Program Review
Staff / Faculty / Chairman
Big names, especially in sports with Fu and Harner. Fu works very hard to make the Pitt name very reputable.
Didactics / Teaching
Half hour trauma conference every morning to go over what came in the previous night. Med students and residents get pimped thoroughly.<br />
Wednesday morning devoted entirely to didactics. I can't focus that long and don't learn much after an hour of lecture. I would much prefer a short conference each day rather than one lump sum on Wednesday.
Operating Experience
Can only speak to trauma and sports. Trauma wsa very good. Residents did the cases and appeared comfortable and skilled doing them. A lot of operating during the night too (at least during late summer months when I was there)<br />
Sports... fellows and attendings do the case. Junior resident was often double scrubbed and even the senior resident did a lot of watching during the important parts of the cases (drilling tunnels, tensioning grafts...)
Clinic Experience
can only speak to sports clinic... beautiful clinic facility. Take care of real athletes. Less instruction and teaching from attendings than I have seen at other institutions where I rotated.
Research Opportunities
Incredible funding and opportunity. 4 of 8 residents do a research year. Great place to go if you're looking to churn out papers and go in to academics.
Residents
Larger program, more residents, less cohesive than I have seen on other rotations. There were definitely some great guys there, but there were also a few residents who were a little stiff.<br />
Seems like it is about half married, half single.
Lifestyle
Get worked pretty hard as a junior resident with call. Trauma was a killer rotation. Of course that is true everywhere, but significantly more busy than the 3 other programs I am familiar with. Gets better as you get older.
Location / Housing
Pittsburgh is under-appreciated as a city. It's not a steel factory anymore. Downtown is very nice. Plenty of places to go out. Very affordable. Most residents own homes. Takes a while to learn all the crazy winding roads.
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
Big names. Great research opportunity. Junior residents get worked very hard. Would be a great place to go if one is looking to be an academician.
