What does "High Power Program" mean to you?

[347932]

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[Sig Savant]

When someone says the name of a program, others will recognize the name for the amount of research that comes from that program.

This program would send its residents to conferences around the nation including ACFAS, ASPS, APMA, etc to present research.

At said conference, the attendings would be the ones lecturing about advances in the profession.

 

[SuperFeisty]

Sounds like the Christians just got a school. PRAISE DA LORD?

 

[PADPM]

That's an easy question. A "high powered program" is any program where the residents have the opportunity to scrub in on MY cases.

 

[JackedUp]

1. Dedicated attendings who enjoy teaching and a feel a responsibility to create quality podiatric physicians
2. Well Rounded
- Clinic
- Academics
- Board Review
- Lecture series
- Journal Clubs
- Conferences
- Forefoot surgery
- Rearfoot Surgery
- Trauma
- Private Practice
- Pediatrics
- Wound Care
- Strong Off Service Rotations
- Work with multiple attendings at multiple locations
3. Research orientated w/ attendings having multiple publications
4. Provides an environment for optimal learning
5. NO WASTED TIME AND RESOURCES

 

[air bud]

If Feli says it is a high powered program

 

[AttackNME]

One where externs are exposed to an absurd amount of cases, and have a ton of work to do, both on-site and off-site. In addition, due to the nature of the workload, it is also expected that externship directors are forced to be selective in the students allowed the priviledge of the program's training.

 

[podpal]

A 36 month surgical residency program IS A HIGH POWERED PROGRAM. Seriously? Whoever is fortunate enough to get into a residency program...don't take it for granted. If you want to do cases, do them. If you want to do research, do it. Please, try to help the other pods out there whether they are in practice or residents or students. Share new techniques, interesting cases, surgical and medical pearls, and try always to make our profession better.

 

[Podophile]

A high powered program pushes its residents from month 1 to 36. It either has attendings with an intense workload or so many attendings that there are many cases to go around, with a good variety. On top of that, the attendings know and use the literature consistently and require their residents to do the same.

I think the difference between a solid program and a high power program is that an HPP is busy BOTH academically and surgically, which can be very difficult to maintain an optimal balance. The HPP has mandatory protected academic time and expects all residents to be up to task, with no exceptions. They also have attendings who show up consistently and push the residents and help them continue to grow and never plateau. They encourage the residents to problem solve and always understand not only WHAT to do but WHY they are doing it.


Good thread btw

 

[347932]

I'm going to interject with a thought. It's just to put it out there and is by no means a criticism or a poke at anyone.

These "High Power Programs". Do you find they teach only the most up to date techniques?

It's obvious that most will teach TAR, but I find through talking to some residents that some programs still encourage their residents to use "old school" techniques that are somewhat antiquated (imo only, so don't jump all over me). Some even shelter their residents from procedures that are really state of the art (Arthroscopic repair of the ATFL with thermocapsular shrinkage for example, Callus Distraction techniques, pediatric surgery exposure), in place of "old school".

So, is "High Power Program" just mean academics and busy? Or is there an expectation that the latest and greatest techniques and hardware is implemented as well (other than TAR which EVERYONE is learning in residency now)?

 

[347932]

A 36 month surgical residency program IS A HIGH POWERED PROGRAM. Seriously? Whoever is fortunate enough to get into a residency program...don't take it for granted. If you want to do cases, do them. If you want to do research, do it. Please, try to help the other pods out there whether they are in practice or residents or students. Share new techniques, interesting cases, surgical and medical pearls, and try always to make our profession better.

Back in the day when not everyone got a surgical program, I wholeheartedly agree. I was very lucky to have had three years when 25% of my class got no surgical training.

 

[Podophile]

I'm going to interject with a thought. It's just to put it out there and is by no means a criticism or a poke at anyone.

These "High Power Programs". Do you find they teach only the most up to date techniques?

It's obvious that most will teach TAR, but I find through talking to some residents that some programs still encourage their residents to use "old school" techniques that are somewhat antiquated (imo only, so don't jump all over me). Some even shelter their residents from procedures that are really state of the art (Arthroscopic repair of the ATFL with thermocapsular shrinkage for example, Callus Distraction techniques, pediatric surgery exposure), in place of "old school".

So, is "High Power Program" just mean academics and busy? Or is there an expectation that the latest and greatest techniques and hardware is implemented as well (other than TAR which EVERYONE is learning in residency now)?

I rotated at 7 different programs and only 1 of those did any ankle replacements. From what I have seen and heard, that training may be primarily obtained through a fellowship (although I hope not). Many cite the high failure and complication rates in the literature as well as the good success and predictability of a fusion.

I think HPPs often have a doc or two who might do these latest and greatest techniques, but I don't think that's it a prerequisite. To me, a HPP should focus on teaching surgical principles and fundamentals. Specific procedures come and go, but a resident who has a rock solid foundation can easily adapt and perform these procedures as she/he deems them indicated and not just use them because they are novel or "that's what I was trained to do".

 

[IlliniHawk]

High Powered Program = Ivy League

 

[ldsrmdude]

I rotated at 7 different programs and only 1 of those did any ankle replacements. From what I have seen and heard, that training may be primarily obtained through a fellowship (although I hope not). Many cite the high failure and complication rates in the literature as well as the good success and predictability of a fusion.

I think HPPs often have a doc or two who might do these latest and greatest techniques, but I don't think that's it a prerequisite. To me, a HPP should focus on teaching surgical principles and fundamentals. Specific procedures come and go, but a resident who has a rock solid foundation can easily adapt and perform these procedures as she/he deems them indicated and not just use them because they are novel or "that's what I was trained to do".

In my rotations, I would agree that I didn't see many programs doing a lot of TAR's if at all. I think of the 5 or so programs I visited, less than half did TAR's. Even the programs that did them didn't give residents that much exposure to them - I don't think I would want any of the graduating residents at those programs doing a TAR on me or my family. I know that there are other programs that have much more exposure though. I don't anticipate training to do TAR's in residency, nor do I really prefer to. If I did do them, I don't think it would be often, and with the steep learning curve plus relatively high failure/complication rate, I would rather leave them to someone who does them more often.

Back to the original question, when I think of high-powered, I think of reputation and numbers. They go hand in hand because I think that, with some exceptions, programs with a high volume of quality cases tend to get a good reputation. Research is important as well, but the top two things that come in to my head are reputation and numbers.

 

[ldsrmdude]

So, is "High Power Program" just mean academics and busy? Or is there an expectation that the latest and greatest techniques and hardware is implemented as well (other than TAR which EVERYONE is learning in residency now)?

I don't think that a high power program has to teach "the latest and greatest." I don't think Dekalb (Podiatry Institute) has any attendings that do TAR's - they didn't when I visited at least. They do use some newer techniques and hardware, but that is not the focus. They teach the basics very well.

 

[DJ Quik]

HI power means any program that trains you to be comfortable in EVERY aspect of podiatry, from wounds, infections, sports med, rear foot, forefoot, ankle surgery, trauma, and clinic. There is not a huge need for a lot of clinic, with exception for wound care, because most graduates are comfortable with clinic by the time they graduate from school. There are programs where you graduate with 6 times the surgery numbers you need, but you don't know how to cast for an orthotic.