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Do they have nightfloat?
Uic
- Thread starter HeartNeuro
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because i've gotten an interview and i don't want to say, "oh, btw, do you have nf?"
D
deleted102545
Why not? It's important to have all questions answered when it comes to something as important as choosing a residency program. I don't think a program director is going to be offended. I interviewed there and the director was super nice.
My thoughts on night float changed from MS4 to PGY1. In my medical school the residents who did night float were super miserable so I was iffy about it when applying but then as an intern I loved getting all my night shifts out of the way all at once and am glad I can do it as a neuro resident. Weekend call sucks but, whatever, no neuro program is as big as IM so there are some drawbacks.
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UIC is an interesting program. I have no bones with it, however they are in a bit of a transition period; looking for a new chairman as Dr. Gorelick retired (state employee, so was kinda forced out), looking to fill many faculty positions as they have had an exodus as of late (they are actually stretched pretty line right now from what I have heard). Those were the two big things. The residents that I know that are there are not happy with the program. Also, I know the program is short a few residents, so not sure how that will affect call/coverage. Just a few things worth asking on your interview. Especially the residents, as the PD and attendings will put a positive spin on the above (how finding a new chairman is exciting and will open new doors not previously available, will bring a new energy to the program, new faculty will be great as it will open more doors for research...etc.). Just do your due diligence to get the best feel you can of the program.
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I just finished my neuro rotation at UIC. I'm a medical student, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
The residents seemed generally happy. There was some harping about tough schedules (especially at Christ, which is a stroke mecca for the south side), but everyone I talked to was happy with the program, their fellow residents, the level of camaraderie, and the future of the program. Everyone was satisfied with the quality of their education and felt like they would be able to competently practice without fellowship (and neuro is a fellowship-heavy field). True, the attendings are stretched a little bit thin right now. I have a pretty high opinion of Dr. Kincaid (PD), and I think the program is in good hands.
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I just want to put in my few words as I did an elective rotation in neurology at UIC and my opinion echoes what darkside wrote. The department is smallish to begin with faculty wise, now with the exodus of a chairman and many other faculty members they are stretched very thin.
Being a smaller department, you don't have as broad of a representation of all areas of neurology. That might be ok for some, but I wouldn't like that.
I specifically had two residents that were not happy with their training there and told me that they would not recommend for me to apply there and would not be shocked if I decided not to apply there. They seemed over worked. Under appreciated and got the feeling the faculty would throw them under the bus rather than stick up and back the resident if there was some conflict with another department.
There is also very little elective time available throughout the residency. The program is very structured with little flexibility for you to tailor your training to fit your career goals. But the program is stretched too thin with not enough residents, so they have to do that in order to cover all the services.
The UIC hospital is run like the state of IL, which means piss poor. Lack of computers is a big issue. Even the residents will admit that as you need to fight with RN, PT/OT, PharmD...etc. to use a computer to write notes or put orders in. They don't have COWs (computer on wheels), don't have wall mounted computers outside patient rooms, don't have laptops. However they recently started using iPad's and have 3 for the residents to share across the stroke and general team. Those help, but it isn't the same thing as having a computer to put orders and write notes in.
Chicago is a great city. But I was not impressed at all by the program. Noon conferences were run by residents 95% of the time. During my time there, I believe I had 1 lecture by an attending. There is neuroradiology conference with a neurorad attending in the morning that is really good. But to have noon conferences run by residents made me feel like the faculty don't care about education and teaching. I can understand having 1 resident run noon conference once a month, but not every day. Even on rounds the attendings didn't do that great of a job teaching or explaining. Some were definitely better than others, but compared to my other electives at other institutions, UIC definitely ranks at the bottom.
Also, they don't provide food for residents/medical students at noon conference. Only program I have ever visited that has not had food at conference. Not that I am needy or anything, but puts things in bad light as if they don't care about residents happiness or that they have financial problems and can't afford lunch 5x/week. Not sure.
For some reason UIC runs the stroke and general as 1 service at UIC hospital however with a seperate attending for each service. One starts rounding at 830 and the other at 930. So if you have patients on stroke and general, you would be stuck with leaving one attending to go round on your patients with the other attending. Their system just isn't designed that efficiently.
I personally decided not to apply to UIC based on my experience. I was going to apply there prior to my elective and part of the reason I spent time there. Happy I did. Saved me the cost of applying, interviewing and potentially making the mistake to rank them.
Note: I have heard great things about the rotation at Christ, however did not have the chance to spend time there. Not sure if that makes up for all the flaws in the program.
Being a smaller department, you don't have as broad of a representation of all areas of neurology. That might be ok for some, but I wouldn't like that.
I specifically had two residents that were not happy with their training there and told me that they would not recommend for me to apply there and would not be shocked if I decided not to apply there. They seemed over worked. Under appreciated and got the feeling the faculty would throw them under the bus rather than stick up and back the resident if there was some conflict with another department.
There is also very little elective time available throughout the residency. The program is very structured with little flexibility for you to tailor your training to fit your career goals. But the program is stretched too thin with not enough residents, so they have to do that in order to cover all the services.
The UIC hospital is run like the state of IL, which means piss poor. Lack of computers is a big issue. Even the residents will admit that as you need to fight with RN, PT/OT, PharmD...etc. to use a computer to write notes or put orders in. They don't have COWs (computer on wheels), don't have wall mounted computers outside patient rooms, don't have laptops. However they recently started using iPad's and have 3 for the residents to share across the stroke and general team. Those help, but it isn't the same thing as having a computer to put orders and write notes in.
Chicago is a great city. But I was not impressed at all by the program. Noon conferences were run by residents 95% of the time. During my time there, I believe I had 1 lecture by an attending. There is neuroradiology conference with a neurorad attending in the morning that is really good. But to have noon conferences run by residents made me feel like the faculty don't care about education and teaching. I can understand having 1 resident run noon conference once a month, but not every day. Even on rounds the attendings didn't do that great of a job teaching or explaining. Some were definitely better than others, but compared to my other electives at other institutions, UIC definitely ranks at the bottom.
Also, they don't provide food for residents/medical students at noon conference. Only program I have ever visited that has not had food at conference. Not that I am needy or anything, but puts things in bad light as if they don't care about residents happiness or that they have financial problems and can't afford lunch 5x/week. Not sure.
For some reason UIC runs the stroke and general as 1 service at UIC hospital however with a seperate attending for each service. One starts rounding at 830 and the other at 930. So if you have patients on stroke and general, you would be stuck with leaving one attending to go round on your patients with the other attending. Their system just isn't designed that efficiently.
I personally decided not to apply to UIC based on my experience. I was going to apply there prior to my elective and part of the reason I spent time there. Happy I did. Saved me the cost of applying, interviewing and potentially making the mistake to rank them.
Note: I have heard great things about the rotation at Christ, however did not have the chance to spend time there. Not sure if that makes up for all the flaws in the program.