[optv13sp]

Does anyone know of a physicians in or near The Villages who was educated at a top notch medical school? I realize there are many factors which make a physician effective and in addition to those, I'm interested in the educational aspect. I also realize one can check online for any physician's education, but it would take forever to check every single doctor's education by this method. I'm hoping some of you already know of a physician with this type of education.
We would like to find a Primary Care Physician who is not in TV Healthcare System. We love our current doctor in TV Healthcare system, but Shands doesn't participate in the Medicare Advantage plan. We would like the option of going to Shands and if we can find a top notch Primary Care Physician, we will leave TV Healthcare system.
I would love to hear from any of you who have the same approach and how you solved it.
Thanks in advance.

[Chatbrat]

Felix Agbo-did his residency on Mt. Sinai--NYC--can't get much better

[gap2415]

Get references. All don't pass at the top of the class but are still called Dr.

[sallybowron]

What do you call the person who graduated last in his/her class from medical school? Doctor! I wonder if this is a great way to find a good doctor. It seems your idea of getting good references is better.

[BogeyBoy]

Would you rather have a doctor that graduated from a top notch school 30 or 40 years ago or a doctor that graduated 10 years ago (from a second notch school), is right on top of continuing education, studies all the new methods for practicing medicine, has a well equipped office utilizing the most current technology, knowledgeable staff, and no complaints or lawsuits?

My point, there are many variables. Maybe you find a doctor that went to the top notch school but was at the bottom of his class. Or has personal problems.

Good luck in your search. I don't like to even think of switching doctors, and hope mine doesn't decide to retire or move.

[n8xwb]

Dr. Vivian Woodard -- Harvard

[Dan9871]

Originally Posted by optv13sp

We love our current doctor in TV Healthcare system

If you have confidence in your current doctor to manage what ills may befall you why would you want to change? Shands is not the only place that can cure what ails people.

A bird in the hand is worth 100 in the bush when it comes to finding PCP's

[NYGUY]

Originally Posted by optv13sp

....Shands doesn't participate in the Medicare Advantage plan....

The University of South Florida in Tampa does accept UHC Medicare Advantage Plans. It is a good medical school as well and about the same distance away.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by optv13sp

Does anyone know of a physicians in or near The Villages who was educated at a top notch medical school? I realize there are many factors which make a physician effective and in addition to those, I'm interested in the educational aspect. I also realize one can check online for any physician's education, but it would take forever to check every single doctor's education by this method. I'm hoping some of you already know of a physician with this type of education.
We would like to find a Primary Care Physician who is not in TV Healthcare System. We love our current doctor in TV Healthcare system, but Shands doesn't participate in the Medicare Advantage plan. We would like the option of going to Shands and if we can find a top notch Primary Care Physician, we will leave TV Healthcare system.
I would love to hear from any of you who have the same approach and how you solved it.
Thanks in advance.

I wasn't going to respond to this, because I think the question misses the mark in the real world, but....

Let's answer with a story:
I went to medical school at the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center---a middle of the pack school, certainly not in the top 10 or 20. (Yes, I declined my acceptance at Johns Hopkins for a variety of reasons). They had their "superstars"--Carroll, Waterhouse, Krasnow, Griep--but nowhere near as many as Harvard. There was plenty of research, but again nowhere near Harvard. It was a solid school academically, but again not on the level of Harvard. But for practical experience, it was hard to beat. Kings County Hospital was more like a MASH unit in a war zone, vastly different from Massachusetts General. Medical students got to manage patients and perform procedures that only the post residency fellows at Harvard could do.

On my first day of internship at a University Hospital, I was assigned to the ICU with Teddy from Harvard and Mary from Cornell. Mike, the pulmonary and ICU director had a patient that needed thoracentesis (removal of fluid from around the lungs). He asked each of us how many we had done before:

Mary: None, but I saw one once
Teddy: None, but I read about it
Me: Several hundred, but you already know that Mike, we've done a bunch together on some rotations here in my 3rd and 4th year of school.
Mike: Yes, please teach these 2 how to do it.

I tried to get them to actually perform the procedure under my supervision, but neither of the were willing to stick a needle in the patient's chest. Not good since the patient was suffocating from having 6 liters of fluid on his lungs

So, bottom line: If it were you lying there suffocating, would you want the doctor from Cornell, the doctor from Harvard, or the doctor from Downstate?

My opinion---if you are happy with your PCP, that's worth a hundred "what ifs" somewhere else. You mention Shands, but that is just a building. Last I checked, no one has ever been cured by a building. So unless you have a list of all possible diseases you might contract in the future, and have researched a specific specialist at Shands that treats each of those conditions, I believe a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush. There are plenty of good hospitals in this area other than Shands.

End of novella.

[NotGolfer]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I wasn't going to respond to this, because I think the question misses the mark in the real world, but....

