Anesthesia residency programs in California

[aster123]

Hi,
I'm a 3rd year medical student and I'm currently in med school in NY and starting to plan for residency. I was wondering whether you guys could give me some pointers about residency programs in California. Which are the 'better' ones (for lack of another word) and what do you think of the programs in general.

Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[lord_jeebus]

My impression as a CA resident and recent applicant is that they all offer good to great training, except Harbor-UCLA.

In terms of pure reputation in academia, I think UCSF > Stanford > UCLA > UCSD >> the rest is what many would agree on. I did not rank them in that order, and I think a case can be made for ranking any of them #1.

 

[fakin' the funk]

I think a case can be made for ranking any of them #1.

Like, if you ranked them based on quality of surf

UCSD > UCLA > UCSF > Stanford > USC >>> Cowtown

 

[deleted162650]

Actually, if you are ranking quality of surf: UCSD>UCI>LA progs>UCSF>>>Stanford/Cowtown/Loma Linda

 

[drccw]

Rank them based on where you want to live...
if living in San Fran is important that UCSF or Stanford is the number one program... don't worry about anything else.. you should get a good training at most programs around..

 

[fakin' the funk]

Actually, if you are ranking quality of surf: UCSD>UCI>LA progs>UCSF>>>Stanford/Cowtown/Loma Linda

Dang, I forgot about UCI. I agree it's up there, but for the overall beach lifestyle, a few more "isolated" spots, and marginally warmer water, I like SD. Though I spose Trestles is midway.

Goddamn do I hate Cleveland.

 

[pseudoknot]

I know most university programs in CA seem to have good reps (in most fields, really). For anesthesiology, I'm not sure about UCI and Cedars--I've heard that the UCI program had some issues as of about two years ago. Also, I thought the Cedars program was recently taken over by them after the closure of MLK? I don't have first hand knowledge of either program, but I wonder if the above was taken into consideration by those who said all the CA programs were good.

 

[OB1🤙]

UCI had some issues in the semi-recent past but from my knowledge of it, it's fine now. I liked the people a lot during my interview, and if it wasn't for my acute anaphylactic allergy to all things OC I would have been perfectly happy there.

Nobody knows much of anything about Cedars yet because it's so new. It doesn't have a good or a bad reputation.

The overall jist of things is that UCSF, Stanford, UCLA and UCSD are considered first-tier programs in Cali, geography being the most significant difference between the places.

Below that is the tier of UCI, the University of Spoiled Children (U$C), Loma Linda, and UCSactown. All fine programs.

Harbor is in a class of its own on the bottom rung. It does, however, have the distinct advantage of letting you moonlight your a$s off, so if you have nothing better to do and want to work hard and make some cash, you can at Harbor.

Nobody knows yet where Cedars will fit into this mix, but I would think it'd be a safe bet that it'll turn out to be a decent program with good training, akin to to the other "mid-tier" places.

 

[pseudoknot]

...and if it wasn't for my acute anaphylactic allergy to all things OC I would have been perfectly happy there.

 

[deleted162650]

UCI will also be opening a brand new hospital next year, and I think they just got a new prog director from some big name east coast school (sorry for the glaring lack of detail). I doubt it'll catch up with the UCSF/UCLS/UCSD/Stanford crowd, but thing are looking on the up and up for the pogram.

 

[lord_jeebus]

I know most university programs in CA seem to have good reps (in most fields, really). For anesthesiology, I'm not sure about UCI and Cedars--I've heard that the UCI program had some issues as of about two years ago. Also, I thought the Cedars program was recently taken over by them after the closure of MLK? I don't have first hand knowledge of either program, but I wonder if the above was taken into consideration by those who said all the CA programs were good.

I can't say too much about UCI, I cancelled my interview because they kept offering me days and then telling me that they were full (I responded within 24 hrs every time).

As for Cedars, I interviewed there and talked to students who rotated there. It is not a perfect program but has some strengths. The attendings are very well connected and the current residents are landing fellowships they never would have gotten coming out of MLK. The range of cases is excellent and because there are so few residents they have their pick of interesting ones every day. The attendings choose to be involved because of desire to teach and the ones I met were cool dudes. It's all about personal initiative, but if you have that the material seems to exist there to become an excellent anesthesiologist.

