pterygomandibularraphe
02-26-2008, 09:53 PM
Hi I am wondering if anyone who has done core or electives at Lutheran can comment on their experience in terms of teaching and patient exposure. Thanks.
CptPlanet
03-01-2008, 02:46 PM
Hi,
I did my entire 3rd and 4th year at Lutheran. My experience there has been excellent, which is why I chose to stay on for all of my 4th year electives. The core rotations are strong, especially in Medicine, where the medical students are treated as integral members of the team and receive very good teaching from the program director and chair of medicine. There is daily protected time for student-only lectures and most of the attendings and residents are very approachable and willing to teach.
The only rotation that's lacking is OB, although I haven't heard of a single hospital that provides students with a decent experience.
Surgery there is busy, but you become very good at technical procedures and receive nice exposure to trauma patients.
Peds is an excellent rotation despite Luthern not being a children's hospital. The residents rotate from Maimonides' program but you get one on one time with attendings when on the floor and also two dedicated clinic weeks, where you're paired with an attending who will teach you.
4th year Electives are what you make of it. Since there are no fellowships, the team is just the medical student, the resident, and the attending. I think that arrangment is really nice from a medical student standpoint because you get the same teaching and training that the residents gets and often the same level of responsibility as the resident. But at the same time, the residents and attendings are pretty laid back and won't give you a hard time at all when it comes to taking days off for interviews, second looks, or just general 4th year apathy.
Other things about Lutheran which are unique is that the medical student notes are an official part of the medical record, and I think that speaks of the hospital's attitude towards medical students. Meals are provided but parking isn't and driving there can be one large exercise in frustration.
So that's my take on Lutheran. I know people who, like myself, really like it there, while others think it's a dump that's not even worthy to treat Satan's family.
PM me if you have any more questions.