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Union Memorial Hospital
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Union Memorial Hospital Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program
User reviews
3 reviews
Overall rating
9.1
Staff Surgeons
9.3(3)
Didactics/Teaching
8.3(3)
Operating Experience
9.7(3)
Clinical Experience
9.3(3)
Research
7.7(3)
Residents
9.7(3)
Lifestyle
9.3(3)
Location
8.7(3)
Overall Experience
9.7(3)
Update 2015: 5 year program
Overall rating
9.1
Staff Surgeons
9.0
Didactics/Teaching
9.0
Operating Experience
10.0
Clinical Experience
10.0
Research
7.0
Residents
10.0
Lifestyle
10.0
Location
8.0
Overall Experience
9.0
Program Review
Staff / Faculty / Chairman
see previous
Didactics / Teaching
Improved didactic schedule is more formal, otherwise unchanged.
Operating Experience
Still excellent, see previous.
Clinic Experience
Still excellent mix, outpatient and underserved clinics
Research Opportunities
Slightly worse than previous - program change to 5 year format cut back research from 6 months to 2 months. The rotation at the FDA is no more. The biomechanics lab remains extremely active, so resident productivity remains high, just more intensely concentrated. Tentatively a PGY3 research rotation.
Residents
Still great, see previous.
Lifestyle
On the more benign side of residencies overall. Lifestyle is good considering the specialty you're going into.
Location / Housing
Unchanged, see previous. Baltimore no more/less safe since the recent riot.
Limitations
If you liked the FDA rotation, it's gone now.
Overall Rotation Experience / Conclusion
Spine program now looking to expand. Foot and ankle program actively expanding. New resident rotations give more time with the Curtis National Hand Center. Otherwise, all the good things from my last post stayed good, a few bad things went away, we went to 5 years, and we lost the FDA.
email with questions gtg767x AT aim.com
email with questions gtg767x AT aim.com
Qualification
I am a current resident of this program.
Date of Rotation
n/a
AS
Alex Stroh
Top 50 Reviewer
2013: Review from Current Resident
(Updated: November 30, 2013)
Overall rating
9.1
Staff Surgeons
9.0
Didactics/Teaching
8.0
Operating Experience
10.0
Clinical Experience
9.0
Research
8.0
Residents
10.0
Lifestyle
9.0
Location
9.0
Overall Experience
10.0
Program Review
Staff / Faculty / Chairman
In general, all faculty are extremely approachable (comes with the community program feel). National strength in Hand and foot/ankle, locally strong in joints, sports. Also rotate through Hopkins and Shock Trauma, which are regional powerhouses in Peds, Onc, and Trauma.
Program director is all about his residents - can't say enough good things. He is a fantastic advocate, genuinely cares that residents get taught well, and knows his way around the non-medical side of ortho (business, administration, networking) which he imparts pretty well.
Program director is all about his residents - can't say enough good things. He is a fantastic advocate, genuinely cares that residents get taught well, and knows his way around the non-medical side of ortho (business, administration, networking) which he imparts pretty well.
Didactics / Teaching
Great teaching, covers all topics at all times through the year (not split up so that you get a whole "hand block" then don't touch it for years). Early morning talks/conferences/lectures happen in hour long bites (no 4 hour grand round marathons). Tuesday nights are 2 hr conferences, usually with a cadaver lab. Like everywhere, OITE covered amply early on.
Operating Experience
None better. You're hands on from day 1 as a PGY1. Expect to scrub often and close everything, get walked through chief cases as a 1. As a 2 you're hands on learning how to positon total joint components, doing approach and pieces of the trauma cases. 3 onwards it's full procedures with attendings - they expect you to be able to do it, and we have a cadaver lab so plenty of chances to practice.
Clinic Experience
PGY1 - chief run resident clinic for local populace. PGY 2 - chief clinic plus in the office once every few weeks with the joints/spine attendings. PGY3 onwards, apprentice model so you take clinic with your attendings, roughly 2 days/wk. The chief clinic really lets you cut your teeth as an attending, and get used to the business side of running your clinic.
