Saginaw Cooperative Hospital (Saginaw, MI)

[Junito]

Residency: Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology,

Clinical Rotations: Family Practice, Internal Med, OB/GYN, Surgery, Pediatrics, Psychiatry

Website[/URL]: [url]http://www.synergymedical.org/ (http://www.schi.org/)

[Rob White]

Is there anyone you know of who has gone to Saginaw to do their clinical rotations or residency?

[Banker794]

At least 40 SMU students every semester are in saginaw. It is said to be one of the best clinical sites SMU has.

[Rob White]

is there anyway to get in touch with any of those who have completed, or are going through it right now? I would love to dialog with them and see what they think personally!

[Cardinal]

My alma mater is Saginaw Valley State University; while Saginaw is a crap hole the whole Synergy/Covenant/St. Mary’s system is pretty good for not being a major university teaching setup.

[Rob White]

My alma mater is Saginaw Valley State University; while Saginaw is a crap hole the whole Synergy/Covenant/St. Mary’s system is pretty good for not being a major university teaching setup.

Cardinal,
can you define words a little better for me. When you say Saginaw is a crap whole, why? And when you say pretty good for not being a major university, what do you mean? Do they not have a level one trauma center, are they considered a half-butt hospital? Just needing more definition thats all!

Rob

[Banker794]

All Ive been hearing is that Saginaw is one of the best teaching hospitals SMU has. My friend tells me you get lots of hands on experience and the attendings are great.

[Cardinal]

Cardinal,
can you define words a little better for me. When you say Saginaw is a crap whole, why? And when you say pretty good for not being a major university, what do you mean? Do they not have a level one trauma center, are they considered a half-butt hospital? Just needing more definition thats all!

Rob

The city of Saginaw is comparble to cities like Newark, Detroit and Baltimore but on a smaller scale. The rural areas outside the city like SVSU are very nice and free from major crime. They are affiliated with Michigan State University College of Human Med., but only 3rd and 4th year students do rotations there, thats it. They are a ACS level 1 trauma and are you should expect to see your far share of blunt trauma. They are well respected in the area and in the state. I think all that will do their rotations at these hospitals will be glad they did. I would recommend that everyone go the synergy website and look around. These are only my opinions and are based on the volunteering that I did at Covenant and St. Mary's.

Here is the Synergy website: http://www.schi.org/index.html

[Rob White]

Thanks Cardinal that is very encouraging and helpful! It sounds like a great place the learn a diversity of different things!

Banker- Can you get me your friends email or contact info, I would love to speak to them more thoroughly on this issue? Thanks everyone!

[Banker794]

If he does not mind me giving you the info I will do so. Let me just ask him first b/c from what I hear he is working his butt off.

[AmericanIMG]

peds and psych don't fall under the FP umbrella? i thought peds would for sure...

[TropicMD]

I did pediatrics and FP in Saginaw. Originally from the east coast, I found the midwestern people to be very friendly, much more so than what I am used to living around.

As for the rotations - again, nice people, could be a lot busier. I am currently in Baltimore and I see tons more stuff there. We have 3-4 times the patient load as in Saginaw. Attendings in Saginaw were very willing to teach, but they are in Baltimore as well.

St. Agnes in Baltimore has the second oldest surgical residency in the country, second only to Johns Hopkins. Harbor Hospital has excellent internal medicine rotation. Every year, interns from the Baltimore hospitals compete, Jeopardy style. Harbor has won the last 7 years, beating out JH and Univ. of Maryland.

[ggirl]

Hey everyone. About Saginaw... how easy it is to find reasonable or cheap apartments there? Is anyone subletting?

[2cents]

easy and cheap!

[sinchu77]

I think there were pretty good recommendations about this on the Official Forum on the SMU website. Check under "Clinical Rotations." Someone listed a couple places.

[hanginlimbo]

this must be the toughest site to get into at smu huh?

does smu give this to higher step 1 scorers preferentially?

