PGY1 Medicine spot at Tripler Army Medical Center

[Terpskins99]

I was interviewing with them up until late last week (Thursday?). They recently opened up 2 PGY-1 prelim medicine positions for US civilians. I repeat, you must be a US citizen to be eligible. I had been hoping to join them, but I was offered a spot someplace else and I couldn't afford to wait.

Fyi... Tripler is in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Julia Lim, MD, Major
Program Director Internal Medicine Residency
[email protected]

Jeremy Domanski, MD, Captain
Internal Medicine Chief Resident
[email protected]

Good luck!

(ps - the U Buffalo PGY1 medicine spot under Dr. Qazi was still available as of Wednesday last week. Contact Pamela Stokes at [email protected] )

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[narcotics999]

as

 

[Javad]

Buffalo filled.

 

[surferguy]

Can anyone comment on the quality of the IM residency program at Tripler, and how it would be perceived by civilian subspecialty programs for future fellowships? For those without a PGY-1 year, is this a good option? It seems like they are only looking for categorical, not prelim. Thanks much.

 

[Terpskins99]

I have been getting a number of PM's from folks asking if I did anything special to find these spots. The answer is no. I just kept looking. I found out about Tripler the same place as you guys... through SDN.

As for Buffalo, I had been keeping in contact off and on ever since the scramble (they are terrible at getting back to people). The place I ultimately scrambled to was a site I had rotated at several times. I got in touch with their program director and asked if they would be willing to add another internship spot on my behalf. They did.

Can anyone comment on the quality of the IM residency program at Tripler, and how it would be perceived by civilian subspecialty programs for future fellowships? For those without a PGY-1 year, is this a good option? It seems like they are only looking for categorical, not prelim. Thanks much.

Dr. Lim specifically told me that they had added two prelim medicine spots.

No offense, but right now if you're looking for a residency you're not in any position to be picky. Its either this (which I personally think is an absolutely terrific site to scramble into... are you kidding me?) or you are sitting out a year. VA hospitals sometimes have a reputation of being a bit cushy, and that may or may not have some influence over your ability to match into a competitive fellowship. But I was informed that you would not be restricted to the VA. Overall, working in a military hospital is awesome experience. Patient population is much more compliant than your typical civilian population and the ancillary staff will be infinitely easier to work with. There is no comparison between this place and some malignant community program that may or may not have an internship spot available at this time.

 

[Medstudentquest]

I have been getting a number of PM's from folks asking if I did anything special to find these spots. The answer is no. I just kept looking. I found out about Tripler the same place as you guys... through SDN.

As for Buffalo, I had been keeping in contact off and on ever since the scramble (they are terrible at getting back to people). The place I ultimately scrambled to was a site I had rotated at several times. I got in touch with their program director and asked if they would be willing to add another internship spot on my behalf. They did.


Dr. Lim specifically told me that they had added two prelim medicine spots.

No offense, but right now if you're looking for a residency you're not in any position to be picky. Its either this (which I personally think is an absolutely terrific site to scramble into... are you kidding me?) or you are sitting out a year. VA hospitals sometimes have a reputation of being a bit cushy, and that may or may not have some influence over your ability to match into a competitive fellowship. But I was informed that you would not be restricted to the VA. Overall, working in a military hospital is awesome experience. Patient population is much more compliant than your typical civilian population and the ancillary staff will be infinitely easier to work with. There is no comparison between this place and some malignant community program that may or may not have an internship spot available at this time.

They created a spot for you? How did they do that? I have asked that at my own school and multiple others places and I've been told that no, no spots can be created.

 

[bullpup777]

I sent email and credentials to both addresses at Tripler and am hoping to hear back. I am not fussy, in any way, shape or form. Just looking for a chance.

 

[colbgw02]

I have been getting a number of PM's from folks asking if I did anything special to find these spots. The answer is no. I just kept looking. I found out about Tripler the same place as you guys... through SDN.

As for Buffalo, I had been keeping in contact off and on ever since the scramble (they are terrible at getting back to people). The place I ultimately scrambled to was a site I had rotated at several times. I got in touch with their program director and asked if they would be willing to add another internship spot on my behalf. They did.


