Program Review
Staff / Faculty / Chairman
Excellent faculty in all sub-specialty areas. It is apparent that they care deeply about their responsibilty for teaching and training and are successful at it. There is a great deal of mutual respect and affection between the residents and faculty.
Didactics / Teaching
Teaching occurs every weekday morning and is a seemless part of the routine with all residents able to attend without compromising other responsibilities. The faculty are present and involved. Thursdays(?) are devoted to sub-specialty conferences in small groups with the faculty within that sub-specialty.
Operating Experience
Very good- sufficient little and big trauma to satisfy, even if someone comes from a more urban program. Very broad exposure. Junior residents get to operate a big chunk of the time.
Clinic Experience
A self-professed weakness of the program because of the volume of OR cases and resident preference for operating. However, ED experience, resident-run varsity sports clinics, resident clinics, and the time they spend with the attendings in their personal clinics are very strong.
Research Opportunities
Offers a 6-year track that allows those residents to obtain a masters and as part of the curriculum somewhat automatically complete outcomes based research and during that time away from clinical duties perform other research. Strong support for 5-year track residents to do research as well and most do quite a bit.
Residents
The residents are happy and friendly. They care about and are supportive of each other.
Lifestyle
Good. The call schedule is relatively benign, with home call permitted, but you still are an ortho resident. A lot of the residents have families and get to see them.
Location / Housing
Depends on what you like- if you like outdoor activities the upper valley is a hard place to beat with the appalacian trail, skiing nearby, and rivers and lakes for water activities. If you want an urban environment that it is not, but it does have a cute town and cultural activities. Housing affordability is middle of the road- not like NY or LA, but also not like the midwest.
Limitations
The program director has been very receptive to the needs of the program, as you can see above. In one year, we have addressed many of the shortcomings noted in the previous review. While this program, like all, has areas that can be improved, it is obvious that the administration behind the University of Florida program is committed to addressing those deficiencies quickly.
Overall Rotation Experience / Conclusion
A great place to rotate. I really liked it and would be very happy if I matched there.
