The pod system is unique to Columbia, and I couldn't imagine going through residency without it. You learn to become a super team that utilizes each other's individual strengths, and it's a built in support group throughout residency.

Ellie Coromilas (2017)

The Pod System is a unique and beloved part of our program. When residents arrive as new interns, they are grouped into “pods” of 4, and as pod-mates they rotate through the entirety of each year together. Members of a pod share the highs and lows of residency, and form a bond that can only be forged through intense common experiences. The wider community at Columbia is tight knit, and the pod system brings that feeling of belonging to a personal level. It fosters a unique level of support, camaraderie, and friendship that is so vital in training.

Pods also form a core part of the residency’s social network, with pod-mates regularly arranging post-work get togethers, and the intern pod on geriatrics being responsible for organizing weekly residency-wide happy hours.

Perhaps most importantly, pod-mates always have your back, and the experience of going through such a formative time of your professional life together forges life-long bonds. The pod system is an irreplaceable part of the Columbia ethos.

Your podmates don't just become your friends; they become family. I can honestly say that my pod inspires me to become a better doctor, and I couldn't imagine going through residency without them!

Eric Burnett (2018)