FM Interviews 2006-07

[Faebinder]

I have to admit... this is one sorry program that should be closed. I have more to say but should probably keep it quiet. I am starting to wonder if Family Medicine should exist in New York City....The city seems to resist wanting to "get with the program" that the clinics and the hospitals need to have perfect communication.

Pros:

- High salary (I think they offered a bit over 52k)

- Heavy Research involvement

Cons:

- Opposed (once the specialists took over... you're just a sign on a doorknob). On other services you were the glorified medical student who can write orders.

- No electronic medical records connected to the hospital... if the patient needs admission, they will take the important documents from the clinic and copy them and send them to the hospital.

- Crappy Neighborhood... hospital and clinic. The other hospital they are affiliated with (which we didn't see but was in a better neighborhood). The call room in the hospital were the typical new york city style. The resident area in the clinic center was as big as my bedroom.... Pretty much all glum and tight.

- The program is now bought by NYCOM (the DO group) so maybe they will improve it (again doubtful cause in New York city, there is a lot of competition and resistance). The affiliation to New York Medical College is now 'unknown'

- They practice OB in the Catholic style... Meaning no vasectomies, no tubal ligation, no IUD, no abortion, and give birth control only when medically advisable.

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[bbsqqd]

Great Plains has a really hectic call schedule during intern year, but what makes up for it is the fact that there are no calls at all during 2nd and 3rd year. You could do a lot of moonlighting in that time.

I liked OU too, just a bigger program with alot of residencies in the hospitals. Big facilities.

I have my last interviews next week, Great Plains and OU-Tulsa.

Would you please share your interview experience in OU-OKC program? Thank you and good luck for the rest of your interview.

 

[chibihamsta]

Anyone else choosing between programs in the York-Baltimore-DC-N.Va corridor? I'd like to discuss these programs with other applicants considering the same programs. PM me if you're interested.

 

[iatrosB]

Just finished one in KC at Research. I have UMKC Friday and KUMC on the 22nd. I had invites to Wichita and Columbia but my fiance and I didn't want to interview there....couple's match. Just didn't want to live in either after hearing some people say "they're great programs but not much fun to live there" about both. Research was actually a nice program, unopposed, big hospital.

I also interviewed at St. John's Mercy in St. Louis. Again, really nice program but the future Mrs. wasn't sold on SLU for her interview.

Did you do a sub-i at either of these programs? I know it's not really necessary in FM, just curious.

 

[MDWoochie]

I am completely new to this forum thing, but I have been watching for awhile, thought I'd see if I could help anyone out.

i'll just go ahead and rank the programs I've already been to, and if anyone has any info on the programs i have yet to go to I'd appreciate it.

My main thang is that i have an interest in OB, and probably eventually teaching too.


List (From Fav to least):
1)UNC
2)Allina (St. Paul, MN)
3) Columbia-St. Mary's, Milwaukee
4) Univ of Michigan-Ann Arbor
5) UPMC St. Margaret
6) Mayo- Rochester, MN
7) University of Minnesota, North Memorial

I'd rank the first 4.

What I have left: UC Davis, Sutter (Sacramento, CA), Long Beach, U. Penn, Crozer- Keystone (PA), Middlesex (CT), Hunterdon (Flemington, NJ), Albany, St. Lukes-Bethlehem (PA), and Rochester.

Yes, I am couple's matching hence the insanity. I would appreciate any insight. Particularly if any of the east coast program's are strong in OB, as I've heard most are not.

 

[secretwave101]

...east coast program's are strong in OB

Both Dartmouth programs, I recall. Particularly Maine.

 

[MDWoochie]

Well, thanks, but I was referring to the programs I actually applied to.

 

[DMAKSIMOVIC]

Did you do a sub-i at either of these programs? I know it's not really necessary in FM, just curious.

Nope......but other applicants that interviewed on the same day did. Some people might find it advantageous but I really didn't have time to rotate at all the places I applied to. I figure I'll be doing it the rest of my life.....so I did a lot of rotations in things like path, endocrine, derm, etc. How have the interviews treated you?

