Mayo
This is a place with a really strong reputation and great tradition. It seems like their case volume is crazy and the residents really get in the OR early and often. The faclitites are top notch. They have alot of facultiy and all of them are really happy to be there. One thing about this place that seems different from the other top programs is that they currently have only one fellow so add to that plus their exteemely high volume and you can see why they can easily support five residents each year. They seem to to be very strong in the clinical research but not so much with basic science. The residents also have have what I found to be the best schsule as far as hours and call.
Of course the location can be a major drawback, it's really cold. It's nice that almost everything downdown is connected with tunnels and bridges but still. Also it seems like it attracts most residents that are married and/or have families. I think the location and standard of living along with the nice hours make it a great place for those people. Of course if you are single it has to be near the bottom of places to do residency and have a good singles life outside the hospital. Although I am sure they have their share of residents not married who love it there.
Overall I think it is safe to say that if you train their you will leave as one of the best trained surgical urologist in the field due to thier large volume and great variety of fellowship trained faculty. Their residents seem to be highly sought after (how would I really know?). The life outside the hospital may be a little slow (and cold) for some. Also if you want time in a basic science lab then you may have to ask someone else their who knows. On the major plus side they have both male and female foely teams that save you a lot of useless pages during your five years there.
I have heard the same and think that he will, at least at some point since these rumors have been around for years. Not really sure it's a big deal though. Places like Mayo have lots of people to fill the void and become the next "Blute".
I am from a US school with no urology program. So Unfortunately, Iam depending on aways in order to get a strong recommendation letters. Thinking about doing an elective at mayo for this purpose. Can anyone please advise about who I should get letters from?
That was a great review and mirrors my experience there. The big strengths are their surgical training, both open and robotic. The biggest weakness is basic science research, which the department has some of but the residents are relatively uninvolved in (although most 5-year programs are weak in basic science research).
The only additional comment I can add to the above post is about the location. Depending on your point of view it can be a weakness (small city that is very Mayo-centered), or a strength (very safe, short commutes, cheap houses). Although I wasn't there in the winter, it probably gets very cold. It did not seem like a bad place to be a single physician with two large hospitals full of young, single nurses and techs.