(Urgent) GWU vs University of maryland

[EMdoc01]

Hey Guys,

Tomorrow is the deadline for the NRMP ranking list submission !! YAY -__-

I have a problem ! I can't make up my mind on which program to rank first ! I am torn between Gorge Washington University and University of Maryland.

Let me walk you through my thought process:
1- I don't have a preference between 3 and 4 yrs programs.
2- I don't like Baltimore and I like the thought of living in DC.
3- I am not sure if GW is a strong program in term of academics, and academics is very important to me. UofM has Dr. Mattu and many distinguished EM faculty.
4- UofM has the shock trauma hospital which s a great advantage but they experience it only 3 month/3years but they don't get to see trauma in their ER rotations.


I would really appreciate it if you can help me in the decision making !

Good luck !
Thanks

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[DB2013EM]

" 2- I don't like Baltimore and I like the thought of living in DC."

you answered the question.

 

[migm]

yep

 

[DeadCactus]

I'd vote for Baltimore for you.

"1- I don't have a preference between 3 and 4 yrs programs."

Then you want a 3 year program. An extra year of your life isn't something you give up for no reason. I think there are a lot of good reasons to do a 4 year program, but 3 year should be the default unless the combination of curriculum, people, and location all strongly excite you about a program.


"2- I don't like Baltimore and I like the thought of living in DC."
Don't like or hate? If you hate it, you hate it. Discussion over and don't mind me. If you're luke cold on it but loved the people and the program then it doesn't seem like a huge negative especially with your alternative so geographically close. You're still well in range of DC for entertainment purposes or family.


"3- I am not sure if GW is a strong program in term of academics, and academics is very important to me. UofM has Dr. Mattu and many distinguished EM faculty."

I doubt the quality in training is all that different, but UoM has a much larger academic presence. My impression was definitely of one that will shower you with academic opportunities if that's what you want.


"4- UofM has the shock trauma hospital which s a great advantage but they experience it only 3 month/3years but they don't get to see trauma in their ER rotations."

While I concider the lack of integrated trauma a negative, I think it's less of an issue for trauma than it is for something like pediatrics (due to the relative lack of seasonal variation in trauma). I really doubt you're going to walk out of Baltimore uncomfortable with handling a trauma. Again not a deal breaker. And the plus side is you don't have your care of medical patients constantly interrupted by random traumas.


Short version:

You can't decide between the two. Go with the 3 year program well regarded for it's academics. You didn't list a deal breaker for Baltimore and the only motivation for doing a 4th year is to live in a city a mere hour away from your other option.

 

[Hair Police]

1- I don't have a preference between 3 and 4 yrs programs.

When I was applying, I ranked 3- and 4- year programs. Because of rigorous RRC standards, there aren't as many differences in the curriculums of many of the three year programs. But I felt that 4-year programs should give me something extra for the greater time investment. What is that something extra? Is it worth an extra year? You have to make that call.

2- I don't like Baltimore and I like the thought of living in DC.

I personally like DC too, but it's really expensive, esp on a resident salary. Obv it can be done, but you want some mad money too. Baltimore has many fun places to live with great restraunts and bars and are much cheaper than DC - Canton, Fell's Point, Hampden. There's a ton of carnivals (ArtFest, HonFest, etc) and free events.

3- I am not sure if GW is a strong program in term of academics, and academics is very important to me. UofM has Dr. Mattu and many distinguished EM faculty.

UMD has many opportunities for residents to write papers, do research projects, present at national meetings, record podcasts, and write textbooks. The residents are funded to go to SAEM, AAEM, and ACEP. About a third go into academics, and a third go to fellowships. UMD supports fellowships in teaching, emergency cardiology, critical care, research, ultrasound, and EMS. We also have a number of internationally-recognized faculty, as you mentioned.

4- UofM has the shock trauma hospital which s a great advantage but they experience it only 3 month/3years but they don't get to see trauma in their ER rotations.

With 9,000+ visits/year, you get more than enough trauma resuscitations at STC. You also get the homeboy drop-offs at the UMD ED and the garden-variety MVCs/falls/etc at the other clinical sites. The benefit of STC is that you get trained in managing the multi-patient, poly-traumas that make the evening news.

