Programs that suck

[odieoh]

Ok, out of curiousity, why are the LSU programs considered so terrible? Are they just poorly organized or are these programs considered malignant?
.

I don't know anything about LSU in New Orleans(besides that its an extra year), but as far as LSU Shreveport one big problem is Shreveport itself. This is a city whose largest industry is the casino downtown. Other than that the economy there is shot and the most popular activities consist of collecting unemployment, drinkin', shootin', and rapin'.

The facilities were built cerca 1950 and haven't been updated since (although most of the equipment is newer). Those are a few of the reasons.

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[ZR1]

It was posted in this thread that programs that are LOUSY include Univ of South Carolina, Eastern Virginia, and SUMMA. Now we've heard plent on both sides of USC...but what about EASTERN VIRGINIA AND SUMMA...why would one call these programs LOUSY?

 

[monstermatch]

Just want to say that I've heard from several different attendings at three different Ophthy programs that BU is awful. I used to live in Boston so I was hoping to interview there but I've cancelled the interview after hearing such resounding negatives. Oh well.

 

[2020]

I've heard rumors that BU isn't that bad, but not that good either. I would interview there. I think I forgot to apply to that program when I was applying.

 

[Visioncam]

While interviewing, anybody hear of other programs that suck?

 

[ZR1]

im still trying to figure out how SUMMA and EVMS suck so bad...very curious

 

[NSC]

I am very disappointed with Indiana. I used to think it was very, very good. Now I think it's just good, not outstanding.

There are others which turned out better or worse than I thought, but this is a start.

 

[Andrew_Doan]

bump

 

[monstermatch]

So who out there matched to a lousy program?

 

[Visioncam]

I know of someone that just matched to one of those lousy programs!

 

[brendang]

I know of someone that just matched to one of those lousy programs![/QUOT

Seems like you want to get something off your chest. Perhaps there is something that I can help you with... Send me a private message and we'll talk about this... Seriously though, I think you have issues.

 

[retinadoc]

I would also stay away from Northwestern. They just lost their V.A. and are sennding their residents to Louisiana to do surgery. Also the chairman is not resident friendly.

 

[golgi]

It's on probation and just seemed pretty shady when I went to interview there

 

[Visioncam]

I know of someone that just matched to one of those lousy programs![/QUOT

Seems like you want to get something off your chest. Perhaps there is something that I can help you with... Send me a private message and we'll talk about this... Seriously though, I think you have issues.

Nothing that I want to get off my chest. The medical student got on the wrong side of the faculty but matched at another program. That program isn't too good. However, that student is certainly happier than if they were not matched.

 

[brendang]

Nothing that I want to get off my chest. The medical student got on the wrong side of the faculty but matched at another program. That program isn't too good. However, that student is certainly happier than if they were not matched.

That makes no sense.

 

[odieoh]

That makes no sense.

True, but neither does your accusing him of "wanting to get something off his chest" and "having issues" just because he says he knows someone who matched at a crummy program. . .

 

[golgi]

Some other programs on the interview trail that were not well-received...

- Bronx-Lebanon New York
- U South Carolina
- U Missouri kansas city (seemed a little nepotistic as well...)
- Geisinger
- Maryland General
- Henry Ford
- LSU Shreveport/New Orleans

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

I've thought about SC as a possible option, what did you dislike about the program there?

 

[brendang]

In all honesty, I really am unimpressed that such a thread as this even exists... In a speciality that is as competitive as ophthamology, what is the benefit in identifying programs that, as sledge2005 so eloquently described, sucked... I'll be the first to admit that I matched at one of the programs that has been mentioned in this thread (LSU-New Orleans) and am ecstatic about, firstly MATCHING at all and secondly at a program that I actually ranked no.1. Applicants are looking for specific things when they interview and I happened to love everything about where I matched. (Like I was going to rank Indiana after the interviewer made me explain why I nearly flunked general chem in my first year of college and my position on why Canada didn't support the US in the War in Iraq -- as if it wasn't enough applying as a Canadian from a caribbean school!) I assume that too many on this board are too easily impressed with the "strict" reputations of some programs and didn't actually use any grey matter when deciding where to put their faith in choosing where they would like to train. Ultimately, we will all be colleagues in the near future and should respect each others choices accordingly. Peace. [Drops the mike and struts off the stage...]

 

[golgi]

I actually liked South Carolina - their chair, PD, and residents were very friendly and they have a large VA. They even get to do a good amount of lasix.

However, they were didn't have faculty in cornea(?)/glaucoma and that worried me a little bit. I would have ranked them higher if I knew for sure that they had already found someone but at the time of the interview they had not. Otherwise, I think the program is heading in the right direction.

 

[odieoh]

I assume that too many on this board are too easily impressed with the "strict" reputations of some programs and didn't actually use any grey matter when deciding where to put their faith in choosing where they would like to train. Ultimately, we will all be colleagues in the near future and should respect each others choices accordingly. Peace. [Drops the mike and struts off the stage...]

What an odd post- first you insult the users on this board and then in the next sentence say we should all respect each other.

Who has issues?

 

[SLars]

I heard that Chattanooga is pretty lousy. University of South Carolina is also lousy but they are very defensive about it. Medical College of Georgia is nearby these two places and isn't that great but does not meet the criteria of "lousy".

 

[Sam MD]

I'll second some of these bad programs, like Bronx Lebanon, South Carolina at Columbia, Maryland General, etc. Geisinger isn't so bad, it's just in a town that many prospective residents don't like because it's so small and isolated.