Dr. Lim specifically told me that they had added two prelim medicine spots.

No offense, but right now if you're looking for a residency you're not in any position to be picky. Its either this (which I personally think is an absolutely terrific site to scramble into... are you kidding me?) or you are sitting out a year. VA hospitals sometimes have a reputation of being a bit cushy, and that may or may not have some influence over your ability to match into a competitive fellowship. But I was informed that you would not be restricted to the VA. Overall, working in a military hospital is awesome experience. Patient population is much more compliant than your typical civilian population and the ancillary staff will be infinitely easier to work with. There is no comparison between this place and some malignant community program that may or may not have an internship spot available at this time.

Sorry, I know your comment was completely innocent, but I just had to at this part.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Sorry, I know your comment was completely innocent, but I just had to at this part.

I find that highly amusing myself.

If you mean "easier to work with" as in "you'll do all the work yourself" that would accurately describe almost every VA employee I've ever known especially nursing staff (and I worked at the VA for 10 years prior to medical school).

 

[Terpskins99]

Sorry, I know your comment was completely innocent, but I just had to at this part.

I find that highly amusing myself.

If you mean "easier to work with" as in "you'll do all the work yourself" that would accurately describe almost every VA employee I've ever known especially nursing staff (and I worked at the VA for 10 years prior to medical school).

I meant military hospitals in general and not just VA's. Walter Reed and National Naval Medical Center seemed to me to have pretty squared away staff (granted, I have limited experience with either of them). But yeah... I guess I stretched my argument a bit too far.

THAT SAID... I still think Tripler would be an amazing place to work at. VA or not.

 

[colbgw02]

I meant military hospitals in general and not just VA's. Walter Reed and National Naval Medical Center seemed to me to have pretty squared away staff (granted, I have limited experience with either of them). But yeah... I guess I stretched my argument a bit too far.

THAT SAID... I still think Tripler would be an amazing place to work at. VA or not.

I knew you were talking about military hospitals. While better than VA hospitals, the idea that the ancillary staff at a military hospital is easier to work than - let's say - your average civilian hospital is still wildly off-base.

Also, there is no VA hospital in Hawaii.

 

[Winged Scapula]

The argument, whether VA or military hospitals, is the same.

Government employees have, in general, little motivation and know its hard to fire them which ----> laziness. Couple that with the requirement to hire someone who is service connected over a civilian regardless of qualifications and you also have laziness + inept employees.

Coming from a military family, I have decades of experience in observing such.

That said, I'd also imagine Tripler would be nice.

 

[Terpskins99]

I knew you were talking about military hospitals. While better than VA hospitals, the idea that the ancillary staff at a military hospital is easier to work than - let's say - your average civilian hospital is still wildly off-base.

Also, there is no VA hospital in Hawaii.

You sure about that?

 

[colbgw02]

You sure about that?

Yes, I am absolutely, 100%, beyond a shadow of a doubt sure. The picture you posted is of the VA clinic, which is in physical continuity with Tripler AMC. Inpatient medicine does not exist in that building.

The VA outpatient medicine on O'ahu more or less operates independent of the DoD. Exceptions to that rule include some surgical specialties (the VA will fly its beneficiaries to California for neurosurgery, for example) and some higher end radiologic exams (they don't have their own magnet). They just recently got a MDCT, which used to be done at TAMC or some other imaging center.

If you're a VAB in Hawai'i and you require emergent or inpatient medical care, you go to Tripler. If you're on an outer island, then you go to the closest hospital until that can transfer you to TAMC. I'll say it again; there is no VA hospital in Hawai'i.

 

[Terpskins99]

Yes, I am absolutely, 100%, beyond a shadow of a doubt sure. The picture you posted is of the VA clinic, which is in physical continuity with Tripler AMC. Inpatient medicine does not exist in that building.

The VA outpatient medicine on O'ahu more or less operates independent of the DoD. Exceptions to that rule include some surgical specialties (the VA will fly its beneficiaries to California for neurosurgery, for example) and some higher end radiologic exams (they don't have their own magnet). They just recently got a MDCT, which used to be done at TAMC or some other imaging center.

