2015 Match Rank List Help Thread

[1029384756x]

I have two main factors when ranking, please tell me if my ranks so far are accurate:

Prestige/Name recognition nationwide
1. Columbia
2. Cornell
3. Mt. Sinai
4. Yale
5. Emory
6. NYU
7. UNC

Job market in the surrounding area
1. Emory
2. UNC
3. Yale
4. NYC Programs

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[morgred]

Hey everyone I'm looking to stay in Mass. due to strong family ties and these are the programs that I interviewed at. Location aside, they each had something different to offer that the others lacked
Tufts = Strong pedi and Transplant at Lahey,
UMass= Trauma and all rotations in the same system,
BU= private practice environment with huge exposure and again, lots of trauma)

So what do you guys think? I'm looking to be a good clinician and also be able to get a really good fellowship ( I do realize that I have to work towards my goals any where I go but still, being in some places helps more than others)

Thanks for the input!

 

[DrZzZz]

Hey everyone I'm looking to stay in Mass. due to strong family ties and these are the programs that I interviewed at. Location aside, they each had something different to offer that the others lacked
Tufts = Strong pedi and Transplant at Lahey,
UMass= Trauma and all rotations in the same system,
BU= private practice environment with huge exposure and again, lots of trauma)

So what do you guys think? I'm looking to be a good clinician and also be able to get a really good fellowship ( I do realize that I have to work towards my goals any where I go but still, being in some places helps more than others)

Thanks for the input!

UMass - Interviewed there in past. Residents seemed overworked and very fatigued on day of interview. Everyone I spoke to that had interviewed there had the same feeling, though none of the residents specifically said they felt overworked. They also only filled 2 of their spots in the match last year. Can't tell you why...did they not rank enough and prefer to fill in the SOAP with those who failed to match other specialties (like derm, ortho, etc)? Did everyone that interview there rank them low or not at all based on their impressions of the program? Hard to say...all I know is the residents looked very tired. Chair seemed like a cool guy, interview with him was good. One of the interviewers (newer attending) was one of the most awkward people I had met on the trail at any program, asked a lot of weird questions and asked some questions more than once, made it seem like he wasn't paying any attention to the interview.

BU - Interviewed there as well. Residents openly said that the lecture setup was horrible. Early morning lectures, poorly set up, poor didactic teaching, etc. Also got the sense that they got little help from CRNAs and like UMass, put in more hours than a lot of other programs I interviewed at. Categorical year is full surgical internship at the VA. Your first few months as a CA-1 are spent mostly with other residents and NOT attendings. I'm sure there's some benefit to that, learning how things work from a resident's perspective, but I prefer to get my teaching from an attending than another resident. Not a lot of regional exposure, outside of a 2 month stint as a CA-3 in an ortho hospital. Some said the relationship between anesthesia and surgery was not too good. $85/mo parking in the garages, which are a relatively lengthy walk to the hospital as I recall (think of walking to work in the snowstorm we're getting right now...). OR suites are also found in multiple buildings, some of which aren't connected requiring you to walk outside from one to the next.

Don't know much about Tufts. Good luck. In the end, wherever you end up, you'll be a good anesthesiologist if you put the work in.

 

[AGenericUserName]

For geographic and other reasons.. UT Houston is pretty much at the top of my list. Ive talked to a couple attendings/residents on this site, (also read all the old threads) I wanted to get some other perspectives. Anyone have experience with UTH they would like to share? re: the program or how you felt on interview day.. etc.. I know things have been changing with the new PD but is UT H still considered a level below the rest of the TX programs?

Solid program. Full disclosure I am ranking both UTH and Baylor in my top 4 - one is my #1. I put these programs through scrutiny because I couldn't decide which to put first. Ultimately, can't go wrong at either wrong. PDs at both are great people - I have met with both one on one outside the interview. Genuinely kind, dedicated to the program, a true privilege to work for. Both share the same hospitals except Hermann for Houston and Ben Taub and the VA for Baylor. Solid Peds, trauma, CV, CCM etc at both. How I picked one vs the other was a personal reason not a program reason. UTHouston gets significant props for the most unique and entertaining interview day out of the 20+ interviews I went on.

As far as how UTH "ranks" among TX schools, I wouldn't think about that at all. You will get the fellowship you want or job you want. One TX program ranking higher than the next won't affect your options in the future in the least. Be happy where you are for 4 years.

 

[IkeBoy18]

Solid program. Full disclosure I am ranking both UTH and Baylor in my top 4 - one is my #1. I put these programs through scrutiny because I couldn't decide which to put first. Ultimately, can't go wrong at either wrong. PDs at both are great people - I have met with both one on one outside the interview. Genuinely kind, dedicated to the program, a true privilege to work for. Both share the same hospitals except Hermann for Houston and Ben Taub and the VA for Baylor. Solid Peds, trauma, CV, CCM etc at both. How I picked one vs the other was a personal reason not a program reason. UTHouston gets significant props for the most unique and entertaining interview day out of the 20+ interviews I went on.

