Need to choose between vandy and U Tennessee for an away, can't do both because of geography bias and what not. I hear both are solid programs with good operative exposure. I know vandy lost some big name faculty years ago but maybe has since recovered. Have 2 other aways scheduled for the northeast and southwest so looking to cover the south and midwest with this one
if you wanna be the next dr.death, then goto UTennessee
I think you're putting too much emphasis on geographic preferences. But if you're set on doing 1 of these then it depends on your goals.
UTenn is much more private practice oriented. You'll have one of the best private practice spine experiences in the country. Research is unheard of there except for the peds stuff with St Jude.
Vandy is much more well rounded and academic, with more research going on. Nashville is a nicer, safer, cooler city than Memphis.
Vandy has great up and coming faculty with Englot and Chambless.
Neither site is great if you want to open up to midwest or south. I'd say you'd have a better experience at a WashU, UAB, Emory type program. Nashville is a cooler city and residents are less hard-nosed there than at UT. Memphis is a horrid place to live.
I'd beg to differ research is weak at Vandy, especially with the addition of Englot who's one of the better junior faculty in the country. Clinical experience and autonomy (all jokes aside) is better at UT. Boop is a better letter writer and is more renown than Thompson. Thompson is notorious for 2-3 sentence rec letters like all Hopkins grads are. Idk Lola Chambless, but she seems to have a presence among the younger neurosurgeons and on social media.
Didn't one vandy resident quit and another get held back?