orthogirl1
Registered User
Posts: 1
(5/15/01 5:40:01 pm)
Reply
Harvard Program/Away Rotations
I was wondering if anyone has any input on the Harvard Residency Program. I was also wondering if you
might know about away rotations there, e.g. which elective is best for getting to know the residents,
attendings, etc...
bonehead
Registered User
Posts: 2
(5/16/01 5:31:36 am)
Reply
Re: Harvard Program/Away Rotations
I only have second hand information, but I hear that it is quite "intense" (to put it graciously). I was
basically told not to apply by my faculty advisor, unless I enjoyed teaching by intimidation and
humiliation. Again from second hand sources, I've heard that the intern year is absolutely brutal (I've
heard of grown men crying).
That being said, I'm certainly going to apply and probably will rank it highly if I get an interview, if only
because I love Boston and have family reasons for being there. Who's gonna turn down a program that
let's you operate at MGH and the Brigham? As far as intensity, I'd rather see for myself.
crazy joe davola
Registered User
Posts: 34
(5/16/01 8:01:55 am)
Reply
Re: Harvard Program/Away Rotations
Focusing on the Harvard combined program is a very personal decision. My career goals include academia
only as a secondary objective. However, I applied to Harvard and was excited when I got an interview. I
then cancelled it to interview at a small community program, which I thought I'd be more likely to rank
highly.
I've heard the same negatives about Harvard, but others have told me that things are changing there. A
good friend of mine rotated there for about two weeks and loved it. She knows all the faculty names and
what books they've written, and she's got pretty strong ties to the northeast.
I've heard that one of the best sources of information is the students who have rotated there. I'd try my
hardest to talk to these people.
Bonebuster
Registered User
Posts: 7
(5/16/01 10:44:34 am)
Reply
Re: Harvard Program/Away Rotations
I interviewed at Harvard and I was greatly impressed. The hospitals there are awesome. There is no
doubt that the residents work hard, but they say they are happy. They operate a TON and research
opportunities are coming out of their ears. Though I did not rank it No. 1, I do believe it is the best
academic program in the country.
BB
Orthomatched
Registered User
Posts: 1
(5/16/01 6:34:35 pm)
Reply
Re: Harvard Program/Away Rotations
Some positives... No question the hospitals at Harvard are some of the best in the country. You also get
to rub elbows with some of the most famous faculty members in the country. They give a terrific
presentation when you interview, and the residents seem extraordinarily happy and proud of being
Harvard residents. Though there's not a lot happening around the hospitals themselves, residents are
only a subway ride away from downtown Boston and Cambridge. Plus, the name doesn't hurt.
The negatives... Somebody on Medschool.com reported that the program intentionally "disinvites" some
of the residents who may have negative things to say about the program. There are apparently some
residents who are the "chosen few" by the faculty members and are taught MUCH better than residents
who aren't singled out; in other words, the teaching is extremely variable. Because the Harvard program
covers 5+ hospitals, the residency can be isolating and lonely (sniff, sniff) despite the fact that they take
10 residents/year. The hours are routinely long, the call schedule difficult. Internship is a beast, but it
depends on which hospital you're assigned to. Finally, this is a six-year program. Residents split their
time during sixth year doing research and being the trauma super-chief, which is obviously no fun.
My advisor strongly discouraged me from applying to this program despite its obvious positives. I did it
anyway, and I have also heard that the chairman will be making changes to the program to make it more
palatable (what exactly, I have no idea).
harvardcombined
Registered User
Posts: 2
(10/4/01 7:08:35 pm)
Reply
Re: Harvard Program/Away Rotations
being a PGY-2 at this program i might be somewhat biased, but here's the inside scoop from someone
who actually knows from 1st hand experience.
internship: depends on where you go -
beth israel: fairly benign
mass general: surprisingly fair, good cameraderie
brigham (mine): probably the toughest of the three, but changing slowly with PAs helping out on most
of the services.
