Agree with above. Additionally, know that the residents at Southwestern have a HUGE say in their rank list (probably as big as faculty). Be cool to residents and take any opportunity you can find to socialize with them (although they are so busy you might not get that opportunity). Learn all the multitude of paperwork heaped on the residents and start doing it for them at any chance you get. They get worked to death and if you can make their lives easier it will bode well for you. Call and request to be on the trauma service. Drs. Reinert and Starr hold a ton of sway and if they like you you will be ahead of others. Above all, come ready to work non-stop without sleep, food, or complaining (I pulled more than one 38 hour stretch without so much as a ten minute nap that month). Show them you are interested, competent, and tireless and you have a shot. But don't put your eggs in that basket even if you kick ass. They have about 50 rotators a year and almost all of them are good hardworking guys. They only match 6 so you could easily be a star and still not get in there. One other tip if you decide it is where you want to be: let them know emphatically. The residents and faculty both like to hear that their program is the best and that you are dying to be a part of it. Even the suspicion that you don't really want to be there can send you plummeting down their rank list. Enough about how to get in, here is the skinny on the program:
Intern year is 90% gen surg and you'll get beat on by the gen surg faculty for being a dumb pod. q3 call almost every month.
Second year is q4 but probably worse than intern because there is zero sleeping on call and you work till the following night. There are anatomy dissections and case conferences for which you will have to prepare on your own time (which is miniscule). By far the hardest year, but they get to operate some. I think one myth about this program is that they operate early and often in the second year. My experience was quite the contrary. There was always a 4th or 5th year scrubbed and doing most of the actual operating. This was in july though so maybe it picks up later in the year for the junior residents.
Third year is split between VA and Scottish Rite. VA call is q4 from home (nice). Scottish rite has incredible facilities and stellar faculty if you are interested in pedi.
4th & 5th years are split up among Parkland and private hospitals on various subspecialties.
They are very good at trauma, hand, and total joints. Relatively weak in sports (but added private sports rotation that should help). Weak in spine with tons of clinic and very little operating (neurosurg takes 100% of trauma that is operatively managed). Great foot faculty but trauma focused foot experience.
Also, 5th year has an overseas rotation that is lauded by the residents as a great experience.
Overall it is excellent training and you'll get a fellowship of choice if you go there, but it is q4 in house call through the chief year which many would not like (myself included). Some of their program may change for the better in coming years as they recently went from 5 to 6 residents per year. Supposedly the extra manpower is going to be used to lighten the workload and call schedule in years to come. I would ask about that when you rotate, but don't come across as lazy.
Good luck.
