i am also curious about U. Maryland? what are your thoughts, DJD?
i think it is overall a good program. They do lack a true Hand service, and peds is weak (although you go to Hopkins for this...don't know how that is...and for tumor as well). I know it's "shock trauma" but i wonder if the amount of trauma is miserable? that's my concern. however, it doesn't look like they hammer it within the curriculum some programs i've seen. I know some people really like Pellegrini, and some dont'. guess it's kind of love/hate. But he supposedly make Penn St. a really good program. I didn't rotate there, and not from there....so opinions based on interview and talking with others. But i do know this place a little better than some i interviewed at.
Anyone know how good sports is? you think it would be good, but i heard it's so-so???

I did an away rotation at U. Maryland and came away feeling uneasy. Not only do they lack a true hand service but I really didnt see where they got their hand experience at all. They have one trauma hand attending but my understanding is that he did stricly trauma. Dr. Pelligrini does hand also but it only takes up about 30% of his practice and he is supposedly scaling down his clinical duties to concentrate on administrative stuff. One of the chiefs is going into hand and has gone 5 years without a dedicated hand surgeon. I think the amount of time they have gone without a hand surgeon is a sore spot amoungst the residents.
I also thought the sports were iffy, apparently one of the chiefs that wanted to do sports had only done one ACL on his own. Maybe this has changed since, I dont know. I didnt rotate on the sports service.
They also have to go away to Hopkins for Peds and Tumor. The residents hate these rotations because of the "high stress environment" at Hopkins. The residents also walk on eggshells with anything that has to do with Pelligrinni, but maybe thats how it is with every chairman. Anyway...I still think its a good program just not as good as I thought going in. My two cents.

If you're interested in Baltimore, I'd highly suggets Union Memorial. By far, the best program in the city. Strong joints, sports, F&A, and Curtis National Hand Center. We go to Hopkins for Tumor and Peds, and trauma at Shock. The ortho dept. is probably the strongest in the hospital, so the residents are very well treated. 3 PAs to do most of floor crap. Also, 6 months of House service as a Chief with your own autonomous clinic, OR block time, carte blanche labs, studies, etc.

The atmosphere is also awesome. We all hang out together, as well as with a lot of the other surgery residents. Attendings are very approachable, yet give tons of autonomy (if you're comfortable, most stuff in ER can be treated without talking to attending unless OR or admission.)

6 year program is definitely a curve ball when comparing to other programs, but it gives an extra year of OR experience, with built in elective time for a "mini fellowship". Plus, the call schedule is nicer.

Questions???

dr sawbones - your program sounds pretty attractive. would you say that the program is one that looks at the overall picture of the applicant or does it lean more towards the "strictly numbers" kind of thing?

Yo yo, the program is definitely interested in the kind of person you are. After all, you'll be here for 6 years. If you're very interested, I strongly suggest rotating. That goes for any program you're interested in. Them getting to know you and vice versa goes a long way. If not, they only invite about 30-40 (I think) for interviews, so you're numbers have to be decent.

thanks for the info sawbones, i'm definitely going to look into it. btw, did you mean "yo, yo" as in "yo, yo, i gots rhymes" or were you referring to me as "yo-yo" as in "dear yo-yo, to answer your question...etc etc"?