rank these please

any advice on which of these "community-hybrid" programs are the strongest since I will need to rank them soon.

grand rapids, flint, kalamazoo, beaumont, lenox hill, akron general

Akron General is an extremely strong program. They have a great reputation, just search this forum with key word Akron and see what others are saying. The program is a university program with a community feel. I heard one resident there say that he would take 'the pepsi challenge' with others as far as quality of training, resident happiness and reputation of the program. I know that they have had great success recently with getting residents into quality fellowships: San Diego Childrens, University of Miami, Nirschl Sports Fellowship, Harvard. Their faculty also has a very good rerputation and they have all specialties covered. The chairman is an orthopaedic oncologist, they have 6 hand attendings and the main shoulder specialist is one of the editors of the shoulder text and well known nationally. If you have seen a technique guide for DePuy or illustration in any work by Matsen you've seen his stuff.
They are also good on research, especially when compared to other programs you listed. Apparently, in the last three years alone they have had nine publications with a resident as first author. I think one resident from there has a posting regarding some outcomes research he's doing. I have heard some occasional good things about the other programs you mentioned, particularly Grand Rapids, but I think Akron General has the complete package.

Crown

being a new intern I can honestly say that it is so so so important not rank on what others feel b/c you are on the one that will be there 80 hours a week for the next 5 years......I know how difficult it can be to rank schools but forget about reputation and this so called "which is better" b/c I can tell you that if you don't get along the other residents/attendings or just hate the city you will be living in your education and training will suffer immensely no matter how "strong" the program is...i have seen it firsthand when attendings and residents don't get along the residents don't scrub and then they are really F$*%#; also if junior and senior residents don't get along you are not going to see the OR and be scutted out until you are a senior; not good either......so really try to put that thought process in the back of your mind and go with where you fit in personally and with your learning style, can be happy living for 5+ years....we all go through the same process and it sucks b/c it is such a big decision where you end up but being on the other end of it now I really do believe what I am saying...good luck.

You should be aware of what people say, especially when the individual supporting General is a resident of the program. It is not even the best program in the city. Stop posting and start studying ortho

Individuals who try to "sell/recommend" programs should slow their roll.

Solid post Ebo!

skate or die

i find it hard to give other people advice because we've all got different priorities we're looking for in a program/town etc....so it seems that people with a vested interest in a program may talk it down, or they may have had a subjectively bad experience at their interview so you get a skewed perspective....just some thoughts, if you want people to make your rank list for you, then you might not have an idea of what you're looking for in a program.

IMHO, Beaumont and Lennox Hill rank above the others in terms of reputation and quality of training. But every program on that list is pretty solid from what I've heard. It all depends on where you want to live and as previous poster noted, where you fit in.