Univ of Rochester neurology program?

[starmoon]

Hi neurologists,

Any thoughts on University of Rochester for residency training? I realize it's in Rochester. I'm asking about the clinical training and the vibe of the program. Anyone interview or train there?

Thanks for any insights.

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[abcabc1]

Hi neurologists,

Any thoughts on University of Rochester for residency training? I realize it's in Rochester. I'm asking about the clinical training and the vibe of the program. Anyone interview or train there?

Thanks for any insights.

It's considered one of the top Neurology programs in the nation. They rank very highly in terms of NIH funding and, last I checked, they have close to 100 faculty members and their website lists plan to expand aggressively over the next few years.

My sense is Rochester is considered a top 10 program (if not top 5).

 

[wildcat11]

I think a balanced opinion is needed (and I am a long time reader but I only posted 1 time before).

Go look at the current residents:
http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/smd/gme/prospective/neurology/our_residents/current_residents.cfm

There is NOT ONE from a very prestigious medical school, and this program seems IMG friendly as well, which cannot be said of any "top 10" neuro program. The quality and background of the residents says a lot of the reputation and desirability of the program. There are also 0 MD PhDs in the PGY 2/3 group, and given there are a lot more MD PhDs in neuro vs other specialties, a program's ability to attract these types speaks to the quality of the research angle as well.

Yes it is a big expanding porgram, lots of faculty. I would say if forced to rank the quality of the programs, it would be ranked in the 20-30 range --- very good, but nothing special.

At the end of the day you have to go where you like as well. I cannot speak to whether the residents are happier here or UCSF UCLA Columbia Hopkins and other top 10 programs. So if you like Rochester, don't hesitate to rank it high due to some worry that it is a bottom tier -- it isn't.

 

[doublebuckeye]

Pittsburgh, Brown, and UVA aren't prestigious medical schools?

Rochester has four IMGs it appears, and I know they have a relationship with a Polish university where some of the Rochester residents and the PD go over to Poland every year. It sounded very cool. I noticed one of the residents is from Poland. Perhaps from that relationship?

If you want to judge how good a program based on which medical school the current residents went to, by all means please do. That will leave more desirable programs open to me.

I thought Rochester was great, and I got the impression I would have the chance to become an OUTSTANDING neurologist were I to be trained there. The faculty at my medical school regard Rochester as an elite residency program for Neurology.

 

[clement]

I think a balanced opinion is needed (and I am a long time reader but I only posted 1 time before).

Go look at the current residents:
http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/smd/gme/prospective/neurology/our_residents/current_residents.cfm

There is NOT ONE from a very prestigious medical school, and this program seems IMG friendly as well, which cannot be said of any "top 10" neuro program. The quality and background of the residents says a lot of the reputation and desirability of the program. There are also 0 MD PhDs in the PGY 2/3 group, and given there are a lot more MD PhDs in neuro vs other specialties, a program's ability to attract these types speaks to the quality of the research angle as well.

Yes it is a big expanding porgram, lots of faculty. I would say if forced to rank the quality of the programs, it would be ranked in the 20-30 range --- very good, but nothing special.

At the end of the day you have to go where you like as well. I cannot speak to whether the residents are happier here or UCSF UCLA Columbia Hopkins and other top 10 programs. So if you like Rochester, don't hesitate to rank it high due to some worry that it is a bottom tier -- it isn't.

Well, you have to consider that graduates of fancy pants institutions have their pick not only caliber-wise when it comes to where they go, but also geographically. Rochester compared to Boston or SF or LA? So, obviously you're going to see somewhat fewer "desirable" type US grads when it comes to name brand shopping...Doesn't really say anything about the caliber of the residents themselves or of a program necessarily. C'mon, we're all adults and future physicians here. Look, Mayo (which coincidentally happens to be in Rochester, MN) is VERY IMG friendly from what I've heard re the prematch trail. Does that make Mayo any less of a Mayo? No, it just happens to be *there.*

Too many PD's and snotty applicants out there worrying about what kind of brand names they can flaunt in order to maintain the perceived desirability or "reputation" of a program. Along the interview trail, I've heard some very low-caliber comments about some very big name places. Those places, however, will never have to work hard at improving their short-comings, simply based on geography/climate, and a name, nothing more. I've found that some of the true hidden jewel type places are the ones that are where you might consider "the boons" AND they actually HAVE an incentive to work hard at building their programs. That being said, would I want to live there? Probably not. Nonetheless, critical thinking before superficial gliding.