[Junito]

It is the first site to get filled. I keep hearing conflicting details about how to get in. I hear that they only admit students in Aug/Sept (not sure if this is true). I also heard that the first 30 slots (1st 30 students to pass Step 1 in a given semester have priority). I didn't hear about requiring a Step 1 score to be eligible. You have to be one of the first to pass.

[hanginlimbo]

It is the first site to get filled. I keep hearing conflicting details about how to get in. I hear that they only admit students in Aug/Sept (not sure if this is true). I also heard that the first 30 slots (1st 30 students to pass Step 1 in a given semester have priority). I didn't hear about requiring a Step 1 score to be eligible. You have to be one of the first to pass.



weird. someone said they have 40 smu students each semester. so does that mean the same 40 students stay there, or does another batch of students come in and do rotations there?

[anomorato]

Just wanted to know if there is any SMU students currently doing their clinicals in Saginaw MI. What is your experience in the Hospital so far? Are you doing all you core rotations there?

Thanks ALL

[anomorato]

Well has anyone done clinicals in Saginaw?

[AmericanIMG]

there are plenty in Saginaw right now.

[Banker794]

There are at least 7 students from my class last semester that I can name off the top of my head doing Ob/gyn over there.

[anomorato]

Can you do all core ratations over there?

[manleyjb]

Can you do all core ratations over there?

YES........

[MD999]

There are at least 7 students from my class last semester that I can name off the top of my head doing Ob/gyn over there.

There are SEVEN total people in the whole OB/GYN rotation in Saginaw, and 4 are from your class.

[Banker794]

Your right my mistake. The person I spoke to in Michigan didnt tell me that another group were in a diff rotation.

[Junito]

Anyone do EM here? How is the schedule like? Learning experiences? How about housing any recommendations?

[cocoa18]

Hi,

i am curious if anyone did OB/gyn at saginaw? Can you please tell me of ur experience? Im torn between there and mt. sinai in chicago. Was it a good rotations, teaching? How are the hours?

[Dien dien]

Can you do all core ratations over there?

Yes you can. All but peds and psych are green.

[got milk?]

are there really that many spots over there?

how come in the clinical packet on SMU Online, it says there are only like 2 slots.????

[mdhope]

I was recently told if you choose to go to Michigan, you must do all your cores there. Meaning, you will have to do the blue peds and psych. Is this true?

[Soon2B-MD]

The short answer to your question is you are at the mercy of the school but if you are able to manipulate them - "the coordinators" - you may be able to go elsewhere for those rotations, if you really want to go. If you have the option to go to Saginaw then go the education there is top notch.
Keep this in mind the only other school doing cores in Saginaw is Michigan State - would a US school put their students at risk for not being able to work in another state because they had a "blue" rotation.
The answer is no...
Believe me or not - the rotations that do not have residencies at Saginaw are approved by Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
What we need to stop pushing is this "Blue"/"Green" argument. The fictitious "Blue" book does not exist.
The original issue here was moonlighting related. At one time if you had all "Green" cores, you could get your license after first year of residency and thus make money to pay off your loan faster. The work hour issue has halted moonlighting at many programs. Licensing has limited it for IMG's further. If you look, at most of the places that allow SMU to practice, the requirements this year on the FSMB website indicate almost universally that IMG's need to finish 3 years of residency to get a license. Most residencies are that long anyway.
Yes, there are some states that require that students do all "Green" or rather ACGME accredited programs for the core rotations for INITIAL licensure. The term INITIAL being the key here - subsequent licensure after one is practicing for a year or two or in some cases four years is not an issue. If you are headed to one of these places for residency then it matters to you otherwise, it is a non-issue.
You can arrange your rotations in several places Baltimore, St. Louis, Chicago but then you have to move around.
Saginaw its all in one spot and housing is cheap - think about that.

I hope this is helpful...
From an SMU Student that traveled the Country one stop was Saginaw - done in 8 weeks – thank God!

[gregsalwaysonthemove]

What's the housing situation like? Anyone have a recommendation of a place to live near by? Who to contact? That'd be great. I am headed there for Sept 3 for 20 weeks!

