orthohopeful
Registered User
Posts: 1
(2/19/01 5:11:01 pm)
Reply
Programs in the southeast?
Anybody out there willing to share your impressions of programs around the southeast (meaning east of
Dallas and south of the mason-dixon line)? I am particularly interested in Alabama-Birmingham, Wake
Forest, Orlando Regional, Atlanta Medical Center (formerly Georgia Baptist), Emory, South Carolina. Any
other programs that I'm overlooking would be appreciated.
Generally wondering about resident happiness, malignancy of program, operative experience, facilities,
and reputation i.e. ability to get fellowships afterwards.
Thanks.
crazy joe davola
Registered User
Posts: 13
(2/22/01 5:34:29 pm)
Reply
Re: Programs in the southeast?
I can comment on AMC and Orlando, where I interviewed.
Both:
These are community programs, where the vast majority of faculty work in the area at various hospitals,
where they devote time from their private practices to teach residents. This is a style of program that
has pros and cons - I would very seriously investigate the differences between community and university
programs.
AMC:
At the interview, many of the residents showed up to talk to us. They literally all seemed enthusiastic and
happy. A couple of residents mentioned specifically that they wouldn't be happy at a university program.
No one complained about staff malignancy. They expressed what I feel to be a typical mix of positive and
not-so-positive areas of the program/Atlanta. The residents operate a great deal at several locations,
including Grady (with Emory residents) as PGY-4s. We toured AMC hospital, but did not see other
facilities - nothing in particular stood out. I doubt AMC will rank highly for reputation. Then again, that's
not why most AMC guys were there.
Orlando post pending...
crazy joe davola
Registered User
Posts: 14
(2/23/01 10:55:09 am)
Reply
Orlando
Orlando Regional Healthcare:
This program interviews very late (first week in February). Unfortunately, I think several guys bail out of
this interview for that reason. They only take two new residents per year, but I was very impressed with
this program. Again, the community program has a different feel, but if you're flexible, you'd be excited
about matching in Orlando.
First, the location is hard to beat - it felt great to get in a rental car and have to hurry to put the AC on
in February. Almost all of the ten residents show up for the night-before dinner and are very laid back
and enthusiastic. They operate a lot with many private surgeons in Orlando (about 20, I think) at
different hospitals, but only take call at Orlando Regional. Several of the residents emphasize the "private
world" feel of the program and the advantages of seeing how private surgeons run their practices. They
don't pretend to churn out acedemicians, but rather well-trained orthopods who can enter private/group
practice or go on to a fellowship. Usually 1/2 seniors do a fellowship.
Regarding mailignancy, the residents will slowly stop working with any private doc who treats them
poorly. One advantage of their system is that the rotations with surgeons aren't rigidly controlled or
mandated by a central university or program. The facilities at Orlando Regional are very nice, and there
are several nice perks for the residents, including quality ancillary staff (ortho techs, ortho nurses), great
ortho lounge/library/call rooms. Of course the hospital ORs operate like well-oiled machines as well.
orthohopeful
Registered User
Posts: 2
(3/21/01 9:13:42 am)
Reply
come on guys
Somebody here had to have interviewed or matched at some programs in the southeastern U.S.
Help me out with your impressions if you get a chance.
P.S.
Congrats to all that matched yesterday!
kingdog
Registered User
Posts: 2
(3/29/01 1:14:25 pm)
Reply
SOUTHEAST
TAKE A LOOK AT MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA. STRONG CLINICAL TEACHING AND GOOD VOLUME
OF CASES. RESIDENTS ARE GREAT AND CALL IS Q6. GREAT ATTENDINGS MOST FELLOWSHIP
TRAINED. HOSPITAL IS NOT GREAT. AUGUSTA IS NOT OUTSTANDING BUT YOU DO GET THE MASTER'S
EVERY YEAR.
TR1
Registered User
Posts: 13
(3/29/01 2:11:37 pm)
Reply
SE
The only programs I looked at in the southeast were Duke, Miami, and Emory. Duke seemed to have it
all. Great attendings, residents, facilities, research, reputation, operative experience. I know the operative
experience part is often chided, but I did a month there as a 4th year medical student and was
impressed with the operative ability of the chiefs and the overall OR caseload.
Miami has an unbelievable trauma caseload. The residents and attendings all seem like a pleasure to work
and "hang-out" with. Overall, the residents did not seem to take their responsibilites as seriously there,
and went to the beach whenever possible rather than read, do research, etc. (Let me emphasize that
this may be extremely attractive to many).
Emory is a VERY similar program to Miami. Great spine, trauma. Good people, and excellent research
being done in the "spine world" and in basic science of bone healing. Facilities are very nice.
I ranked these 3 as follows on my rank list:
1. Duke
4. Emory
5. Miami
Hope this helped some.
