Another Rank Help! Please ! Advice Appreciated !

[HeartofChambers]

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Dear lovely folks,

I am very conflicted regarding my rank list. I needed your advice and guidance. I know I will most likely want to sub-specialize, likely hemeonc. I am not sure how competitive hemeonc is and how to base my choices.

Here are the programs that I am conflicted about and have no idea how to rank them. Honestly had a good gut feeling from all of them, especially Kaiser Oakland since the PD was amazing and super nice, but I fear going to such a small program. Do you think I will still get solid training there and a good shot for fellowships? I know they round on hemeonc patients daily and see a lot of hemeonc patients.

Appreciate any thoughts !

In no particular order!

-University of Chicago
-UC Davis
-Harbor-UCLA
-Kaiser Oakland
-Children's National in DC

Thank you kindly !!

 

[chemta2006]

MS4 very gung-ho about peds hem/onc and going down that road. It's a decently competitive subspecialty, and getting more so, but last I looked, 98% of applicants matched.

Of your list, I can only talk about DC firsthand. And from that list, it is definitely the powerhouse of peds hem/onc, and the one that is nationally known. That being said, you should be able to get great hem/onc experience from other programs, since the goal of residency is to become a great pediatrician, and there is all the fellowship time to become a great subspecialist.

My PI and research advisor, who is the fellowship director for the peds hem/onc program at my home institution, said that he looks first and foremost at pedigree and prestige of the program in hem/onc. He is also an 80-20 MD/PhD who writes many more grants than sees patients in a year and runs a basic science lab.

I'm in a similar place as my top choices are between a large nationally known peds hem/onc hospital and a smaller program that just seems all around awesome. I will be making some visits next week to try to get more of a definite gut feeling on both programs, so we'll see.

 

[Jessipeds]

University of Chicago is a great program, very well known and respected. I know a few people who have done Peds residency there, and they were happy. Great fellowship placement and research opportunities.