They have 2 hours of didactics daily which I thought was excessive. The ACGME site shows that they had a recent review so the results on that should be out shortly.

 

[Uegis]

I'm a 3rd year California med student applying next year too. My goal is to stay in California, preferably Northern California, which leaves me with only three options. From what I heard, UCSF averaged a 250 in their class last year, so I'm not too optimistic about that. But how about Stanford and UCD? I thought I did fairly well on Step I until I heard from the anesthesia program coordinator at my school who told me some of those insane numbers. Should I do aways at those schools? Is UCI, UCSD, Loma Linda, USC all pretty competitive too?

 

[scotchnwater]

I'm a 3rd year California med student applying next year too. My goal is to stay in California, preferably Northern California, which leaves me with only three options. From what I heard, UCSF averaged a 250 in their class last year, so I'm not too optimistic about that. But how about Stanford and UCD? I thought I did fairly well on Step I until I heard from the anesthesia program coordinator at my school who told me some of those insane numbers. Should I do aways at those schools? Is UCI, UCSD, Loma Linda, USC all pretty competitive too?

I wouldn't live/die by the numbers quoted. If there are other things on your application (significant leadership, excellent clinical grades, exceptional letters) you can get better interviews than your numbers would otherwise indicate.

I got a little above average on Step 1 and had interviews at every single place I applied except one (and who really wants to live in Durham anyways? j/k ). As people say on here all the time, your application is more than your three-digit number. It's only a marginally extra cost to apply somewhere on ERAS, so why not at least try?

I know Away Rotations are being addressed on another thread, but I would be in the group of people who says to do them if you really want to learn about the program/area, but not necessarily as an audition rotation. With the big-name schools, I'm not convinced (from what I have observed over the past year) that it will necessarily help you (you're still not even guaranteed an interview), nor will it hurt you to not have done a rotation at a certain location (I didn't do aways at any of my top choices, nor did any of my friends, all of whom matched very well in gas this past March).

As always, take that for what it's worth - one guy's opinion.

 

[fakin' the funk]

From what I heard, UCSF averaged a 250 in their class last year, so I'm not too optimistic about that.

To believe that, you'd have to believe that most of the ~50 students who got >250 on Step 1 and went into anesthesia went to just a single school, or that a good chunk of the ~140 over 240 went to just a single school. I wouldn't...

 

[pseudoknot]

To believe that, you'd have to believe that most of the ~50 students who got >250 on Step 1 and went into anesthesia went to just a single school, or that a good chunk of the ~140 over 240 went to just a single school. I wouldn't...

UCSF takes 50 new anesthesiology residents per year??? What, are they raising an army?

 

[lord_jeebus]

UCSF takes 50 new anesthesiology residents per year??? What, are they raising an army?

Historically, out of applicants to Anesthesiology, only about 50 scored over 250. (search for Charting Outcomes in the Match for exact numbers).

I agree that it seems unlikely that UCSF's average is that high.

 

[pseudoknot]

Historically, out of applicants to Anesthesiology, only about 50 scored over 250. (search for Charting Outcomes in the Match for exact numbers).

I agree that it seems unlikely that UCSF's average is that high.

I think the person I quoted thought we were talking about UCSF med students.

Anyway, per FRIEDA I see that UCSF takes 24 CA2s each year (way more than I would have guessed!). From the way people talk about them here, their location, NIH funding, etc., I would think they could attract many of the top 50 applicants each year, so if their first priority was to have the highest possible Step I scores, it seems very plausible their average might hit 50. Only a little over half their class would need to have scored 250+ to accomplish that, so now we're talking about one-quarter of the highest scoring anesthesiology applicants going to UCSF.

 

[lord_jeebus]

I think the person I quoted thought we were talking about UCSF med students.

Anyway, per FRIEDA I see that UCSF takes 24 CA2s each year (way more than I would have guessed!). From the way people talk about them here, their location, NIH funding, etc., I would think they could attract many of the top 50 applicants each year, so if their first priority was to have the highest possible Step I scores, it seems very plausible their average might hit 50. Only a little over half their class would need to have scored 250+ to accomplish that, so now we're talking about one-quarter of the highest scoring anesthesiology applicants going to UCSF.

I did an away rotation there. I don't think the program is so attractive as to get all those people. They didn't even fill this year. I would guess their average is more like 230-240.