As far as how UTH "ranks" among TX schools, I wouldn't think about that at all. You will get the fellowship you want or job you want. One TX program ranking higher than the next won't affect your options in the future in the least. Be happy where you are for 4 years.

Thank you, I appreciate you feedback! I def think its an amazing program and I personally think its the best all around program in TX. Some amazing things going on in Houston.

 

[Biochemist21]

Stuck btwn UNC, BIDMC, U of M, NW and U. Chicago. Regardless of location, how would you rank these programs in terms of clinical training and reputation?!

It seems like your question has been overlooked so far. I'm not going to attempt to provide an ordinal ranking as you'll find a different list depending upon who you ask. I interviewed at the last three on your list and liked all three, although they are quite different. U of M is a juggernaut in the field, and with their alumni base, there's a reason they're collectively (and affectionately) called "The Michigan Mafia." I liked the Chairman and had great interactions with all the residents I met. NW is an 80ish resident program (smaller than UofM) with a large number of residents going to fellowship programs around the country. The APD seemed particularly interested in how to optimize resident learning, and residents voiced that they felt well prepared even in their CA2 year. And UofC was very vocal in stating how many research and academic opportunities were open to residents.

You say "Regardless of location...", but if location of your residency is of minimal consequence to you, I think you should at least consider where you want to be longer-term. Based on my perceptions, U of M probably has the widest alumni network, so that may open up more opportunities post-training, but I seriously doubt you're going to kneecap yourself if you end up at BIDMC, U of M, or NW.

It matters much less the reputation of a program if you're unhappy there, because you won't be as motivated. If you think you're going to be happiest at UNC, then go there, work your tail off, be a rockstar, and you will be well on your way to becoming the best anesthesiologist you can be.

 

[1029384756x]

I have two main factors when ranking, please tell me if my ranks so far are accurate:

Prestige/Name recognition nationwide
1. Columbia
2. Cornell
3. Mt. Sinai
4. Yale
5. Emory
6. NYU
7. UNC

Job market in the surrounding area
1. Emory
2. UNC
3. Yale
4. NYC Programs

Bump

 

[msmith83]

Anyone have any insight or opinions on how important it is to do your residency in the same state/area as the one you want to live in after residency?

Like for instance you have residency A is a better overall program but is not really near where you ultimately want to practice but you have residency B that is not as highly thought of but is in the same state as where you want to end up practicing.

Thanks for any help

 

[bashwell]

My opinion...

Unless it's someplace like MGH, I'd think it'd be better to pick the one with the stronger reputation or better network in the region you want to end up. Fairly or unfairly, who you know often trumps much else. Also youre likely to perform better as a resident if you're happy with where you're living.

Of course, it'd be best to know which specific programs you're considering to better compare, etc. But that's probably not something you wish to make public, which is totally understandable.

 

[msmith83]

My opinion...

Unless it's someplace like MGH, I'd think it'd be better to pick the one with the stronger reputation or better network in the region you want to end up. Fairly or unfairly, who you know often trumps much else. Also youre likely to perform better as a resident if you're happy with where you're living.

Of course, it'd be best to know which specific programs you're considering to better compare, etc. But that's probably not something you wish to make public, which is totally understandable.

Thanks for the input! That makes sense to me, I think its important to have a good support system in place if possible. I guess the closer the better but surely a neighboring state would be close enough to still be helpful for networking purposes?

 

[pasgasser2]

I apologize in advance for the new username..I admit that I am neurotic enough about the whole process that I'll do what I can to maintain my anonymity until everything is finalized. As the match deadline approaches, I am getting increasingly stressed about how to rank these programs and would appreciate any input!

Most important factors for me are:
1. National name recognition/prestige (I know this probably shouldn't be a priority but it matters to me significantly)

2. Moonlighting (already aware that the extra income generated as a resident is not very significant in the grand scheme of things but I'm a very finance-oriented person and it's nice to have an incentive to work extra hours/weekends/etc)

3. Location (I am not tied to any geographical area but know myself well enough that I will probably be happier in a quieter area with minimal traffic and lower cost of living)

I think the challenge is that no one program offers all of these and I have to find a compromise. As of right now if I had to give differing weights to the above criteria, it might go something like this: prestige/recognition > moonlighting > location. Maybe some input from you guys might change this. I know location is important but I think 3-4 years in a less than ideal place and then moving to a more desirable location post-residency is not irrational or unrealistic.

I'm also taking into consideration things like clinical training, "vibe", and fellowship opportunities. But I feel like most of the programs I'm ranking all offer great training and fellowship opportunities. Vibe is definitely variable but I feel like anesthesiology overall attracts reasonable and rational people and I usually get along with almost everyone I've worked with.

So here are the programs I'm looking at:

Wash U - Very nice and wealthy hospital. Long-time chair of 25 yrs+ who is big on resident education. Moonlighting is available but limited. Good vibe from the residents. St. Louis was meh. Name recognition probably not an issue?

UVA - Great training with residents getting to do A LOT as there are minimal fellows. Really liked Charlottesville as a place to live. Good vibe from the residents/faculty. I think I heard moonlighting is available but seems like no one did it. Name recognition and prestige…thoughts?

