- Joined
- Apr 21, 2002
- Messages
- 219
- Reaction score
- 4
anyone know anything about the program
vermont surgery
- Thread starter entropy
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2003
- Messages
- 32
- Reaction score
- 0
Hey, I know the UVM surgery program quite well. They typically have 3 catagoricals, with I think about 10 prelims/subspecialty interns each year. It is a small but intimate program, with no fellowship programs. This means as a resident you do a ton of vascular, colo-rectal, Ct stuff that would otherwise go to fellows. There is no ER residency at UVM which means you see a lot of the trauma stuff right from the ER and pretty much handle it when you are on the trauma service.
The chair of the dept is Dr. Shackford who is a bit "old-school" and runs the departmetn with an iron fist. He can be a bit intimidating but I'll tell you, you learn from him (even while you may fear him!). I think for the most part residents respect him and learn a lot about trauma/vascular surgery from his guidance.
Residents get into the top fellowship programs each year. This past June, one went to colo-rectal at Cleveland Clinic, and another to Vascular (I think also to Cleveland). The third went into private practice. One of this year's chiefs got accepted into Pedi-surg in Pennsylvania, a notoriously difficult fellowship to get.
You do a lot of surgery there, get a lot of exposure to stuff as UVM has a pretty large catchement area. Most stuff from the whole state and upper NY go there. The nearest big facilty is Darmouth and they have their own catchement area.
The dept is serious about the 80+ work week and most residents are trying to abide by it. I think those on vascular are having a hard time and must be pretty flexible about what they are reporting cause I think they are working more than 80 but otherwise, going okay. This will continue to improve as the dept gets used to the requirements.
The hospital is not as up to date in terms of technology for medical records and that stuff so I guess that is downside (orders are still handwritten, not electronic yet). A new ER should be finished within a year. A new addition to the hospital containing ambulatory units will also be done in a year or so which will be more convenient for some of the surgical clinic stuff (no more running 10-15 minutes across campus outside). In general VT is a fun place to be, fairly laid back and not competive. Its a great place to be if you have a family but if your spouse/partner/sig other needs employment, it might be difficult to find depending on their area of expertise as it is a smaller city so not as many jobs around. Anyway, there is plenty to do on your time off - hiking, skiing, sailing, rowing, and all that outdoor stuff. Montreal is only 1.5 hours away and Boston is only 3 hours away.
Email 1
The chair of the dept is Dr. Shackford who is a bit "old-school" and runs the departmetn with an iron fist. He can be a bit intimidating but I'll tell you, you learn from him (even while you may fear him!). I think for the most part residents respect him and learn a lot about trauma/vascular surgery from his guidance.
Residents get into the top fellowship programs each year. This past June, one went to colo-rectal at Cleveland Clinic, and another to Vascular (I think also to Cleveland). The third went into private practice. One of this year's chiefs got accepted into Pedi-surg in Pennsylvania, a notoriously difficult fellowship to get.
You do a lot of surgery there, get a lot of exposure to stuff as UVM has a pretty large catchement area. Most stuff from the whole state and upper NY go there. The nearest big facilty is Darmouth and they have their own catchement area.
The dept is serious about the 80+ work week and most residents are trying to abide by it. I think those on vascular are having a hard time and must be pretty flexible about what they are reporting cause I think they are working more than 80 but otherwise, going okay. This will continue to improve as the dept gets used to the requirements.
The hospital is not as up to date in terms of technology for medical records and that stuff so I guess that is downside (orders are still handwritten, not electronic yet). A new ER should be finished within a year. A new addition to the hospital containing ambulatory units will also be done in a year or so which will be more convenient for some of the surgical clinic stuff (no more running 10-15 minutes across campus outside). In general VT is a fun place to be, fairly laid back and not competive. Its a great place to be if you have a family but if your spouse/partner/sig other needs employment, it might be difficult to find depending on their area of expertise as it is a smaller city so not as many jobs around. Anyway, there is plenty to do on your time off - hiking, skiing, sailing, rowing, and all that outdoor stuff. Montreal is only 1.5 hours away and Boston is only 3 hours away.
Email 1
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2002
- Messages
- 37
- Reaction score
- 1
I went to medical school at UVM. The surgery Department is one of the best I have seen.... Did my internship on the west coast, and am now in one of the top NYC programs. The surgery residents at UVM are hands down better trained then at any program I have been to. OK, here at Columbia, the skill of the Chiefs is laughable in comparison to UVM. There is no way these residents here can go right into the community and successfully practice...
