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For future applicants:
Based on all my interview impressions and talking to people, here's one person's opinion of the following California internal medicine programs: UCSF, Stanford, UCLA, UCSD, USC, Harbor-UCLA, Cedars-Sinai, Scripps, and Olive View-UCLA.
UCSF
Pros: Best reputation for IM on the West Coast. Fellowship potential is as good as it gets. Great patient diversity with their 3 hospitals and exposure to HIV pathology.
Cons: This program is not for everyone. UCSF in general tends to attract very intense people, and expectations are extremely high. It has a rep for malignancy, but most residents don't seem to outwardly complain.
Other tidbits: Very selective for interviews; Away rotations haven't necessarily helped people. Seems like they favor applicants from UCSF, Yale and Harvard (not so much luck for Hopkins or Columbia people).
Stanford
Pros: Fantastic, well known PD who loves to teach. Fellowship-wise, graduates tend to stay at Stanford but don't seem to have trouble matching into cards/GI at top places like MGH, Duke, UCSF, etc. Laid back, tight knit group of residents and faculty. Salary is relatively high. Ancillary services are really good.
Cons: Not as much exposure to HIV patients and the urban underserved compared to places like Hopkins, UCSF, Columbia, etc. Team S has private patients, but it's a small part of the training in R2-R3 years. Palo Alto is not the most exciting place.
Other tidbits: Rumors say it's a cush program, but the reality is that the program is pretty tough and residents work hard, although not to the extreme of places like UCSF or Harbor-UCLA. Extremely sought after program by applicants from the West Coast. High grades and numbers will probably get you an interview, but it will still be tough to match there. An away rotation may help.
UCLA
Pros: Big name faculty with big time research. Fellowship potential is really good, with most staying in southern california. The new hospital will be top notch, efficient, with good nursing. Lots of quarternary care and transplant patients, which may be a good thing in the sense that these cases are extremely complex.
Cons: Going through a lot of changes. Was warned by many people not to go here due to malignancy, arrogant attendings, competitive environment, and unstable program leadership. However, some residents seem happy here. There's some bread and butter medicine but not a lot compared to other programs. Its reputation for extreme malignancy may be outdated, with recent changes to the call schedule (now q6 on wards). I've heard that residents have trouble with the 10-hour between shifts rule. Not as much resident autonomy as places like Harbor-UCLA.
Other tidbits: Interviews are tough to get here, especially for applicants from the East Coast. An away rotation might not help. They like grads from NYMC and Drexel (or maybe it's those schools have many Cali natives).
UCSD
Pros: Great PD, universally respected by residents and peers. UCSD had a reputation for being malignant several years ago, which was accurate back then, but they have made some major improvements. I don't think it's that malignant anymore, based on reports from prelims and current residents. Patient diversity is probably better than UCLA because of the multiple hospitals (Hillcrest, VA, and Thornton), and because Hillcrest serves as a county hospital for San Diego. In my opinion, the location is nearly perfect for a resident--sunny weather, manageable traffic, and gorgeous beaches 10 min. away. Lots of research going on here; the UCSD IM Department is consistently in the top 5-10 for NIH funding. SD is particularly strong in Pulm/CC, Heme/Onc, and Cardiology.
Cons: Recent fellowship matches don't seem as good as other top notch programs. The caveat is that it's hard to judge since many UCSD residents like to stay in southern california for fellowship (high number of cards/GI matches to West LA VA, UCSD, USC, etc.). Hillcrest is an outdated county hospital, and ancillary services aren't the best. Known for being a tough program, and you will work the full 80 hours and carry a census of ~10 patients consistently.
UC Davis
Did not interview there. Friends I know in the IM program seem happy.
Harbor-UCLA
Pros: Still lives up to the reputation of providing some of the best clinical, hands-on training in California. Residents run the show here. Some of the hardest working residents in the country, and, surprisingly, they seem to be really happy. A real sense of camaraderie you won't find at other programs. Great patient diversity, a large indigent and immigrant population with incredible pathophysiology. Fellowship potential is pretty decent, with most residents deciding to stay at Harbor or other southern cal programs.
Cons: Scutwork is abound in this county hospital (e.g. you have to run down to pick up xray films, draw your own blood cultures, and often transport patients to imaging). Minimal free time to do research except during elective months. Graduates are mostly recruited to clinically focused fellowships (UCLA system-Cedars and Olive view, City of Hope, USC) versus research heavy places (UCSF, Memorial Sloan). However, a few grads have matched at places like UCSF for GI.
Cedars-Sinai/West LA VA (UCLA affiliate)
Pros: This program is expanding and getting better. Lots of free time to do substantial research with big names, even during ward months. Ancillary services are amazing at Cedars, and you can get a stat MRI in the middle of the night. Patient diversity is pretty good; poor and rich patients from around West Hollywood to Mid-Wilshire go here. Most patients that residents take care of are service patients not private ones. Non-malignant atmosphere. Tends to attract residents who are social and outgoing. One of the best locations in LA, with the West side, Koreatown, and Hollywood close by.