Research Opportunities
Active biomechanics lab with engineer staff puts out ~4-5 projects/year. Clinical database system started in 2012, should start being able to churn out the bread and butter clinical outcomes studies. Microsurgery and basic science wet lab for Hand and Foot/Ankle. The stress is on doing research that INTERESTS you, and making it high quality.
Residents
I'm biased, I think we're great. For me, I'd have no problem trusting in, grabbing a drink with, or referring my relatives to any one of my co-residents. Union is a happy place, and the ortho residents are known for being among the happiest residents in the place.
Lifestyle
Call is call, heavy during PGY2-3 then lightens up. Daily grind is not bad - there are PA's to help manage the floor so you never feel like you're sinking. Plenty of work to do, and it feels good to be busy. Many residents have families and work it out just fine, other half are single and able to enjoy the town well enough.
Location / Housing
Baltimore is blue collar, has great sports teams (of which we're the official team for the Ravens and most of the local colleges are covered by our sports guys), is easy to drive, and is nicely situated close to DC, Philly and NY. All places I like to visit but not live in. Crime plagues the city, but most of the dangerous crime is drug related so you'll hardly see it - the day to day stuff like cars getting broken into is same as everywhere. Hospital campus is in probably safest part of the city. Housing is plentiful and cheap.
Limitations
I don't think we have any right now, except maybe the small number of residents because we could certainly use more. The Surgery Residency at Union is good, but often the Medical Residents are inconsistent so you end up talking directly to medical attendings quite a bit. We have fellows in Hand, Sports, foot/ankle, and shoulder/elbow but they aren't taking anything away from the resident experience.
Overall Rotation Experience / Conclusion
A terrific program, best parts of all the others in Baltimore combined. Less inertia than larger university programs, but retains academics/research. Primes residents for private and any amount of academics you want. Great connections in the area - residents are all satisfied with not only the fellowship match but their eventual first job.
Qualification
I am a current resident of this program.
Date of Rotation
6/1/2012
AS
Alex Stroh
Top 50 Reviewer
Best of Baltimore
(Updated: January 01, 2012)
Overall rating
9.0
Staff Surgeons
10.0
Didactics/Teaching
8.0
Operating Experience
9.0
Clinical Experience
9.0
Research
8.0
Residents
9.0
Lifestyle
9.0
Location
9.0
Overall Experience
10.0
Program Review
Staff / Faculty / Chairman
Dr Matthews is a great PD/chair. He cares about his residents and their education. The faculty is also great at what they do and love to teach. They are a great group. The faculty at the hospital was the nicest that I have experienced. Everyone was happy to be there and made it a positive experience.
Drs Murthi and Stein left Maryland a few years back and are incredible Shoulder/ Elbow surgeons. The Hand surgeons at Union are worldclass and the hospital recently built a helipad only for NorthEast hand traumas. Dr Brumback is an amazing teacher and mentor, though you will get yelled at by him at least once every 10 mins.
Drs Murthi and Stein left Maryland a few years back and are incredible Shoulder/ Elbow surgeons. The Hand surgeons at Union are worldclass and the hospital recently built a helipad only for NorthEast hand traumas. Dr Brumback is an amazing teacher and mentor, though you will get yelled at by him at least once every 10 mins.
Didactics / Teaching
The day starts at ~6:15am with bone board where the residents present the consults from the day before/overnight and get grilled on their management decisions by the chief resident. After that there is quick (30 min) rounding followed by 1-1.5 hrs of attending run lectures or OITE review.
On Tuesday nights there is didactics for all residents (intern - PGY6) that includes saw bone workshops, lectures, more OITE training, etc. These were well organized and helpful.
The attendings all love to teach in the OR and are used to having residents. Because it is a small, community hospital you quickly get to know the attendings and can earn their respect and more scalpel time.
On Tuesday nights there is didactics for all residents (intern - PGY6) that includes saw bone workshops, lectures, more OITE training, etc. These were well organized and helpful.
