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<p>That’s still not being left in the cold as described in the earlier situation where the hospital “decided to stop the program”</p>
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<p>Before the beginning of D’s pre-med to med school, and now residency journey I had no idea how far from straightforward the road to becoming a practicing physician could be. From the possibility of screwing up a pre-med course through the actual application process, the shelf tests and the Steps, it has seemed like so much to go through. Now I have learned something new - no doubt it is extremely rare but after all it takes for a medical student to get there, the whole notion of being in a residency that pulls the rug out part way through is amazing to me. </p>
<p>Post Match Day - I haven’t seen DD this relaxed in a while. She blew through yesterday to run in a local half marathon and we had time for a little catch up. It is obvious that she is savoring these final weeks of med school. She is networking like mad to find a new apartment and is keeping the knowledge that she will be out and about at odd hours in mind as she comes up with preferred neighborhoods…warming the cockles of her old Mom’s heart. She has been a city bike rider for years and hopes to be in a neighborhood where she will be able to ride to work when weather and her timetable permit. </p>
<p>^^ I agree. I can’t imagine how awful that would be. </p>
<p>Elleneast - Glad to hear that your D is feeling good. Doesn’t that make you feel good?! I hope she finds a great apartment. D has lived in two places during residency, both with underground parking. Safety is so important with the hours they are coming in and going out. D’s current apartment is very close to work. She is much happier with a five minute trip each way. She plans to stay where she is now for the rest of her residency. </p>
<p>Kristin - Some of D’s friends knew exactly what they wanted from Day 1. Others had no set idea until later. D had to decide between her two favorite specialties - it was difficult. In the end, I’m sure she made the right choice. So is she. </p>
<p>hrh19 - It does feel good, great in fact. I will remember this feeling on the occasions when D is under the gun during residency and needs a little moral support. 
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<p>I will continue to lurk because want to be around when next year’s crop of residency applicants is feeling the same relief/pleasure/excitement.</p>
<p>In regard to lurking. I might be lurking in Pre-Med forums for many years ahead. GrandD just announced that she started thinking about planning for Med. School. She is 15 y o, freshman at one of the most competitive public HS in NYC and her personality is greatly in synch with my D’s (they are 10 years apart)</p>
<p>Heading to Pitt for Neurosurgery :). Highest volume program in the country, it’s going to be a wild ride.</p>
<p>How many? I hear the largest ones have 4 openings.</p>
<p>I believe highest volume refers to the patient load, not the number of residents. </p>
<p>Correct, highest volume of patients (11,000/yr), but it is also a 4/yr program.</p>
<p>I thought Barrow Neurological Institute had the highest volume in the US. Very interesting how they break the numbers down. Pittsburgh has 11,000 cases per year but 8000 at their main campus UPMC. Barrow has 10,000 per year but all at one location.</p>
<p>@frugaldoctor - what area of medicine are you in?</p>
<p>A local student told me he was headed to UCLA neurosurgery. It was interesting to hear that most programs only have 1 or 2 positions each year. </p>
<p>I am an anesthesiologist. </p>
<p>mmmcdowe - Congratulations! Very exciting!</p>
<p>texaspg - One of D’s good friends is in a neurosurgery residency, PGY-2. There are two new residents at her program each year.</p>
<p>There was one other thing about neurosurgery. This kid said it is a 7 year program. What do they do in a 7 year residency?</p>
<p>learn how to surgically alter people’s brains without permanently disabling or killing them. I would hope they have a lot of supervised practice before being let loose on the world.</p>
<p>Congrats to all!
D.s comment in regard to match next year: “I would be ecstatic to match”, where is very very secondary. As any human being she has a preference(s) for location(s). But her goal is to match anywhere. Coincidently, #1 program in a country just happen to be on her list which has been compiled strictly geographically (she has been advised to do so which was in synch with her own thinking). It is NOT by far at the top of her list and she may never be invited to interview there anyway. Today is a start of her last core rotation and then she is MS4. </p>
<p>@frugaldoctor. The data that the BNI showed me was 6500 at the Barrow and then more at Phoenix Children’s. Who knows what reality is, but at least based on the data reported to the residency oversight committee that’s what is going on. To be fair, when you look at that data it still holds that Barrow is the largest single center in terms of volume, with UPMC Presby hitting around 5K.</p>
<p>@mmmcdowe thanks for the info. Until I read this thread, I never knew UPMC was such a center for high neurosurgical volume. It is easy to live in a local bubble in medicine. In medical school, the attendings were amazing, until I experienced the attendings at a new residency location. Then they were amazing until private practice at yet a new location. But then, I learned about institutions in other states. In my area, Barrow is well regarded. I never heard of Barrow when I was on the East Coast. Presbyterian in Manhattan, UPMC and Duke were the big names. To be a great surgeon, at minimum you have to start with exposure to a large surgical volume. No doubt UPMC provides that. Congratulations and best of luck. </p>
<p>Should have posted this here instead of the other thread: <a href=“How A Nobel Economist Ruined The Residency Matching System For Newly Minted M.D.'s”>http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2014/04/15/how-a-nobel-economist-ruined-the-residency-matching-system-for-newly-minted-m-d-s/</a></p>
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<p>That’s a great article and articulates well the unfairness of the system. Congress should demand reform as a price for continued protection. If not, then maybe a “residents association”? </p>