ucla2usc said:
Just curious what you all think of UCLA IM. I know this thread has been done in previous years, but since a lot of people on this board are new since last year, i thought it would be nice to see some new opinions.
well i guess i'll get it started:
(+)'s
1) reputation and fellowship placement and world class faculty (duh) USNEWS says best in West for past 16 years, overall #5 hospital in country
2) intense clinical training which leaves all the housestaff feel very very confident in their abilities.
3)Despite common belief, they have lots of autonomy, and private attendings only make up between 1-2 of their patients out of a census of 10.
4) Considered to be among the top 2 programs in acuity of patients (Columbia is other), so you see see very very sick and complicated patients...not only challenging, but each patient is like treating three patients, so you see more stuff than you would at other places. They say that when they rotate at the County hospitals (Harbor/Olive View) or the VA they feel like its very easy to treat those patients who typically have one or two problems instead of eight or nine. The residents said they feel like they can take care of anything you throw their way.
5) THEY ARE Q6!!!!!
6) THEY ARE Q6!!!!!
7) They are front loaded, so 6 months of each of R2 and R3 years is ambulatory/consult w/o nights/wknds.
8) Great comaraderie among housestaff, who all are very happy and highly recommending of the program
9) The Faculty are said to be "laid back" compared to more hierarchy based East coast programs.
10) State of the art, paperless hospital that is absolutely beautiful and costs mucho $$$...will open in Jan 07 (hopefully on time, though may realistically be Summer 07)
11) Its in one of the nicest parts of Los Angeles, 4 miles from the beach, and on a enormous college campus in a great college town...beautiful weather and beautiful people. Common, shorts in December, this is great.
12) Great ancillary services, every residents I spoke with said the nursing is fantastic.
13) Senior year Hospitalist months at local community hospital (Santa Monica)...actually work as real hospitalist (you are the attending) for 1-2 months during R3 year.
(-)'s
1) Lots of organ transplants (#1 transplant center in world). About 1-2 out of 10 patients on any service is transplant patient or end stage waiting for transplant (heart/lung/kidney/liver/pancreas, they do them all). Though all the residents said you learn a lot of medicine from these patients, and its a worthy challenge.
2) Only 1 month/year of County medicine, i.e. no 3 hospital system like UW/UCSF
3) Interns work crazy hard.
4) Many patients are so sick, it may seem like you effort is futile.
5) Some of the private attendings don't teach that much, though this is rare, only a few patients a month like this.
6) Since mostly tertiary, you don't get to make the 1st diagnosis, except when at the county hospitals or VA.
That's my take...I am interested if what others took home from their interview/sub I/med school experiences.
