Hamilton General Hospital

Surgical residency here provides outstanding hands-on training. You get to the OR early and case variety is excellent. Work-life balance is rough as expected for surgery but the teaching is top-notch.

Scrubbing cardiac cases here is the highlight of my career. The CABG volume is high, the surgeons are skilled, and the team in the CV OR is incredibly tight. Call is heavy but the experience is unmatched.

Clinic is stable and the providers are nice to work with. Not a lot of learning opportunities though, very routine day to day. If you want consistency and predictability this is a good fit.

Oncology pharmacy is well-organized with strict protocols and a supportive team. Hazardous drug handling is taken seriously. Salary is above average and they fund one national conference per year.

The ER is dangerously understaffed on nights. I had 8 patients including a critical care hold my second month off orientation. Multiple incident reports filed and nothing changes. Not worth the liability.

Ortho floor has great teamwork. The RNs include you in care planning and the charge nurse always asks how you are doing. Joint replacement patients are mostly pleasant. Only wish the base pay was a bit higher.

NICU RT work is rewarding but the department politics are exhausting. Senior therapists gatekeep information and the manager rarely intervenes. Clinical side is strong but the culture needs improvement.

Surprisingly great med-surg unit. They keep ratios at 1:4 and actually staff enough CNAs. The manager rounds on staff weekly and follows through on concerns. Night shift differential is competitive.