12-26-2016, 07:21 PM
I rotated at NS-LIJ and at this point on the interview trail I can confidently say that it is one of the most well-rounded programs in the country. Their operative experience is very strong; PGY-3 level and beyond is purely operative (aside from the PGY-4 research year) and the interns and 2's get in the OR more frequently than I saw anywhere else. I was very impressed with the operative competency of the chiefs and was even more impressed by the operative skill level of the 3's - they were on the same level as the 5's I've seen elsewhere. At North Shore (flagship, high volume center) there are probably 3-4 first starts a day w/ at least 4 additional cases (not including emergencies or angio); this is enough to require an intern or a 2 to cover a case almost every day, and there is definitely no double-scrubbing. Attendings are great in the OR and most will let the resident do the bulk of the case (except for aneurysm clipping/bypass/avm resection). By far the strongest aspect of the program is spine. Their spine surgeons do a huge variety of cases from minimally invasive to huge whacks for deformity and residents are all well trained in spine. As for crani, there are probably 3-4 tumor cases/week and 1-2 open vascular cases/week. Skull base is a relative weakness, but the residents will start rotating at Lennox Hill in 2017 and two of the faculty members there do primarily skull base and vascular (John Boockvar and David Langer). I can't really comment on the LIJ experience which is where they get their peds, but from what the residents say, it is a much slower service w/ much fewer cases than at NS.
Research wise, they have some phenomenal resources. The Feinstein Institute has a very busy brain tumor research center w/ plenty of basic science research in neuro-oncology going on, as well as TBI labs (Raj Narayan). Residents get a full protected year during PGY-4 and can opt for a second protected research year if they want. The program is also affiliated with Cold Spring Harbor, which is a mecca of basic neuroscience and oncology research.
I think a good overall gauge of a program is the fellowship track record and it seems like the guys/girls at NS-LIJ have a pretty damn good one. Fellowships taken by residents in the last few years include Stanford (peds), MD Anderson (neuro/onc), UPMC (skull base), Vanderbuilt (spine), UT Southwest (open vascular), Buffalo (endovascular), Stanford (spine), Wash U (peds).
I will definitely be ranking this program very highly. It is going to become a big program in coming years.
Research wise, they have some phenomenal resources. The Feinstein Institute has a very busy brain tumor research center w/ plenty of basic science research in neuro-oncology going on, as well as TBI labs (Raj Narayan). Residents get a full protected year during PGY-4 and can opt for a second protected research year if they want. The program is also affiliated with Cold Spring Harbor, which is a mecca of basic neuroscience and oncology research.
I think a good overall gauge of a program is the fellowship track record and it seems like the guys/girls at NS-LIJ have a pretty damn good one. Fellowships taken by residents in the last few years include Stanford (peds), MD Anderson (neuro/onc), UPMC (skull base), Vanderbuilt (spine), UT Southwest (open vascular), Buffalo (endovascular), Stanford (spine), Wash U (peds).
I will definitely be ranking this program very highly. It is going to become a big program in coming years.