If you interview at Maryland General, see if you develop an opinion about the program coordinator's (secretary) attitude.

 

[PDT4CNV]

Geez...so much for my plan to get into a program that sucks. I interviewed at both UT-Chattanooga and U of SC-Columbia and didn't match!

I thought South Carolina-Columbia was a pretty nice program though....at least, I liked it. Galveston sucked. It developed the nick name Galvetraz. Heh.

It really isn't appropriate to publicly list programs as programs that suck. Rather, discuss the pros and cons of the residency programs.

 

[DilatedPeoples]

It really isn't appropriate to publicly list programs as programs that suck. Rather, discuss the pros and cons of the residency programs.

Now that I'm in the middle of applying, I've realized what a daunting task it is eliminating 60-70% of the programs that exist, and coming up with a decent list of programs I would go to. This is especially hard when there is little data out there comparing the programs. I think any information people have to offer regarding their impressions of programs is better than making decisions based on arbitrary factors. I agree, it is unprofessional to blatantly dismiss a program as "sucking", but I really want to hear whatever cons people have to say about programs.

 

[tcfunnybone]

i know this thread is kinda old, but i'm sure it's still being viewed... so here's my brief two cents on one program listed on the "Lousy" list of a previous post:

St. V's-NYMC B'klyn/Queens - i interviewed there and didn't think it really sucked; there are weaknesses (as with most programs) and strengths.

Some background info: small program (2 res/yr), in Queens mostly, good clinical training, i think 5-6 full-time faculty, work out of multiple hospitals; Chairman is Wills graduate, a few others are SVMC grads.

Weaknesses:
- the umbrella hospital is bankrupt - -the Chairman was very straightforward about this with the interviewees. they are looking for another hospital/med school affiliation. he said if they didn't find one, they wouldn't rank this year b/c it obviously wouldn't be fair to the incomign residnets (the current residnets would be able to finish training still).
- oculoplastics

Strengths (at least to me):
- all faculty and residents were extremely likeable and friendly (unlike other places where i interviewed); Chairman was very personable.
- good surgical volume with regards to cataracts, glaucoma, etc.
- no other programs serve queens (except maybe mt. sinai, i think??? not sure about that). so, all those patients come to you!

so, overall, i don't know exactly why it was placed on the "lousy" list. perhaps someone else could explain. i guess it depends on what type of person you are & what you're looking for. it's definitely not a Wills or NYEEI in terms of research or anything like that... personally i'm just not too enamored by that stuff. SVCMC (or whatever it may be called in the future) is small, friendly, and it seems like you'd get a solid training.

 

[DOapplicant]

curious why some are considering these to be lousy?

 

[Visioncam]

somebody posted a request for this thread but couldn't find it...here it is.

 

[Visioncam]

There are a lot of posts asking for switching of interviews. Luckily, most of the programs mentioned, but not all, are not on the consensus list of lousy programs! Good luck!

 

[scpichu888]

^does anyone know how much of this is still true about the univ of south carolina?

 

[GuP]

Can someone comment on the former lousy prog list and let us know if they are still as is or improved or worse?

 

[rubensan]

Can someone comment on the former lousy prog list and let us know if they are still as is or improved or worse?

you know, i would not give it a whole lot of credence. if you are interested in a program and have heard some "bad things" about it on this forum or through word of mouth, i still think it worth applying to and interviewing there to see for yourself. some programs have been put on this list for legitimate reasons, others because they have a reputation of being "malignant" or the residents take "overnight" call. still, others were on probation.

now, if a program is on probation then you have to ask yourself why? is it something trivial like lack of a sink in the callroom? or is something serious like a descrepancy in surgical numbers among the residents or low surgical numbers in general? a good program will be honest to its applicants about why they are on probation and the steps they are taking to remedy the situation. the red hering would be a program that does not even acknowledge why they are on probation. what you really need to ask about a program that is on probation is if they are in danger of loosing RRC/ACGME accreditation. if this happens the program will shut down and the residents are out of luck. this is currently happening at Martin Luther King/Drew Medical center in Los Angeles.

 

[Lovologist]

There's a place that medical students should avoid, but I won't name it....

"Tonight, on CBS news, something in your house could be deadly to you, but we're not going to tell you because that would be unprofessional."

 

[ophtho99]

Spent time at NUMC. It is a great place to be. Residents are happy and the facilities are pretty new and nice. Lots of autonomy. You get to have experience with many different attending physicians who visit in addition to the more frequent staff. The entire building is new compared to 6 years ago. They just got a brand new OCT, and Yag laser. There are 3 techs that help out the residents, seeing patients, doing FAs, OCTs and photos. There is a surgical scheduler. Residents spend a lot of time in the OR, especially during third year and especially for retina. Residents either do a month long Columbia didactic course or they do the 1.5 month course in Maine. Additionally residents go to the Wills Eye Course. Residents seemed happy with their fellowship matches. I believe the 2015 match was 4/4: Glaucoma, Medical Retina (at Bascom), Refractive Cornea, Surg Retina. 2016 was Surg retina, refractive cornea, glaucoma and private practice. Only 3 wanted to do fellowship.

 

[DrZeke]

This is an incredibly interesting thread, but outdated. Also the title is fairly unprofessional. Perhaps if people have concerns about certain programs they can list them in the compendium.

Good luck to everyone in this years upcoming match!


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