Johns Hopkins - probably #1 on my list in terms of prestige and opportunities available post-residency. Residents seem very satisfied with their training and were bold about having Hopkins on the CV opening a lot of doors. Dedicated academic college days every 2 weeks seems to bode well with the residents. Being an advanced-only program bothers me but am willing to give it a pass because of its reputation. Baltimore was sketchy. NO MOONLIGHTING.

Wake Forest - Really enjoyed my interview here. Probably got the best overall "vibe" from this program. I don't mind Winston-Salem at all with its phenomenal cost-of-living, beautiful mountains/rivers nearby. PD is very keen on resident education. Airway training seems to be second to none. Ample moonlighting available. Thoughts on prestige status?

Michigan - Rigorous but phenomenal training. Residents are unionized with higher salary + yearly bonus. Moonlighting seems to be moderately available. Ann Arbor was nice with minimal traffic but very cold. Anyone care to comment on its prestige relative to the other programs?

Vanderbilt - Seems to have a good balance of name recognition, moonlighting, and Nashville is a decent place to live (a city but not a huge one). Great clinical training with emphasis on the periop surgical home model. I'd probably give it a solid 'B+' in terms of vibe from residents/faculty.

UAB - Definitely has the best moonlighting. Good training but weaker peds training. For whatever reason, I got a so-so vibe during dinner and interviews. Birmingham was better than I thought but not "nice". Seems to be a well-known in the anesthesia circles but would say that name-recognition is on the lower end?

Emory - Really like the program and residents. Seems like you will get excellent training. ATL is ok but too much traffic. Virtually no moonlighting it seems. Probably has better name recognition?

Yale - Obviously a "big" name with national recognition but seems like their anesthesia department is known as more of a high mid-tier program compared to the ones above? NOT a fan of New Haven but I guess Yale hospital itself was nice. Vibe was decent but not as good as some of the other ones above. Moonlighting info was vague..and doesn't seem widely encouraged.

So in the next several weeks, these programs will make their way to the top 9 of my ROL. There are 3 other programs I will be ranking but hopefully will not fall that far down my ROL. I know this is such a long post but would be grateful to get some feedback on how I should approach my list and why..thanks so much!!

 

[Biochemist21]

Thanks for the input! That makes sense to me, I think its important to have a good support system in place if possible. I guess the closer the better but surely a neighboring state would be close enough to still be helpful for networking purposes?

Try looking into where the program's alumni end up. If "Program A" is a particularly large program then there is a fair chance that there will be at least a few alumni in your ultimate desired area. Also, are you considering a fellowship? That can be another way to boost your personal visibility within a particular area, even if you do residency somewhere else.

 

[floridaboy18]

Wake Forest - Really enjoyed my interview here. Probably got the best overall "vibe" from this program. I don't mind Winston-Salem at all with its phenomenal cost-of-living, beautiful mountains/rivers nearby. PD is very keen on resident education. Airway training seems to be second to none. Ample moonlighting available. Thoughts on prestige status?

All I will say to this is that medical students have a difficult time distinguishing between prestige within anesthesiology and prestige in general. There are some very big names in medicine (in general) that simply rely on their name but provide just above average clinical training. Some of them you have listed on your list. Prestige is not a problem at Wake. While Wake is not the research mecca that is MGH or Duke, I would put our clinical training at Wake up against just about anyone. The name carries within anesthesia as well, because people know how well trained we are clinically. Trust me when I say that most people that choose not to go to Wake do so for family reasons (location, etc) but they pretty much never choose to go elsewhere because of the clinical training or prestige. Wake's department has produced a plethora of chairs at other departments. We currently have the editor and chief of Anesthesiology at Wake. Our prior chair was the head of the pediatric anesthesia society. The current head of the regional society is a Wake product who works out at Virginia Mason.

The only criteria you mentioned that one could argue Wake lacks (and this is completely dependent upon what you want) is location. Personally, I love Winston and think it is great. Not from here, but plan on staying. If you want a big city feel and a huge night life this isn't it. Otherwise, has all the makings of a phenomanl program with unbelievabaly good clinical training.

 

[Blueberry8]

It seems like your question has been overlooked so far. I'm not going to attempt to provide an ordinal ranking as you'll find a different list depending upon who you ask. I interviewed at the last three on your list and liked all three, although they are quite different. U of M is a juggernaut in the field, and with their alumni base, there's a reason they're collectively (and affectionately) called "The Michigan Mafia." I liked the Chairman and had great interactions with all the residents I met. NW is an 80ish resident program (smaller than UofM) with a large number of residents going to fellowship programs around the country. The APD seemed particularly interested in how to optimize resident learning, and residents voiced that they felt well prepared even in their CA2 year. And UofC was very vocal in stating how many research and academic opportunities were open to residents.

You say "Regardless of location...", but if location of your residency is of minimal consequence to you, I think you should at least consider where you want to be longer-term. Based on my perceptions, U of M probably has the widest alumni network, so that may open up more opportunities post-training, but I seriously doubt you're going to kneecap yourself if you end up at BIDMC, U of M, or NW.

