Unique Disease and End Stage Pathology - Best Programs

[Eye Applicant]

Another thread for a different question. What programs seem to offer the most exposure to the unique stuff, the weird stuff, the end-stage pathology? The kind of stuff you read about in the Wills handbook, but usually never see? UCLA, Emory and Bascom come to mind. This probably has to do with being situated in LA, Atlanta and Miami respectively. Any others that you can think of?

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[DrZeke]

Another thread for a different question. What programs seem to offer the most exposure to the unique stuff, the weird stuff, the end-stage pathology? The kind of stuff you read about in the Wills handbook, but usually never see? UCLA, Emory and Bascom come to mind. This probably has to do with being situated in LA, Atlanta and Miami respectively. Any others that you can think of?

I heard the same about Kresge in Detroit.

 

[speyeder]

It's hard to beat Bascom for advanced pathology. Their residents see the craziest things in their eye ER.

 

[TheLesPaul]

Many of the southern programs -- Emory, UTSW, BCM -- county hospitals with end-stage path are the name of the game there.

 

[clayito]

Many of the southern programs -- Emory, UTSW, BCM -- county hospitals with end-stage path are the name of the game there.

Agree with this. I finished residency at UTSW in June and can attest to the fact that end-stage path and relatively uncommon diseases are seen frequently (often multiple times per day for entities such as PDR with tractional RD, cupped out discs bilaterally on initial presentation, mature/hypermature cataracts).

Based on interview trail, would put Bascom, Emory, UCLA, Baylor, USC in similar category due to association with county hospitals in most cases, as was stated above. Not sure how USC has changed, if any, as the residents still work at LA County even though the dept. had major shakeup since I interviewed there.

 

[ocularis]

So is time spent in a county system a good thing?

 

[DrZeke]

Agree with this. I finished residency at UTSW in June and can attest to the fact that end-stage path and relatively uncommon diseases are seen frequently (often multiple times per day for entities such as PDR with tractional RD, cupped out discs bilaterally on initial presentation, mature/hypermature cataracts).

Based on interview trail, would put Bascom, Emory, UCLA, Baylor, USC in similar category due to association with county hospitals in most cases, as was stated above. Not sure how USC has changed, if any, as the residents still work at LA County even though the dept. had major shakeup since I interviewed there.

Add LSU/Ochsner to this list.

 

[clayito]

So does a lot of time spent in a county system a big advantage and positive aspect?

Yes, because of the diversity of pathology and high volume. In general, you want to train where there is as much practice diversity as is possible - a mixture of county hospital, VA, private clinics gives you experience with advanced disease, high volume but also an idea of what private practice is like and learning from attendings (a balance of autonomy and "hand-holding").

 

[LightBox]

I think it is best to have a balance of both worlds. I've seen residents from training programs from both ends of the spectrum. On the one hand, you have the residents that have great book/didactic knowledge, but barely broke 100 cataracts during residency. On the other hand, you have residents seeing 100 patients a day, but have no clue how to manage things "properly" because of poor attending supervision/teaching.

As stated before, it is best to see the full gamut of practice settings: from down-and-dirty County Hospitals to luxurious LASIK practices.