In the interest of full disclosure - for those of you who may be interviewing at the Harvard Combined Program later this year, please be prepared to explore the following issues when you visit:
1. The program director, Dr. James Herndon, a staunch resident advocate, will be stepping down (as planned) in December 2008. A replacement has not been named.
2. One of the three level 1 trauma centers (Beth Israel Deaconess) in the Harvard program will be breaking off to start its own program in the next couple years.
3. As a result of number 2, the remaining residency program will likely not be called the "Harvard" program anymore as Beth Israel Deaconess is also a Harvard hospital (whose Department chair is more connected politically with the Harvard Med School than that of either MGH or BWH). As a result, while you may match into the Harvard program, your diploma may read "MGH-BWH Ortho Program" or possibly "Partners Healthcare Ortho Program".
4. A massive curriculum overhaul is underway, one that, as it stands, will result in a nonuniform resident experience. Some residents will be BWH based. Others will be MGH based. Therefore, you may never work with certain surgeons (like Jupiter or Scott).
5. The program will be expanding to 14 residents.
6. Two residents are leaving the program this year. One left last year.
That being said, there're many reasons to seriously consider the Harvard program. These are more readily apparent, but the above may not be.
1. The program director, Dr. James Herndon, a staunch resident advocate, will be stepping down (as planned) in December 2008. A replacement has not been named.
2. One of the three level 1 trauma centers (Beth Israel Deaconess) in the Harvard program will be breaking off to start its own program in the next couple years.
3. As a result of number 2, the remaining residency program will likely not be called the "Harvard" program anymore as Beth Israel Deaconess is also a Harvard hospital (whose Department chair is more connected politically with the Harvard Med School than that of either MGH or BWH). As a result, while you may match into the Harvard program, your diploma may read "MGH-BWH Ortho Program" or possibly "Partners Healthcare Ortho Program".
4. A massive curriculum overhaul is underway, one that, as it stands, will result in a nonuniform resident experience. Some residents will be BWH based. Others will be MGH based. Therefore, you may never work with certain surgeons (like Jupiter or Scott).
5. The program will be expanding to 14 residents.
6. Two residents are leaving the program this year. One left last year.
That being said, there're many reasons to seriously consider the Harvard program. These are more readily apparent, but the above may not be.