Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, Massachusetts

[CaribKari]

did a 4 month rotation at The Cape Cod Hospital last winter. Found a great place to stay. 3/2 fully furnished house for a reasonable rent and owners that are looking for other students to occupy this winter (Sept 2006-April 2007). You can see the website for the house at
Hyannis Vacation Rental home in Mid Cape Cod
and you can email the owners at lauriemoulis@yahoo.com

The place was great with central heating and, like I wrote, fully furnished. It had Cable TV, High Speed Internet and much more. In a very quiet neighborhood, within 8-10 minutes of the hospital, 2-3 minutes of a large grocery store and less than 5 minutes from the beach.

[gassan]

The hospital here is great. This hospital and St. Agnes are the two best support staff hospitals that I've been to during my rotations up to this point. You can ask anyone for help and you'll receive it. It makes for a very comfortable learning environment.

We had the privilege of having the surgery chair for Ross come and evaluate this site, about 2 weeks ago. I specifically asked him what sites were the best sites that Ross had for surgery, and this is what he mentioned, which i've mostly learned through the grapevine anyway

Cape Cod Hospital, St. Mary's (waterbury CT), Huron (cleveland OH) and St. Agnes (baltimore) were the best sites. (I think that he mentioned Lutheran in Brooklyn, but I'm not entirely sure if I remember correctly)
In retrospect, while I don't know what the attendings would are like, but I would have preferred to go to St. Mary's in CT.
reasons are as follows: Every wednesday they have lecture day, which is a full day of lectures for the students and the residents. (I tend to enjoy lectures) The preceptor for the students (I forget his name) is really well respected in the surgery community (he developed TPN throughout his career) and is affiliated with Yale university, I got to watch him speak at Grand rounds in Baltimore in February of this year. Apparently he takes notice of hard working students and I would assume that his letter of recommendation would have clout.

Good things about CCH is that it is affiliated with Boston University. So the residents are from there, and the attendings are affiliated with Boston. There are also BU medical students that come here as well. We only get one lecture per week from the preceptor attending. Otherwise we get to scrub into the O.R. a lot I see at least 2 cases per day. There is more than enough O.R. time. you'll get to learn alot. There is one clinic week during your 12 weeks, and one powerpoint presentation required. You're responsible for patients, and writing daily notes, and reporting to the residents during rounds. The amount of work is dependent on how many students are here. currently we have a lot of students so I'm on call Q10 days, which is great. You don't really have dealings with the attendings except for in the O.R. but i don't think that you'll really deal with the attendings at any other surgery site either. You see them in the O.R. enough to where they will get to know you. Your contact will be mostly with the residents. so if you're interested in surgery (which I'm not) I would suggest going to one of the sites that I mentioned above. With priority being on St. Mary's or Huron. Do not accept going to Wyckoff for Internal Medicine or Surgery, because you won't be in a good learning environment. I did a 2 week elective in Anesthesia while there, and felt horrible for the students there in those programs. It would be a waste of your time. There are too many students in those two important core rotations for you to receive a personalized learning experience.

[Shah_Patel_PT]

Originally Posted by gassan

The hospital here is great. This hospital and St. Agnes are the two best support staff hospitals that I've been to during my rotations up to this point. You can ask anyone for help and you'll receive it. It makes for a very comfortable learning environment.

We had the privilege of having the surgery chair for Ross come and evaluate this site, about 2 weeks ago. I specifically asked him what sites were the best sites that Ross had for surgery, and this is what he mentioned, which i've mostly learned through the grapevine anyway

Cape Cod Hospital, St. Mary's (waterbury CT), Huron (cleveland OH) and St. Agnes (baltimore) were the best sites. (I think that he mentioned Lutheran in Brooklyn, but I'm not entirely sure if I remember correctly)
In retrospect, while I don't know what the attendings would are like, but I would have preferred to go to St. Mary's in CT.
reasons are as follows: Every wednesday they have lecture day, which is a full day of lectures for the students and the residents. (I tend to enjoy lectures) The preceptor for the students (I forget his name) is really well respected in the surgery community (he developed TPN throughout his career) and is affiliated with Yale university, I got to watch him speak at Grand rounds in Baltimore in February of this year. Apparently he takes notice of hard working students and I would assume that his letter of recommendation would have clout.

Good things about CCH is that it is affiliated with Boston University. So the residents are from there, and the attendings are affiliated with Boston. There are also BU medical students that come here as well. We only get one lecture per week from the preceptor attending. Otherwise we get to scrub into the O.R. a lot I see at least 2 cases per day. There is more than enough O.R. time. you'll get to learn alot. There is one clinic week during your 12 weeks, and one powerpoint presentation required. You're responsible for patients, and writing daily notes, and reporting to the residents during rounds. The amount of work is dependent on how many students are here. currently we have a lot of students so I'm on call Q10 days, which is great. You don't really have dealings with the attendings except for in the O.R. but i don't think that you'll really deal with the attendings at any other surgery site either. You see them in the O.R. enough to where they will get to know you. Your contact will be mostly with the residents. so if you're interested in surgery (which I'm not) I would suggest going to one of the sites that I mentioned above. With priority being on St. Mary's or Huron. Do not accept going to Wyckoff for Internal Medicine or Surgery, because you won't be in a good learning environment. I did a 2 week elective in Anesthesia while there, and felt horrible for the students there in those programs. It would be a waste of your time. There are too many students in those two important core rotations for you to receive a personalized learning experience.