List (From Fav to least):
1)UNC
2)Allina (St. Paul, MN)
3) Columbia-St. Mary's, Milwaukee
4) Univ of Michigan-Ann Arbor
5) UPMC St. Margaret
6) Mayo- Rochester, MN
7) University of Minnesota, North Memorial

I have an interview at Allina as well. Looking forward to that one. I really liked Columbia St. Mary's as well. I'm also doing the couple's match so I can relate to the madness. Good luck!

 

[MDWoochie]

I have an interview at Allina as well. Looking forward to that one. I really liked Columbia St. Mary's as well. I'm also doing the couple's match so I can relate to the madness. Good luck![/QUOTE]

You too! The PD at Allina is awesome.

 

[puddlejumper]

Anybody interviewing in Kansas or Missouri?

I've interviewed at the University of MO, Cox in Springfield, and was scheduled to interview at the programs in Wichita. I really liked those two MO programs

 

[Faebinder]

You know...


There is absolutely nothing more ... i dont know the word for it.... ironic? funny? .... than being rejected by a program .... then 3 months later getting rejected by the program again.... with a different style email.


I guess at least they are making sure I know I am rejected.

 

[lateness]

You know...


There is absolutely nothing more ... i dont know the word for it.... ironic? funny? .... than being rejected by a program .... then 3 months later getting rejected by the program again.... with a different style email.


I guess at least they are making sure I know I am rejected.

their loss my friend,,

 

[Faebinder]

their loss my friend,,

Thanks Baf..

 

[MDWoochie]

I interviewed at Sutter, UC Davis and Long Beach Memorial last week. I think that the UC Davis OB track is a fantastic idea, but overall I didn't feel like it was a great fit. Sutter wasn't academic enough, and while I thought Long Beach was a fantastic program, it seemed really small. The residents totally discouraged pregnancy during residency which I took as a bad sign. I'm not trying to get preggo, but i'd like to feel I'd get support if i did.

 

[Faebinder]

Wow just got a couple of rejections from the same program again.. this time only 3 days apart..

heh... program coordinators are funny.

 

[MDWoochie]

Wow just got a couple of rejections from the same program again.. this time only 3 days apart..

heh... program coordinators are funny.

Their loss!!! You should pull your application after the first rejection, save yourself the humiliation.

 

[FitreDawG]

I will post a little about my thoughts as well. Nothing negative and in no particular order. Most of them are sports med centered as that is my main interest. I applied for 10 and got interviews at all of them, so I was a bit excited about that. The only interview I have left to do is UVA.

#1. Marshall University, Huntington WV -- My home school. I love it here. We have strong sports med w/ fellowship as well as awesome pathology since people are too stubborn to come to the doctor in the Appalachian mountains. Yes, MU is the school about the movie before people ask. If you want to do rural medicine, or serve the underserved, MU is the place to be IMO. FM is the strongest residency politically, as our Chair is one of the best I have seen. Very passionate about FM and his residents.

#2. tOSU -- I LOVED the residents up there. Their program seemed very strong and they have a nice location. I didn't get to meet their Chair, but everyone gave him glowing reviews. Had a youthful feel that I havent felt anywhere else.

#3. UNC - Chapel Hill. Needless to say I was excited that they interviewed me. The program is obviously top notch and proactive. A big focus on OB down there which some of you may like. I was expecting the residents to be caught up in being at the #2 residency, but they weren't at all.

#4. Wake Forrest. Their sports medicine is the strongest I have seen. The med center is humongous with the nicest hospital I have seen. Very attractive. FM seems very strong politically as they are firmly integrated into all services and the medical school. They also encourage residents as teachers, which is a quality I like.

#5. MUSC. Nothing can beat Charleston, SC for location. The residents were also very nice here. Program is a hybrid with their own hospital outside of Charleston for most, and then peds and ob on the island.

#6. UT - Knox. I looked here for the sports medicine mainly. They were very nice and had an MU grad which made like them even more.

