Point of View

"I joined Jacobi Medical Center as an intern in 2018, fresh out of medical school. I can honestly say with conviction that Jacobi has made me a better physician than I could ever have hoped! The people here within the IM program are truly among the smartest and most humble people I have ever come across, and working alongside them for 4 years, has changed my professional and personal identity for the better. I feel proud to have worked with the population of the Bronx - a truly underserved population, and gained an insight into healthcare struggles and disparities. The program is fast paced, and many of my goals prior to joining - with regards to medical knowledge, confidence and autonomy were met passively, just by being a part of every day life at Jacobi! Overall, it was one of the best decisions I ever made, and if I were to do it again, I would a hundred times over!"

“When I chose Jacobi, I knew that it was going to a be a very clinically strong program that would prepare me in the best possible way for my cardiology fellowship or for any other career path I would choose to follow. Today, as a Jacobi graduate, I feel extremely proud that I took care of a truly underserved population over the past 3 years, while at the same time I had the chance to work with some of the smartest IM residents in the nation.”

It is hard to believe that my journey as an Internal Medicine Resident at Jacobi Medical Center is coming to an end. I feel utmost gratitude to Jacobi Medical Center, to its leadership, and to my mentors. There were countless individuals who helped me grow as a professional and further develop my skills as a physician. Jacobi Medical Center provided a positive environment which was conducive to learning, and offered a nice balance between academic and clinical activities. This balance was beneficial to me as I advanced my medical knowledge and clinical skills.

 

For me, training at Jacobi Medical Center was a privilege. Coming to work to a place where the environment is supportive in challenging moments, and having the opportunity to care for a diverse patient population has been extremely rewarding. It is evident that Jacobi Medical Center is committed to providing outstanding training in Internal Medicine to all its residents, allowing each of us to achieve our full potential as physicians.

 

Today, I am confident in my ability to gather and synthesize essential and accurate information to define each patient’s clinical problems, conduct focused physical exams, develop a comprehensive management plan for each patient, prioritize the care of unstable patients and with complex acute disease, and adjust care plans based on patient’s clinical course and additional data. I feel comfortable working as a part of the multidisciplinary team. I enjoy working with junior and senior colleagues, students, nurses, and social workers. I also enjoy mentoring, supervising, and teaching students and interns. I feel comfortable engaging in goal of care discussions with my patients and their families, and negotiating with difficult patients. My understanding of cost-effective patient care and resource utilization keeps improving, and I use my critical thinking to avoid unnecessary tests, treatments, and procedures. I continue to sharpen my procedural skills through repetition, and I am happy to have obtained certification in all the procedures required by the ACGME. I am a self-directed lifelong learner, and I enjoy reading up on the relevant literature.

 

Encountering patients from different walks of life has led me to gain a deeper sense of responsibility to provide quality care for each and every person. I have become more understanding of patients. I have become a more caring person, which translates into being a more caring and humane physician. I have learned the importance of making each patient my first priority, and know that building a caring relationship with patients cannot be overestimated.

 

Jacobi has given me the opportunity to develop my understanding about a variety of medical subspecialties. It was in this context that I realized my affinity for Rheumatology. Having wonderful mentors and excellent research opportunities was an advantage as I applied to Rheumatology programs around the country. I was fortunate to match with my first choice: Montefiore Medical Center, and look forward to being a part of their program in the fall. I am confident that my training at Jacobi Medical Center has prepared me for what is to come. I will take with me strong and enduring relationships with colleagues, mentors, and patients.

 

I will always be a proud Jacobi Medical Center graduate.

The Internal Medicine residency training program at Jacobi Medical Center is one of the best IM training programs in the country, for the following 4 reasons:

 

1. Autonomy: Perhaps one of the most crucial aspects in the development of a skillful physician, this is not as common a feature in the conventional top ranking IM residency programs as one would think. Jacobi IM offers the right balance of supervision and autonomy, which ensures that the graduating residents are fully prepared for both a career in academia as well as private practice. Procedural competence and confidence comes with practice, not just by meeting minimum requirements set by accrediting organizations. At Jacobi, residents typically far exceed the required number of procedures.
2. Range of pathology: As a public hospital and given its location, Jacobi Medical Center caters to a wide range of populations, including immigrants from different parts of the globe. This ensures that the IM residents have  exposure to a range of pathology that is perhaps unmatched in country.
3. Research: This is arguably the strongest aspect of the program. When one judges an IM program’s research factor, it is not just the facilities/ opportunities available that should be considered, but also the dedicated time allotted towards research/ electives. As a residency applicant, one has to know that the structure of the program reflects the vision of the program leadership. Jacobi IM residents not only have access to the full range of basic/ translational/ clinical research opportunities at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, but also have more dedicated research time than any other conventional IM program in the country- thanks to the dynamic program director, Dr. Andrew Gutwein. This research/ elective time allocation enables residents to both access the available opportunities and to complete projects in time for their fellowship application. The consistency of the fellowship match success over the last several years speaks for itself.
4. Work environment: Working with doctors from different parts of the globe, the general camaraderie and the opportunity to learn about different cultures from colleagues are truly enriching experiences.

 

The Jacobi hospital and AECOM campus are beautiful. Being 30-40 minutes away from Manhattan is pretty cool.

I consider myself very fortunate to have trained here.

 

Niraj Shenoy M.D., M.S.

Assistant Prof. of Medicine (Oncology), AECOM.

Former fellow, Hematology/ Oncology, Mayo Clinic. Rochester, Minnesota.

Former Chief Resident, Jacobi Medical Center- AECOM.

There is so much I can say about the Internal Medicine residency at Jacobi from the great training to the highly intelligent group of co-residents I had the grace to meet. However, what stands out to me is the camaraderie between residents. As a mother of a 3 year old and 7 month old at the start of residency, I feared I would stick out like a sore thumb. I was wrong! Despite our differences, I made a lot of friends, and continually felt challenged to be a better doctor because of my wonderful colleagues. Of course, I will be remiss to say it was not challenging in any way. Intern year in particular, as in any great program, was a roller coaster ride. It made me a better and smarter clinician. I would choose Jacobi again in a heartbeat!

Jacobi is the place that makes you a better person and a strong internist. It became very special to me and my family, as I had so much confidence in our doctors that I would take my parents and grandmother to have important tests at Jacobi. It feels like my second home and it is just a nice feeling of warmth and support when you are here. I am very grateful to hour program leadership and everyone whom I met at Jacobi. My dreams came true and I am going to start hematology and oncology fellowship shortly!

Choosing Jacobi for my internal medicine residency training has been one of the best career choices I have made so far. I can honestly say the interview day was merely a small preview of what was to come during the next 2 years. The strengths of this program include resident autonomy and the cultural diversity of patients with a wide variety of diseases. This is something that we all look for in a program, and as a 3rd year resident I feel very confident managing complex cases with multiple co morbidities. Not only is the training incredible, but the house staff are very friendly, there is a lot of emphasis on team work and the attendings are always available for advice and teaching.