 

[Uegis]

Thanks for the insight everyone. Seems silly, but I really want to go to UCSF because I want to be close to family/significant other and also be training at a good program. I've been away from the Bay Area for almost 10 years now and really miss it.

What's a good number of programs to apply to? Might have been addressed in other threads, but just wanted to get a feel from people who were interested in California programs and how many programs they applied to. I'm thinking no more than 20 for me due to finances and desire to stay on West Coast.

 

[ucsfgaspain]

Uegis,

As I was a UCSF med student, resident, and fellow, I would suggest doing an away rotation here. My years it was an advantage to be from UCSF. Now I heard that they turn down even UCSF students due to increased competition.

Scores of course matter, as do your grades, but if they can place a face to a name, this will definitely help. PM me cuz I can give you some names to contact while you are there so that if you make a favorable impression with them, they can pull for you.

 

[UCIResident]

To answer the question about issues at UCI two years ago, they were related to the liver transplant department. We no longer do liver transplants at UCI at this time, however, the consensus has been that our department is not worse off because of this. There aren't too many academic centers that do have liver tranplantation as part of their program. We have discussed this with our program director before and if it's something you're really interested in learning during your training and that is what is keeping you from applying for anesthesia residency at UCI, arrangements can be made to rotate somewhere where liver transplants are done so that you can get that experience.

I know most university programs in CA seem to have good reps (in most fields, really). For anesthesiology, I'm not sure about UCI and Cedars--I've heard that the UCI program had some issues as of about two years ago. Also, I thought the Cedars program was recently taken over by them after the closure of MLK? I don't have first hand knowledge of either program, but I wonder if the above was taken into consideration by those who said all the CA programs were good.

 

[starsop93]

There aren't too many academic centers that do have liver tranplantation as part of their program.

Is that true? My impression is that the vast majority of academic centers do perform liver transplants. Maybe I'm wrong, but I haven't been to one yet that doesn't do it.

 

[Painter1]

UCSF, UCSD, Stanford, and UCLA are the desired, well-connected, reputed programs in Cali. personally, one of the crappier programs includes USC; however, ridicously based on the fact that the USC football team makes the espn reels yearly they manage to recruit an average group (usually those's that were rejected from the other cali programs). i rotated at usc, they train CRNAs so at times the residents literally bump elbows as they may share cases with the SRNAs. also, dr. lumb, the chair, and dr. patel, the PD are both devastatingly snobbish and arrogant. in terms of cedars, i'm from the area, just based on the name, even with an average training, you'l be insanely connected.

 

[UCIResident]

There is a google link: Transplant Center list US- Glancing over the list, the programs in CA that have liver transplantation programs include UCSF, Stanford, UCLA, UCSD. There are a significant number of Children's hospitals included in this list. I don't know how many anesthesiology programs there are nationwide, but I guess the point I was trying to make that unless you're interested in practicing at an academic institution which has a liver transplant service, I don't think it would be in your detriment to not have that as part of you're core training.

Is that true? My impression is that the vast majority of academic centers do perform liver transplants. Maybe I'm wrong, but I haven't been to one yet that doesn't do it.

 

[UCIResident]

I forgot to add Loma Linda to the List for CA anesthesiology programs that do liver transplants...so you're right as far as California is concerned, but as far as prgrams nationwide is concerned you can check out the list I referred to above.

There is a google link: Transplant Center list US- Glancing over the list, the programs in CA that have liver transplantation programs include UCSF, Stanford, UCLA, UCSD. There are a significant number of Children's hospitals included in this list. I don't know how many anesthesiology programs there are nationwide, but I guess the point I was trying to make that unless you're interested in practicing at an academic institution which has a liver transplant service, I don't think it would be in your detriment to not have that as part of you're core training.

 

[cchoukal]

I don't know how many anesthesiology programs there are nationwide, but I guess the point I was trying to make that unless you're interested in practicing at an academic institution which has a liver transplant service, I don't think it would be in your detriment to not have that as part of you're core training.

I don't know, it can be a great case encompassing many important concepts in anesthesia: safe induction, invasive procedures, massive fluid resuscitation, extreme metabolic acidosis, massive transfusion, its complications, and management thereof, coagulopathy... and the list goes on...

didn't mean to hijack...

 

[medking]

...bumping old thread

Any additional insight/info on these programs?

Thanks!