It matters much less the reputation of a program if you're unhappy there, because you won't be as motivated. If you think you're going to be happiest at UNC, then go there, work your tail off, be a rockstar, and you will be well on your way to becoming the best anesthesiologist you can be.

Thanks so much for the input. Couldn't agree more with you about your opinions on the 3. The way I saw it was

U of M- huge program, dept had a family feel to it, very strong clinical training (especially peds and cardiac), and all the residents genuinely seemed happy there.

NW- resident dinner felt a little forced, in the sense that it didn't seem like the residents really were buddy buddy outside the hospital, very professional environment, HIGH clinical volume, great clinical training, probably less time to read and spend time outside the hospital

BIDMC- big on cardiac and pain. Hospital was alright, not what I was expecting from Harvard.

UNC- most friendly residents, staff, chair, pd, everybody I met. Strong in peds from my understanding. All the residents I spoke to loved the program, and you can sense th collegiality btwn all of them.

U of chic- wasn't blown away. Solid program, but nothing really jumped out at me besides a very strong emphasis on ICU

 

[Blueberry8]

Haven't found a lot of current info on here in regards to OHSU or mayo (rochester).

OHSU- chair and pd are bomb and really continue to take their program to the next level. Aerial tram is the best mode of transportation. Good balance btwn didactics and clinical training, however I can't find a schedule of ca-1 thru ca-3 yr anywhere on their website. How many electives ca3s have? What rotations do we do when? Etc. Portland is sweet. Residents were fun, energetic. We werent provided with much paperwork of info to take home about their program so I'm not really sure how many do fellowships, logistics of the place. Any ideas? Any thoughts about the strength of the program compared to mayo?

Mayo- rochester.. Underground tunnels selling point of city. And 1 rooftop bar. Residents were mostly married or older (30s). Hrs seemed easy with a lot of time outside hospital. Army of crnas. Big complex rare cases since its mayo, but most have to go to FL for their peds numbers. Besides the Mayo name, clinically, how does it match up to OHSU? Will having mayo on the cv make you that more competitive for PP (granted you do equally well in residency, aren't an ahole, etc?) just wondering if the program is riding on its reputation or name.

Any input on the two?! Graci.

 

[AGenericUserName]

I need help too. I thought I had it figured out but nope. My #1 is set in stone but 2-20 :/
I have no reservations about moving to any of these places. But it has been so long since my interview day I can't remember them all

In no particular order:

Duke
UTHouston
UTSW
Miami
UW
OHSU
UNC
Emory

 

[ranvier]

As a new grad I remember obsessing over my rank list.
I echo the advice above to:
1) appreciate that you will likely work near your training program as the best jobs are not advertised and it will be your network that gets you a look......not your stats/program,
2) heavily involve your SO as they have plenty of skin in the game.
Good luck!
PS Large PP groups likely have members from various well known programs but unless you have targeted a group already, this ends up being a game of chance.

 

[raztes]

Haven't found a lot of current info on here in regards to OHSU or mayo (rochester).

OHSU- chair and pd are bomb and really continue to take their program to the next level. Aerial tram is the best mode of transportation. Good balance btwn didactics and clinical training, however I can't find a schedule of ca-1 thru ca-3 yr anywhere on their website. How many electives ca3s have? What rotations do we do when? Etc. Portland is sweet. Residents were fun, energetic. We werent provided with much paperwork of info to take home about their program so I'm not really sure how many do fellowships, logistics of the place. Any ideas? Any thoughts about the strength of the program compared to mayo?

Mayo- rochester.. Underground tunnels selling point of city. And 1 rooftop bar. Residents were mostly married or older (30s). Hrs seemed easy with a lot of time outside hospital. Army of crnas. Big complex rare cases since its mayo, but most have to go to FL for their peds numbers. Besides the Mayo name, clinically, how does it match up to OHSU? Will having mayo on the cv make you that more competitive for PP (granted you do equally well in residency, aren't an ahole, etc?) just wondering if the program is riding on its reputation or name.

Any input on the two?! Graci.

 

[micsX]

SO another one of these, I am literally on the fence about my top 3. I have seen pretty good things about all of these programs (even in this thread alone) so I am really having trouble deciding.

At ALL of them - Interview day was great, residents and faculty VERY friendly and I could see myself both living and working there.

UNC – I am originally from Raleigh, my wife is from Chapel Hill, and now our families both live there. I obviously love the town and with kids in the future we are guaranteed free daycare. Got a good feel from the program, seemed strong, but I have heard from other doctors around the area (obviously may not be well informed) that the department is small and not well known. I love UNC Hospitals, and they have some of the nicest facilities. Very highly rated in other areas. Decent intern year.

