Wake Forest vs. Univ of Michigan

[gentakina]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I really liked both programs and the locations are similar both "quite" places except for the weather. Taking out the weather factor, which program seems to have better prestige within the Anesthesia world?

 

[Piston09]

I really liked both programs and the locations are similar both “quite” places except for the weather. Taking out the weather factor, which program seems to have better prestige within the Anesthesia world?

What is the deal with all these U Michigan posts by new members? Call me cynical but @ my UM interview MULTIPLE faculty members asked me if I wanted any clarifications about the program I may have heard from others or SDN. I may be totally wrong but I've lived in Ann Arbor AND Winston Salem and umm...they are not the same!

 

[cleansocks]

What is the deal with all these U Michigan posts by new members? Call me cynical but @ my UM interview MULTIPLE faculty members asked me if I wanted any clarifications about the program I may have heard from others or SDN. I may be totally wrong but I've lived in Ann Arbor AND Winston Salem and umm...they are not the same!

I call your cynical and raise you ironic since u only have 11 posts, tangential since the OP asked about prestige, and narrow minded since some people choose based on criteria other than location.

to OP: Prestige-wise Michigan is considered to be one of several truly elite programs of anesthesia. It's also a ~ top ten medical school and a top 20 hospital. Thus it'll be very prestigious to lay people, general medical people, and anesthesiologists as well. Wake is considered to be a fantastic program as well in the anesthesia world, though I don't know if its reputation outside of that realm extends beyond the south (it could - just don't know for sure). I didn't interview there so take a Californian's opinion on Wake with a grain of salt!

 

[Piston09]

I call your cynical and raise you ironic since u only have 11 posts, tangential since the OP asked about prestige, and narrow minded since some people choose based on criteria other than location.

to OP: Prestige-wise Michigan is considered to be one of several truly elite programs of anesthesia. It's also a ~ top ten medical school and a top 20 hospital. Thus it'll be very prestigious to lay people, general medical people, and anesthesiologists as well. Wake is considered to be a fantastic program as well in the anesthesia world, though I don't know if its reputation outside of that realm extends beyond the south (it could - just don't know for sure). I didn't interview there so take a Californian's opinion on Wake with a grain of salt!

Cleansocks I find YOU to be ironic since you've had uhh 100 or so posts since 2005. I think you read these boards and post occasionally just like...well ME. I was responding to the statement that the original poster made that the locations seem the same which anyone who has step foot in Winston Salem or Ann Arbor can clearly say is FALSE let alone having lived in BOTH locations. I was making NO statements towards choosing based on location, simply correcting the assumption that they are the same. Especially if the OP had only visited the two for 24 hours on an interview. Especially if the original poster was from, I dunno California and thinks every city smaller than LA looks the same. I have no problems with Michigan, I hold a degree from there and LOVE the school and especially Ann Arbor. Clearly I also interviewed there for residency. I found it amusing though that the faculty were mentioning SDN in the interview as if they thought ppl. took this site that seriously. I read it yeah but in the end my impressions of the school are based on MY interview experience and MY assessment of the program. I was posting mostly to see if anyone else had a similar experience there not to offend anyone.

 

[gentakina]

Dear CleanSocks thank you for your reply; I really appreciate your input. Piston09 when I mentioned similar I also qualified it with “quiet,” I am sure you will agree that Ann Arbor is no hustling bustling metropolitan city.

As for my dilemma, I guess I will outline the reasons as to why it was such a difficult choice for the future readers who I hope get some benefit from this post when they are applying.

Regarding Michigan, I found it to be a great program indeed. The chair and the PD are awesome and nice. All of my interviewers were great individuals with great personalities. Michigan provides you with almost everything and have some well known personalities with good connections in anesthesia at the department. Great didactics. The only fellowship that they do not have at this time is Regional. Residents were one of the happiest of the interview trail. Michigan matches everyone into Categorical spots.

Regarding WFU, here I also had similar feelings as Michigan. The chair and PD are super nice. The chair is well renowned individual within the world of Pediatric Anesthesiology and is the president of Board of Pediatric Anesthesiology. The Journal Anesthesiology is edited at WFU. The editor in chief of the journal is also at WFU. Have some famous personalities in pain at WF. Regional and OB are one of the best. They have almost all fellowships including regional, but they do not have pediatrics while having some famous Peds people there. Residents also very very happy. 12 out of 13 spots Categorical. While didactics do not match to what is offered by Michigan, I was told by a resident that they have 8-10 faculty who are board examiners. So, I hope you can see the dilemma I faced before certification of ROL.

And this is just a humble opinion from someone who interviewed at both of these institutions.

 

[Simple]

Go Wake, i am a third year resident CA2 at WFU. Phenomenal, teaching across the board. We have very focused teaching intraoperatively. Our well known faculty are some of the nicest people you will meet. Surgeons are very enjoyable as a whole and we have good interactions with them. People always talk poorly about Winston-Salem but that was one of the reasons I came here. Friendly, trusting people, great weather, Mountains within 2 hours, ocean within 3.5 hours, Waterskiing on really nice lakes, Charlotte and Raleigh within 1.5 hours, great diversity of cases. I think we have a good reputation, I have never heard of anyone having trouble finding a job. Faculty respect and listen to our concerns. Overall I am extremely happy I came here. Good luck in your choice.