UIC v Stanford

[tapetum]

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any thoughts??

 

[tapetum]

just one final effort to see if anyone can give me any info on either program. i liked both during my interviews, but if anyone has further knowledge, thatd be great. Thanks!

 

[ojos]

Both are great programs. I think UIC has more of an "academic" feel to it, I think UIC is more on the upward trend with its new chairman, but that being said, I think Stanford is a terrific place to train, and every resident I have talked to there has been very happy with no regrets.

Stanford was higher on my list.

 

[bmk579]

UIC was higher on my list. Stronger overall faculty. Stanford's location is the main advantage over UIC.

 

[Eyeguy123]

I can't believe anyone could ask this question. Have you seen UIC's facilities? Resident satisfaction was much higher at Stanford than UIC. Stanford hands down!

 

[bmk579]

hmmm.... not sure I agree with you there. Especially the "hands down" part.

If you look at the overall reputation of the department, size/strength of the faculty, amount of research/funding within the ophthalmology department, I think UIC wins.

You are right about the facilities not being very good (old building), but that shouldn't be anywhere near the most important factor to consider. I think that residents at UIC will tell you that they are very happy with their training. Everyone also ends up where they want to go, in terms of getting into the most competitive fellowships.

 

[uchicagophtho]

UIC has an overall strong academic reputation, and the facilities, while not sparkling new, are spacious and quite functional. A potential advantage at Stanford might be an easier time matching into a West Coast fellowship or landing a job in California, however, people routinely do both of these things from other parts of the country as well.

 

[Eyeguy123]

hmmm.... not sure I agree with you there. Especially the "hands down" part.

If you look at the overall reputation of the department, size/strength of the faculty, amount of research/funding within the ophthalmology department, I think UIC wins.

You are right about the facilities not being very good (old building), but that shouldn't be anywhere near the most important factor to consider. I think that residents at UIC will tell you that they are very happy with their training. Everyone also ends up where they want to go, in terms of getting into the most competitive fellowships.

Stanford has a good reputation, is in a beautiful location with great facilities and the senior residents there matched into their top choices this year. I'd bet that people who are not in ophthalmology recognize Stanford more than UIC (practically speaking).

UIC has a lot of internal strife with faculty, many are there simply for name recognition alone (you won't ever work with some at all), the chair focuses on resident pedigree for selection, and in terms of potential employment, which could hurt you if you want to stay on as faculty. In terms of research funding, I would be surprised if the majority of it was not from a drug company. Many many other programs, including Stanford rival/surpass UIC for NIH funding, but many do not have the same agreements with Allergan and the like.

 

[Superfrost]

Stanford has a good reputation, is in a beautiful location with great facilities and the senior residents there matched into their top choices this year. I'd bet that people who are not in ophthalmology recognize Stanford more than UIC (practically speaking).

UIC has a lot of internal strife with faculty, many are there simply for name recognition alone (you won't ever work with some at all), the chair focuses on resident pedigree for selection, and in terms of potential employment, which could hurt you if you want to stay on as faculty. In terms of research funding, I would be surprised if the majority of it was not from a drug company. Many many other programs, including Stanford rival/surpass UIC for NIH funding, but many do not have the same agreements with Allergan and the like.

Wow such misinformation about UIC, are you trying to get in and thus smearing it on the internet?

 

[bmk579]

Stanford has a good reputation, is in a beautiful location with great facilities and the senior residents there matched into their top choices this year. I'd bet that people who are not in ophthalmology recognize Stanford more than UIC (practically speaking).

UIC has a lot of internal strife with faculty, many are there simply for name recognition alone (you won't ever work with some at all), the chair focuses on resident pedigree for selection, and in terms of potential employment, which could hurt you if you want to stay on as faculty. In terms of research funding, I would be surprised if the majority of it was not from a drug company. Many many other programs, including Stanford rival/surpass UIC for NIH funding, but many do not have the same agreements with Allergan and the like.

Eyeguy123, your post is so bizarre that I am taken aback. Where are you getting your information from?? It's not even a matter of having differing opinions, some of your statements are just plain wrong.

None of the faculty are there for name recognition alone (honestly, if they were, there are programs out there with even higher name recognition than UIC). Residents work with all the clinical faculty. There are a significant number of faculty who are purely research/PhD types that the residents do not work regularly with, but are all available if someone wants to work with them on research.

The research funding is all serious NIH or NEI type of funding. Dr. Azar's lab alone has millions of dollars in NIH funding. Your statement about UIC receiving most of its research funding from drug companies/Allergan is ridiculous, and I would challenge you to come up with any proof or even the name of a single researcher in the department who gets most of his/her funding from a drug company. The ophth department at UIC is by far its strongest department and pulls in the most national/government grant money within the UIC College of Medicine. If you are comparing the 2 eye departments (UIC and Stanford) in terms of GOVERNMENT grant money coming into the OPHTHALMOLOGY department, UIC wins.

Stanford has a good reputation as an institution (undergrad/med school/etc), but its ophthalmology department is definitely not one that is mentioned when you ask department chairs/faculty about top ophthalmology programs around the country. Sure, people outside of ophthalmology may recognize the Stanford name more than UIC, but how is that important when you are trying to match into an OPHTHALMOLOGY fellowship or get a job with an OPHTHALMOLOGY practice?

Residents at UIC historically match into top choices at very competitive fellowships, which includes this year as well (Columbia for retina, Wash U for retina, UIC for cornea). You said in one of your other posts that you are from Columbia, right? So you should know that Columbia has a top-notch retina fellowship.

I agree with the Superfrost in wondering what your motives are for posting such bizarre and unfounded information. Don't get me wrong, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and UIC is not for everyone, but I do have a problem when someone posts something that is bizarre and unfounded.

 

[JayZBlue]

I think both are superb programs, but while we're talking about UIC, I just wanted to also mention that Drs. Lim and Mieler are great new additions to the program. They both have fantastic reputations as educators and contributors to our field. Dr. Maumenee, who recently joined as well, is also another huge name that will up the profile of UIC. That being said, I agree that for many, it'll be tough to beat Stanford's location and resident satisfaction, and it seemed like they get solid clinical/surgical training also.