UCLA vs. Cedars Sinai vs. USC

[Unty]

Anyone have an opinion in regards to these three for training (surgpath fellowship), ability to land a job in the West Coast, hours and environment (attendings, resident camaraderie), attaining a subspec fellowship afterwards in the same program?

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[sohsie]

Anyone have an opinion in regards to these three for training (surgpath fellowship), ability to land a job in the West Coast, hours and environment (attendings, resident camaraderie), attaining a subspec fellowship afterwards in the same program?

Can't really comment on USC or Cedars. UCLA has a very good surgpath fellowship program. They have a ton of subspecialty fellowships but almost all will be filled by the time you start the fellowship assuming you are looking to do the subspecialty the following year. However, sometimes openings occur and if you are good you will be in an advantageous position to get it.

The hours are good, mostly about 8-6 or 7, much shorter on many rotations. You will likely not be taking call at all during the year. No grossing (except at one away rotation that I know of, but the attendings gross at this location as a normal part of their day) but you will be teaching/helping the residents to gross. Attendings and residents get along really well and there are some group resident activities (depends on resident motivation to put them together). Attendings are friendly and teach very well. UCLA is a major transplant center if you are into transplant pathology. Lots of material in all other areas as well.

One possible downside is that the fellows dont really have true attending responsibility. You can't sign anything out yourself, even frozens. You may act as attending and have sign out with a resident, but ultimately an attending will actually sign out the cases. As far as I know USC gives the fellows much more responsibility in this area.

Pretty much everyone I know (with rare exceptions) found work in the area they wanted, but your experience may vary.