I'd like to hear about Grand Rapids also if anyone has the scoop.

We (kzoo) like people that are easy going and will work well in a small group of residents (we take 2 a year). Our chairman does like applicants with good USMLE scores but having a 260 and no social skills or being a conceited jerk wont get you anywhere either. We all get along very well and have fun and operate a lot with a minimum of scut. We do get a lot of perks (home call, free loupes, free food all the time at the hospitals, have cast techs to help out on call). We have had good success in people getting great fellowships out of here as well. If you are looking to come and do a ton of research, there are other programs where that will be easier to do. Not to say you cant do research here, there just arent a ton of projects that you can jump in on like at some large university settings. We abide by the 80 hour rule and do so without lying (not so at all places). We usually interview around 30 or 35 people. The residents just give their general feelings on applicants that interview (A=really like, B=no pluses/minuses, C=some serious flaw/weirdness) Interview process is very benign and I believe they still pay for your hotel and a nice dinner.

As for grand rapids, I did not interview there, but they are less than a hour away, and I have not heard any bad things about them.

Feel Free to ask any other questions.

I rotated at Kalamazoo in 2004 and I thought it was a great place. The strengths of the program:
- only have clinic on 2 days (mainly half days) regardless of your PGY level
- Get to operate a lot as a PGY2
- Do not have "rotations" so you will do a variety of cases each day
- Free food- unlimited
- Very nice hospitals- 2 level 1 trauma centers
- Great staff, in which some are fresh out of fellowships and others are seasoned vetrans.
- Great teaching didactics
- Allowed to do away rotations in places they are interested in doing a fellowship
- home call

Negatives:
- Little peds surgical experience
- Little tumor surgical experience- typical of a lot of residencies
- q 3 call schedule
- 2 residents per year?- but are trying to get another spot per RRC
- Small city ?- but cost of living is low

All in all, I think that the residents are very prepared for life after residency. Talking to the PGY2's, it is clear to see that they are far beyond other PGY2 because of their surgical experience. The residents and staff get along very well. I would have loved to have been a resident there, but that is the luck of the draw with the match process.