any complaints about their EM program to me, but they did complain about having to go to applicant lunches. It takes away from time that they would otherwise be spending getting work done so that they can go home earlier. One of the EM interns I saw later back doing an ER rotation said that he was having fun there and had good hours. Maybe you guys are just chatting with ER interns doing their medicine rotation, I've heard that most ER residents everywhere hate doing medicine rotations. A lot of med students who are interested in EM are thinking about staying here at U Maryland because:
1. We just got a new ER. Nice, shiny facilities always makes for a good workplace. And since the new ER got put in a brand new surgical building, it's also very close to our new cafeteria. Food's nothing to brag about, but at least you guys won't have to walk as far as the rest of us do to get there.
2. Trauma, as previously stated, is supposed to be the best in the nation here at U Maryland. Maryland has a state-wide trauma system, all of the major adult trauma cases that occur anywhere in the state get helicoptered out to here (not hopkins, which gets the peds trauma). Our shock trauma center is one of the few in the nation that actually has it's own building, separate from the ER (which is already very large). Trauma is probably the best thing that my school does.
Haven't done an ER or my surgery rotation, so don't know much more about it then that.
1. We just got a new ER. Nice, shiny facilities always makes for a good workplace. And since the new ER got put in a brand new surgical building, it's also very close to our new cafeteria. Food's nothing to brag about, but at least you guys won't have to walk as far as the rest of us do to get there.
2. Trauma, as previously stated, is supposed to be the best in the nation here at U Maryland. Maryland has a state-wide trauma system, all of the major adult trauma cases that occur anywhere in the state get helicoptered out to here (not hopkins, which gets the peds trauma). Our shock trauma center is one of the few in the nation that actually has it's own building, separate from the ER (which is already very large). Trauma is probably the best thing that my school does.
Haven't done an ER or my surgery rotation, so don't know much more about it then that.
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Quinn and CKent (Superman)
Thanks for you posts, very good information. I curious where you both lived (Quinn when you were rotating there, and CKent now when you are living there) and are those living quarters different for residents?
Someone mentioned that they could not get a straight answer out of the residents about where they lived, and you both mentioned how bad the neighborhood is. Considering that I am bringing with me my significant other (wife) and our significant child other, is it possible to live a little further out from the city in a nicer neighborhood and commute in? Is traffic bad? I'll learn more next year when I apply, but now is as good a time as any.
Any suggestions would be great. Thanks
Thanks for you posts, very good information. I curious where you both lived (Quinn when you were rotating there, and CKent now when you are living there) and are those living quarters different for residents?
Someone mentioned that they could not get a straight answer out of the residents about where they lived, and you both mentioned how bad the neighborhood is. Considering that I am bringing with me my significant other (wife) and our significant child other, is it possible to live a little further out from the city in a nicer neighborhood and commute in? Is traffic bad? I'll learn more next year when I apply, but now is as good a time as any.
Any suggestions would be great. Thanks
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I am currently living in on-campus housing for students, but next year, I plan to move ack with my parents and commute from Towson. Here is a website with a lot of the housing options for students:
http://www.housing.umaryland.edu
Since you have a family, you might want to live outside of the city. There is a semi-college town 5-10 minutes away (there is some highway that almost directly connects us) in Ellicot city, it's close to the UMBC campus, a lot of students live there. I have heard that they have nice, affordable townhomes there. And of course, there is always commutting from a little further away. A lot of med students commute from Towson, it's a nice suburban community in Baltimore county, it's also got a nice college community with Towson University so there is some affordable temporary housing around here too. SOme of the residents that I have met have lived in between here and D.C. because their wives/fiancees have worked or lived in D.C. . So basically, if you have a family, you can live outside of the city and commute, or you could get a two bedroom apartment in the city (some of the nicer ones go for 1200-1400). There are townhomes in the city in this region called ridgely's delight, it's within walking distance of the school, and a lot of students live there, but I wouldn't advice a family to live there because it's not a safe place for kids at night. SOme students live in federal hill, and I know that there are some young professional families that live out there too, it's in the city but the townhomes are nice and the area is relatively safe too. Some other websites that might tell you more about housing options would be our local paper at http://www.sunspot.com , or the umbc website.
http://www.housing.umaryland.edu
Since you have a family, you might want to live outside of the city. There is a semi-college town 5-10 minutes away (there is some highway that almost directly connects us) in Ellicot city, it's close to the UMBC campus, a lot of students live there. I have heard that they have nice, affordable townhomes there. And of course, there is always commutting from a little further away. A lot of med students commute from Towson, it's a nice suburban community in Baltimore county, it's also got a nice college community with Towson University so there is some affordable temporary housing around here too. SOme of the residents that I have met have lived in between here and D.C. because their wives/fiancees have worked or lived in D.C. . So basically, if you have a family, you can live outside of the city and commute, or you could get a two bedroom apartment in the city (some of the nicer ones go for 1200-1400). There are townhomes in the city in this region called ridgely's delight, it's within walking distance of the school, and a lot of students live there, but I wouldn't advice a family to live there because it's not a safe place for kids at night. SOme students live in federal hill, and I know that there are some young professional families that live out there too, it's in the city but the townhomes are nice and the area is relatively safe too. Some other websites that might tell you more about housing options would be our local paper at http://www.sunspot.com , or the umbc website.