 

[wildcat11]

I am not saying it is not a good program.

I simply had to reply because the original post was utterly ridiculous. Period.

"My sense is Rochester is considered a top 10 program (if not top 5)."

I spilled my coffee when I read that. That is plainly false. Looks it's a great program. Given, as I said, it is a top 20-30 program, that is elite.

But let's not get carried away and call it top 10, and top 5 is plainly silly. And yes, good programs can be in bad locations. I simply said this is not in the same league as UCSF, UCLA, Columbia (eg top 5 programs) --- which have strong candidates from elite schools, are far superior programs objectively, AND located in fantastic cities. Can't argue with that, sorry.

 

[doublebuckeye]

When I talked to the faculty at my school, they all gave me the impression of a Rochester being a top 10 program. I heard "elite," "one of the best in the country," and other very positive comments. I guess you would have a lot of coffee burns if you went here, good thing you didn't.

 

[abcabc1]

When I talked to the faculty at my school, they all gave me the impression of a Rochester being a top 10 program. I heard "elite," "one of the best in the country," and other very positive comments. I guess you would have a lot of coffee burns if you went here, good thing you didn't.

From what I've heard, Rochester is one of the top programs nationwide. That's just from MY experience, but I've even heard a resident from one program mention it as being in the top 3 (or perhaps even # 1; can't recall exactly as this was several years back). I have zero ties to that University or location whatsoever.

Even looking at some old threads on this site, it's not out of reach to place Rochester in the top 10. There are 2nd hand statements in other threads where Rochester is REGULARLY listed as one of the top programs by PDs across the nation. Top 5 maybe a stretch, but 20-30 seems too low. It's considered a VERY good program by people who would know. I don't consider myself someone who would be able to evaluate effectively, which is why my assessment is based on what people more knowledgeable about these issues have said.

 

[clement]

Look, places like SF and LA and so on, ARE great...But are they partially great (reputation-wise) because of the city that they're in and because of the residents that like to be there? Oh sure. All I'm saying is the reputation of some of the very top crop places is sometimes a little overinflated due to geography and the resident brand that geography attracts and recruits. If Rochester were in SF, it'd be a *big* big name.

 

[starmoon]

Yeah I'm definitely putting it on my list to check out. I have sort of been doing the big city thing for a while and am looking for a more family-friendly place. So I guess my real question is, what are some really fantastic programs in the boondocks? I am not looking for a night life. More concerned about good public schools, ability to have a little house and a dog, etc. Spouse has the kind of job that can move anywhere. My requirements are: really great program (I mean REALLY great), not in a red state (or at least not in a red city), and good quality of life in terms of cost of living, etc. Any suggestions are welcome. I'm open.

 

[abcabc1]

Yeah I'm definitely putting it on my list to check out. I have sort of been doing the big city thing for a while and am looking for a more family-friendly place. So I guess my real question is, what are some really fantastic programs in the boondocks? I am not looking for a night life. More concerned about good public schools, ability to have a little house and a dog, etc. Spouse has the kind of job that can move anywhere. My requirements are: really great program (I mean REALLY great), not in a red state (or at least not in a red city), and good quality of life in terms of cost of living, etc. Any suggestions are welcome. I'm open.

Rochester is certainly a REALLY great program, whether it's top 10 or not.

I doubt Rochester proper has great public schools but my guess is some of the suburbs do. I wouldn't worry too much about being dominated by Republicans or Conservatives in Rochester, though upstate is not as liberal as metro NYC. That said, your wallet will feel the effects of being in a blue state! Rochester should be cheap, as its Economy is not that strong.

 

[AlwaysSearching]

I can only speak for myself, but I was really impressed with Rochester. So much so, in fact, that I ranked it second this year. And I'm a MD/PhD from a so-called "fancy pants" institution, for what it's worth. From the Poland program to teaching undergraduates, Rochester has unique opportunities I didn't find elsewhere. They also have a ridiculous pass rate for the boards, better than the generally regarded "Top 5" program at my home institution, if I recall.