Program Prestige - current residents / fellows / attendings

[picante]

With rank list time fast approaching, I was hoping to get a bit of advice from those more in the know.

How much does a "big name" program matter in terms of fellowships or jobs? I think my life may be happier during residency at some of the programs that are smaller or aren't as prestigious as others. To put it into better reference, I'm comparing several upper tier / top 10 programs to others that would not be top 20, but seem to offer great clinical training.

Undecided as to fellowships, leaning toward PP over academics. Worth moving to a city/program I like less just to have the big name? I'm willing to do so if it's a major advantage to my career later.

Thanks!

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[sawtella]

great question. bump

 

[sore eye asses]

With rank list time fast approaching, I was hoping to get a bit of advice from those more in the know.

How much does a "big name" program matter in terms of fellowships or jobs? I think my life may be happier during residency at some of the programs that are smaller or aren't as prestigious as others. To put it into better reference, I'm comparing several upper tier / top 10 programs to others that would not be top 20, but seem to offer great clinical training.

Undecided as to fellowships, leaning toward PP over academics. Worth moving to a city/program I like less just to have the big name? I'm willing to do so if it's a major advantage to my career later.

Thanks!

If you live to 100, you will spend almost 5% of your life in residency. Aim to match somewhere where you anticipate having a fun/productive experience. Ignore the "big name" stuff. It will mislead you. If you want a fellowship, you will make it happen. You're a dermie fror chrissakes. You're naturally designed to succeed.

 

[molmol]

I agree with sore eyes.
Yet, I don't think people at "big name" programs are less happy than their "smaller name" counterparts. How did you come to that impression? I'm interested to know.

 

[dermathalon]

Agree with sore eyes too. Don't go to a program just because of a name. I've met both happy and unhappy people at both "big name" and "non big-name" programs...Personally, I think half the name is based on the undergraduate institution anyway so take the name with a grain of salt.

 

[picante]

Thanks for the responses. I'm not saying one group is happier than the other, rather that life seems like it will be happier for me personally at some of the lesser known programs. Simpler, perhaps in smaller cities.

 

[werd]

With rank list time fast approaching, I was hoping to get a bit of advice from those more in the know.

How much does a "big name" program matter in terms of fellowships or jobs? I think my life may be happier during residency at some of the programs that are smaller or aren't as prestigious as others. To put it into better reference, I'm comparing several upper tier / top 10 programs to others that would not be top 20, but seem to offer great clinical training.

Undecided as to fellowships, leaning toward PP over academics. Worth moving to a city/program I like less just to have the big name? I'm willing to do so if it's a major advantage to my career later.

Thanks!

regardless of where you go (match) there will be practices soliciting to hire you at the end of your training. it's possible that in some of the more saturated markets, mostly big cities, an impressive school name will help you land the job you want, but in general there are many practices vying for few graduating dermatologists. i've received no fewer than 150 emails/calls regarding job opportunities, which started early in my 2nd year of derm.

 

[sawtella]

Just from my personal experience on the trail this year, the residents at UCSF/Umich/Upitt definitely seemed to be more stressed and on edge than some of the residents I met at smaller or less well-known programs. Now whether this is because these programs tend to attract a certain group of people or it really is the program that makes them feel that way is unclear, but I think there is something to be said for the difference in their overall level of happiness. I personally think it comes down to how good of a fit you are for a program. If you want to go straight to PP after residency and have no interest in complex med-derm/research, then ending up at one of these top-tier programs might not make you as happy b/c you're going tobe spending a lot of time on stuff that you will most likely never see (or want to see) in your practice.