Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT

[esth0001]

Is it possible to do all of the core clinical rotatoins in Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT or not?

[ducman]

Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT

[TMI]

Hi
i'm starting on jan 29th, internal medicine at bridgeport. i was told to get a book called MKSAP for students, it's about 45 bucks US. anyhow, i want to know if anyone recommends any good books for IM. i don't know what to read cuz the book they say to get is just a question book, but i was looking more for a textbook. anyhow.
lutz

[oncojut]

TMI,

The MKSAP is a good book to have for Bridgeport and I'll tell you why. The end of rotation exam questions are taken directly from the MKSAP. So, go ahead and purchase that book. In adition to helping you with the Bridgeport exam, it will help you (content-wise) in preparation for Step II. Two other books were extremely helpful for me while I was doing IM at Bridgeport. The first book was Boards and Wards. When I was there, they had only published the Second Edition. I'm pretty sure the Third Edition for Step II and Step III is out now. The second book is a pocket reference called Pocket Medicine from Mass General. It's a pretty good book for a quick reference regarding GENERAL info about the disease with surprisingly detailed info about lab tests and treatments. It also cites the journal articles which is good for rounds if you're trying to impress your attending! I did six months there, so I know how that place runs. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

[GFLIP]

Hey Oncojut,
How many SABA students do they allow at Brideport? Can you tell more about your experience at that rotation. Thanks.

[oncojut]

I'd be happy to share my experiences!

Bridgeport hospital is a well kept secret in the world of clinical rotations. They allow two students to rotate through the IM program at one time. As far as I know, the two students selected for the IM rotation are almost always from Saba. In addition to IM, they offer Cardiology/CCU, Pulmonology, and GI. I did all three after completing IM. The program director at Bridgeport is the most knowledgable attending I have ever worked with. And, I've done rotations all over the Eastern Seaboard. His ICU rounds are the epitome of medical education. He expects perfection from his residents. When it comes to students, he doesn't expect much. He'll allow you to present on ICU rounds. However, if you choose to do so, you better know EVERYTHING about the patient. That being said, he is absolutely amazing.

The residents are also amazing. Almost all of them are IMG's. They are extremely strong residents most scoring well into the 90's on their boards. The amazing thing about the residents is that they love to teach. And, they understand that you are a medical student. Don't get me wrong, you will be expected to see a handfull of patients everyday, write notes, and present cases on rounds. But, the residents will reward you by "keeping you in the loop" when it comes to the status of your patients. You'll spend two of your three months on the basic inpatient service that they like to call Team Care. The remaining month will be split between ICU and oupatient services. Between the three you'll see just about everything. You'll have more than you share of interesting cases.

Another amazing aspect of rotating at Bridgeport is the medical education lectures. Being a Yale affiliate, you'll receive lectures from the experts. There will be a noon conference everyday with a lecture from residents, fellows, attendings, or visiting attendings. And, you can even go to Yale New Haven for some lectures. There is also a morning report everyday. Residents will present a case and conduct discussions for one hour. You as a student will be required to conduct one morning report based on a case in which you were involved. The senior residents will help you with this presentation so you won't be alone. Overall, the education is amazing. You'll get a constant influx of information and willingness to teach on part of the residents, attendings, and visiting lecturures.

I'd recommend doing Cardio and GI at Bridgeport. But, those need to be discussed in a different post because this one is getting a little too long. Anyway, if you work hard, I don't think you'll find a better environment than Bridgeport for learning IM. Plus, the dorms are free! Haha! And, they supply lunch just about everyday! Pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

I hope this helps. Lety me know if you have any specific questioins about the rotation. I'd be happy to help.

[GFLIP]

Thanks Oncojut. Wow - great information & just what I wanted to know.

[arfster]

i was wondering if anyone (oncojut (: ) could let me know a little more about dorm life and what we would need. Should i bring any food of my own or maybe specific types of clothes for the weather? I heard from the res coordinator to bring ur own twin sheets basically. She mentioned u share a kitchen and bath etc. I'm pretty picky, i like to have my own. Anyway let me know about the logistics. And in terms of or parking...is it a problem, do i have to worry about my car being damaged etc? Is there a place to get some exercise altho im sure everyone says "like there is time!". Thanks for any of ur input

[rifster]

i was wondering the same thing about bridgeport...living conditions, what to bring and not to bring...but mostly can you (oncojut) talk about the cardio there? currently i'm scheduled for cardio at this hosp in NY (SIUH) but no one seems to know anything about it...so maybe i can get it changed

thanks

[antoniost]

bump. I'm really interested in this too!