UVA – Program seems to be well more known, does many complex surgeries without any fellows so residents get to do a lot (but then will likely have to do fellowship elsewhere). Best intern year with 5 months of anesthesia (even though you do intern type rotations in CA-1, I don’t mind that). The actual hospital didn’t seem quite as nice as UNC, but then the actual anesthesia program is stronger? Faculty and residents on first name basis. Charlottesville reminds me of CH, but maybe not quite as nice and without the access to nearby metro (RDU). But that might be good, would be nice to have some rural space for some dogs and what not, good access to outdoors (mountains, trails, skiing) but then 3.5 hours away from family.

Wake Forest – I am between CT and Neuroanesthesia for fellowship, and if it ends up being the latter, then I feel like Wake would be the place to go. Has gexcellent neuro concentration, and most of all has internal neuroanesthesia fellowship, where you can get paid between fellow and attending and act as junior attending for other cases (from what I gathered at least?). Program very well regarded, good prestige for future jobs? Pretty good intern year with mix of rotations. I prefer smaller college towns, but I like Winston-Salem, housing is very cheap, and mountains and trails are very nearby. Plus only 1.5 hours from family. Hospital and facilities seemed very nice, but I’ve seen things about the actual hospital losing money?

I interviewed at so many great places, but I did choose these based on decent proximity to family (both for me and my wife). I know they are all very good programs, but anyone with any insight or opinions who might have been deciding between these programs as well?

I just feel like I am “settling” in the sense that I loved some of the “top” programs like UPMC, Mayo Clinic, U Michigan, and Yale, but the distance was just too much. But I do want as strong a program as possible and be able to benefit in terms of future employment. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!

 

[floridaboy18]

SO another one of these, I am literally on the fence about my top 3. I have seen pretty good things about all of these programs (even in this thread alone) so I am really having trouble deciding.

At ALL of them - Interview day was great, residents and faculty VERY friendly and I could see myself both living and working there.

UNC – I am originally from Raleigh, my wife is from Chapel Hill, and now our families both live there. I obviously love the town and with kids in the future we are guaranteed free daycare. Got a good feel from the program, seemed strong, but I have heard from other doctors around the area (obviously may not be well informed) that the department is small and not well known. I love UNC Hospitals, and they have some of the nicest facilities. Very highly rated in other areas. Decent intern year.

UVA – Program seems to be well more known, does many complex surgeries without any fellows so residents get to do a lot (but then will likely have to do fellowship elsewhere). Best intern year with 5 months of anesthesia (even though you do intern type rotations in CA-1, I don’t mind that). The actual hospital didn’t seem quite as nice as UNC, but then the actual anesthesia program is stronger? Faculty and residents on first name basis. Charlottesville reminds me of CH, but maybe not quite as nice and without the access to nearby metro (RDU). But that might be good, would be nice to have some rural space for some dogs and what not, good access to outdoors (mountains, trails, skiing) but then 3.5 hours away from family.

Wake Forest – I am between CT and Neuroanesthesia for fellowship, and if it ends up being the latter, then I feel like Wake would be the place to go. Has gexcellent neuro concentration, and most of all has internal neuroanesthesia fellowship, where you can get paid between fellow and attending and act as junior attending for other cases (from what I gathered at least?). Program very well regarded, good prestige for future jobs? Pretty good intern year with mix of rotations. I prefer smaller college towns, but I like Winston-Salem, housing is very cheap, and mountains and trails are very nearby. Plus only 1.5 hours from family. Hospital and facilities seemed very nice, but I’ve seen things about the actual hospital losing money?

I interviewed at so many great places, but I did choose these based on decent proximity to family (both for me and my wife). I know they are all very good programs, but anyone with any insight or opinions who might have been deciding between these programs as well?

I just feel like I am “settling” in the sense that I loved some of the “top” programs like UPMC, Mayo Clinic, U Michigan, and Yale, but the distance was just too much. But I do want as strong a program as possible and be able to benefit in terms of future employment. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!

The only one on that list that I would consider saying that you are "settling for" is UNC which I would say is a mid-tier program. Not bad, but not elite/great. Wake's training is as good or better than every one of the programs you mentioned. You realize Mayo residents come and train with us on OB because our experience and education is simply better, right? Big names in general (Yale, Mayo, etc) do not mean big names in anesthesia. Not saying they are bad programs, but certainly no better than Wake. This is hard to appreciate as a medical student.

Also, finances are a non-issue at Wake. We have been in the black for two consecutive quarters coming out of the recession who affected everyone. We lost money from our wound vac patent, but won a 280 million dollar law suit against the people who were not paying us our royalties. Other comparable programs that you would consider "strong" have about a month of cash on hand (how long the hospital could afford to pay everyone at hospital without making another dime). Wake has the better part of a year (>225 days). Finances are a non-concern.

Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions about Wake, perceptions of programs, or for an honest opinion.

 

[malassezia33]

I need some help choosing between 2 programs: Wake Forest and Scott & White.
There has been a lot of talk about Wake, but I can't find much about S&W. I am certain about my #1 choice, but can't choose between these for #2 and #3.
I am married with a new baby and all our family is in Texas (though several hours drive from Temple). Both programs seemed very family-friendly, low cost of living, strong clinical training in a good environment. Residents were very happy at both places and I think we would "fit" at either. Interested in pain, and ultimate goal is to work in the Midwest (due to my spouse's job).