#7. UK - Lexington. Again, strong SM. Their hospital seemed to have the most growth.

#8. Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte. Strong program. Very focused on serving the underserved. If urban medicine is your passion, I would at this program hard.

#9. CAMC Charleston, WV. Hometown from childhood. Part of WVU school of medicine. Us MU people don't like WVU.

#10. UVA Charlottesvile. Haven't been here yet so I cant comment yet.

 

[FPforLife]

I have finished interviewing and am wondering how to tell each of the programs I'm interested in that I'm still interested. Obviously I have my #1 program. How do I tell the others I would love to be in there program without lying and saying I'm ranking them #1. Is e-mail OK or do I need to send letters.

 

[MDWoochie]

My personal opinion, I would tell any program that you are interested in that: 1) you will be ranking them highly , only tell your #1 they are your #1.

I would write them a personal letter, If your worried they may not receive it on time, I'd also send them an email. But I think personal letter is better.

 

[sophiejane]

This is late, since my interview was quite a while ago, but I was very impressed with this program and wanted to share the love.

Pros:
1. Unopposed program in an urban hospital which is private, but sees many of the city's poorer and sicker population due to it's location, and the fact that the University Hospital that is SUPPOSED to serve the indigent population is located on the other side of town in a suburban neighborhood.

2. Excellent didactics and teaching. This program prides itself on that, and for good reason. Some of the smartest attendings and residents I've run across.

3. Happy residents. Genuinely nice and fun-loving bunch of people who work hard but also play hard.

4. True night float. Enough said.

5. Wonderful new clinic facilities with EMR on the same campus as the hospital. Well-run, well-equipped, and busy.

6. San Antonio is a great city. Lots of personality, lots of character, lots of great Mexican food!

7. Excellent rapport between residents and between residents and faculty.

Cons:

The only con I can really find with this program (and it's not a big one) is that it offers less procedural experience than some other unopposed programs I've interviewd at, and OB, while fairly strong, is not outstandingly strong. There are two OB faculty, but most deliveries are done on private patients of an OBGYN group that is affiliated with the program, although their docs aren't faculty, so teaching and volume can be hit and miss. It just makes for a slightly disjointed experience on OB, but residents claim to easily get 100-200 deliveries by graduation.

 

[sophiejane]

Last interview was last week...ended up cancelling one that I knew I was unlikely to rank, so my list now looks like this (in no particular order):

JPS
Christus Santa Rosa
Waco
Conroe
Austin
Memorial Hermann (Houston)


However...I'm thinking of only ranking 3, possibly 4 programs. Is that a bad idea?

In case you were wondering, if I do that, I'd drop Memorial and Conroe from my list. The reasons are largely personal/location related and have little to do with the quality of the program.

Now, I've written thank you letters to Christus and JPS, and Waco is in progress....but I never really indicated that any of my top choices are my definite #1.

In the next week or so, I plan to make that decision and write that letter...that is, after much hand-wringing, waking up in the middle of the night to change my mind, callling everyone I know and asking their opinion, throwing dice, praying to any and all dieties, and trying to get in touch with my Inner Wisdom

Then, I'll enter my ROL. Then certify it. Then have a giant martini and kick back until March 12.

 

[deleted87716]

I'm thinking of only ranking 3, possibly 4 programs. Is that a bad idea?

Don't rank a program that you wouldn't want to match with. If you'd rather risk the scramble than attend a particular program, leave it off your list. OTOH, the devil you know...etc. Your call.

 

[sophiejane]

Don't rank a program that you wouldn't want to match with. If you'd rather risk the scramble than attend a particular program, leave it off your list. OTOH, the devil you know...etc. Your call.

Exactly. If I ended up at any of the 4 I plan to rank, each has its advantages. Scrambling is certainly not something I ever considered I'd have to do, but I guess it's always a possibility.

 

[slim shanie]

The way I think about the scramble thing versus how many to rank is...

I ask myself "Would I try to scramble into this program if I didn't match?"

If you would, you might as well rank them somewhere on your ROL.

