Programs on probation

Columbia is only on probation due to "insufficient spinal trauma" It hurts them that they don't have a level I trauma, so they have historically gotten a lot of their trauma out at shock trauma (balt) Columbia now ensures dedicated spinal trauma time for an away. There are threads on this from earlier months. Should be reinstated next time around.
Ironically, spine is one of their strongest suits as they generally get very early exposure and lots of experience with it, and generally a lot of their residents end up going into spine!

In general, reason for probation can be highly variable; while sometimes a red flag, other times it is due to something such as change in the numbers of cases seen or an interim chief there for too long, so the efforts you're taking to find out why is a good idea!
Have heard good things about UIC and Tulane so I would definitely not overlook them just b/c of probation; not as familiar with the others.
-OR

thanks for the post!

From what i heard, Maimonides is on probation due to the fact that they did not have a program director. They do now, so, perhaps, they will be reinstated next year.

I am a current resident @ Univ Illinois Chicago. The RRC's biggest complaint with our program is that we work at too many hospitals. I'll explain this. This has been a problem with the RRC for many years. We have continued to work with them to try to continue our current curriculum but they recently choose to ask us to change; hence probation.
We work at a total of seven hospitals over the course of the 4 year Ortho years, but not all 7 each year. (i am exlcuding the intern year b/c it is run by general surgery). We have 7 residents per class ~ 35 residents. Most programs in the country have about 1 per class per hospital...we are in Chicago are busy! But look at your program...how many residents do you have per and how many hospitals are you affiliated with? We at UIC see this as a huge huge huge advantage for Ortho training, to work with so many attendings, systems, patient types (county hospital, veterans, kids, eetc...)

PGY-2 (1st year ortho): 3.5 months at the University Hospital, 3.5 months at Cook County and 1.5 months at the VA Hospital. These 3 hospitals are across the street from each other, no commute. 3.5 months at a Masonic (another level 1 trauma which is a five miles from the University. When you are at these hospitals you are not covering the others, independent services. Each service has a different # of residents and seniority of residents. So at each hospital/service you see different types of cases, patients and have different levels of responsibility (i.e leading journal clubs, scheduling cases, operating 1 on 1, rounding with attendings etc...) you see so much more with this set-up, many different implants systems, approaches/techniques. You take in-house call as PGY-2 solo at times.

PGY-3: VA 1.5 months, County 1.5 months, Univ 3.5 months, Christ Hospital 1.5 months, Research 1.5 months, Masonic 1.5 months (this adds up to 11 months but there not exactly 1.5....u get the picture. Again same response as above about the benefit from the different hospitals. Christ hospital is 20 miles from the Univ but it is only for 7 weeks and you don't have to drive between hospitals, u are there and only there. It is a level 1 trauma center that we operate ALOT!

PGY-4: Children Shriners 3.5 months, Rush North Shore 3.5 months, Masonic Hospital 1.5 months, University 1.5 months, County Hospital 1.5 months....again only 11.5 months but not exactly. Shriners, Rush North Shore are just outside of the city ~ 20 miles, again awesome experience, no other responsibities while there. Rush North Shore is with a private practive group.

PGY-5: County Hospital 3.5 months, University 3.5 months, VA 1.5 months, Rush North Shore 1. 5 months, Christ 1. 5months....again 11.5 months.

Guys/Gals we have an awesome program and have a great time here. We have nothing to hide, so please feel free to ask questions, email me, check out our website which is being worked on currently. Love to have you come check us out. We have new chairmain and PD that started this summer. Both were internal faculty already so we knew them. Lots of good stuff is going to happen here with new chairman and PD who work great together, new business models are being but into place. As far as the probation goes we will comply and have to cut out a hospital. I am not sure of the deadline or which affiliated hospital...have to work out administration stuff. Putting the residents elsewhere won't be a problem b/c we have plenty of clinic/OR for everyone. Thanx....

To all students,
I am happy to announce that our Program has been returned to Full Accreditation by the RRC following our recent site visit in October. Thank you for your questions and inquiries during this process and if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to call or email.

Sincerely,

wnl

I think Jefferson is on that probation list also.
Some story I heard about gaming Medicare payments.

the full listing of programs on probation is here:



of course this does include programs which may have recently had the accreditation renewed. ie. Columbia, as Dr Levine kindly mentioned.

hope this helps

OG2008

st marys (san francisco) had its sight review in august, and we find out in late january the results. I am confident we will be off probabtion as we were on it for chairman change and parent institutional funding reasons, all of which have been rectified.

See Word from new chairman at UF Jville enclosed in interview invitation letter .....atleast he put the status out in the open upfront in the interview invitation letter...

"I believe you are aware that residencies undergo an accreditation processthrough what is known as the RRC or Residency Review Committee forOrthopaedics. The RRC had a review of our program in the spring of 2006. They communicated their concerns in the fall of 2006 and asked for ourresponse. The RRC placed our program on probation effective January 13, 2007as indicated on their notification letter dated March 29, 2007 and areplanning to review us again on January of 2008. Chief among their concerns was the fact that the department had an "interimchair" rather than a permanent one. It appears that was solved with myarrival in November 2006, but as with most accreditation efforts, it isimportant to "trust, but verify". In addition, the RRC will want to verifythat we have put in place a robust curriculum, including basic science, and astrong program for faculty and resident scholarly activity.