also, new this year the interns do 2 months of ortho, 2 months of radiology/anesthesia/rheumatology.
residency: you rotate through 4 hospitals, BI has some trouble but it won't affect the progam in any way
whether it stays or goes.
call for PGY2 on average q5, at the brigham and the general you have a PGY3/4 covering the ER from
6pm to 6am that takes care of consults and admissions for you, so all you cover is the floor - mostly
tylenol calls ;-( or the OR
during PGY3 you do 6 months of peds at children's hospital, which has the best ortho peds experience in
the country. you take q5-7 call but the ER is REALLY busy. then 3 months of hand and VA home call,
one month of ER night shifts, the rest is regular q5 in-house call.
PGY4 is senior home call and one ER night shift rotation.
PGY5 again senior home call and a hand rotation with home call.
all in all, in-house call is pretty easy and limited to 2nd and 3rd year.
new change this year - no more chiefship! it's officially a 5 year program now
learning experience - great: wednesday there's protected time from 7am to 12pm for CORE, eg
attendings don't get resident coverage and you spend the time with lectures, anatomy courses
(dissection lab every summer for 2 months with 8 bodies), and bioskill labs.
true, some attending bigwigs have so many VIP patients that you don't get to do much on their service,
but overall you get a good experience: the PGY2 total joint rotation at the general averages 100-150
joints in 10 weeks.
it is a great program and the new residency director has changed the atmosphere significantly for the
better.
apply or you lose out, it's a great program and i would apply again in a snap even though internship
wasn't fun, but hey, it's a single year.
good luck no matter where you apply - you'll love ortho
OrthoStud
Registered User
Posts: 38
(10/5/01 6:58:18 am)
Reply
harvard
Thanks for that info ... Harvard doesn't sound more brutal than other places I've heard about. One
question: What kind of credentials are they looking for at Harvard...I realize publications are probably
important to them, but can you give us some idea of what kind of numbers on step 1 they interview?
Thanks
Registered User
Posts: 1
(5/15/01 5:40:01 pm)
Reply
Harvard Program/Away Rotations
I was wondering if anyone has any input on the Harvard Residency Program. I was also wondering if you
might know about away rotations there, e.g. which elective is best for getting to know the residents,
attendings, etc...
bonehead
Registered User
Posts: 2
(5/16/01 5:31:36 am)
Reply
Re: Harvard Program/Away Rotations
I only have second hand information, but I hear that it is quite "intense" (to put it graciously). I was
basically told not to apply by my faculty advisor, unless I enjoyed teaching by intimidation and
humiliation. Again from second hand sources, I've heard that the intern year is absolutely brutal (I've
heard of grown men crying).
That being said, I'm certainly going to apply and probably will rank it highly if I get an interview, if only
because I love Boston and have family reasons for being there. Who's gonna turn down a program that
let's you operate at MGH and the Brigham? As far as intensity, I'd rather see for myself.
crazy joe davola
Registered User
Posts: 34
(5/16/01 8:01:55 am)
Reply
Re: Harvard Program/Away Rotations
Focusing on the Harvard combined program is a very personal decision. My career goals include academia
only as a secondary objective. However, I applied to Harvard and was excited when I got an interview. I
then cancelled it to interview at a small community program, which I thought I'd be more likely to rank
highly.
I've heard the same negatives about Harvard, but others have told me that things are changing there. A
good friend of mine rotated there for about two weeks and loved it. She knows all the faculty names and
what books they've written, and she's got pretty strong ties to the northeast.
I've heard that one of the best sources of information is the students who have rotated there. I'd try my
hardest to talk to these people.
Bonebuster
Registered User
Posts: 7
(5/16/01 10:44:34 am)
Reply
Re: Harvard Program/Away Rotations
I interviewed at Harvard and I was greatly impressed. The hospitals there are awesome. There is no
doubt that the residents work hard, but they say they are happy. They operate a TON and research
opportunities are coming out of their ears. Though I did not rank it No. 1, I do believe it is the best
academic program in the country.