 

[gaslamp2015]

Hi all,

I was curious to see what thoughts you guys have from your interview days or how you would go about ranking the following programs. They are in the middle of my list.. I am having trouble organizing them. I'm focusing here on reputation, clinical experience, and fellowship opportunities (maybe peds or pain). Location isn't really a highlight for any of these for me.

[in no particular order]
University of Arizona- great peds exposure
MCW- great peds exposure
UCLA Harbor
Rush
Baystate

I can't recall anything super glaring outside from an awkward lunch and barely meeting any residents at Rush and low resident morale at Harbor.

Thanks so much!

 

[partydoc]

MCW- we have 8 (or 9?) peds fellow spots. seems like everyone that wanted to stay was able to, and those that didn't are going pretty much wherever they wanted to. Pain- our 3 fellows this year are all MCW grads. Strong national reputation, strong clinical experience. I was talking with a CA-2 today who was saying she's got pretty much all her numbers already. All the CA-3s I've talked to have jobs in whichever area of the country they wanted to go to. Anything else I can tell ya?

 

[hellifiknow]

Solid program. Full disclosure I am ranking both UTH and Baylor in my top 4 - one is my #1. I put these programs through scrutiny because I couldn't decide which to put first. Ultimately, can't go wrong at either wrong. PDs at both are great people - I have met with both one on one outside the interview. Genuinely kind, dedicated to the program, a true privilege to work for. Both share the same hospitals except Hermann for Houston and Ben Taub and the VA for Baylor. Solid Peds, trauma, CV, CCM etc at both. How I picked one vs the other was a personal reason not a program reason. UTHouston gets significant props for the most unique and entertaining interview day out of the 20+ interviews I went on.

As far as how UTH "ranks" among TX schools, I wouldn't think about that at all. You will get the fellowship you want or job you want. One TX program ranking higher than the next won't affect your options in the future in the least. Be happy where you are for 4 years.

Also ranking 2 TX programs in my top 4, BCM and UTSW. In addition to these, consdiering Mount Sinai, NYU, Columbia, and Miami, in no particular order. Any advice with ranking these would be appreciated. Below are my thoughts:

My family is from the DFW metroplex, I go to UTSW for med school, and eventually want to practice in TX. My gut tells me a program in the south is best for me based on having a big network of family/friends here as well as the interactions with the residents on interview day. Is it advantageous to do residency in the region you want to practice in? Though the interviews with faculty and my interactions with residents went well, NYC programs don't mesh with my personality as well as some of the others in the south-- residents/faculty are generally more type A and the day-to-day living of NYC can be draining. I also hear teaching styles in the south and northeast are quite different, with the south being a bit more laid back. At the end, I like having family/friends around and value comfort/convenience over prestige. Moving far from home and having a new experience is enticing on some levels, but familiarity may be more valuable to me when I'm working hours on end during residency. If I decide to do fellowship and still have the itch to go to a big name program in the NE or west coast, I figure I can try my luck then. I know I sound like I've come to a decision about where I want to be regionally, but I definitely go back and forth about whether leaving TX for a few years will be valuable enough to outweigh these gut feelings. Any devil's advocate responses and/or thoughts on any of the aforementioned programs would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[anbuitachi]

For combined IM /anesthesiology programs, do you guys know if we just enter the code for IM/anesthesia or do we also have to do it separately? if we enter IM/anesthesia are we only considered for IM/anesthesia spots, (if we dont get in will we be considered for regular)? does anyone know? thanks

 

[furosesonerolaquinox]

For combined IM /anesthesiology programs, do you guys know if we just enter the code for IM/anesthesia or do we also have to do it separately? if we enter IM/anesthesia are we only considered for IM/anesthesia spots, (if we dont get in will we be considered for regular)? does anyone know? thanks

Entering the code for IM/anesthesia ONLY puts you in contention for the combined program spots... of which there are probably only a few. The program has a separate ranklist for this code.

If you also want to be considered for regular (anesthesia only) spots at that program, you should also add the program's other code(s) (categorical and/or advanced) to your ranklist.

 

[whiteorgo123]

one of my classmates apparently got a "ranked to match" email explicitly stating that. does this mean that if a program has X spots, you are in their top X number of candidates or is there still a chance you won't match there?

 

[Biochemist21]

one of my classmates apparently got a "ranked to match" email explicitly stating that. does this mean that if a program has X spots, you are in their top X number of candidates or is there still a chance you won't match there?

And if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.......

Rank them in order of your preference, not what you think your chances are of matching there. Doing otherwise defeats the whole purpose of the R3 system.

 

[whiteorgo123]

And if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.......

Rank them in order of your preference, not what you think your chances are of matching there. Doing otherwise defeats the whole purpose of the R3 system.

No of course he's going to do that. My questions is what it actually means as I stated in the original post.

 

[Biochemist21]

No of course he's going to do that. My questions is what it actually means as I stated in the original post.

