Program Review
Staff / Faculty / Chairman
Excellent faculty - very focused on teaching. Dr. Baratz, the program director, is very involved in research and making sure the residents know what they need to know. Every attending I've worked with has made an effort to know me and made sure to ask me questions in a manner as to make sure I was learning.
Didactics / Teaching
As above, the practice exists for the residents to learn; the residents are not simply workers for the attendings. Fracture conference every day to discuss previous nights cases. Additionally, there are didactic sessions every morning (trauma, joints, hand, all the other subspecialties).
Operating Experience
From PGY-2 on, you are a primary surgeon. Attendings are there to make sure that you are learning and operating efficiently. OR staff is very friendly as well. As a student, I had the opportunity to close every case, and assisted for a majority of cases (that weren't scopes).
Clinic Experience
Attendings are always making sure you're learning from each case. Patients are also very grateful for treatment (Midwestern manners) with a high pain threshold (steelworker stereotype)
Research Opportunities
Dr. Baratz and Dr. Conti (foot and ankle) are both heavily involved in research from what I am aware. There is currently a requirement of one publishable research project but I have heard that there may be a push for two in the future. Not all of the residents love research, but if you are motivated, the staff will support you.
Residents
Residents are primarily from the northeast (regional), great to hang out with. All residents get along very well with each other and hang out outside of work. Residents are also making sure you're learning as well - you are expected to participate in fracture conference (again, you may be put on the spot but it's important that you're learning). The major common thread between all residents is that they are hard workers.
Lifestyle
It's surgery, heavier operative programs with more trauma means you'll have to work harder. On the outpatient type of rotations (sports, hand), hours are much shorter. Residents are paid to cover Friday night high school football (west PA - high quality football). Call is q4 from what I remember.
Location / Housing
You can live anywhere around the hospital, most residents live 5-10 minutes away while some live further down (but not really a problem since no one is commuting at the same time as you are). You can also rent or buy as well (prices are much cheaper than the big cities (NY/DC)). The hospital itself is right near Heinz field (Steelers stadium).
Limitations
Lack of big names/Competition from UPMC - but in my opinion you're in residency to learn the foundation of orthopedics, not going to fellowship to compensate for a poor quality residency experience (but to temper that, all residencies are accredited and you will be getting at least a decent experience)
Overall Rotation Experience / Conclusion
The rotation was 1 week of each Hand/Trauma/Sports/Foot&Ankle.<br />
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A great operative experience with great residents and a great faculty/resident relationship. Residents do well for fellowships (they had the fellowships up on the site but I'm not sure where it went) and are ready to handle anything that comes in. The chiefs are brilliant surgeons and I would be happy to be in their position.<br />
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I had an excellent time on this rotation and would be honored to be a resident at this program.<br />
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http://alleghenyorthopaedics.com/residency/residency.aspx<br />
- most recent website
