BCRP vs. Children's Medical Center Dallas

[UFPatch16]

I'm done interviewing and now stuck with the decision: BCRP or CMC Dallas? I think I want to do peds heme/onc but am not sure which program is best for me.

I know BCRP is higher in the "hierarchy" but not sure if the residents are truly happy there or just putting up a good show for interviews? Dallas was also impressive but I know their name doesn't get thrown around in these "top programs" discussions much, not that that necessarily makes a program good. My interview day at each was AWESOME, but I feel like the programs are both very different. I want to work hard but not be miserable. I don't want to close any doors for potential fellowship opportunities either... thoughts?

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[babel]

I'm done interviewing and now stuck with the decision: BCRP or CMC Dallas? I think I want to do peds heme/onc but am not sure which program is best for me.

I know BCRP is higher in the "hierarchy" but not sure if the residents are truly happy there or just putting up a good show for interviews? Dallas was also impressive but I know their name doesn't get thrown around in these "top programs" discussions much, not that that necessarily makes a program good. My interview day at each was AWESOME, but I feel like the programs are both very different. I want to work hard but not be miserable. I don't want to close any doors for potential fellowship opportunities either... thoughts?

I am an applicant this year also, and from everything I've seen even the residents at the least prestigious programs match for fellowship. The only fellowships for peds that are remotely competitive are NICU, PICU, and ED - I wouldn't count heme/onc in that bunch.

I would really think hard about where you want to live and which residents you clicked the best with. I don't think ability to obtain a fellowship should factor in much at all.

 

[twilightdoc]

"...I would really think hard about where you want to live and which residents you clicked the best with. I don't think ability to obtain a fellowship should factor in much at all."

I absolutely agree. I have noticed that some people posting on SDN seem quite "hung up" on relatively minor (perceived) academic differences in programs. Given a high quality Peds residency program (and there are many), your rank list should be based in large measure on the "non-academic" factors- geography, city size, perceived "fit" with the residents and demeanor of the program. Most Peds residency programs will prepare you well for fellowship training and have the ability to help with the "networking" aspects of fellowship application. And most residents seem quite pleased with their programs. The beauty of the match system is that you don't have to make an absolute, all-or-none choice. You rank the programs in your order of preference, and hope for the best. Ideally, an applicant would be pleased with and receive good training at any of the programs on the list. And programs should be pleased with anyone that they chose to rank.

 

[Basil Ganglia]

I absolutely agree. I have noticed that some people posting on SDN seem quite "hung up" on relatively minor (perceived) academic differences in programs. Given a high quality Peds residency program (and there are many), your rank list should be based in large measure on the "non-academic" factors- geography, city size, perceived "fit" with the residents and demeanor of the program. Most Peds residency programs will prepare you well for fellowship training and have the ability to help with the "networking" aspects of fellowship application. And most residents seem quite pleased with their programs. The beauty of the match system is that you don't have to make an absolute, all-or-none choice. You rank the programs in your order of preference, and hope for the best. Ideally, an applicant would be pleased with and receive good training at any of the programs on the list. And programs should be pleased with anyone that they chose to rank.

I agree with many of the sentiments above but I don't agree that residency isn't a very important consideration in obtaining a top quality fellowship. There are 10-15 top peds residencies but usually only 2-4 top fellowships in each specialty and being in one of the top ones impacts job opportunities, quality of training and many future opportunities within a specialty throughout ones life. Having run one of the top programs in peds heme/onc for several decades, I can attest that it is between 5 and 6 TIMES easier to get into our fellowship from inside our residency than from outside. I don't have any data for other programs but there is a natural tendency to focus on your own residents first. They are a known quantity, many came to the residency wanting a fellowship there, and if a fellowship director doesn't take the best residents from his or her own program the residents get very upset. So, if you know you are set on pediatric heme/onc you should pay attention to which institutions have the best heme/onc fellowship programs, and add that to the other considerations noted above.

 

[oldbearprofessor]

There are 10-15 top peds residencies but usually only 2-4 top fellowships in each specialty and being in one of the top ones impacts job opportunities, quality of training and many future opportunities within a specialty throughout ones life.

I disagree with this as related specifically to neonatology. There are far more than 2-4 "top" fellowships that would allow one access to any private practice job and many academic jobs. Nor would access to most of these fellowships be limited in a meaningful way to folks from 10-15 residency programs. Programs in neo tend to take some internal candidates, just like everywhere in medicine, but that's more practical than philosophical in most cases. There are of course, a lot of neo fellowships out there.

I think that heme/onc however is somewhat different. Certainly you would know more as a PD in heme/onc, but it just isn't the case in neonatology.

 

[UFPatch16]

There are 10-15 top peds residencies but usually only 2-4 top fellowships in each specialty and being in one of the top ones impacts job opportunities, quality of training and many future opportunities within a specialty throughout ones life. .

Thanks for all the good feedback so far from everyone - I guess this leaves me with the next step of questions. If I'm already having a difficult time telling which residency is going to be best for me, how do I find out which heme/onc programs are stronger for fellowship training?

Thanks again -

 

[suubchb]

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