Your step 1 is already in hand, so please allow me to ask how you will decide what programs to apply to? A&M and UAB have been popular choices among the best OU grads going into gas in recent years...What is your take? I have gotten into a few fights over on the gas board over the quality of OU's program in part because of what OU grads have told me, but I am curious to know what factors you will consider when applying.
The problem w/ applying to any program not at your school, is the limited amount of exposure you have to that program. There is the opportunity to do away rotations in 4th years, but honestly, if your specialty of choice is competitive in the least, you're going to be applying to numerous programs that you never really know anything about.
That seems to me, a big gamble when you're talking about potentially spending 4 years at a program which you essentially know nothing about.
Anyways, that said, I really like the program at OU. The residents are smart, personable, and easy to get along with. The facilities are nice, the equipment is top-notch, there's wired or wireless internet in the rooms, they offer a pain fellowship, the program is a nice mix of clinical and academic work, OU offers an anesthesia extern program where 3rd and 4th year students can work alongside the residents and attendings, learn about anesthesia, and get to know the inner workings of the residency program. In addition, OU now offers in-house moonlighting which is a HUGE plus for the program. The hours are good, decent benefits, etc. In addition, per the residents, the intern year is AWESOME. It's at Baptist hospital with the only other residents there, being a couple of FM guys and a radiology resident. Sweet hours, you get to function as the code team leader, etc. I've heard previous 4th years say that the intern year was a major factor in their decision to rank OU #1.
From what I've heard, OU is pretty competitive within the region, (especially since they started the moonlighting gig, and I've found nothing I don't like about the program. That's not to say there aren't deficets. As with many programs, attending teaching is variable (ok, since I'm rather an independent learner). OU doesn't have great transplant training (I'm not planning on doing transplant in a major urban area), and the nerve block training is a little lacking compared to some places (if I want to do pain mgmt, I'll do a fellowship). So it's a good fit for me is what it comes down to.
I'd consider myself a competitive applicant (4.0 this year, 3.9 the first two, and 253 Step 1), but with something like 20 applicants from this school alone last year for 5 slots for OU students, it's pretty darn competitive if you want to be here, as I do.
The only other programs that I've researched that I like enough to apply to in the general region are Johns Hopkins in Arizona, and Scott and White in Texas. (Honestly, I like OU's program better than either one of these, thus far for several reasons, and I might rank these two high, but not #1).
So, I don't know what's flying on the other forums, but rumors are like... well you know.
He's a PGY-1 gas at OU this year.
