Hello, I just wanted to post my experience at the Monmouth medical center over the last 4+ years since there is no current information regarding the program on the social media.
The residency accepts two people per year for a total of 10 residents. The group is pretty tight knit and we do hang out outside of work when time allows. Most of our time is spent at MMC, however we do spend 11 months away, and we are able to go to 5 surgery centers around the area. Our Away rotations are at CHOP in Philadelphia for Pediatric orthopaedics, and UMDNJ for Trauma and Tumor. During these away rotations accommodations are provided by the program. The faculty at the main hospital comprise of more than 35 attendings all of which all are fellowship trained subspecialists. So the faculty to resident ratio is very high. The focus is on operating early, and being the primary assistant or primary surgeon early on in residency. Clinical research is available and is required at a rate of one publishable paper per year, and some residents do more.
While at the main hospital the focus is on pediatrics, joints, level 3 trauma, spine. There is also some hand, sports, and foot and ankle. There are daily didactic lectures in which there are attendings usually present, there is Fracture conference twice a month, JBJS conference twice a month, and a journal club one a month.
The residents from the program have usually gotten there first or second choice of fellowships over the last four years. Some of the fellowships have been Insall and Kelly sports/Joints fellowship, Brown University Sports, Rothman Institute hand and upper extremity, SF Upper extremity, Stanford Spine surgery, and the University of Miami Musculoskeletal onocology. Additionally, the graduates have gone to work in both the private and university setting both in the area and away. Recently we have had graduates go on to be Chairmanâs, program directors, and assistant program directors.
Our faculty consists of some graduates, however, many attending are from outside residencies and fellowships. The multitude of attending physicians give the residents a very diverse orthopaedic surgical experience. Additionally, the large amount of attending physicians are very helpful for networking for fellowship and beyond. The away rotations are very good experiences as they give the residents an opportunity to meet new world class faculty, work at the nations top hospital ( CHOP was named the #1 hospital for pediatric orthopaedics in the country for multiple years running) and network for future endeavors.
The Board pass rate is very good. There has only been one resident who has not passed step one ABOS since the program was founded in 1948, and since this time the program has graduated more than 100 residents. In addition to the above didactic lectures the residents are sent to at least one educational conference per year PGY2-4 PG-4, and in the chief year the resident is sent to 1-2 board review conferences plus a specialty conference.
My own experience has been positive. I have been a first assist or main surgeon since my first year of residency, I have more than 1600 cases thus far and I have more than 5 months to go. We have added the five surgery centers recently which has give us a wonderful exposure to Hand/Upper extremity, Sports, and Foot and Ankle. The residents have a good relationship with the faculty, and since the program is small no one âslips through the cracksâ and there is a great push to produce a good resident. I have had the opportunity to get to know and work along side our program director and chairman on a weekly basis. I have met multiple residents on my away rotations, interviews for fellowship, and conferences and I feel that my skill level is as good or better then any resident out there. I also felt that our spine experience is by far greater then many of the programs out there. In speaking to the graduates most if not all have felt more then prepared for there fellowships and beyond. The attendings are very helpful in attaining fellowships, and in designing and producing clinical research. While at this program I have had the opportunity to publish four clinical research papers, and there are a few more in the works. We also have a resident run clinic where an attending physician proctors the residents and you follow patients throughout your time in residency. This clinic allows you to have your own patients and participate in the diagnosis, care, and management of your own patients with an attending physician overseeing you. Additionally, the salary is more than adequate to live comfortably and as a resident there are multiple nice apartments less than .25 miles away on the beach.
The downside to this program is that there is no basic science research. Additionally, it is a small program so there is no hiding, and if somebody is out the rest of us have to pull up the slack. Also the program is a community program without a well known name (although it is the first residency established in NJ), however, I have not seen that this has altered any residents opportunity to get the fellowship or job that they desire. Overall, I have been happy with this decision.
If you are interested in the program I would encourage you to do an away rotation. If you are a fourth year and have received an interview if you have time come spend some time with us. You may also email me questions directly if you like. [url=mailto]
[email protected][/url]. Good luck!