Dr. Shackford. Was my advosor in med school, and I did a bit of research with him. He remains the top physician, and the top surgeon i have ever interacted with. That includes a lot of big names....The second best would have to be Trunkey at OHSU...Shack is demanding, one tough SOB, but very fair. He can handle anything, and feels you too should be able to do so once you have finished his program. All residents get trained in, and become instructos in ATLS. They all get training in the FAST ultrasound method of determining intraabdominal fluid. Comes in handy on those ER consults if you want to do your own abdominal US for Cholelithiasis etc...As a med student I ex-lapped a man with a ruptured AAA with a chief, who was as competent as any vascular attending here at Columbia. THe chiefs here at Columbia may finish with 5-6 aortic cases, I know one going into Pedi who has 1.......The chief i worked with at UVM, now doing CT at Tenessee, finished with almost 50....
The attendings at UVM kick some serious ass. You will operate, and you will operate a lot. You will be drilled on research, and you will know it. Many of the attendings are from top placed fellowship programs, and as such you will match into a great fellowship is you desire.
UVM is a better surgical program than Dartmouth. More cases, more autonomy, and someone who I believe is the best chairman in the country.
Now, let's talk ancillary business. At Columbia, or Cornell, or NYU...As the covering intern you will spend your nights wheeling patients to and from the ct scanner, mri, x-ray. you have to escort all of the icu patients after 6pm...lots of fun right???now let's talk IV's, blood cultures, lab draws........non-stop....OK on to social work.......enough said..at UVM you will do almost NONE of that. In 7months of surgical AI's, I never once had to draw blood.... I did however throw in 10+ chest tubes and over 30 central lines as a med student.....You WILL operate on call...
Finally, Burlington is one of the most incredible little cities and places I have ever lived. It is cold, but you will ski, a lot even as an intern......If I could do things all over again, I would have ranked UVM as my #1 choice. I was interviewed at every top surgical program in the country, and chose a little bit of a name...........and my training as sufferred as such......Please email me if you'd like.....you can even get my number.............
Dr. Shackford. Was my advosor in med school, and I did a bit of research with him. He remains the top physician, and the top surgeon i have ever interacted with. That includes a lot of big names....The second best would have to be Trunkey at OHSU...Shack is demanding, one tough SOB, but very fair. He can handle anything, and feels you too should be able to do so once you have finished his program. All residents get trained in, and become instructos in ATLS. They all get training in the FAST ultrasound method of determining intraabdominal fluid. Comes in handy on those ER consults if you want to do your own abdominal US for Cholelithiasis etc...As a med student I ex-lapped a man with a ruptured AAA with a chief, who was as competent as any vascular attending here at Columbia. THe chiefs here at Columbia may finish with 5-6 aortic cases, I know one going into Pedi who has 1.......The chief i worked with at UVM, now doing CT at Tenessee, finished with almost 50....
The attendings at UVM kick some serious ass. You will operate, and you will operate a lot. You will be drilled on research, and you will know it. Many of the attendings are from top placed fellowship programs, and as such you will match into a great fellowship is you desire.
UVM is a better surgical program than Dartmouth. More cases, more autonomy, and someone who I believe is the best chairman in the country.
Now, let's talk ancillary business. At Columbia, or Cornell, or NYU...As the covering intern you will spend your nights wheeling patients to and from the ct scanner, mri, x-ray. you have to escort all of the icu patients after 6pm...lots of fun right???now let's talk IV's, blood cultures, lab draws........non-stop....OK on to social work.......enough said..at UVM you will do almost NONE of that. In 7months of surgical AI's, I never once had to draw blood.... I did however throw in 10+ chest tubes and over 30 central lines as a med student.....You WILL operate on call...
Finally, Burlington is one of the most incredible little cities and places I have ever lived. It is cold, but you will ski, a lot even as an intern......If I could do things all over again, I would have ranked UVM as my #1 choice. I was interviewed at every top surgical program in the country, and chose a little bit of a name...........and my training as sufferred as such......Please email me if you'd like.....you can even get my number.............
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2016
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
Hello,
My name is Jetvir Singh Currently a 4th year medical student at WUSM. Im originally from Montreal,Canada which is only 1.5 away and thought this is a tremendous opportunity for me since I was looking into an Elective rotation that could be set up at this institution. Its fair to say that this is an ancient forum post however it caught my eye whilst researching opportunities regarding Surgery Residencies/Elective Rotations near by Vermont area. Any mentoring or guidance will be immensely appreciated. Hope this email finds you well !
Sincerely,
Jetvir Singh
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2005
- Messages
- 3,620
- Reaction score
- 5,212
You are responding to a TWENTY year old post here.
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2018
- Messages
- 85
- Reaction score
- 30
depressing how that looks, eh?
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2013
- Messages
- 11,528
- Reaction score
- 27,454