Let's answer with a story:
I went to medical school at the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center---a middle of the pack school, certainly not in the top 10 or 20. (Yes, I declined my acceptance at Johns Hopkins for a variety of reasons). They had their "superstars"--Carroll, Waterhouse, Krasnow, Griep--but nowhere near as many as Harvard. There was plenty of research, but again nowhere near Harvard. It was a solid school academically, but again not on the level of Harvard. But for practical experience, it was hard to beat. Kings County Hospital was more like a MASH unit in a war zone, vastly different from Massachusetts General. Medical students got to manage patients and perform procedures that only the post residency fellows at Harvard could do.

On my first day of internship at a University Hospital, I was assigned to the ICU with Teddy from Harvard and Mary from Cornell. Mike, the pulmonary and ICU director had a patient that needed thoracentesis (removal of fluid from around the lungs). He asked each of us how many we had done before:

Mary: None, but I saw one once
Teddy: None, but I read about it
Me: Several hundred, but you already know that Mike, we've done a bunch together on some rotations here in my 3rd and 4th year of school.
Mike: Yes, please teach these 2 how to do it.

I tried to get them to actually perform the procedure under my supervision, but neither of the were willing to stick a needle in the patient's chest. Not good since the patient was suffocating from having 6 liters of fluid on his lungs

So, bottom line: If it were you lying there suffocating, would you want the doctor from Cornell, the doctor from Harvard, or the doctor from Downstate?

My opinion---if you are happy with your PCP, that's worth a hundred "what ifs" somewhere else. You mention Shands, but that is just a building. Last I checked, no one has ever been cured by a building. So unless you have a list of all possible diseases you might contract in the future, and have researched a specific specialist at Shands that treats each of those conditions, I believe a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush. There are plenty of good hospitals in this area other than Shands.

End of novella.

Again...a great response!!! In my "researching" docs i do go online but also word of mouth. I'm from "Mayo Country" but you hear horror stories there too.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

Again...a great response!!! In my "researching" docs i do go online but also word of mouth. I'm from "Mayo Country" but you hear horror stories there too.

There are "horror stories" at every hospital, but also miracles at every hospital. Best strategy is to stay as healthy as you can.

I once took a Novell network class with a professor from Yugoslavia and he told me that they needed to become very adept a finding a solution with unsophisticated equipment, so they needed a very in depth knowledge about how things worked. One of my best professors ever.

[ronsroni]

I dated a Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon who graduated from Columbia, 2nd in his class, brilliant in the field. Had all of the bells and whistles. He regularly had smartattacks.

OOPS. Lost his license after 4 kids expired on his OR table and Cath Lab at his hand in 8 months. He was smart and a real dope all at the same time. 4 families destroyed. Top Notch.
Nomesayin?

[ronsroni]

LOVE THIS. A bite from a reality sandwich. Thank you. Top Notch.

[Mrs. Robinson]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I wasn't going to respond to this, because I think the question misses the mark in the real world, but....

Let's answer with a story:
I went to medical school at the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center---a middle of the pack school, certainly not in the top 10 or 20. (Yes, I declined my acceptance at Johns Hopkins for a variety of reasons). They had their "superstars"--Carroll, Waterhouse, Krasnow, Griep--but nowhere near as many as Harvard. There was plenty of research, but again nowhere near Harvard. It was a solid school academically, but again not on the level of Harvard. But for practical experience, it was hard to beat. Kings County Hospital was more like a MASH unit in a war zone, vastly different from Massachusetts General. Medical students got to manage patients and perform procedures that only the post residency fellows at Harvard could do.

On my first day of internship at a University Hospital, I was assigned to the ICU with Teddy from Harvard and Mary from Cornell. Mike, the pulmonary and ICU director had a patient that needed thoracentesis (removal of fluid from around the lungs). He asked each of us how many we had done before:

Mary: None, but I saw one once
Teddy: None, but I read about it
Me: Several hundred, but you already know that Mike, we've done a bunch together on some rotations here in my 3rd and 4th year of school.
Mike: Yes, please teach these 2 how to do it.

I tried to get them to actually perform the procedure under my supervision, but neither of the were willing to stick a needle in the patient's chest. Not good since the patient was suffocating from having 6 liters of fluid on his lungs

So, bottom line: If it were you lying there suffocating, would you want the doctor from Cornell, the doctor from Harvard, or the doctor from Downstate?

My opinion---if you are happy with your PCP, that's worth a hundred "what ifs" somewhere else. You mention Shands, but that is just a building. Last I checked, no one has ever been cured by a building. So unless you have a list of all possible diseases you might contract in the future, and have researched a specific specialist at Shands that treats each of those conditions, I believe a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush. There are plenty of good hospitals in this area other than Shands.

End of novella.

Excellent, excellent response!
I think the OP is searching up the wrong tree.
His method could have a horrible result.

I put that kind of mindset in the same boat as those who insist their doctor must be board certified.