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Looking for updated opinions regarding UIC vs UChicago for gen surg. Please comment!
UIC vs UChicago gen surg
- Thread starter fattycakes
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Can't make many comments here, but pretty sure UChicago requires 2 years of research even though they don't say so on the website. From what I hear (on this board), it is virtually mandatory. UIC does not. Just FYI
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I know this is late but for next year's people...
Always take opinions with a grain of salt, but it's about all you'll be able to use to gauge a program pre-interview, sadly. Talk to others and get their opinions. Here is a summary of my thoughts after pretty extensive experience with U of C and having chosen not to apply to UIC.
U Chicago is highly academic. It does not require research but encourages it- about 50% do take a year or two off, per the residents. The big weakness in my eyes is that the consensus I got was it leaves something to be desired in clinical skill (the "can I go be a confident general surgeon right out of residency" test). The PD is absolutely awesome though- very friendly and calm, not malignant at all, and he won't tolerate malignancy. The other surgery faculty I know there are all awesome. The residents are friendly and love teaching. It's very academic so if you like debating research and predictive values like me, they're game. I think it's fair to use a program's Oral/Written board pass rates to decide how good they are as well- I refused to interview anywhere with lower than ideally an 80 and absolutely not below a 70% pass rate on both. Most places I interviewed were in the 90s, and U of C and NW had the highest pass rates in Chicago. And it really doesn't hurt they have that brand new absolutely beautiful surgical hospital... But the ultimate rank list test is: Would I go there and be happy? Would I smile if I opened the envelope and it said U of C? You bet I would.
I did not interview at UIC based on their current probation status and hearing that the word on the street is they are a weak program with proportionally way too much robotics. Their board pass rates are lower than U of C and in my opinion they're really not on the same tier. That said, an attending I know once told me he felt the UIC residents were "clinical powerhouses". Now I have no personal experience with UIC so my assessment may be skewed or wrong, but this is what attendings and students before me told me... and the probation status is publicly available (google "residency probation surgery" or something along those lines).
This part is for new-incoming M4's that don't know it yet (you probably already did all your interviews, oh well):
You really have to decide what you want: a hard core academic tract or one that will prepare you to be an out-of-the-box general surgeon. No program totally excludes you from doing either, but there are programs that tailor to one or the other. I was very keen on trying to figure out what programs will prepare me to practice without need for a fellowship. You may be different, find what you want.
Edit: It bears mentioning I am not a UChicago student or resident... I don't want anyone to detract from the review by thinking I somehow have a stake in the place.
Always take opinions with a grain of salt, but it's about all you'll be able to use to gauge a program pre-interview, sadly. Talk to others and get their opinions. Here is a summary of my thoughts after pretty extensive experience with U of C and having chosen not to apply to UIC.
U Chicago is highly academic. It does not require research but encourages it- about 50% do take a year or two off, per the residents. The big weakness in my eyes is that the consensus I got was it leaves something to be desired in clinical skill (the "can I go be a confident general surgeon right out of residency" test). The PD is absolutely awesome though- very friendly and calm, not malignant at all, and he won't tolerate malignancy. The other surgery faculty I know there are all awesome. The residents are friendly and love teaching. It's very academic so if you like debating research and predictive values like me, they're game. I think it's fair to use a program's Oral/Written board pass rates to decide how good they are as well- I refused to interview anywhere with lower than ideally an 80 and absolutely not below a 70% pass rate on both. Most places I interviewed were in the 90s, and U of C and NW had the highest pass rates in Chicago. And it really doesn't hurt they have that brand new absolutely beautiful surgical hospital... But the ultimate rank list test is: Would I go there and be happy? Would I smile if I opened the envelope and it said U of C? You bet I would.
I did not interview at UIC based on their current probation status and hearing that the word on the street is they are a weak program with proportionally way too much robotics. Their board pass rates are lower than U of C and in my opinion they're really not on the same tier. That said, an attending I know once told me he felt the UIC residents were "clinical powerhouses". Now I have no personal experience with UIC so my assessment may be skewed or wrong, but this is what attendings and students before me told me... and the probation status is publicly available (google "residency probation surgery" or something along those lines).
This part is for new-incoming M4's that don't know it yet (you probably already did all your interviews, oh well):
You really have to decide what you want: a hard core academic tract or one that will prepare you to be an out-of-the-box general surgeon. No program totally excludes you from doing either, but there are programs that tailor to one or the other. I was very keen on trying to figure out what programs will prepare me to practice without need for a fellowship. You may be different, find what you want.
Edit: It bears mentioning I am not a UChicago student or resident... I don't want anyone to detract from the review by thinking I somehow have a stake in the place.
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They were veryyyy concerned about the probation status and emailed way too many explanations and updates about it. They do have a world leader in robotic surgery at UIC, so that's why they have a heavy robotic surgery experience. They are of the opinion that it will be the next big thing someday. I look forward to my robotic skin cancerectomy, someday.
From reading about the issues and speaking to the program director, etc. I think they are working very hard to resolve the accreditation issue and I don't think it will be a chronic issue. That said, I did not match to either program and have no stakes, except the personal desire to be facetious.
From reading about the issues and speaking to the program director, etc. I think they are working very hard to resolve the accreditation issue and I don't think it will be a chronic issue. That said, I did not match to either program and have no stakes, except the personal desire to be facetious.
Dear,
Would you like to gu
Would you like to gu
dear would u like to guide me , i got 202 in step1 and 190 step 2ck, waiting for cs, i m peer reviewer of a surgical journal in USA and organizer of a surgical society and written 7 research papers on urology and MIS all are accepted for presentations in USA. Which program is suitable for me?