Cons: While Cedars is particularly strong in the MICU, the general medicine ward months aren't as rigorous as places like UCLA and UCSF. Mediocre teaching at morning report, however, the noon conferences are high quality (with great food!). It's unclear how much autonomy residents have at Cedars. The West LA VA isn't an efficient hospital. Fellowship matches have been decent but it's unclear how the expansion of the program to 41 categoricals will affect their chances. The Cards/GI programs at Cedars-Sinai have a track record of favoring MGH, Hopkins, UCLA etc. fellowship applicants over their own, although this may be changing.
Other tidbits: Residents come from a variety of academic backgrounds. For instance, this year's match had applicants from Penn, Stanford, and UCLA, a couple IMGs, and one DO.
Scripps-Green
Pros: This is one of the best, most reputable community programs in the country. I think it's stronger than the Scripps Mercy program across town. The teaching is really solid (their ABIM pass rate is one of the highest in California). Scripps is the largest non-university research institute, and it has tons of money. There's ample time to work with big names like Eric Topol, former Cardiology Chair at the Cleveland Clinic, who was recently recruited there. They take their own for fellowships like Cards, Heme/onc, and GI. Really tight knit group of residents and faculty. It's right next to the beach.
Cons: Small program with 8 categoricals. It might be hard to match in fellowships at big name places like UCSF, UCLA, etc. Residents have autonomy but not as much as other places (e.g. attendings run the codes). UCSD probably has more patient diversity and exposure to HIV patients.
Olive-View UCLA
Pros: Really friendly atmosphere, probably one of the most benign programs in California. Teaching is consistently excellent. Diverse patients who are mostly Spanish-speaking. Grads are favored for fellowships within the UCLA system (UCLA, Cedars, Kaiser, and Harbor).
Cons: Not well known outside of LA. ICU training is not done here; residents go to Cedars for that. They don't have their own formal fellowships, but share some fellowship spots with the UCLA system. It's therefore unclear each year how many spots for Cards/GI, for example, at the UCLA programs will go to Olive View grads.
USC
Unfortunately this program is a mess. I would stay away until the program leadership gets their act together. On the upside, USC has extraordinary patient diversity, and a new hospital is on its way.
Based on all my interview impressions and talking to people, here's one person's opinion of the following California internal medicine programs: UCSF, Stanford, UCLA, UCSD, USC, Harbor-UCLA, Cedars-Sinai, Scripps, and Olive View-UCLA.
UCSF
Pros: Best reputation for IM on the West Coast. Fellowship potential is as good as it gets. Great patient diversity with their 3 hospitals and exposure to HIV pathology.
Cons: This program is not for everyone. UCSF in general tends to attract very intense people, and expectations are extremely high. It has a rep for malignancy, but most residents don't seem to outwardly complain.
Other tidbits: Very selective for interviews; Away rotations haven't necessarily helped people. Seems like they favor applicants from UCSF, Yale and Harvard (not so much luck for Hopkins or Columbia people).
Stanford
Pros: Fantastic, well known PD who loves to teach. Fellowship-wise, graduates tend to stay at Stanford but don't seem to have trouble matching into cards/GI at top places like MGH, Duke, UCSF, etc. Laid back, tight knit group of residents and faculty. Salary is relatively high. Ancillary services are really good.
Cons: Not as much exposure to HIV patients and the urban underserved compared to places like Hopkins, UCSF, Columbia, etc. Team S has private patients, but it's a small part of the training in R2-R3 years. Palo Alto is not the most exciting place.
Other tidbits: Rumors say it's a cush program, but the reality is that the program is pretty tough and residents work hard, although not to the extreme of places like UCSF or Harbor-UCLA. Extremely sought after program by applicants from the West Coast. High grades and numbers will probably get you an interview, but it will still be tough to match there. An away rotation may help.
UCLA
Pros: Big name faculty with big time research. Fellowship potential is really good, with most staying in southern california. The new hospital will be top notch, efficient, with good nursing. Lots of quarternary care and transplant patients, which may be a good thing in the sense that these cases are extremely complex.
Cons: Going through a lot of changes. Was warned by many people not to go here due to malignancy, arrogant attendings, competitive environment, and unstable program leadership. However, some residents seem happy here. There's some bread and butter medicine but not a lot compared to other programs. Its reputation for extreme malignancy may be outdated, with recent changes to the call schedule (now q6 on wards). I've heard that residents have trouble with the 10-hour between shifts rule. Not as much resident autonomy as places like Harbor-UCLA.
