Anyone have any thoughts on the residency program at USF? Obviously, the program is in a great location with a great cost of living. However, I know that this program traditionally has not been strong and that it is currently in transition with a new program director. Does anyone know of any specifics regarding the direction of this program or if it would be detrimental to go here over a program that is more established?
USF PM&R residency
- Thread starter RnH723
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Would love to hear thoughts on this program (and others). Most of the information I've seen primarily focuses on the "Big 5 / Super 6" programs. It'd be great to get some reviews of lesser known programs. I'd hate to accidentally bypass a potentially great-fit at a program simply because of ignorance.
Would love to hear thoughts on this program (and others). Most of the information I've seen primarily focuses on the "Big 5 / Super 6" programs. It'd be great to get some reviews of lesser known programs. I'd hate to accidentally bypass a potentially great-fit at a program simply because of ignorance.
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I just noticed this. See my thoughts in 2013 rank list thread.
I should disclose that Im a chief resident at USF PMR, just so you know I am a little biased about our program. However, that being said, when I first got here, it was one program, and thanks to our program director that took over two years ago, and some key attendings and hospital additions, its a completely different program, and one that I have been extremely excited to be part of.
We split time between James A Haley VA, USF clinics, Moffit Cancer Center and Tampa General Hospital. Each place offers some excellent opportunities.
Moffitt cancer is one of out interventional rotations and their scope is huge for PMR training, including all basic interventional techniques up to pump and stimulator placement and cancer pain procedures. We also do interventional techniques in community pain clinics, at the VA and at TGH.
Tampa General Hospital is the number 1 ranked hospital in Florida and consistantly third or fourth in the nation for transplants, so we actually get interesting exposure to transplant, cardiac and pulm rehab as well as pediatrics and general rehabilitation there.
USF clinics are mostly sports medicine and we get to work with D-1 teams and along side the USF sports fellows.
JAHVA is the largest of the five polytrauma centers and the 52 million dollar polytrauma/rehab building opening this year has been dubbed "the jewel of VA rehab" by VA leadership. Its also a TBI model system, SCI model system and an Exoskeleton center for spinal cord injuries. We do our EMGs also through the VA and every resident hits over 200 without an issue. By the completion of my third year, I had already recorded 219 emg's and I still had another month of EMG's.
Alright, so thats the facilities. We are a categorical program, have two slots per years (possibly three in the year). As residents, we have huge opportunities to participate in research but the program only requires a single project if you are not into research. That being said, with only six residents (first years in their prelim year), over the past two years, we have had forty two posters presented, four book chapter authors, four journal publications apart from posters and chapter work, two research awards and grants. Our program director is very supportive of academic projects and funding for projects/travel is not difficult here as it is other places.
Being a small program, and with supportive PD and coordinator, we are able to make the most of our program depending on what we want to go into; the flexibility is amazing. I am going into a pain fellowship and have had the opportunity to have six months of interventional pain before I will even graduate here. They want us to be successful when we are finished and it really is a resident education driven residency rather than a service driven residency, which makes all the difference. As long as you get the 12 months of inpatient and 12 months of outpatient, the rest of the time can be used to shore weak spots or work on electives that will benefit your future.
For two years in a row, we have landed our top two choices in the match and we are excited about the future here.
I would agree with ChargerBo8 that our lectures could use some improvement and that is one of the areas attendings are working on. We currently have five hours protected time on Tuesday from 730-1230 in which we have lectures. We are trying to broaden our lecturers and hopefully this will continue to improve.
Other than that, being a small program, when we have an issue, our program director truly listens to us and actively works to improve our program. An example is we used to take call for a number of attendings we never rounded with or recieved education from. After multiple attempts to correct this by increasing attending educational support from thos attendings with no improvement, she took us off call from those attendings, lowering our number of beds we were covering on call from 160 to 80, a huge pressure off us (Call is home call and very,very reasonable now)
Alright, I suppose I have rambled enough. I tend to continue to run on about our program because I am honestly very proud to be part of it. Please feel free to pm me or email at at [email protected] if you have any questions. I am an AAPMR and AAP volunteer mentor, so answering emails about PMR or our program is something I am more than happy to do. Thanks for taking time to read this post!
