So here's the question I have for you - I've got about 13 good NE neuro programs on the list...but only 2 have categorical positions. I'm applying to about 15 prelim positions, including a few cush safety positions just in case I have to re-apply for my neuro positions. 28 programs. Overkill...or is this what most people are doing for neuro?
Also...BU vs. Tufts. Talk amongst yourselves.
I don't think it's overkill. It's better to be safe then sorry. As for Tufts v. BU. Tufts is the program with the better reputation. Tufts seems to be to a good place and the resident do fairly well when it comes to fellowships. I think one of the residents last year matched at MGH for EMG/EEG.
Your trump card for that program is Ropper, who's the chair and graduated from MGH so has connections to that program. Ropper is an interesting fellow. I noticed a slight tinge of arrogance about him when I met him. He has a book out Adams and Victors' Principles of Neurology, which is probably the only book that is good for neuro. His arrogance pervades that book. For example in one part of the book, he writes that most MD in the western world have a
dim notion about beri-beri. Then follows this up by stating something or other about
rice eating people of the Orient.
Tufts is a pretty good program, and it is the 3rd best program in Boston as Ropper himself told us on the interview, but then he followed it with: "Well but I mean if you get the choice and can get in, go to MGH" [by the way I'm paraphrasing him].
And that is one of the big problems with Tufts. Both Partners and BIDMC overshadow and actually cast a huge shadow over it. So I'm not sure how good their pt population is. I remember when I interviewed they were proud of their NICU (which really looked like a regular pt room and had only one pt). But supposedly, Ropper (if I remember correctly) is a big GBS and ICU guy (at least that's what I've heard and what the PD at BIDMC told me).
It sounded to me that the Tufts program though was in-flux. The PD has been there awhile and it's likely he might be out. This was a general impression that I got from one of the faculty members.
The only other thing I can tell you about Tufts is that it's the only place that actually pimped me!!!
I mean the pimping was really stupid. One of the attendings told me to pick a CN and tell him about anatomy/how I would test it. He prefaced the pimping by saying, "I hate to dirty the water, but . . ."
The last thing is that the interview is 2 on 1, which isn't bad. But I really disliked the fact that you never had a one on one interview with Ropper (instead it was a group meeting). Not sure the deal with that?? At every other program, I actually spoke with the Chair (from UCSF to Emory).
Well that's about it. Hope that helped.