 

[Michigan21]

Hi I'm new here. I was wondering if you guys can help me rank these programs:

Family Medicine:

1.Texas Tech University-Odessa
2.Texas Tech University-Lubbock
3.Texas Tech University-El Paso
4.Maine Dartmouth
5.University of Texas HSC-San Antonio
6.Northwestern University Evanston
7.Synergy (Saginaw, MI)
8.University of North Dakota

Thanks alot!

 

[MDWoochie]

Hi I'm new here. I was wondering if you guys can help me rank these programs:

Family Medicine:
6.Northwestern University Evanston


Thanks alot!

I was recruited by the program chair for a 2nd year position. I would stay away from this program. They were on probation last year, they have a brand new program director, and I went to northwestern for Med school, and I can tell you, there is not an emphasis on FM there. I decided not to interview there.

Sorry can't comment on any of the other programs.

 

[Doc Oc]

Maine Dartmouth was really popular among my class. Most of the people that will be your senior residents were my classmates in the class of 2005. It was the 1st choice for all of them. Alot of my classmates rotated there too and loved it. I was always kind of surprised by this, because the hospital is kind of small and I'm sure refers out most of the big stuff because another hospital that I rotated at got alot of patient transfers from that hospital and also alot of accidents in that area came to our hospital instead of theirs too - but I have no experience at Maine General, and according to those who do (more than 12 people that I know), the experience that you get there is great and the faculty love to teach.

I can personally vouche for each and every person who will be your senior residents - some of the best people that I went to med school with are there right now.

If you are female - one of my classmates had a baby during intern year and they were very supportive.

Anyway, like I said, I have no personal experience there, but so many that I know love the place that I think it is a great choice.

 

[deleted87716]

Scrambling is certainly not something I ever considered I'd have to do, but I guess it's always a possibility.

Well, you probably won't have to...but you should consider every possibility when making your ROL.

 

[elizabeth5863]

The way I think about the scramble thing versus how many to rank is...

I ask myself "Would I try to scramble into this program if I didn't match?"

If you would, you might as well rank them somewhere on your ROL.

That's how I see it too!

 

[Michigan21]

Hi! Can anyone tell me about North Central Texas Family Medicine program at Wichita Falls, Tx? Feedback please. Thanks.

 

[drwatson]

Hello, just curious but I haven't heard much/anything about Chicago FM programs. Anyone interview/considering? Resurrection seems like a pretty good program from the outside.

 

[DMAKSIMOVIC]

Hello, just curious but I haven't heard much/anything about Chicago FM programs. Anyone interview/considering? Resurrection seems like a pretty good program from the outside.

I'm interviewing at Advocate Lutheran and Resurrection on Wednesday and Thursday. The PD at Res seems really proactive in contacting interviewees personally. Always a plus in my mind.

I'll post a mini blog next week sometime when I'm finished with all 18 of my interviews (couple's match). Four in Indy, one in St. Louis, three in the KC area, two in Omaha, three in Twin Cities, two in Chicago, and two in Milwaukee.

I cancelled interviews at St. Luke's in Milwaukee and Springfield, IL. Just two more weeks to go........must stay sane.

I'll also post a finalized rank list when we have to have our rankings finalized...Feb 21st.

Kind of a tangent from the Chicago question I know......my computer from DMU had a bad motherboard and I was computerless for a while......goooooo Gateway. Hope everybody had a great interview and holiday season.

dmak

 

[jbsnapple]

Anyone else trying to decide between Beth Israel in NYC and Tufts? I'd love to hear other people's thoughts - every day I feel like I made a decision, and the next day it completely switches...

 

[Faebinder]

Finished all interviews.... certified the ranking list... ordered the divorce papers online.. heh.

Done...

 

[fpforever]

I am new here so first I like to say hello to everyone. I have been perusing this site and find it very informative.

I'm applying also this year. I took a about a year and a half off so I am ranking over 15 programs. I hope this will do the trick.

I have my tentative rank list. And, I will tell you where I match when the time comes.

I hope everybody matches at their first choice.

