I can speak as a current med student at Michigan.
Patient load: Yeah, we're not an inner city hospital breaking at the rims with patient overload. That said, our beds are pretty much always full. I've never heard a resident say they felt they didn't have a big enough patient load. I guess it is up to you how important it is to have the feeling of babies popping the seams of the ER. But, the plans for the new hospital include even more beds if that's any indication of the current state.
Facilities: not flashy, but certainly not as bad as some that I've seen on the interview trail. I'd put the facilities at average. Nothing special, but bright, reasonably spacious, no real complaints. Though, the opening of the new hospital in 2011 (or whenever it's scheduled...) will be amazing.
Didactics: I feel there is definitely good teaching on rounds. It's where I did most of my learning as a student. Of course, it always varies from attending to attending, but overall I think it's great. The general hospitalists (who cover all of the general services) are especially great -- they are hired knowing that teaching will be a major part of their job, and they love it. The subspecialists are also, on the whole, fantastic. Some really use rounds for teaching points. Some need a little more prodding (i.e. direct questions) to get going, but once they get going, they're great. I suppose this breakdown is a reality of all programs...
Conferences: Always really great attendance. When you're working on the wards or in the hospital clinics, you pretty much always go. Only if you're off site that month, or in the ICU (where you have your own separate teaching conferences) are you not there. And that goes for interns and seniors.
"Top pediatricians": If you mean reputation, I guess you'd have to ask others about this. If you mean strong, well-balanced, evidence-based pediatricians, then definitely. I think the residents are really bright and the attendings that trained at Michigan are incredible. Then again, my personal bias is that any "strong" program will train you to be a fantastic pediatrician. And I think Michigan is a strong program. Great general peds from being one of the only children's hospitals in the state, and great subspecialty training from being a referral center for the region.