For someone who has not done CORES at Wyckoff.....I dont think this is a fair assesment! And yes, I agree the Anesth. elective is not very good at Wyckoff.

Dont opine based only on stuff you hear or read on these forums!

[DrVinsk]

Wow Shah, are you the new MitchDC for Wyckoff now? I've never been to Uganda but I'm betting there's a high HIV positive population there. I've never been to East New York at 1:30am but I'm betting it's not the safest place in New York City, nor Bed-Stuy. Come on! You know that Wyckoff is a lousy environment for anyone who really wants to learn during Surgery or Internal Medicine. I've been to Wyckoff and I'd say Gassan's assessment is quite fair and accurate.

[butters]

Does anybody know if Cape Cod offers Surgery electives such as Anasthesia or Urology or is it only the core rotation?

Are we allowed to break up our required 4 week surgical elective requirement into 2 weeks of X rotation and 2 weeks of Y rotation?

Thanks!

[Shah_Patel_PT]

Originally Posted by DrVinsk

Wow Shah, are you the new MitchDC for Wyckoff now? I've never been to Uganda but I'm betting there's a high HIV positive population there. I've never been to East New York at 1:30am but I'm betting it's not the safest place in New York City, nor Bed-Stuy. Come on! You know that Wyckoff is a lousy environment for anyone who really wants to learn during Surgery or Internal Medicine. I've been to Wyckoff and I'd say Gassan's assessment is quite fair and accurate.

Your bets are are incorrect.

I got this from the Director of OB and Director of GYN at Wyckoff:

The HIV positive population is very high around 2 miles north of W. Although there is a drug problem near the hospital....fortunately HIV is not a problem here.

[DrVinsk]

Shah,

Sorry sparky, perhaps you didn't understand my post. I said the HIV rate in UGANDA, the African Country, is high although I've never been there to know if this is true I can obtain this information from many other sources such as Gassan can do regarding Wyckoff........okay get it? Next!

[Shah_Patel_PT]

Originally Posted by DrVinsk

Shah,

Sorry sparky, perhaps you didn't understand my post. I said the HIV rate in UGANDA, the African Country, is high although I've never been there to know if this is true I can obtain this information from many other sources such as Gassan can do regarding Wyckoff........okay get it? Next!

Hey Zippy: I'm glad you did your research homework.

[cdnzed]

Thanks for this breakdown. How were the hours? Early mornings? Late nights?

Someone else had asked about surgery electives. If anyone else has done any here, please let us know how they were.

Originally Posted by gassan

The hospital here is great. This hospital and St. Agnes are the two best support staff hospitals that I've been to during my rotations up to this point. You can ask anyone for help and you'll receive it. It makes for a very comfortable learning environment.

We had the privilege of having the surgery chair for Ross come and evaluate this site, about 2 weeks ago. I specifically asked him what sites were the best sites that Ross had for surgery, and this is what he mentioned, which i've mostly learned through the grapevine anyway

Cape Cod Hospital, St. Mary's (waterbury CT), Huron (cleveland OH) and St. Agnes (baltimore) were the best sites. (I think that he mentioned Lutheran in Brooklyn, but I'm not entirely sure if I remember correctly)
In retrospect, while I don't know what the attendings would are like, but I would have preferred to go to St. Mary's in CT.
reasons are as follows: Every wednesday they have lecture day, which is a full day of lectures for the students and the residents. (I tend to enjoy lectures) The preceptor for the students (I forget his name) is really well respected in the surgery community (he developed TPN throughout his career) and is affiliated with Yale university, I got to watch him speak at Grand rounds in Baltimore in February of this year. Apparently he takes notice of hard working students and I would assume that his letter of recommendation would have clout.

Good things about CCH is that it is affiliated with Boston University. So the residents are from there, and the attendings are affiliated with Boston. There are also BU medical students that come here as well. We only get one lecture per week from the preceptor attending. Otherwise we get to scrub into the O.R. a lot I see at least 2 cases per day. There is more than enough O.R. time. you'll get to learn alot. There is one clinic week during your 12 weeks, and one powerpoint presentation required. You're responsible for patients, and writing daily notes, and reporting to the residents during rounds. The amount of work is dependent on how many students are here. currently we have a lot of students so I'm on call Q10 days, which is great. You don't really have dealings with the attendings except for in the O.R. but i don't think that you'll really deal with the attendings at any other surgery site either. You see them in the O.R. enough to where they will get to know you. Your contact will be mostly with the residents. so if you're interested in surgery (which I'm not) I would suggest going to one of the sites that I mentioned above. With priority being on St. Mary's or Huron. Do not accept going to Wyckoff for Internal Medicine or Surgery, because you won't be in a good learning environment. I did a 2 week elective in Anesthesia while there, and felt horrible for the students there in those programs. It would be a waste of your time. There are too many students in those two important core rotations for you to receive a personalized learning experience.

[dimples]

M-F you'll be in the hospital from 4:30 am - 7:00 pm. You'll have overnight calls about once a week depending on how many 3rd year students there are. You can stay for an elective if you get an attending to sponsor you, which isn't hard if you have a good personality and "the look". I'm currently here for a non-surgical elective and it's great. The attendings, especially the preceptor, as well as hospital staff are generally very nice and helpful.

The BU residents are pretty cool and will take the group out to eat/drink if they like you. They will sign for your meals if they like you and they will take you out to eat during your call if they like you. If they don't like you, they'll tell you to read in the library or to go do something else.

All you really have to do is work hard, prepare for your cases, and not be crazy, but unfortunately that is very difficult for many Ross students.