Medical College of Wisconsin

[Guest]

Recently accepted an interview at Medical College of Wisconsin but did not closely read the offer letter (...was in between OR's on a Sub-I). Apparently they are on ACGME "Probationary" accreditation status, to be revisited in April 2018. 

Can anyone share helpful thoughts on this matter?

[Guest]

Most of the time probation seems to be linked to either inadequate case volume or malignant programs. Either way, it's not promising.

[Guest]

That is certainly concerning to hear. Although I feel lucky to even be receiving interviews, I must admit I am considering canceling this one. It may not be worth the cost if the program does not have a promising future. Does anyone else have any insight into ACGME 'Probationary" status or the Medical College of Wisconsin Neurosurgery Department? Have other programs gone through this recently?

Any input is much appreciated.

[Guest]

(10-31-2017, 12:36 PM)Guest Wrote: That is certainly concerning to hear. Although I feel lucky to even be receiving interviews, I must admit I am considering canceling this one. It may not be worth the cost if the program does not have a promising future. Does anyone else have any insight into ACGME 'Probationary" status or the Medical College of Wisconsin Neurosurgery Department? Have other programs gone through this recently?

Any input is much appreciated.

Missouri is a useful example of one of these programs. Although it's no longer on probation, as you can imagine this puts a lot of stress on the programs and residents. I think two of their residents quit/were fired/transferred out around the time of their probation. Someone else might have more details, but generally speaking you can expect some shuffling to take place.

[Guest]

Damn bot trolls. Do not be dissuaded from adding to this thread!

[Guest]

Hi, senior here at MCW. Don’t worry about it. The program isn’t going anywhere. New residency director Sean Lew is turning it around. Go visit, new ORs, new everything. Kurpad is an awesome surgeon. Mueller is the coolest man you’ll ever meet. You’ll walk away liking the program.

[Guest]

(10-31-2017, 07:35 AM)Guest Wrote: Recently accepted an interview at Medical College of Wisconsin but did not closely read the offer letter (...was in between OR's on a Sub-I). Apparently they are on ACGME "Probationary" accreditation status, to be revisited in April 2018. 

Can anyone share helpful thoughts on this matter?

What a loser. You didn't have time to read the letter but you have time to post in forums. This troll tries to get in MCW by posting such thing. The program was malignant in the era of past chair and director and consequently put on probation. New chair and program director with lots of changes. If you were lucky enough to get an invite, you would see the program and residents.

[Guest]

I'm a junior MCW resident. I know for a fact that work hours were a huge reason the program was put on probation, and that if anyone was looking close enough about 50 other programs in the country would also be on probation. Chairman and PD have changed, and both have been at the institution for many years and do not plan on leaving. The program made changes within months of being on probation, and has been compliant for over a year. One or two residents each month break work hours, it's usually the chief of the main service and the resident running the peds service, but both operate like crazy. Juniors on call usually make work hours and same with the interns. With new ORs the service runs 4 or 5 first starts most days, administration has hired APPs so juniors have their own rooms (even the intern on monday and/or friday). Honestly, this program was unlucky and got put on probation for doing things pretty much most other programs do...like juniors taking q3 call, interns working 18-20 hour days, skipping dedicated education time for cases...that's all it took. MCW may have been a malignant program in the past, but it certainly is not now. If you really feel like you need to train at a malignant program to be hardened and make a name for yourself, it'll be a lot tougher than it needs to be.

[Guest]

(12-24-2017, 04:01 PM)Guest Wrote: I'm a junior MCW resident.  I know for a fact that work hours were a huge reason the program was put on probation, and that if anyone was looking close enough about 50 other programs in the country would also be on probation.  Chairman and PD have changed, and both have been at the institution for many years and do not plan on leaving.  The program made changes within months of being on probation, and has been compliant for over a year.  One or two residents each month break work hours, it's usually the chief of the main service and the resident running the peds service, but both operate like crazy.  Juniors on call usually make work hours and same with the interns.  With new ORs the service runs 4 or 5 first starts most days, administration has hired APPs so juniors have their own rooms (even the intern on monday and/or friday).  Honestly, this program was unlucky and got put on probation for doing things pretty much most other programs do...like juniors taking q3 call, interns working 18-20 hour days, skipping dedicated education time for cases...that's all it took.  MCW may have been a malignant program in the past, but it certainly is not now.  If you really feel like you need to train at a malignant program to be hardened and make a name for yourself, it'll be a lot tougher than it needs to be.

What's your weekly volume and case mix?

What I mean is 5 first starts is great if they are all index cases.  If it's microdiscs, battery changes, and other stuff that should be at a surgery center that's a different story.  Likewise "operating like crazy" can be a good thing.  Or, it can be shitty turn over and bad teaching by the attendings and the residents end up being slow because they never learn how to do the case, are struggling through it until the attending decides to show up and do the critical portion,  and then the resident blunders through the closure.

[Guest]

how much do you make a year?