BB
Orthomatched
Registered User
Posts: 1
(5/16/01 6:34:35 pm)
Reply
Re: Harvard Program/Away Rotations
Some positives... No question the hospitals at Harvard are some of the best in the country. You also get
to rub elbows with some of the most famous faculty members in the country. They give a terrific
presentation when you interview, and the residents seem extraordinarily happy and proud of being
Harvard residents. Though there's not a lot happening around the hospitals themselves, residents are
only a subway ride away from downtown Boston and Cambridge. Plus, the name doesn't hurt.
The negatives... Somebody on Medschool.com reported that the program intentionally "disinvites" some
of the residents who may have negative things to say about the program. There are apparently some
residents who are the "chosen few" by the faculty members and are taught MUCH better than residents
who aren't singled out; in other words, the teaching is extremely variable. Because the Harvard program
covers 5+ hospitals, the residency can be isolating and lonely (sniff, sniff) despite the fact that they take
10 residents/year. The hours are routinely long, the call schedule difficult. Internship is a beast, but it
depends on which hospital you're assigned to. Finally, this is a six-year program. Residents split their
time during sixth year doing research and being the trauma super-chief, which is obviously no fun.
My advisor strongly discouraged me from applying to this program despite its obvious positives. I did it
anyway, and I have also heard that the chairman will be making changes to the program to make it more
palatable (what exactly, I have no idea).
harvardcombined
Registered User
Posts: 2
(10/4/01 7:08:35 pm)
Reply
Re: Harvard Program/Away Rotations
being a PGY-2 at this program i might be somewhat biased, but here's the inside scoop from someone
who actually knows from 1st hand experience.
internship: depends on where you go -
beth israel: fairly benign
mass general: surprisingly fair, good cameraderie
brigham (mine): probably the toughest of the three, but changing slowly with PAs helping out on most
of the services.
also, new this year the interns do 2 months of ortho, 2 months of radiology/anesthesia/rheumatology.
residency: you rotate through 4 hospitals, BI has some trouble but it won't affect the progam in any way
whether it stays or goes.
call for PGY2 on average q5, at the brigham and the general you have a PGY3/4 covering the ER from
6pm to 6am that takes care of consults and admissions for you, so all you cover is the floor - mostly
tylenol calls ;-( or the OR
during PGY3 you do 6 months of peds at children's hospital, which has the best ortho peds experience in
the country. you take q5-7 call but the ER is REALLY busy. then 3 months of hand and VA home call,
one month of ER night shifts, the rest is regular q5 in-house call.
PGY4 is senior home call and one ER night shift rotation.
PGY5 again senior home call and a hand rotation with home call.
all in all, in-house call is pretty easy and limited to 2nd and 3rd year.
new change this year - no more chiefship! it's officially a 5 year program now
learning experience - great: wednesday there's protected time from 7am to 12pm for CORE, eg
attendings don't get resident coverage and you spend the time with lectures, anatomy courses
(dissection lab every summer for 2 months with 8 bodies), and bioskill labs.
true, some attending bigwigs have so many VIP patients that you don't get to do much on their service,
but overall you get a good experience: the PGY2 total joint rotation at the general averages 100-150
joints in 10 weeks.
it is a great program and the new residency director has changed the atmosphere significantly for the
better.
apply or you lose out, it's a great program and i would apply again in a snap even though internship
wasn't fun, but hey, it's a single year.
good luck no matter where you apply - you'll love ortho
OrthoStud
Registered User
Posts: 38
(10/5/01 6:58:18 am)
Reply
harvard
Thanks for that info ... Harvard doesn't sound more brutal than other places I've heard about. One
question: What kind of credentials are they looking for at Harvard...I realize publications are probably
important to them, but can you give us some idea of what kind of numbers on step 1 they interview?
Thanks