FAQ
The following are answers to questions most often asked by applicants interested in the anesthesiology residency program at Georgetown University Hospital.
1. What are the differences between Georgetown University Hospital (GUH), Washington Hospital Center (WHC), and MedStar?
In 2000, Georgetown University Hospital entered in a financial partnership with MedStar Health, the largest health system in the mid-Atlantic region. MedStar is a seven-hospital, non-for profit organization. This partnership was initiated in order to better manage the Georgetown University Hospital and its Physician Practice. MedStar is known to excel in financial management of hospital systems. Postgraduate residency programs and fellowships at Georgetown University Hospital are the only university-based programs in the MedStar system.
2. Are the patients at Georgetown considered “private” patients?
All patients admitted to GUH have a designated attending of record. The vast majority of these patients (approximately 80%) are admitted to full-time, on-site faculty. Most of these patients are admitted to our full-time hospitalist service and are essentially “service” patients.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of rotating through the various hospitals in the MedStar system?
Our primary affiliate – the Washington Hospital Center – adds tremendous diversity (in terms of demographics, diseases, acuity, hospital size, location) to the program. MedStar consolidated the cardiac surgery services of GUH and WHC into one primary site (at WHC), so our residents complete their cardiac anesthesia rotations at WHC. During the CA-3 year, many residents complete additional electives (e.g. advanced clinical track, cardiac anesthesia, obstetric anesthesia) at WHC to take advantage of the breadth of cases there. The faculty members at all of our affiliates are tremendously loyal to Georgetown and have been educating students and residents for more than 50 years. The advantage is the breadth of experiences available to the Georgetown anesthesiology resident, as well as opportunities for residents to work with private practitioners, which may be helpful for future job opportunities.
4. How many residents are in the program?
We have twenty-one (21) residents, including our Chief Residents. At any given time, typically 15 residents are at Georgetown while 6 residents are completing rotations at the Washington Hospital Center.
5. What are the “pros” of the residency program?
The superb faculty – house staff interactions, the diversity of clinical experiences, the outstanding quality of the residents, great location in Washington, D.C., the opportunities for varied electives, and the responsiveness of the administration to resident concerns all stand out as highlights. Excellent written and oral board pass rates and job placement are evidence of the commitment to top notch education, outstanding residents, and Georgetown’s reputation for graduating superb residents from the program.
6. What are your stipends and benefits?
The stipends for July 2006 – June 2007 are:
PGY 2: $45,484
PGY 3: $47,273
PGY 4: $49,203
PGY 5: $52,227
Benefits available include medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. Residents may participate in the MedStar 403(b) retirement plan. Discounted memberships to the University’s athletic center (Yates Field House) are available. The Department of Anesthesia also provides extensive financial support to its residents, including a generous educational fund, society memberships, overtime compensation, and meal funds when on call.
7. What about vacation time?
Residents have a total of 20 days (4 weeks) of vacation per year (the maximum allowed by the ACGME). This includes 15 days of vacation/sick and 5 days of meeting/conference time. The Chief Residents are responsible for designing the resident vacation schedule.
8. Is there an application deadline?
Applications should be submitted to the department through ERAS by December 31st each year. However, we have a limited number of interview spots. Since the interview season begins in November, it is on your best interest to submit application materials as early as possible in the fall.
9. How many letters of recommendation does your program require?
We require at least three (3) current letters of recommendation in addition to the Dean’s Letter. One of these letters should be from an attending anesthesiologist with whom you have worked closely.
10. Do you accept International Medical Graduates (IMGs)?
Yes, we do accept applications from International Medical Graduates. At the current time, we do not have any IMGs in our residency class. We sponsor J1 visas. Graduates of non-U.S. medical schools are required to have completed 12 months of post-graduate clinical experience in the United States prior to being eligible to begin our program.
11. Are there specific cut-offs for USMLE scores?
We do not have specific thresholds above which applicants are screened. In the past, competitive applicants have Step I scores at least above 210.
12. What is the status of information technology systems at Georgetown?
Hospital financial successes have allowed for dramatic improvements in the computer and systems services at Georgetown. Over 1000 new computers have been purchased for the hospital, medical floors, and physician offices. The change-over to the state-of-the-art clinical information system known as Azyxxi was accomplished in May 2005. All medical records are now accessible from the internet as well. In all, the MedStar Health System is at the cutting edge in terms of technology and IT.
13. Where do most of the residents in this program live?
In general, Washington, D.C. is considered to be a high cost place to live. The Georgetown and Glover Park neighborhoods surrounding the University and Medical Center offer a wealth of dining, entertainment, and shopping opportunities – plus a short commute to work! It is, however, quite expensive. The cost of housing is usually found to vary inversely with the distance to Georgetown. Other popular areas within the District include Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, and Capitol Hill. Many residents choose to live in Arlington, VA (just over the Key Bridge from Georgetown) where housing is slightly more affordable, restaurants and nightlife abound, and the commute is still reasonable. The close-in Maryland suburbs of Bethesda and Silver Spring are also popular and help reduce housing costs. Significant salary increases over the past two years have also helped ease the burden to some extent.
