Away Rotation-UF&Shands Jacksonville

I, Justin, spent September in Jacksonville at the UF-Shands facility. Here is what I think of the program.

Pros
Resident run essentially. The residents do everything.
Very high census. You see a lot.
Students get to do procedures based on their comfort level. Central lines, intubation (on critical patients), pericentesis, you name it.
Faculty are rocket scientists. You can ask them everything, and they know the answer.
Jax Beaches (Jacksonville, Atlantic, and Neptune) are less than 30 minutes away.
Great night life.
The residents kick ass for the most part
One day is toxicology day at the zoo, you get to touch poisonous snakes (safely), and take a behind the scenes tour of the Jax zoo.
You take a rescue ride as well.
Mandatory children's shifts.
Cons
20-22 12 hour shifts per month as an intern.
12-13 12 hour shifts (plus one rescue that is 4-16 hours long) per month as a student.
The department is showing its age.
Incredibly high census means that average length of stay is enormous. You sometimes get patients after an 8 hour waiting room stint.
The real children's hospital is down at Wolfson's, and you don't get to go there.
Radiology runs the FAST scans in trauma.
Radiology takes forever.
The lab takes even longer.

All in all, probably the best place I have ever seen (of two).

posted by EMIG @ 12:18 AM Comments: 0