- Joined
- Dec 21, 2006
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Overall, one of the most down-to-earth, easy-going program I've been to where the residents and faculty are also very solid.
Residents: A mix of single to married with kids. Check out the resident bios for samples. A decent number have ties to NM or the Southwest in general, but it's not the rule at all.
Shifts: fewer than most programs, which gives more time for reading, fun, and some of the projects they make you do (more later).
Facilities: One big hospital with a distinct county feel--nicer facilities than some other county programs I've been to. Furthermore, this is soon to be obsolete as their new facilities open in May '07. Staying with the one main hospital system and a few rotations at the VA/Airforce hospital. Not a transplant center, but does combine for an interesting cancer center - county hospital feel.
Peds: Currently the peds ED is open almost 24 hours, and during off times peds are seen in main ED. I think they're going to move to 24 hour coverage soon though.
Trauma: Plenty of it--NM has the highest number of automobile fatalities in the 50 great states.
Faculty: Down to earth and fun folks. A number of research interests when combined. A decent number are UNM grads, and many from elsewhere have stayed because they love it there. Also check out the faculty bios.
Curriculum: Conferences weren't held on the day I interviewed. Points of interest include required QI project, disaster management, research and administration stuff, teaching methodology, injury epidemiology, and prevention strategies, some sort of research project and some sort of community project. There are a couple "red shirt" shifts as seniors in which you are there to teach and have people present to you. There are fewer shifts here--can't remember if it was 14-16 or so per 4 week block, but this definitely stands out as different than elsewhere. Also can't remember how long their shifts are. Sorry!
Patient Pop: Diverse, with a lot of hispanic and native american. Don't have to speak spanish (you get a medical spanish course) and they have interpreters I think around the clock.
Location: Albequirky is an interesting place. The weather sounds like all of the sunny perks of the southwest while not being as BLAZING hot in the summer as Arizona. It was in the 30s-40s when I was there, and people didn't know what the heck was going on. Plan on having Christmas dinner outside with 60 degree weather and sun. There are some cool areas of town, Santa Fe is 45 minutes away for artsy stuff, it's affordable to live in, most violence is between gang members, but not some of the big city attractions some people want. Tons of outdoor stuff, which the residents take advantage of--but you don't have to be an outdoor junkie.
Random facts:
1. Most normal PD I've met. Not that being kind of weird or a politician is bad, as those types seem to be good for liasons between residents and faculty/hospital people, but a definite plus.
2. Tons of ICU care (I think 7 months), especially for a 3 yr program, with 2 of the units run by UNM residency grads who have subsequently done (or survived?) shock-trauma fellowships. Furthermore, senior residents and interns are paired in some/all of the ICU rotations so you work with people you see eye-to-eye with.
3. EMS-- you can fly with Lifeguard, and you direct some EMS program as a PGY2 and PGY3.
Overall: Very cool program. Happy residents & faculty. New hospital next year. Primarily a one hospital site. Compares well with Davis, AZ; probably also in terms of going into academics. Probably be happiest there if you don't need some of the big city stuff, or can go without for 3 years. The benefit is a super-easy city to afford and that lacks traffic.
Feel free to PM me with questions.
Residents: A mix of single to married with kids. Check out the resident bios for samples. A decent number have ties to NM or the Southwest in general, but it's not the rule at all.
Shifts: fewer than most programs, which gives more time for reading, fun, and some of the projects they make you do (more later).
Facilities: One big hospital with a distinct county feel--nicer facilities than some other county programs I've been to. Furthermore, this is soon to be obsolete as their new facilities open in May '07. Staying with the one main hospital system and a few rotations at the VA/Airforce hospital. Not a transplant center, but does combine for an interesting cancer center - county hospital feel.
Peds: Currently the peds ED is open almost 24 hours, and during off times peds are seen in main ED. I think they're going to move to 24 hour coverage soon though.
Trauma: Plenty of it--NM has the highest number of automobile fatalities in the 50 great states.
Faculty: Down to earth and fun folks. A number of research interests when combined. A decent number are UNM grads, and many from elsewhere have stayed because they love it there. Also check out the faculty bios.
Curriculum: Conferences weren't held on the day I interviewed. Points of interest include required QI project, disaster management, research and administration stuff, teaching methodology, injury epidemiology, and prevention strategies, some sort of research project and some sort of community project. There are a couple "red shirt" shifts as seniors in which you are there to teach and have people present to you. There are fewer shifts here--can't remember if it was 14-16 or so per 4 week block, but this definitely stands out as different than elsewhere. Also can't remember how long their shifts are. Sorry!
Patient Pop: Diverse, with a lot of hispanic and native american. Don't have to speak spanish (you get a medical spanish course) and they have interpreters I think around the clock.
Location: Albequirky is an interesting place. The weather sounds like all of the sunny perks of the southwest while not being as BLAZING hot in the summer as Arizona. It was in the 30s-40s when I was there, and people didn't know what the heck was going on. Plan on having Christmas dinner outside with 60 degree weather and sun. There are some cool areas of town, Santa Fe is 45 minutes away for artsy stuff, it's affordable to live in, most violence is between gang members, but not some of the big city attractions some people want. Tons of outdoor stuff, which the residents take advantage of--but you don't have to be an outdoor junkie.
Random facts:
1. Most normal PD I've met. Not that being kind of weird or a politician is bad, as those types seem to be good for liasons between residents and faculty/hospital people, but a definite plus.
2. Tons of ICU care (I think 7 months), especially for a 3 yr program, with 2 of the units run by UNM residency grads who have subsequently done (or survived?) shock-trauma fellowships. Furthermore, senior residents and interns are paired in some/all of the ICU rotations so you work with people you see eye-to-eye with.
3. EMS-- you can fly with Lifeguard, and you direct some EMS program as a PGY2 and PGY3.
Overall: Very cool program. Happy residents & faculty. New hospital next year. Primarily a one hospital site. Compares well with Davis, AZ; probably also in terms of going into academics. Probably be happiest there if you don't need some of the big city stuff, or can go without for 3 years. The benefit is a super-easy city to afford and that lacks traffic.
Feel free to PM me with questions.