Program Review
Staff / Faculty / Chairman
the faculty seemed very helpful and wanted to teach. i felt very comfortable as a visiting student there. they new my name and tought in clinic and in cases. they will probably be getting a new chairman in the next few years through retirement but i doubt anything serious would change.
Didactics / Teaching
the lectures and teaching are very good, in my opinion. they also get very impressive guest speakers/grand rounds presenters who stick around to give lectures and comment on cases that the residents present.
Operating Experience
it seemed very good. usually just one resident and the attending on most cases, or just the residents on a more straightforward case (ex: tibia/femur IMN's, etc) with the attending checking in periodically. they have a trauma fellow who pretty much does cases with one of the attendings - mostly tabs and other more complex stuff. there is plenty of trauma to go around so i didn't get a feel that the fellow "steals" much experience from the residents on trauma
Clinic Experience
pretty nice. there is a more resident run clinic and an attending clinic, at least on trauma. there may be some differences between services. overall, i think they get pretty good clinical experience in managing patients on their own but it can be clinic dependent
Research Opportunities
there is a 3 or 4 month dedicated research rotation, i think 4th year. requirement for one "publishable" project while in residency. research is not a strongpoint but they do have resources available. most of the residents didn't seem like they wanted to do a lot of research.
Residents
very, very cool bunch of guys to hang out and work with. they watch out for each other and feel comfortable talking to upper levels. many of them live close to each other and spend time outside work hanging/working out, etc.
Lifestyle
very nice place to live. most of the senior residents had kids
Location / Housing
again, great downtown. nearly all, if not all, residents own houses - affordable. traffic is not a big problem.
Limitations
not a research super-power, which can be a good thing. they have a rotation 4th or 5th year in nashville which is probably going to go away in the next couple years as they expand their sports and joints service. i didn't spend any time on peds so i can't comment on that
Overall Rotation Experience / Conclusion
really cool place. i ranked them #2 and would have been very happy to end up there.