The real answer is that it could mean that, or it might not. If one were to scour the forums I'm sure there are more than a handful of examples of people "ranked to match" who ended up at a different institution. Sure that's downright shady, but from a PD's perspective, they're trying to fill their program with the best possible applicants they can, and some may be more willing than others to dive headfirst into the "gray area" realm of applicant-institution communications. Hopefully they're being honest, but just be prepared that they might have sent that email to 3n applicants rather than just n.

 

[deleted547339]

one of my classmates apparently got a "ranked to match" email explicitly stating that. does this mean that if a program has X spots, you are in their top X number of candidates or is there still a chance you won't match there?

I've heard 2 PD's say that "ranked to match" means that you are ranked in a position that you would have matched in previous years. In other words, if you have 10 positions, interview 100 and usually go 25 into your rank list to fill, a PD could tell the top 25 applicants that they are "ranked to match."

The fact of the matter is that it all depends.

 

[Orin]

Yeah, it really is a vague statement based on prior data which may not hold for this year's match. It does mean that place has some interest in you though, so if that's important to you, then for sure you can consider it in your rank criteria.

 

[anesleep]

also need some help with my list... much more difficult than i thought it would be! i realize that i ultimately have to make the decisions but would really appreciate any input. i am somewhat more drawn to nyc because of friends & family but willing to go to other decent cities if the program itself is a good reason to move out of ny. one of the dilemmas i have is that i only have few prelim spots, making it tricky for advanced-only programs.

UW
USC
U Mich
UTSW
Cornell
NYU
St. Luke's
Montefiore
SUNY Downstate
BIDMC
U Penn
Yale
UVA
Georgetown
Tufts
UC Davis

 

[koan]

UW
USC
U Mich
UTSW
Cornell
NYU
St. Luke's
Montefiore
SUNY Downstate
BIDMC
U Penn
Yale
UVA
Georgetown
Tufts
UC Davis

If you were just ranking the NY programs here, would you agree with the following? NYU>Cornell>St. Lukes>Monte>Downstate

 

[MikeMerk-MtS]

All are great! Congrats on so many interviews

 

[anesleep]

If you were just ranking the NY programs here, would you agree with the following? NYU>Cornell>St. Lukes>Monte>Downstate

think most would agree with the rest but not sure about cornell vs. nyu

 

[Steege305]

I've grouped these together into three tiers for ranking. How you would rank them within each is up to you, but this is my feeling.

1) These are all close-ish to NYC and give you a solid upper foundation.
NYU
BIDMC
U Penn
Cornell
St. Luke's
Montefiore
Yale

2) These are great programs, but not close to NYC
USC
U Mich
UTSW
UVA
UW
Georgetown

3) You have 13 programs already, why even rank these three?
Tufts
UC Davis
SUNY Downstate (I wouldn't rank Downstate with a list like this... Just not worth actually ending up there)

 

[Steege305]

also need some help with my list... much more difficult than i thought it would be! i realize that i ultimately have to make the decisions but would really appreciate any input. i am somewhat more drawn to nyc because of friends & family but willing to go to other decent cities if the program itself is a good reason to move out of ny. one of the dilemmas i have is that i only have few prelim spots, making it tricky for advanced-only programs.

UW
USC
U Mich
UTSW
Cornell
NYU
St. Luke's
Montefiore
SUNY Downstate
BIDMC
U Penn
Yale
UVA
Georgetown
Tufts
UC Davis

I've grouped these together into three tiers for ranking. How you would rank them within each is up to you, but this is my feeling.
1) These are all close-ish to NYC and give you a solid upper foundation.
NYU
BIDMC
U Penn
Cornell
St. Luke's
Montefiore
Yale

2) These are great programs, but not close to NYC
USC
U Mich
UTSW
UVA
UW
Georgetown

3) You have 13 programs already, why even rank these three?
Tufts
UC Davis
SUNY Downstate (I wouldn't rank Downstate with a list like this... Just not worth actually ending up there)

 

[DaisyBuchanan]

I have my #1 choice pretty much locked down, but I'm struggling with some of the top of my list. The contenders are:

OHSU (+/- CCM track)
UW (+/- CCM track)
Mayo Clinic - Rochester
UPMC

I see @Blueberry8 is also checking out OHSU and Mayo

I've lived on the west coast for my whole life, but I'm not opposed to leaving. Mayo seems awesome... but Rochester. The UPMC people didn't seem to believe I'd leave CA so I don't know how good my chances there are. I have friends in Portland and Seattle, so OHSU and UW would both be pretty easy transitions.

What do you guys think? I'm pretty sure I'm going to pursue a fellowship and stay in academics after residency.

Haven't found a lot of current info on here in regards to OHSU or mayo (rochester).

OHSU- chair and pd are bomb and really continue to take their program to the next level. Aerial tram is the best mode of transportation. Good balance btwn didactics and clinical training, however I can't find a schedule of ca-1 thru ca-3 yr anywhere on their website. How many electives ca3s have? What rotations do we do when? Etc. Portland is sweet. Residents were fun, energetic. We werent provided with much paperwork of info to take home about their program so I'm not really sure how many do fellowships, logistics of the place. Any ideas? Any thoughts about the strength of the program compared to mayo?