If you're a VAB in Hawai'i and you require emergent or inpatient medical care, you go to Tripler. If you're on an outer island, then you go to the closest hospital until that can transfer you to TAMC. I'll say it again; there is no VA hospital in Hawai'i.

Well, I just want to thank you taking a whole lot of time to completely derail the point of this thread. Do you need me to say it? Fine. You know more about Tripler than I do. Happy? Now heres a wild thought. How about actually making yourself useful and commenting about the residency itself?

 

[colbgw02]

Well, I just want to thank you taking a whole lot of time to completely derail the point of this thread. Do you need me to say it? Fine. You know more about Tripler than I do. Happy? Now heres a wild thought. How about actually making yourself useful and commenting about the residency itself?

I made myself useful when I pointed out to everyone that you incorrectly asserted that working with the ancillarly staff at Tripler would be easier than elsewhere. It's no big deal. Like I said before, your comment was innocent enough, but I don't want someone to come to work for military medicine mistakenly believing that they won't have to deal with the many of the same problems present throughout the rest of medicine.

I then made an off-hand comment intended to clear up yet another confusing point you made. You said, "VA hospitals sometimes have a reputation of being a bit cushy, and that may or may not have some influence over your ability to match into a competitive fellowship. But I was informed that you would not be restricted to the VA." In the context of a thread of residency at TAMC, one could easily conclude from your comments that you'd be working either primarily or jointly at a VA hospital, neither of which is true. After I pointed this out, rather than just use that information or - if you were confused - ask for a clarification, you tried to call me on it.

Now, I'm not looking for a residency spot, but if I were, I would find both of those pieces of information very helpful.

 

[darksideone]

 

[Terpskins99]

I made myself useful when I pointed out to everyone that you incorrectly asserted that working with the ancillarly staff at Tripler would be easier than elsewhere. It's no big deal. Like I said before, your comment was innocent enough, but I don't want someone to come to work for military medicine mistakenly believing that they won't have to deal with the many of the same problems present throughout the rest of medicine.

I then made an off-hand comment intended to clear up yet another confusing point you made. You said, "VA hospitals sometimes have a reputation of being a bit cushy, and that may or may not have some influence over your ability to match into a competitive fellowship. But I was informed that you would not be restricted to the VA." In the context of a thread of residency at TAMC, one could easily conclude from your comments that you'd be working either primarily or jointly at a VA hospital, neither of which is true. After I pointed this out, rather than just use that information or - if you were confused - ask for a clarification, you tried to call me on it.

Now, I'm not looking for a residency spot, but if I were, I would find both of those pieces of information very helpful.

And yet, you're still not leaving any information about the residency. NONE. Which is the whole point of this thread. You just feel it necessary to have the final word. Give it up already.

Seriously, do you think you're being useful to anyone here? What have you contributed to the thread? Besides arguing over semantics. Do you even understand the POINT of this thread? The pickings for internship spots at this stage is extremely slim. Actually, its effectively zero. The only hospitals that MAY have slots right now are likely malignant community programs. Have you even been in a hospital that had a malignant program? I've rotated around a few, and I find it impossible to believe that any military hospital would be worse.

 

[darksideone]

And yet, you're still not leaving any information about the residency. NONE. Which is the whole point of this thread. You just feel it necessary to have the final word. Give it up already.

Seriously, do you think you're being useful to anyone here? What have you contributed to the thread? Besides arguing over semantics. Do you even understand the POINT of this thread? The pickings for internship spots at this stage is extremely slim. Actually, its effectively zero. The only hospitals that MAY have slots right now are likely malignant community programs. Have you even been in a hospital that had a malignant program? I've rotated around a few, and I find it impossible to believe that any military hospital would be worse.

I think colbgw02's point was that you were spreading incorrect information and they wanted to point this out as obviously they know more about the program than you do and they seem to have a personal experience with Tripler. Funny you tried to call them out on it, and it just got thrown right back at you. I think colbgw02 was being very helpful as they had to clean up the mistakes you made in your post. So just relax; its not a big deal you were wrong. Loose the attitude dude.

 

[Winged Scapula]

<sigh>

This thread and forum is not the place for such discussions. Since the usefulness has been outstripped by ridiculousness, I will close the thread.