California Transitional Years

[Roger Dorn]

I'm curious as to what people know about some of the Cali TYs... specifically Alameda County, Santa Clara Valley, and Harbor-UCLA. I'm interested in west coast programs for my residency, and obviously the location of these TYs is great in each instance. However, I'm wondering if doing ward months in county institutions would be so miserable as to completely negate the location bonus. Harbor and Alameda seem great in that they offer a bunch of elective months, but those "electives" might be things like vascular surgery etc., which have the potential to be even worse than medicine wards (if possible). Anyone have any insight? Much appreciated!

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[marsupial]

At Harbor you will work the hardest. Alameda you will have lots of free time. SCV in between but probably the most satisfying in terms of hospital and fairness of not having all those surg months.

 

[Skrubz]

valley is a great place to do a transitional year (well, i'm biased, i was a prelim intern there last year). IIRC, there's 3 months of medicine wards, 1 month ED, 1 month outpatient, 1 month vacation, and 3 months of (surgery, OB, peds or ICU). that should leave 3 months of elective time, which are true electives. some people (e.g. a couple of my friends) even do the coroner's office rotation, which is the biggest joke in the world.

good ancillary support for a county hospital, with a relatively new hospital (well, the new wing is 6 years old while the old wing is from the 60s or 70s). has been a lot busier on the wards since december 2004 with the closing of san jose medical center but the trauma aspect of it has slowed down some with the opening of regional medical center as a 3rd trauma center in the south bay (valley, regional, stanford).

 

[Roger Dorn]

How does the prelim med year at Valley differ from the TY? I had a combined interview day with rads and didn't get much of a flavor while there...

 

[Skrubz]

How does the prelim med year at Valley differ from the TY? I had a combined interview day with rads and didn't get much of a flavor while there...

Prelim is straight medicine, so it's roughly 5-6 months wards (including up to month of night float), 1-2 months ICU, 1 month ED, 3 months medicine electives (like cards, pulm, rheum, endo, heme/onc, GI), 1 month vacation. plus, you have weekly continuity clinic.

 

[iron]

I love the Valley. Did my TY there. Great people -- both faculty and ancillary staff. I didn't get much of a feel for it either when I interviewed but felt very fortunate to be there once internship got going. I was a happy intern - and this was before the 80h work week!

Alameda Highland is a lot less structured. Might be just too laid back.