Best wishes,

fpforever

 

[TNMedStudent]

Hey all,
I finally got done interviewing at the end of December....

Overall I have to say that all my Family Med interviewing experiences were fun!

Here's a list of where I interviewed (in no particular preference order):

1)Asheville, NC MAHEC
2)Hendersonville,NC
3)St. Peter's Olympia, WA
4)Vancouver, WA
5)Tacoma, WA
6)St. Anthony Denver, CO
7)Swedish Littleton CO
8)Rose Denver CO
9)Fort Collins, CO
10) Williamsport, PA


TNMEDSTUDENT

 

[sophiejane]

Wow, it feels weird.

All this work, all these years, and it's done and out of my hands.

Let the long wait to the Match begin....

Any ideas for keeping our sanity in the next 8 weeks??

Best of luck to all. I do believe we'll all end up where we are meant to be.

 

[Faebinder]

Any ideas for keeping our sanity in the next 8 weeks??

I hear SSRIs do wonders.

 

[Doc Oc]

I just done certified my list too

Both of them, but hopefully I won't need the 2nd one.

 

[Marigold]

I'm so excited for all you match-ers!!!

And jealous, too...one more year, one more year. *sigh*

 

[chibihamsta]

I'm too scared to put in a list yet! Maybe I'll do it next week..

 

[sophiejane]

You can still change your list, even after you certify. You just have to hit the certify button again before you log out.

I actually just wanted to see what it looked like in print, all official. It helped me, actually, to realize that this list was really reflective of my gut feeling abut the programs I interviewed at, and going against it at this point is probably a mistake.

Just be sure to reward yourself appropriately when it's said and done!

 

[slim shanie]

Oooh! That was fun! I'm still juggling my top 3 and using second looks to solidify that but doing the ROL was very liberating even if it was kinda false liberating haha

 

[not4rural]

USCD vs UCI? if anyone interviewed at either please put down some of your opinions

 

[VuDOo]

My ROL is complete. I interviewed at 6 programs and ranked 3.

 

[Canadian Bacon]

I know its perfectly OK to tell your top program that you'll be ranking them #1 etc...but do u guys think its OK to tell your second choice program that you'll be ranking them #1 as well (or should you tell them truthfully they'll be #2).

 

[sophiejane]

I know its perfectly OK to tell your top program that you'll be ranking them #1 etc...but do u guys think its OK to tell your second choice program that you'll be ranking them #1 as well (or should you tell them truthfully they'll be #2).

Ya, that would be unethical because you are lying. Just tell your #2 you are "ranking them very highly" which is perfectly acceptable match lingo, and everyone understands it may mean #1 or #2.

 

[drwatson]

I'm interviewing at Advocate Lutheran and Resurrection on Wednesday and Thursday. The PD at Res seems really proactive in contacting interviewees personally. Always a plus in my mind.

I'll post a mini blog next week sometime when I'm finished with all 18 of my interviews (couple's match).

Hoping to hear about some Chicago programs...

 

[DMAKSIMOVIC]

Hoping to hear about some Chicago programs...

I'm slacking....sorry! Well my take on the two Chicago programs I interviewed. They were both really solid programs and if I weren't couples matching, I might rank them higher. But since I am.....locations kind of kill us as a couple......as in finding housing, travel.....TRAFFIC! I went to undergrad in Chicago and it's brutal. Resurrection was the smaller of the two......more community feel to it, lots of OB, diverse neighborhood. Advocate was huge, but didn't have that giant university feel to it. It was originally designed to become a medical school so you have lots of specialists on staff. They do have some unique clinics associated with the program if you're interested. The staff at both were nice and seemed very affluent in their respective areas of expertise. I'd probably rank Res over Advocate just because of the size aspect.

 

[DrXYZ]

I applied to only unopposed programs in TX
Interviewed at eight. They were all excellent in my opinion. But my rank will probably be as follows:

1. Waco FM - Waco, TX
2. Memorial FM - Houston, TX
3. JPS - Fort Worth, TX
4. Conroe FM - Conroe, TX