Mayo- rochester.. Underground tunnels selling point of city. And 1 rooftop bar. Residents were mostly married or older (30s). Hrs seemed easy with a lot of time outside hospital. Army of crnas. Big complex rare cases since its mayo, but most have to go to FL for their peds numbers. Besides the Mayo name, clinically, how does it match up to OHSU? Will having mayo on the cv make you that more competitive for PP (granted you do equally well in residency, aren't an ahole, etc?) just wondering if the program is riding on its reputation or name.

Any input on the two?! Graci.

 

[MikeMerk-MtS]

.

 

[MikeMerk-MtS]

.

 

[koan]

I've lived on the west coast for my whole life, but I'm not opposed to leaving. Mayo seems awesome... but Rochester. The UPMC people didn't seem to believe I'd leave CA so I don't know how good my chances there are. I have friends in Portland and Seattle, so OHSU and UW would both be pretty easy transitions. What do you guys think? I'm pretty sure I'm going to pursue a fellowship and stay in academics after residency.

Portland and Seattle are both amazing cities, but I think Pittsburgh is one of the more underrated. Great food scene, interesting neighborhoods, thriving arts and nice city parks and museums. The weather isn't great, but compared to the PNW it's just more...seasonal. Plus great CCM training.

 

[possibledoc]

Can anyone comment about Case Metro and Allegheny?

 

[courtnes]

Can any one comment about Case Metro and Allegheny?

I interviewed at Case UH, not metro, so I can't comment on that, but I liked Allegheny. Good fellowship placement, decent case mix. The teaching faculty at West Penn are very good, residents are pretty laid back. Didactics are minimal - 1x/ wk - if that's important to you. Advanced only.

 

[possibledoc]

I interviewed at Case UH, not metro, so I can't comment on that, but I liked Allegheny. Good fellowship placement, decent case mix. The teaching faculty at West Penn are very good, residents are pretty laid back. Didactics are minimal - 1x/ wk - if that's important to you. Advanced only.

Thanks! I see that you are from Philadelphia....any comments about Temple or Rutgers NJ?

 

[anesleep]

I've grouped these together into three tiers for ranking. How you would rank them within each is up to you, but this is my feeling.

1) These are all close-ish to NYC and give you a solid upper foundation.
NYU
BIDMC
U Penn
Cornell
St. Luke's
Montefiore
Yale

2) These are great programs, but not close to NYC
USC
U Mich
UTSW
UVA
UW
Georgetown

3) You have 13 programs already, why even rank these three?
Tufts
UC Davis
SUNY Downstate (I wouldn't rank Downstate with a list like this... Just not worth actually ending up there)

thanks a lot! any programs from #2 that may be worth ranking above some programs in #1?

i did want to clarify about not ranking a program -- are you saying it's better not to match vs. going to some of these programs? shortening your list doesn't actually increase your chances at others, right? sorry if this is a silly question...!

 

[courtnes]

Thanks! I see that you are from Philadelphia....any comments about Temple or Rutgers NJ?

I'm sorry, can't offer anything other than hearsay that Temple is one of the tougher residencies in Philadelphia. I remember some of their residents doing peds anes at CHOP, they seemed competent. Good trauma experience from what I've heard as well.

 

[possibledoc]

I'm sorry, can't offer anything other than hearsay that Temple is one of the tougher residencies in Philadelphia. I remember some of their residents doing peds anes at CHOP, they seemed competent. Good trauma experience from what I've heard as well.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Steege305]

thanks a lot! any programs from #2 that may be worth ranking above some programs in #1?

i did want to clarify about not ranking a program -- are you saying it's better not to match vs. going to some of these programs? shortening your list doesn't actually increase your chances at others, right? sorry if this is a silly question...!

It's not silly, but I'd look up a YouTube video if I were you about how the algorithm works before the February 25th deadline.

I just think that 13 is a solid number of programs to rank. Obviously, it's better to match at a less desirable program than not to match at all, but with that list why rank Downstate or Tufts? Put them at the bottom of you have to, but I wouldn't do anything crazy like put them in the middle of my list.

Just my two cents.

 

[DrZzZz]

It's not silly, but I'd look up a YouTube video if I were you about how the algorithm works before the February 25th deadline.

I just think that 13 is a solid number of programs to rank. Obviously, it's better to match at a less desirable program than not to match at all, but with that list why rank Downstate or Tufts? Put them at the bottom of you have to, but I wouldn't do anything crazy like put them in the middle of my list.

Just my two cents.

There are only two reasons I can think of not to rank a program. 1) you'd rather not match and fight through SOAP than match there 2) you have over 20 programs on your rank list and would have to pay to have more.

Don't leave a program off your rank list just because "13 is a good number." Realistically, the chances of your match being that far down your list is very very small, but if you didn't absolutely hate the program, why not just stick it at the bottom of your list?