UCSF Experience?

[Guest]

Is it me or why is it all the spots for UCSF are still open.

[Guest]

Rotated a few years ago (Lawton was still there), but I remember it being very hit or miss.  Some residents were fantastic (VA resident gave me a ride to the hospital every single day), most were indifferent toward students, all were terrified of their chairman.  That really bothered me.

Being UCSF, lots of fantastic cases with expert surgeons, but don't expect to do very much in the OR.  Some attendings (Aghi, Starr, Larson) were true gentlemen and took time to educate students, but most were indifferent.  At the time, medical students were pretty much the only people seeing floor patients at SFGH because we were on service with a general surgery intern.  Not sure if that is still the case.  I also went in August when it was absolutely miserable outside (take a jacket), paid way too much for a shitty apartment in the Mission, and quite literally did not see the sun for 30 days.  The "q1 call" week at SFGH is just that, miserable and in my opinion totally unnecessary.  There is nothing educational about it, just an excuse to see what medical students can put up with.  Academic day on Thursday; I never got pimped but most students would fall asleep because of the constant call.  Nobody told me if I had any days off, so I ended up working all 30 days, on average from 4:00 AM - 9/10 PM if not on call.  I never left post-call.

This is all what I expected from a tough Sub-I, but I also expected to learn quite a bit.  The general theme was that nobody really cared about the medical students' learning, and sort of assumed that we were all there for the prestige of the place and the chance to match.  That's somewhat true, but it's no reason to ignore us.

It was a miserable experience and the prestige and academic opportunities were not worth the sacrifices for me.  If you are truly planning an academic career and think the UCSF launching pad is worth the cons, then have at it.  I was invited but didn't return for an interview.  As a side note, wouldn't recommend seeking out a letter from Berger, as you will likely never work with him during your month.  Contrary to popular belief, his letters are not "terrible", just coded, and faculty reading them know how to suss out what he really thinks based on a couple words or phrases (this is the case with LORs from most senior faculty across the country).  Seek out another faculty member and get to know them over the course of your month if you want a more detailed letter.

[Guest]

Thanks mate, phenomenal description.

[Guest]

I have heard from my seniors that UCSF is hella malignant. Can any make a comment on that?

[Guest]

no program is malignant anymore, just ask chris duntsh

[Guest]

Is it expected to be better now that Eddie Chang is chair?

[Guest]

(01-27-2021, 10:28 PM)Guest Wrote: Is it expected to be better now that Eddie Chang is chair?

I've heard not really - he's a nice guy, but UCSF is what it is and part of the draw and their ability to excel both in operative experience and in research is in the extremely high expectations and people pushing themselves past their limits

[Guest]

(01-28-2021, 04:26 PM)Guest Wrote:

(01-27-2021, 10:28 PM)Guest Wrote: Is it expected to be better now that Eddie Chang is chair?

I've heard not really - he's a nice guy, but UCSF is what it is and part of the draw and their ability to excel both in operative experience and in research is in the extremely high expectations and people pushing themselves past their limits

Yeah he’s a figure head. Maley, mummaneni or Aghi would have been better choices. They would propagate the Wilson-Berger philosophy of training.

[Guest]

Looks like a good program

[Guest]

(01-29-2021, 07:26 AM)Guest Wrote:

(01-28-2021, 04:26 PM)Guest Wrote:

(01-27-2021, 10:28 PM)Guest Wrote: Is it expected to be better now that Eddie Chang is chair?

I've heard not really - he's a nice guy, but UCSF is what it is and part of the draw and their ability to excel both in operative experience and in research is in the extremely high expectations and people pushing themselves past their limits

Yeah he’s a figure head. Maley, mummaneni or Aghi would have been better choices. They would propagate the Wilson-Berger philosophy of training.

saying chang is a "figure head" shows you know nothing about UCSF and probably even academic nsg