 

[EMdoc01]

When I was applying, I ranked 3- and 4- year programs. Because of rigorous RRC standards, there aren't as many differences in the curriculums of many of the three year programs. But I felt that 4-year programs should give me something extra for the greater time investment. What is that something extra? Is it worth an extra year? You have to make that call.

Hey ,

Thank you so much for answering my questions. Could you tell what were the advantages of the 4 years program over the 3 years programs in your opinion ?

Thank you again

 

[EMdoc01]

You can't decide between the two. Go with the 3 year program well regarded for it's academics. You didn't list a deal breaker for Baltimore and the only motivation for doing a 4th year is to live in a city a mere hour away from your other option.

Hey , thank you so much for answering my questions. To be honest, My wife has a job opportunity in DC and I was worried that if we moved up to baltimore she won't be able to do the long commute for the next 3 years. We grew up in a small town and we r not used to such a long commute

Do you think that was a deal breaker for GW ?
Keep in mind that I am very interested in academics and my ultimate goal is to be a leader in EM academia

Thanks again

 

[Hair Police]

Hey ,

Thank you so much for answering my questions. Could you tell what were the advantages of the 4 years program over the 3 years programs in your opinion ?

Thank you again

Some four years give you good progression through the ED in terms of volume, severity, and overall responsibility. Some start with the idea that four years is automatically better, have 3.25 years of good curriculum, and then backfill with random non-useful rotations. And some others have four years to get more work out of their residents. You have to decide which program is which - it's entirely personal.

Hey , thank you so much for answering my questions. To be honest, My wife has a job opportunity in DC and I was worried that if we moved up to baltimore she won't be able to do the long commute for the next 3 years. We grew up in a small town and we r not used to such a long commute

Do you think that was a deal breaker for GW ?
Keep in mind that I am very interested in academics and my ultimate goal is to be a leader in EM academia

Thanks again

You can live in Columbia, or one of the other burbs between Bmore and DC. But bad traffic and long commutes is a fact of life anywhere between Bmore and DC, as well as anywhere inside the beltway.

 

[b-real]

Personally, I don't think most 4 year programs are worth it. For the same commitment, I could do a 3 year residency and a fellowship (read: niche). Think about it, if you were hiring new faculty, which would you rather have: a standard 4 year graduate or an ultrasound-boarded EM graduate who also has attending experience (during fellowship year)?

 

[K31]

Personally, I don't think most 4 year programs are worth it. For the same commitment, I could do a 3 year residency and a fellowship (read: niche).

+1 to this.i interviewed at a couple of 4-year programs where the main answer to what an extra year added was that it gave the residents a chance to do a "mini-fellowship". My feeling about that is why not do a 3-year program and a REAL fellowship instead?

 

[jbar]

+1 to this.i interviewed at a couple of 4-year programs where the main answer to what an extra year added was that it gave the residents a chance to do a "mini-fellowship". My feeling about that is why not do a 3-year program and a REAL fellowship instead?

Some of it depends on how prepared you feel coming out of med school. There are people who discover EM late, and are matching with minimal EM related experience. They might be interested in the extra elective time. Compare that to someone who while in med school did a tox rotation, anesthesia, EM ultrasound and ortho. That person probably says "I can't imagine what I'd do with 5 months of elective time."

Let's just make all programs 3.5 years. I'm at a 3 year program and would love an extra 2 months of elective. And I'm sure my friends who are half way through their fourth year at a 4 year program are saying "okay, I'm ready to be done now."

 

[EMdoc01]

Some of it depends on how prepared you feel coming out of med school. There are people who discover EM late, and are matching with minimal EM related experience. They might be interested in the extra elective time. Compare that to someone who while in med school did a tox rotation, anesthesia, EM ultrasound and ortho. That person probably says "I can't imagine what I'd do with 5 months of elective time."

Let's just make all programs 3.5 years. I'm at a 3 year program and would love an extra 2 months of elective. And I'm sure my friends who are half way through their fourth year at a 4 year program are saying "okay, I'm ready to be done now."

LOL