The attendings all love to teach in the OR and are used to having residents. Because it is a small, community hospital you quickly get to know the attendings and can earn their respect and more scalpel time.
Operating Experience
Residents get a lot of OR time and attendings are great teachers. Residents are never double-scrubbed unless the PGY2 is doing a case with the PGY6. There are fellows but they either walk the resident through the case or are in another OR.
Residents go to Hopkins for Peds (x2) and Tumor and to Shock Trauma for trauma. This is a highlight of the program and increases the residents comfort in the OR.
The PGY6 yr is 1/2 Chief, 1/4 Sports, 1/4 Joints. You run your own clinic and book your own cases. There are attendings to help you if you get stuck, but you can do as much as you feel comfortable. Of all of my aways, these residents were the most comfortable with a scalpel at all levels (PGY2-6).
Residents go to Hopkins for Peds (x2) and Tumor and to Shock Trauma for trauma. This is a highlight of the program and increases the residents comfort in the OR.
The PGY6 yr is 1/2 Chief, 1/4 Sports, 1/4 Joints. You run your own clinic and book your own cases. There are attendings to help you if you get stuck, but you can do as much as you feel comfortable. Of all of my aways, these residents were the most comfortable with a scalpel at all levels (PGY2-6).
Clinic Experience
Resident clinic is a good way to build autonomy with your decision making and patient management. Attending clinics differ from service to service. Some are better than others, but they are overall a good experience.
Union docs are the team physicians for the Ravens, so there is a chance that you can go to games if you get in good with the attendings on Sports. This doesn't seem to happen often and is usually only reserved for fellows but it is a possibility.
Union docs are the team physicians for the Ravens, so there is a chance that you can go to games if you get in good with the attendings on Sports. This doesn't seem to happen often and is usually only reserved for fellows but it is a possibility.
Research Opportunities
During your PGY4 year you have 6 months of research. There is a great biomechanics lab that you can use to turn out some great research. The opportunities are endless.
Residents
Great group of residents. They all get along well and hang out outside of the hospital. Cool people.
Lifestyle
Because it is two residents a year, PGY2 year is a little call heavy but call at Union is not that horrible. After that life isn't too bad. Most days we were out by 5pm. Being that it is a community hospital, the focus is on patient care and getting out of the hospital and home to family. Many residents have kids and seem to enjoy their residency. Definitely a plus of this program.
Location / Housing
Located close by the Johns Hopkins undergraduate campus in the northern part of Baltimore (Charles Village). It is a safer area of the city and close to some nice housing locations, however it is further from the bar scene.
People live inside and outside of the city. Baltimore is very liveable but there is alos nice suburbs 20 mins away from the hospital. Charles Village, Caton, Fed Hill, Butchers Hill, Catonsville, Ellicott City are all places where residents live.
People live inside and outside of the city. Baltimore is very liveable but there is alos nice suburbs 20 mins away from the hospital. Charles Village, Caton, Fed Hill, Butchers Hill, Catonsville, Ellicott City are all places where residents live.
Limitations
Not many. Community people less focused on research. 6 years versus 5. Didactics are not as strong as at other programs but you get more outside of the hospital time for self-study than at other programs. Spine is a little weak.
Overall Rotation Experience / Conclusion
This program incorporates the best of Baltimore in its program going to Hopkins for Peds/Tumor and Shock for trauma while housing excellent Hand, Sports, Foot and Ankle, Shoulder/Elbow, Spine, etc.
Residents get a lot of OR time and seem very confident. I really enjoyed my time here and think that it is very under-rated and should be on everyone's radar especially if you are willing to put up with Baltimore for 6 years.
Residents get a lot of OR time and seem very confident. I really enjoyed my time here and think that it is very under-rated and should be on everyone's radar especially if you are willing to put up with Baltimore for 6 years.
Qualification
I rotated as a medical student at this program
Date of Rotation
2012
AM
Austin McKay
Top 10 Reviewer
Program Information
Residents per class
4
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