Albany Family Medicine

[GieNa]

Albany is a pretty laid back site. While I was there the residents were really friendly and helpful as were the attendings. The residency program here is an unoopposed program, so the family residents are the only residents in the hospital.
It is mainly outpt like other family medicine rotations were I'm assuming. You spend the morning with someone and you spend the afternoons with another person. They usually try to pair you up with an attending or an upper level resident. Sometime you will get paired with an intern. But everyone was great. Your session will pretty much depend on who you're with. Most of the attendings and residents were ok with you going in to see the patient first, you present, and then you guys go in together. But you get variations of this depending on who your with. You might just be following someone around. But that didn't happen too often.
They try to keep you paired up with the same few attendings and residents so that you can be evaluated a bit better.
You see the ob pts, babies to old people.
You also have one week of inpatient at the hospital. Which I thought was a good experience as well. You get an idea of what an unopposed family residency will be like.
Overall I enjoyed the whole experience.

[everest]

Great site - just far away. The hospital and clinic are huge and really nice considering it's in the middle of nowhere. It's got a Starbucks inside. Residents are great for the most part and everyone is friendly. They will go out a few times to trivia, drinks, etc. Go with them at least once. Admin people are very nice and helpful. Super organized. You'll get a schedule the first day, but they will be happy to modify it if you ask nicely (e.g. switch call to allow you to go to a wedding, etc.). If there is not a 4th year doing a sports medicine rotation, they may let you do a couple days with them. The residency is un-opposed, so you'll see all ages. Lab day to get all your procedures done on your card. Patients are variable depending on who you work with (I did >30 pelvic exams on OB pts, but the other student did none.) Evals are not bad and are compiled from residents and attendings your work with. Don't sweat the midterm.

Hours: 8am-5pm M-F outpatient (5 weeks), ~7am-5pm inpatient (1 week), 3-5 call nights (one weekend). All other weekends are off. You'll get a few afternoons off to study (~1/week) plus post call days. Call is variable. Sometimes they run out of call rooms and have you sleep at the Crimmins house. You get a pager the whole time.

Three big perks: Free food, free new gym, and great housing. Free lunch during conference or student lecture, and pretty much all you can eat at the cafeteria. When you're on inpatient (1 week), the doctors lounge has even better food. Try the cookies! Housing in the Crimmins house is literally across the street from the hospital. Some say it's scary to walk at night, but I never felt unsafe. 9 rooms usually all MCG ppl (IM, Peds, ambulatory, FM, surgery - they are lots of rotations here - it can be a good time.) Some rooms are small with shared bathroom for 2 rooms, 3 are bigger with a separate bath, but they are all clean and nice. Common area, full kitchen, laundry, wireless internet. If you have a problem with anything tell someone - they are on the ball fixing the house. Gym is free & very close - open 5am-10pm. I think it might be bigger than MCG's with tons of weights, machines, TVs. Workout classes, yoga, spinning -- all free.

Albany is a pretty good city compared to other away sites -- just far. Wildlife park, walking trails, cycling group (road bike), yoga studio, trivia at Mellow Mushroom.