Which State/City is harder to get a residency spot in??

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I know the answer to this question will depend on a number of factors such as specialty type to which you are applying, where your med school is, etc.

What I am looking for is an overall rating.

Is it considered harder to get a residency spot in Chicago or the L.A. area??
I am asking bc I am in a relationship with a person not in my same class and we would like to end up in the same city w/o couple's matching (since we aren't in the same class we can't couples match and I am not taking a year off).

thoughts?

Most likely LA. Everything in California is more competitive (med school, residency, job market). Chicago has a lot of great programs and opportunities with most of the teaching hospitals in closer proximity to each other than LA. Los Angeles does have a lot of residency programs but they'll be a longer distance away from each other, making it harder to find a place to live where you can both commute easily to your residency program (assuming you dont end up at the same program).

Between the two you listed it's LA. Chicago has a lot of run down programs that are swarming with FMG's/IMG's moreso than LA.

Overall, it has to be San Francisco though. Many highly ranked programs (but fewer spots than LA) and lots of accomplished students from UCSF and Stanford (and the West Coast in general) vying for those spots.

Originally Posted by flatearth22

Between the two you listed it's LA. Chicago has a lot of run down programs that are swarming with FMG's/IMG's moreso than LA.

Overall, it has to be San Francisco though. Many highly ranked programs (but fewer spots than LA) and lots of accomplished students from UCSF and Stanford (and the West Coast in general) vying for those spots.

Considering there's really only ucsf and cpmc in the city, that's prob true.

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

Considering there's really only ucsf and cpmc in the city, that's prob true.

And Kaiser and St Mary's

depends on the specialty

I heard anything on cali on the west coast and anything in dc or virginia in the east coast are the hardest to get relatively as compared to other cities

Originally Posted by blazers

I heard anything on cali on the west coast and anything in dc or virginia in the east coast are the hardest to get relatively as compared to other cities

thats what ive heard too. Chi, NYC, Philly all have lots of programs

Originally Posted by rockydoc

I know the answer to this question will depend on a number of factors such as specialty type to which you are applying, where your med school is, etc.

What I am looking for is an overall rating.

Is it considered harder to get a residency spot in Chicago or the L.A. area??
I am asking bc I am in a relationship with a person not in my same class and we would like to end up in the same city w/o couple's matching (since we aren't in the same class we can't couples match and I am not taking a year off).

thoughts?

I think Los Angeles is much more difficult to get a spot in. Based on my personal experience the Chicago spots were backup positions to many people. I love Chicago, so I would prefer it over LA, but I am certain I am in the minority of medical students.

Originally Posted by blazers

i heard anything on cali on the west coast and anything in dc or virginia in the east coast are the hardest to get relatively as compared to other cities

lolz

Anything in Cali (even Fresno) >>> Chicago. Well maybe not Fresno. But Chicago is too cold, I don't know why people settled there.