Luba
OSRR Intern
Posts: 8
(1/17/02 2:00:33 am)
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PITT - not a top program?
Please - I really need some advice.
Interviewed at Pitt and loved the program, until I talked to a resident when I interviewed in Boston last
week. She basically said that Pitt is not really considered a top program, that their residents get poor
training in sports, they are overworked, and that the hospital is not even a top 10 hospital (it's actually
No. 13 on the US News list, which surprised me, as I always thought of it as a "top-10" place).
I didn't rotate at Pitt but loved it when I visited there. Am I missing something here? Anyone wants to
share their experience with externships/any info about the program, good or bad? Thanks!
Spirit Mike
OSRR Junior
Posts: 36
(1/17/02 3:27:19 am)
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Re: PITT - not a top program?
Hmmm,
I'd also like to see what you get in the way of responses to this question. I loved working there on my
away and whenever I mention it as a place I did an away at, EVERYONE I've talked to has said its a great
program . . . one program that really wants me even said, its the only program that I named that he
would hesitate to discourage me from, to instead go to his program. As for the resident, what year?
What source does she use? Does she know residents at Pitt that feel that way? Or is she using
information she had when she interviewed there? Is she from Harvard? Rumor has it that there is still
bad blood between the two programs since Herndon left Pitt to become Chairman at Harvard . . . could
she perhaps have gotten her impression of Pitt from him? I'd say if you tracked down some of the info
from those questions, you'd have a better perspective on why she said what she said. That's my two
cents.
As for being in the "top 10" I don't know if I'd necessarily go on what US News ranks as a top hospital. I
mean, a top hospital wouldn't necessarily mean anything to your training since I think US News is ranking
it in terms of patient care and not how well you are trained at that place. Example . . . a private hospital
may be in the top 10 but if you don't get to operate there and you're just watching, it doesn't mean
diddly.
Another thing . . . don't you think that top programs probably have a lot of applications because they
ARE top programs and are highly sought after and are applied to by many simply because they are a top
program, regardless of the chances of getting in? If you look on FREIDA, Pitt had 600 apps last year for
year one positions. Harvard had 350, Mayo had 420, HSS had . . . well, its not listed . . . Iowa had 326.
Granted, people's top 10 lists keep changing but I'd say that some of these would be on there. Why
does Pitt have so many people applying there? It's probably not because its in Pittsburgh . . . I find
Pittsburgh a great place to live, but most people I talk to think it sucks and hasn't really shaken off its
blue collar image.
Hope some of that helped. What did you think about the place? Let me know if you have any ideas on
what I said above.
bigjvk
OSRR Intern
Posts: 11
(1/17/02 4:03:04 pm)
Reply
Pitt
This is the first time I've heard someone say negative things about the program. I spent an away month
there this past year and was very impressed. My home program is considered by many to be a top 10 or
15 place and comparatively speaking Pitt is definitely a powerhouse. I find it hard to believe that anyone
would say that it is not top 10 if not maybe top 5. Bad blood? I've heard from some attendings (not at
Pitt) that Harvard was Herndon's dream job from day one and where he always wanted to end up. If that
is the case maybe there is some bad feeling between him and the programs at which he worked in the
past. Sports at Pitt is very very strong, and Fu is considered one of the contry's big experts. The
downside is that because of this fact there are several fellows. I heard some of the Pitt residents
complain about not getting to do much during their PGY2 sports rotation. They did say, however, that
their experience was far better in more senior years. I agree with the last take on the US News numbers.
They seem to be good PR for hospitals but mean very little when applied to individual programs.
Pittsburgh is blue-collar, but this is not a bad thing. The people are very friendly and the city is very
livable. Talk to some other residents and see what their feelings were. No matter how good a place
seems to most everyone there are bound to be people who don't agree or who had bad experiences
there.
OrthoStud
OSRR Fellow
Posts: 87
(1/17/02 5:26:40 pm)
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Pitt
I think Pitt is a fine program, but the
OrthoStud
OSRR Fellow
Posts: 88
(1/17/02 5:28:59 pm)
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Pitt
I think Pitt is a fine program, but the "top" programs are probably Harvard, hss, mayo, Cleveland clinic,
Iowa and Hopkins. Not to take anything away from Pitt, but I don't think it's quite on the same level as
the ivory towers just mentioned. I think Pitt is more in the same tier as Case, Wash U, Duke, Penn, etc.
just my thoughts.
Spirit Mike
OSRR Junior
Posts: 37
(1/17/02 6:08:16 pm)
Reply
Re: PITT - not a top program?
See what I mean about people's top 10 or 15's always being different? I've never heard Hopkin's ortho
program or the Cleveland Clinic's being referred to as Ivory Tower programs as much as I've heard Pitt's.
From what I've heard, Hopkins is still rebuilding . . . So there, decide for yourself because attendings and
med student's opinions aren't consistent except for maybe a few like HSS or Mayo.
It's like you're asking a bunch of stockpickers to choose the stocks they think should be in the Dow.
There will be variations although you will still see a lot of the same names on a lot of lists.
