can i get some feedback for those that have interviewed at UCSD this season? Outside of living in SanDiego, which probably would take the edge off even the most malignant program, I don't really know much about this program, but would have to give up a quality interview to look here...
Pro's, cons & where residents live would all be extremely helpful.
JW
I just interviewed there yesterday, and I really loved it. I'm probably looking to stay more toward LA/OC area, so that's the only reason it most likely won't be ranked on the top of my list.
I've heard stories about it being a malignant program, but I really didn't get a sense of that AT ALL. Everyone was really awesome, and the program director really impressed me. Her values and changes she's made to the program really floored me.
They just revamped the floor team system. I'm really not clear on how it was before, but apparently there were tons of complaints and sub-par teaching. They restructred it to a team/subspeciality based system (everything is blurring together, and I'm already forgetting specifics), but apparently everyone loves it now and there is much more time for teaching. A lot of it, I think, has to do with the new PD.
Floor call is also q5, which is insanely cool. NICU, PICU, etc, is q4 still. And on call nights, there is a floating senior who crosscovers, so you don't have to, which I think is a huge plus.
Residents live all over the area, I'm not sure where, specifically.
Cons....for me, it's further away than I'd like. You also rotate among a few different hospitals, which can get annoying, I'd imagine. Notes and orders and stuff are still a paper-based system, which they tried to spin as a positive, but I'm just a very computer-oriented gal, I guess. There may be other cons, maybe I'm just really gullible and didn't see any others. I know there was a lot of weird controversy about this program being malignant and stuff, but I still don't know specifics, and I just REALLY didn't get that sense.
I'd be interested in other opinions, though, too!! Good luck!!