Other tidbits: Interviews are tough to get here, especially for applicants from the East Coast. An away rotation might not help. They like grads from NYMC and Drexel (or maybe it's those schools have many Cali natives).
UCSD
Pros: Great PD, universally respected by residents and peers. UCSD had a reputation for being malignant several years ago, which was accurate back then, but they have made some major improvements. I don't think it's that malignant anymore, based on reports from prelims and current residents. Patient diversity is probably better than UCLA because of the multiple hospitals (Hillcrest, VA, and Thornton), and because Hillcrest serves as a county hospital for San Diego. In my opinion, the location is nearly perfect for a resident--sunny weather, manageable traffic, and gorgeous beaches 10 min. away. Lots of research going on here; the UCSD IM Department is consistently in the top 5-10 for NIH funding. SD is particularly strong in Pulm/CC, Heme/Onc, and Cardiology.
Cons: Recent fellowship matches don't seem as good as other top notch programs. The caveat is that it's hard to judge since many UCSD residents like to stay in southern california for fellowship (high number of cards/GI matches to West LA VA, UCSD, USC, etc.). Hillcrest is an outdated county hospital, and ancillary services aren't the best. Known for being a tough program, and you will work the full 80 hours and carry a census of ~10 patients consistently.
UC Davis
Did not interview there. Friends I know in the IM program seem happy.
Harbor-UCLA
Pros: Still lives up to the reputation of providing some of the best clinical, hands-on training in California. Residents run the show here. Some of the hardest working residents in the country, and, surprisingly, they seem to be really happy. A real sense of camaraderie you won't find at other programs. Great patient diversity, a large indigent and immigrant population with incredible pathophysiology. Fellowship potential is pretty decent, with most residents deciding to stay at Harbor or other southern cal programs.
Cons: Scutwork is abound in this county hospital (e.g. you have to run down to pick up xray films, draw your own blood cultures, and often transport patients to imaging). Minimal free time to do research except during elective months. Graduates are mostly recruited to clinically focused fellowships (UCLA system-Cedars and Olive view, City of Hope, USC) versus research heavy places (UCSF, Memorial Sloan). However, a few grads have matched at places like UCSF for GI.
Cedars-Sinai/West LA VA (UCLA affiliate)
Pros: This program is expanding and getting better. Lots of free time to do substantial research with big names, even during ward months. Ancillary services are amazing at Cedars, and you can get a stat MRI in the middle of the night. Patient diversity is pretty good; poor and rich patients from around West Hollywood to Mid-Wilshire go here. Most patients that residents take care of are service patients not private ones. Non-malignant atmosphere. Tends to attract residents who are social and outgoing. One of the best locations in LA, with the West side, Koreatown, and Hollywood close by.
Cons: While Cedars is particularly strong in the MICU, the general medicine ward months aren't as rigorous as places like UCLA and UCSF. Mediocre teaching at morning report, however, the noon conferences are high quality (with great food!). It's unclear how much autonomy residents have at Cedars. The West LA VA isn't an efficient hospital. Fellowship matches have been decent but it's unclear how the expansion of the program to 41 categoricals will affect their chances. The Cards/GI programs at Cedars-Sinai have a track record of favoring MGH, Hopkins, UCLA etc. fellowship applicants over their own, although this may be changing.
Other tidbits: Residents come from a variety of academic backgrounds. For instance, this year's match had applicants from Penn, Stanford, and UCLA, a couple IMGs, and one DO.
Scripps-Green
Pros: This is one of the best, most reputable community programs in the country. I think it's stronger than the Scripps Mercy program across town. The teaching is really solid (their ABIM pass rate is one of the highest in California). Scripps is the largest non-university research institute, and it has tons of money. There's ample time to work with big names like Eric Topol, former Cardiology Chair at the Cleveland Clinic, who was recently recruited there. They take their own for fellowships like Cards, Heme/onc, and GI. Really tight knit group of residents and faculty. It's right next to the beach.
Cons: Small program with 8 categoricals. It might be hard to match in fellowships at big name places like UCSF, UCLA, etc. Residents have autonomy but not as much as other places (e.g. attendings run the codes). UCSD probably has more patient diversity and exposure to HIV patients.
Olive-View UCLA
Pros: Really friendly atmosphere, probably one of the most benign programs in California. Teaching is consistently excellent. Diverse patients who are mostly Spanish-speaking. Grads are favored for fellowships within the UCLA system (UCLA, Cedars, Kaiser, and Harbor).
Cons: Not well known outside of LA. ICU training is not done here; residents go to Cedars for that. They don't have their own formal fellowships, but share some fellowship spots with the UCLA system. It's therefore unclear each year how many spots for Cards/GI, for example, at the UCLA programs will go to Olive View grads.
USC
Unfortunately this program is a mess. I would stay away until the program leadership gets their act together. On the upside, USC has extraordinary patient diversity, and a new hospital is on its way.