We split time between James A Haley VA, USF clinics, Moffit Cancer Center and Tampa General Hospital. Each place offers some excellent opportunities.
Moffitt cancer is one of out interventional rotations and their scope is huge for PMR training, including all basic interventional techniques up to pump and stimulator placement and cancer pain procedures. We also do interventional techniques in community pain clinics, at the VA and at TGH.
Tampa General Hospital is the number 1 ranked hospital in Florida and consistantly third or fourth in the nation for transplants, so we actually get interesting exposure to transplant, cardiac and pulm rehab as well as pediatrics and general rehabilitation there.
USF clinics are mostly sports medicine and we get to work with D-1 teams and along side the USF sports fellows.
JAHVA is the largest of the five polytrauma centers and the 52 million dollar polytrauma/rehab building opening this year has been dubbed "the jewel of VA rehab" by VA leadership. Its also a TBI model system, SCI model system and an Exoskeleton center for spinal cord injuries. We do our EMGs also through the VA and every resident hits over 200 without an issue. By the completion of my third year, I had already recorded 219 emg's and I still had another month of EMG's.
Alright, so thats the facilities. We are a categorical program, have two slots per years (possibly three in the year). As residents, we have huge opportunities to participate in research but the program only requires a single project if you are not into research. That being said, with only six residents (first years in their prelim year), over the past two years, we have had forty two posters presented, four book chapter authors, four journal publications apart from posters and chapter work, two research awards and grants. Our program director is very supportive of academic projects and funding for projects/travel is not difficult here as it is other places.
Being a small program, and with supportive PD and coordinator, we are able to make the most of our program depending on what we want to go into; the flexibility is amazing. I am going into a pain fellowship and have had the opportunity to have six months of interventional pain before I will even graduate here. They want us to be successful when we are finished and it really is a resident education driven residency rather than a service driven residency, which makes all the difference. As long as you get the 12 months of inpatient and 12 months of outpatient, the rest of the time can be used to shore weak spots or work on electives that will benefit your future.
For two years in a row, we have landed our top two choices in the match and we are excited about the future here.
I would agree with ChargerBo8 that our lectures could use some improvement and that is one of the areas attendings are working on. We currently have five hours protected time on Tuesday from 730-1230 in which we have lectures. We are trying to broaden our lecturers and hopefully this will continue to improve.
Other than that, being a small program, when we have an issue, our program director truly listens to us and actively works to improve our program. An example is we used to take call for a number of attendings we never rounded with or recieved education from. After multiple attempts to correct this by increasing attending educational support from thos attendings with no improvement, she took us off call from those attendings, lowering our number of beds we were covering on call from 160 to 80, a huge pressure off us (Call is home call and very,very reasonable now)
Alright, I suppose I have rambled enough. I tend to continue to run on about our program because I am honestly very proud to be part of it. Please feel free to pm me or email at at [email protected] if you have any questions. I am an AAPMR and AAP volunteer mentor, so answering emails about PMR or our program is something I am more than happy to do. Thanks for taking time to read this post!
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Dr. Eichberg used to come to LSU as a guest lecturer - do you still get to work with him?
Also, it seems form the website that you are a section under the Department of Neurology - is that, in fact, the case?
Also, it seems form the website that you are a section under the Department of Neurology - is that, in fact, the case?
Hello ampaphb,
We do still rotate with Dr. Eichberg. I am actually starting my rotation with him next month for a two month run and I am really looking forward to it.
We are under neurology now but we are looking in the future to have our own chair at USF. Until then, the neuro dept here is excellent and its just more resources at our disposal.
Thanks!
Rob
We do still rotate with Dr. Eichberg. I am actually starting my rotation with him next month for a two month run and I am really looking forward to it.
We are under neurology now but we are looking in the future to have our own chair at USF. Until then, the neuro dept here is excellent and its just more resources at our disposal.
Thanks!
Rob
