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.
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.
