How to determine is residency is good?

[anbuitachi]

I am not saying that scores don't matter. They certainly do. It seems that most of the top programs score cut off for step exams are >230 or 235, or at least they were when I went through the process three years ago (just started my CA-2 year). Some clearly required you to be AOA if your scores were in the 230s. I was student body president of my medical school and played collegiate sports (Div II), and had some additional leadership stuff that made me stand out. Aside from that, I interview well and had strong letters.

You need to make cut offs for step scores. That and letters in my opinion (from being on the recruitment committee for my residency) are what get you in the door. What you don't understand is that who determines that you get an interivew at a lot of programs is the residency coordinator/secretary. You don't really think that a program director has the time to go through 1000 applications, do you? Now the assistant program director might mine through some borderline applications looking for some gems, but they don't look at them all. I can guarantee you that.

Once in the door, your interview skills and interpersonal skills are what get you a spot. Once deemed "admissible" (i.e. scores, letters, and grades prove you are intelligent/skilled enough in their opinion to succeed) the next question they are trying to answer is whether they want to work with you for the next four years (are you a "team player," hard working, fun to be around, etc).

So, in my case...my scores, letters, and grades were good enough to be "admissible." That certainly doesn't mean I was the brightest or most intelligent applying. It simply implies I was intelligent/skilled enough where they didn't need to worry about me succeeding. Then, I interviewed well, and my top programs thought I would be an attribute to their respective program. So, they offered me a spot if I wanted it.

thats what i thought actually. step scores aren't as important as ppl think for specialties that aren't super competitive..

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[BLADEMDA]

I interviewed there, and I thought that it seemed really good. Programs I interviewed at that I would recommend highly are Virginia Mason, UVA, and Pitt. Each of them have different aspects that make them really good choices depending on what you want. They don't have the name recognition that the top ten list has, but I think that they are good places to apply to, and that one would get good training. OP, if you are looking for a few more places, I would add these. As far as gauging your chances of interview, it's hard to say. Generally, it seemed to me that having good Steps will always help (Captain Obvious to Ground Control), but not having stellar grades is OK. That was my experience. Good luck.

I agree with you about UVA and Pitt. I would gladly have gone to UVA, Wake, UNC, etc. Pitt is a great program and I have said so many times on SDN. Pitt was the type of program an "average" med student could match into and receive top 10 type training in anesthesia.

Virginia Mason is a top 10 program.

 

[BLADEMDA]

For those with Step scores in the 230-235 range Pitt and UVA should be on your radar.

 

[Bryan O’Blivion]

I agree with you about UVA and Pitt. I would gladly have gone to UVA, Wake, UNC, etc. Pitt is a great program and I have said so many times on SDN. Pitt was the type of program an "average" med student could match into and receive top 10 type training in anesthesia.

Virginia Mason is a top 10 program.

It is interesting that you say that. When I interviewed there, I thought that training within the VM Production System and the extensive experience in regional that one would get there would provide a graduate with the most marketable skill set out of all places that I interviewed at. Particularly in the current and future employment climate that is discussed in this forum. Mason is a well run hospital. Even their primary care makes money. In my opinion, they are getting it right, and these are people we all could learn from. I am just surprised that you group it with MGH, but then again, I didn't apply there, so I wouldn't know.

 

[boogaloo]

Following this thread closely as applications go out monday. Thanks for putting a few more programs out there. Will definitely check them out.

 

[Psai]

thanks a lot blade

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

I've noticed that about a quarter of the gas residencies are three years long and the rest are four. Is there a difference in the quality of training and case volume between the two? Do residents in the three year programs tend to work longer hours to compensate for one year less of training? Personally I'd rather go to a three-year program and get out of residency sooner even if it meant working like a rented mule when I was there, but not if it would mean lower quality training.

 

[partydoc]

I've noticed that about a quarter of the gas residencies are three years long and the rest are four. Is there a difference in the quality of training and case volume between the two? Do residents in the three year programs tend to work longer hours to compensate for one year less of training? Personally I'd rather go to a three-year program and get out of residency sooner even if it meant working like a rented mule when I was there, but not if it would mean lower quality training.

Everyone does 4 years, 3 year programs have you do a PGY1 year somewhere else. Advanced vs categorical.

 

[anbuitachi]

I've noticed that about a quarter of the gas residencies are three years long and the rest are four. Is there a difference in the quality of training and case volume between the two? Do residents in the three year programs tend to work longer hours to compensate for one year less of training? Personally I'd rather go to a three-year program and get out of residency sooner even if it meant working like a rented mule when I was there, but not if it would mean lower quality training.

yea it's not like EM

 

[cowboy1020]

It may be hard to determine what residency is actually good but I can definitely make a list of top 25 programs that are name/desirable/competitive based on what I found during last year's application process. Of course everyone has different priorities when looking at programs so there is some fuzziness but overall here is my list:

1. MGH
2. UCSF
3. BWH
4. Columbia
5. Stanford
Penn
Hopkins
Duke
U Washington
Mt Sinai
Northwestern
Cornell
NYU
UCLA
Wash U
Michigan
U Chicago
BID
Yale
Vanderbilt
Pittsburgh
Emory
UCSD
Baylor
UTSW

 

[BuzzPhreed]

Okay. Let me make it much simpler for you.

Pick a program near where you want to practice.

The majority of people will stay close when they finish residency. You will make connections in residency. A lot of former residents will stay in touch with the faculty at the program you're at. They will ask about who is worth a damn, who's not. You will get a chance to meet people in the area too.

While it may be an awesome program, if you train at BFE University and expect to get a job in Gotham when you graduate it's gonna be much harder to stand out. So long as it's ABMS approved and you can get board-certified when done it doesn't really matter.

 

[BuzzPhreed]

So long as it's ABMS approved and you can get board-certified when done it doesn't really matter.

I should add the caveat that this is true unless of course you have your heart set on being a researcher or academician. Then you should try to attend one of the top 25 university programs in the country no matter where you have to go. And publish a lot while in residency.

 

[BLADEMDA]

I should add the caveat that this is true unless of course you have your heart set on being a researcher or academician. Then you should try to attend one of the top 25 university programs in the country no matter where you have to go. And publish a lot while in residency.

But you need to match at a top 25 program first. This requires good step scores, decent grades, good letters and a great interview.

 

[BuzzPhreed]

But you need to match at a top 25 program first. This requires good step scores, decent grades, good letters and a great interview.

No doubt.

 

[Sirach38]

.

 

[deleted171991]

In the PD's email account.

 

[Sirach38]

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[TeslaCoil]

Blade, can you post numbers for U Rochester, MUSC, or UNC?