Where can we find out more about different programs?

[BlinkyCat]

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Do people actually call each individual programs they're interested in and request for brochures or are brochures pretty useless? I wanted to learn more about each program and wonder if looking at their websites and talking to people sufficient for data gathering. Any thoughts? 🙂

 

[HCE]

Do people actually call each individual programs they're interested in and request for brochures or are brochures pretty useless? I wanted to learn more about each program and wonder if looking at their websites and talking to people sufficient for data gathering. Any thoughts? 🙂

I assume you also looked at SDN's Residency Interview Feedback section. Also, for the specialty in which you're interested, you can usually get some feedback from applicants and graduates of various programs in the specialty forums below. If it were me, I would try to find an actual resident at a few of my top programs and call them. Again, looking at the forum for your chosen specialty might yield such folks.

 

[PirateHotel]

bump..

The online resources I'm aware of are:

Program website
AMA - Freida
SDN of course
scutwork.com

any others?

 

[Ariee]

bump..

The online resources I'm aware of are:

Program website
AMA - Freida
SDN of course
scutwork.com

any others?

Ya, those are the only one's that I'm aware of too. Scut work is the best, IMHO b/c it answers a lot of raw q's. I almost think that SDN would do really great if it partnered up with scutwork. Sorry, I don't think this response really answers ur q, but hopefully will spark more interest!

G'luck,
A 🙂

 

[gutonc]

Ya, those are the only one's that I'm aware of too. Scut work is the best, IMHO b/c it answers a lot of raw q's. I almost think that SDN would do really great if it partnered up with scutwork. Sorry, I don't think this response really answers ur q, but hopefully will spark more interest!

You're joking right? Have you not seen the "Co-hosted with scutwork.com" on the top of the General Residency Issues page?

And has scutwork been updated recently? Last I checked (a year or so ago) it hadn't been updated in more than 2 years and attempts to contact the site administrators were unfruitful.

 

[Ariee]

You're joking right? Have you not seen the "Co-hosted with scutwork.com" on the top of the General Residency Issues page?

And has scutwork been updated recently? Last I checked (a year or so ago) it hadn't been updated in more than 2 years and attempts to contact the site administrators were unfruitful.

Oops 😳...I haven't been on scutwork for a while, but you're right, I did notice it now that you point it out, excuse my brain constipation...

Yep, scutwork is out-dated a bit huh? At least for the programs I checked into about a month or so back. So, can residents still add comments or they can't as the site administrator is not keeping up? Hmm...maybe SDN could take over and help out...

Tho- I do remember seeing NEW in red beside some programs, does that mean those are recent reviews? Gonna go check it out right now...

 

[gutonc]

Oops 😳...I haven't been on scutwork for a while, but you're right, I did notice it now that you point it out, excuse my brain constipation...

Yep, scutwork is out-dated a bit huh? At least for the programs I checked into about a month or so back. So, can residents still add comments or they can't as the site administrator is not keeping up? Hmm...maybe SDN could take over and help out...

Tho- I do remember seeing NEW in red beside some programs, does that mean those are recent reviews? Gonna go check it out right now...

I just did that myself. Looks like it is getting updated but the vast majority of reviews I looked at are 2 or 3 years old.

Also, one thing everyone should keep in mind when looking at reviews like this (scutwork, SDN, Yelp, whatever) is that the bulk of people who bother to write reviews of things are the unsatisfied customers. So definitely take negative reviews with a grain of salt.

 

[Ariee]

I just did that myself. Looks like it is getting updated but the vast majority of reviews I looked at are 2 or 3 years old.

Also, one thing everyone should keep in mind when looking at reviews like this (scutwork, SDN, Yelp, whatever) is that the bulk of people who bother to write reviews of things are the unsatisfied customers. So definitely take negative reviews with a grain of salt.

Thanks gutonc, u beat me to it...that's good news tho- hope more will fill out results. I find the scutwork results to be awesome when the reviews are honest...(eg. xyz is great about program, xyz needs improvement, hrs are x, fellowships are y, etc) especially with a lot of reviews, it really confirms. I then ask about particular entities of interest during IV's...

 

[ResidentMD]

Thanks gutonc, u beat me to it...that's good news tho- hope more will fill out results. I find the scutwork results to be awesome when the reviews are honest...(eg. xyz is great about program, xyz needs improvement, hrs are x, fellowships are y, etc) especially with a lot of reviews, it really confirms. I then ask about particular entities of interest during IV's...

The good thing about scutwork is it gives you a heads-up. Some things may not change e.g. the patient population,etc. But say someone in 2005 was complaining about the EMR system in a particular location, you can always ask the residents when you interview at such a place whether things have improved or not. I guess it can also help a more specific and structured discussion at different places.

Having said that, there has been an issue when I read a weird post on scutwork about a program and put it up on SDN for comment. Within hours, someone from that med school came and clarified the entire issue. That was something. So always take whatever you read with a pinch of salt, as gutonc has said above.

 

[PirateHotel]

ACGME is another source of 'hard data' that may be useful.


scutwork is great, but has obvious limitations i.e. the subjectivity. But sometimes people give the heads up on important issues as ResidentMD mentioned. Hopefully it gets updated!

 

[Frugal Traveler]

I would ask residents at your school what programs they found interesting on the trial.

You can also ask what issues are truly important to them now that they are residents.

 

[Ariee]

The good thing about scutwork is it gives you a heads-up. Some things may not change e.g. the patient population,etc. But say someone in 2005 was complaining about the EMR system in a particular location, you can always ask the residents when you interview at such a place whether things have improved or not. I guess it can also help a more specific and structured discussion at different places.

Having said that, there has been an issue when I read a weird post on scutwork about a program and put it up on SDN for comment. Within hours, someone from that med school came and clarified the entire issue. That was something. So always take whatever you read with a pinch of salt, as gutonc has said above.

thanks RMD 🙂, I see you increased grain to a pinch, hehee, true true!

 

[ResidentMD]

thanks RMD 🙂, I see you increased grain to a pinch, hehee, true true!

Haha Ariee...you got me 🙂.