You will be disappointed…read more
I have no doubt that students get a stellar education and an "incandescent learning experience" at any of the various Columbia Medical Schools. To work here, however, that's a whole another story.
Let me start by saying that I loved my colleagues: a lot of cutting edge, exciting scientific discoveries happen every day here, and there's a climate of collegiality and collaboration that I really enjoyed.
The real problems are with the support staff; that is, with people who are paid to help me do my work[1]. For example: when we first moved into a new state-of-the-art research center[2], my bay was without heating. We moved into the new space in October; in May the following year the plant operation staff finally showed up to discover that, during the renovations, they forgot to install a heating unit.
Our darkroom would often break down/flood[3]. There is an emergency number to call for any issues concerning the darkroom. Too bad nobody ever (like, never ever!) picks up the phones, returns calls, or even check their voicemail. When I tried to politely bring the issue up with the administration, this is the reply I had from Ed Johnson, Department Administrator for the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics: "I am fully aware of what problems we had the room and I don't need to constantly reminded of them.". Wow...
At the beginning of last year I was without salary and health insurance for 3 months. That's right: 3 months! My boss submitted all the documentations for the renewal of my contract in September; comes January I get COBRA documents in the mail, and immediately realize that something is wrong. The administration at the Pathology Department then asks my boss for all the documents again, and it takes 3 full months before the situation is rectified. Meanwhile nobody could give me a clear answer as if it was even legal for me to work there without a contract, or if I had medical coverage in case of an accident[4].
I could go on and on, but you get the picture. Any concern you may have is met with incompetence at best and indifference at worst at most, if not all, administrative levels, making doing your daily job here extremely frustrating. Moreover, nobody cares, and nobody is held responsible for any of these chronic, structural problems with Columbia administration.
The motto attached in front of a couple of buildings reading "Amazing things are happening here" should read instead "Amazing: things are happening here!".
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[1] Except the two main administrators in the Center where I worked, who are simply awesome! In fact, they provided enormous help and support in clearing out a lot of the mess generated higher up in the administrative hierarchical chain.
[2] They renovated lab space, but forgot about the bathrooms. Let's just say that, when we have potential donors visiting the center, one has to pray that they don't need to use the bathroom. I even saw a guy washing his feet in the bathroom sink. Twice.
Check them out: P&S building, 5th floor. A true gem.
[3] We're talking about toxic chemicals kind of flooding, here. In a room with no windows.
[4] Having to deal every day with, among other things, toxic chemicals, biohazard waste, and radioactive material, this is a major concern.
