Fp Eras 2004

[HamSandwich]

okay, i finally added my PS to my ERAS so everything is there that should be at this stage.

i am excited about the programs i am applying to (New England, Denver, the Southeast US).

I had messages from two programs, one in CT and one in SC just saying we have your application.

anybody else have anything good or any problems?

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[BellKicker]

I only like snakes and sparklers.

(Believe it or not, I almost put that same quote as my signature once).

I'll be applying to FP next year so I'm just reading along for the second-hand experience. Congrats on getting interviews already.

 

[HamSandwich]

cant go wrong with joe deer-tay. yup, got my first invite yesterday and it is for one of my top, if not the top choice. love FP!

 

[HamSandwich]

anybody else hear anything yet? i got a letter and an email from one program saying that they have my stuff and will contact me when they are setting up interviews.

 

[BellKicker]

Man, I hope this discussion gets going. There's gotta be more SDNers going for FP this year!

Hamsandwich, I'd like to ask you something. How did you pick your programs? You're excited about program X but why exactly? I mean, I surf FP websites all the time and they all seem 90% the same. It's obvious that some are more prestigeous than others but what exactly is the benefit of that? In terms of jobs post-residency, does anyone care where you did your residency?

I know you applied in different areas of the country (east coast and Denver?). I'm pretty sure I'll only apply to 3 or 4 states (adjacent states). It just puzzles me a little.

I guess I plan to apply and rank as location as my major or only criterium. Do you think that's smart?

Maybe I'm missing something, but what's wrong with the small unopposed FP programs in the middle of nowhere. It's sounds like a dream to me but people refer to these programs like they'd rather die than go there.

Could anyone explain this?

 

[HamSandwich]

yeah sometimes i click on the family practice forum and i swear i hear crickets and maybe a lone coyote howling. i *know* i am not the only one applying to FP this year, but what is with the silence?! you and i did not click on this link 177 times. there are others out there. start piping up everybody! bellkicker i applaud you for making me not feel completely alone here.

okay to answer your questions....

#1 i wanted an unopposed program without a doubt. so that lets out quite a few. for example, in the denver area there might be 13 programs but i applied to 4 because most of the others were opposed. personally i would like it to be in a very small town but refer to #2 to see why it has to be in a more midsized place.

#2 was geography. my husband and i only wanted to live in certain parts of the country and so we looked at a map and narrowed it down from there. it also had to be close enough to a big city for him to get a job. i wanted to go to montana or WY for residency but was vetoed on the fact that he and his MBA dont want to run the local feed and tack store. (as an aside, to get the rural rocky mountain bug out of me, i am going to montana for all of october with the Indian Health Service and doing a rotation. it is awesome, a tiny hospital with no equipment where you are IT. use your hands for diagnosis, no pesky CT or MRI here. oh and if you want food from the cafeteria, you have to order a meal in the morning so they know to make an extra...it is that small) but location is very personal and important, so dont worry about using it as a main criteria. most people do, especially because there are so many places in FP for residency.

#3 i am excited about getting my interview (you can PM me for where if you care) because it is supposed to be an awesome program! my girlfriend rotated there and loved it.....they are a solid unopposed program, have electronic medical record, awesome faculty and benefits are great. i didnt rotate there due to scheduling conflicts but it really is one of my top 3 choices.

#4 the little stuff. do we have to pay for our insurance (i mean we are making so little and to get screwed by having to contribute is a real kick in the pants), do they have night float, do they have child care on site?

#5 i think the bottom line is you have to go there and get a feel for the place and see if it feels like 'home' and if you fit in. it was the same for me for med school. i got in to a few places and went to visit them and the school i chose just felt right to me.

#6 as far as does anyone care if you do your residency in a prestigious locale? it depends if you want to join some academic program and teach. if not, i dont think anyone gives a hooey when job hunting. you are probably going to get 125K out of the gate in any part of the country no matter where you did residency.

it is pretty exciting, after 3.5 years to be applying to residency and i know i am not the only one (but if so, good for me when making my match list) but people, come on. we have to show up the EM forum, they are on fire over there!

 

[Clue]

I'll represent for family med. The small hospital programs are great, I am rotating at one right now. The only problem I foresee is if you plan on getting involved in the academic community. Teaching or researching. Then it may be beneficial to go to a big name hospital. Or if you want to do a fellowship, you usually have a better chance if you are at the program from the beginning.

 

[PACtoDOC]

I am two years behind you fourth years but I make no bones about it......I am going to do family medicine. As a PA I love family medicine, and with the additional knowledge (and a solid PA..working with me!!), I know I can make 300K or change. In my last practice, all the PA's were making 6 figs, and the FP's were making 125 as new partners, 200 after a couple years, and the two big guys made over 350K each and only worked about half the week. You have develop that pyramid scheme to make it work...but it really works that way.

Also, for me, I want to feel comfortable doing even more than I was already doing as a PA in FP. I want to do basic stress tests, Flex Sigs, Vas's, Colpo's, all my own derm stuff that isn't needing a Moh's Surgeon basically, D&C's PRN, and much more. And I plan to be in an area where I can be the medical director for a local EMS agency, so I want to feel comfortable with some crazy trauma as well. So, for me, it comes down to exposure to all this stuff. That only leaves some of those rare unopposed programs where the residents can do everything. Ventura County California, John Peter Smith in Fort Worth, BU in Boston, ETSU in Kingsport, Tn, and UNM in Albuquerque. These are only the places I have run across thus far. We spend every vacation going to some of these places and getting a feel for the cost of living and area. Good luck to you 4th years looking for something good....tell us if you find it!!

Matt

 

[dj_smooth]

Are FPs still able to do appys? And I've also heard of them doing lap choles too. My only concern is if hospitals are giving those kind of priviledges out anymore? And is it only those programs you listed that will let you do them?

 

[VitaminK]

This forum is starting to pick up some now!! I'm also interested in FP but worried about not making enough money. I love everything about it so far, have truly enjoyed waking up every day while on rotation. People say that if you do you own procedures, etc you can make more. Is this true? Do you have to work your butt off just to make a lil money?

 

[larryj]

I'm in for FP 2004. I am applying across the midwest- from Colorado to Indiana. I have heard from several programs, some by email, some by snail mail.

I agree with finding unopposed programs for the best opportunities. You will find that MANY people choose their FP program based on geographic location.

PACtoDOC- you want to find programs that will teach you FULL colonoscopy, not just flex sig. I have not read about those you mentioned, since they are not within my geographic search range.

I'll add to your list for programs that have a history of procedural training: Via Christi in Wichita, KS. Greeley CO, Muncie IN.

 

[dj_smooth]

Are AHEC programs generally good for procedural training?

 

[DOtobe]

I may be dumb, but what do you mean by an "unopposed" vs an "opposed" program?

 

[HamSandwich]

opposed program means there are other residencies in the hospital where you train and unopposed means FP is the only residency.

 

[DOtobe]

Ahh, thanks HamSandwich!

 

[save10]

West coast FP's need to represent here. Anyone besides me applying to Cali programs? I dont like cold weather and humidity and tornados so I'm stayin in california