I am looking at residency site possibilities on line. It’s sort of like window shopping. I am trying to find programs in cities where I know someone, preferably a mother; cities I wouldn’t mind living in, cities with mild climates, cities that are progressive, and programs that seem like they would be progressive, have family planning training, and wouldn’t be malignant. Not all of these sites have all of these qualities.
I am going to use this post as a collection spot for links, info, and rumination.
So, here is my list so far, in no particular order:
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami FL APGO Website
University of South Florida in Tampa, FL APGO Website
Bayfront Medical Center, St. Petersburg, FL website FREIDA
Oregon Health & Science University in Portland OR Website APGO FREIDA
Mountain Area Health Education Center at Mission Hospital in Asheville NC MAHEC FRIEDA
University of Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, NC Website APGO FRIEDA
Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC FRIEDA APGO
University of Washington in Seattle, WA APGO Website FRIEDA
Vanderbilt University in Nashville TN APGO
Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC APGO Website FRIEDA
Emory University in Atlanta GA APGO Website
Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta GA APGOWebsite
Tulane University APGO Website
Palmetto Health / University of South Carolina SOM APGO Website
Carolinas Medical Center APGO
Roosevelt / St. Luke’s FREIDA
Well on the one hand I vote for UW because I understand that’s a really great learning opportunity…
On the other hand you may be needed more, say in TN or SC. Needed to help others.
I’m hoping for a place where I won’t be going against the grain excessively, medicalization of birth-wise. I am not naive – I know that most residencies will have continuous EFM, and lots of epidurals. I am just hoping for a site that uses CNMs, allows VBACs, doesn’t insist on routine episiotomies, doesn’t do a lot of primip elective inductions, etc.
I still think that if you can get rotations at The Farm, TN is for you.
It’s on the list! The Farm is more than an hour from any of the residency programs in the TN area, but is closest to Nashville, from what I can see on the map. I looked on the Farm’s site, and didn’t see a generic link for med student rotations. I am going to have to contact them and see, because I know I read about it somewhere.
I have some friends in Nashville. I think one or two of my distant cousins live there. It’s Nash Vegas! But, it is probably not more progressive than here, city wise. And, it may be a really competitive residency, and I may not match there.
There’s another residency program in Nashville at Meharry. I have never heard of it. I think it is a traditionally black university. But, it may be worth looking into.
Oh, and it was a medical student rotation I heard about at the Farm, not a service as a resident.
OHSU rocks.
I am sure it does, since everything else in Portland is pretty much the awesomest.
A friend of mine just interviewed at University of New Mexico for Ob-gyn and it’s now at the top of her list – they do rotations with midwives and it sounds like a very nice environment! Although it sounds like you’re looking to go more Southeast than Southwest.
I am sure it’s a nice place. I don’t know a soul in New Mexico, so I would hesitate moving my family there.
Seattle, Seattle, Seattle…and let me know what you need to help!
Sharon
Can you imagine? I would love to work with you at births!
I can’t speak to the program side at all, but the rest of it seems like Portland would fit the bill. Although we’re overcrowded and well gentrified already (…says the white suburban gal from Cali living in PDX proper now), with a solid, though still minority, progressive birth community. So, y’know, more good could be done elsewhere.
…but part of me still always wants people I know to live near me, just so I can pretend I’d ever venture out of my shell and take them out for coffee sometime.
Oh, Arwyn, I would definitely meet you for coffee. My friend owns Gigibar, a coffee place (one of a gazillion, I am sure) in Portland.
I think I may have more good friends in Portland than I do here.
Seattle is a great place. Love the Dungeness crab, Pikes market and a bunch of other stuff. My SIL is residing near Seattle since she did her residency at University of Washington.
Good luck to you no matter where you go. Enjoy the adventure!
I hope I do. There are so many moving parts…..argh! I am a planner, and so much of this is out of my control.
Seattle! I am being selfish but it would be great to have you here! Having moved to the area a couple years ago from the the southeast – it’s an amazing, active birth community – that is so open and welcoming. And women have options here unlike other areas. And yes there are coffee shops on every block and the doula/pregnant woman ratio must be the highest in the world. (and it’s only a few hour drive to Portland!)
Where were you in the Southeast? I am in SE Florida (that’s why Jackson is #1 on my list).
The boot heel of Missouri – when midwifery was illegal, where corporal punishment was allowed through Junior High and so much more….
Oh, my. That clinches Missouri being off the list. My mom grew up in Springfield, IL. She wants me to do my residency there. Um, no.
You may want to use the presence/acceptance of midwives in the unit as a rubric – it can be a decent way to tell what the vibe of a residency is like.
It is one of my qualifications, for sure. I also have to consider my family, especially my two kids. I really want to find a program that will not work me to death. I am ready to work hard, don’t get me wrong. But there’s working 80 hours a week, which is the limit, and then there’s malignant programs that push that limit and don’t want to hear about your family issues.
I am going to try as hard as I can to not let my kids, who are not infants or breastfeeding and don’t need my constant care, interfere with my residency, and not to let my residency interfere with my parenting. Somehow. Ugh. Finding a parent friendly residency (as I have heard OHSU is) and an area with that village that wants to help me raise my children will be ideal.
I vote for Portland as well, since I may be living there in a year or two as well! We can drag Arwyn out for coffee together.
Though I would also be torn by the possibility of a rotation at The Farm if I were you.
But, I can do that during my 4th year, and still will have to apply for a residency somewhere. I am including Nashville in my list because I know some people who live there, including two moms, and they are close enough to the Farm that I may be able to interact with them. But, it won’t be Vanderbilt cultivating that relationship, and I wouldn’t be able to do an elective month of residency there.
Naturally, I vote for Vanderbilt/Nashville.
Oh, you say that now. Once you end up with me full time, you may regret it!
Seriously, though, I bet it’s pretty tough to match there. But, it’s probably also hard to match at Chapel Hill or Duke. I am not sure how many of these programs are “reach” programs for me.
Well here’s two things to chew on:
–My aunt is a doula in Seattle so give me a holler if you want to get a(nother) connection in that department.
–UNM is my number one so if I match where I want then c’mon down (although I’m not a mom).
Good luck with the match!!!
Hello! Just stumbling across your blog… I’ve added you to my google reader
I’m interested in your KALI.
Thought I’d put in some input here… I went to undergrad at UNC Chapel Hill and have heard great things about UNC’s Medical Center, their midwives, etc. They even have a doula program so they are doula friendly. The Triangle is a great place to live, but I’ve heard that Duke Medical is not as good as UNC birth-wise.
I have applied to USF for Medical Anth and Public Health (Maternal and Child Health) but I haven’t gotten to visit the school yet so I don’t know about the area, other than that Tampa is nice in general (I grew up near Ft. Lauderdale).
Best of luck!
Thanks for your reply!
I am in the Ft. Lauderdale area right now. I am a fan of Rebecca Kukla, who is on their faculty. Let me know if you get into the program.
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It’s too early for me to imitate you and start doing this… f’ it. I’m totally stealing this idea from you.
It’s never too early. Steal away.
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