[cocoa18]

hi,

same goes for me, can anyone tell me about housing, any recommendations? I need one with a short lease, i will be starting a rotation there sept 3rd. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[Barney Rebel]

I was recently told if you choose to go to Michigan, you must do all your cores there. Meaning, you will have to do the blue peds and psych. Is this true?

Uhhh... What makes you think those rotations are blue? On the list, blue sites say AOA/DO, like the ones in New York. The ones in Saginaw just say SMU Approved. That does not mean that they are blue.

Is Michigan one of the many states that does not require all green cores? Yes it is. So it makes perfect sense that Mich. St. uses the facilities, because if you plan on practicing in Michigan, no problem. But what if you are not sure where you are going to end up, then it is a pretty expensive gamble. According to the school, there are at least 18 states which do require all green cores.

Just something to think about.

[Junito]

Uhhh... What makes you think those rotations are blue? On the list, blue sites say AOA/DO, like the ones in New York. The ones in Saginaw just say SMU Approved. That does not mean that they are blue.

Is Michigan one of the many states that does not require all green cores? Yes it is. So it makes perfect sense that Mich. St. uses the facilities, because if you plan on practicing in Michigan, no problem. But what if you are not sure where you are going to end up, then it is a pretty expensive gamble. According to the school, there are at least 18 states which do require all green cores.

Just something to think about.

Just some clarification, just because a rotation is AOA/DO doesn't mean it is blue. Some states accept AOA rotations as green. There are only two states that do not accept AOA rotations: Pennsylvania and I am not sure if the other is Oklahoma. Blue rotations, AKA SMU approved rotations are neither ACGME affiliated nor AOA affiliated. I avoided doing AOA rotations for the simple fact that I wanted PA as an option for licensure.

LCME approved...that is tricky. I would think that you would have to do the rotation through an LCME approved school in order for the rotation to be LCME. For example...at Wyckoff they offer Cardiology as an elective. There is no fellowship at Wyckoff affiliated with this rotation, but Cornell offers this rotation to its students to be done at Wyckoff as LCME approved. Now will Cornell verify for you that the rotation is LCME affiliated when you bypassed them and applied through Wyckoff, and not through Cornell? If you would have gone through Cornell it would have costed you about $2000+, but if you go through Wyckoff it would cost you about $960 (if you do it through SMU/Wyckoff). Do you really think Cornell will back you up after you did not pay their fees, and registered for the same course through Wyckoff and not Cornell? It just doesn't make sense to me. Before I were to make any assumptions I would look into this very carefully.

I did a rotation where I was able to bypass the US medical school in Boston and went straight through the hospital. The difference was that the rotation was ACGME affiliated, not only LCME. Make sure you know all the logistics before making any assumptions and be certain to cover all your bases. It is a pain now but it will only make things smoother for you in the future.

[gregsalwaysonthemove]

Hey all,
I am scheduled for OB sept 3 and internal med right after, trouble is I can't go as I have some family commitments during that time, that I need to be closer to NJ/NY (at least driving distance). As pretty much everything is full now, I would need to trade someone, anything closer to NJ/NY (baltimore, etc) would be great. I would be willing to take later start dates. Let me know.
Take care, Greg

[car4sale]

Could anyone recommend some good apartments located near the hospital?

[Junito]

What a nightmare it was for me to find housing at Saginaw. Long story, I did not start a serious search due to my rotation there being put in jeopardy. I registered and then started my search. After emailing, calling, and resending emails and some more calls, I got an apartment. Check craigslist. I found a room for $300 a month.

[DA]

For those starting on the sept 4th, do you know the time to report there?

[Junito]

My schedule says 8:30 am, but that is for my EM rotation orientation.

[car4sale]

Does anyone know if SMU allows us to the BLS certification via online instead of at a center?

[DA]

1 bed room avail. now within 15 mins drive from all the major clinical assignments. Lease ends in Mar 08. Located in Castle Way Appts. Share bath room/kitchen and living room. Washer and dryer in place. PM me if interested. Race/religion/sex doesn't matter!

[billsinsider]

I know someone has mention that Peds. does not fall under the family umbrella, is this true? I am basically trying to get back to Cali and was wondering if this would be a problem?