Are my concerns valid? (Medical school location + residency)

[The Helpful Aye Aye]

Hey all,

Long story short, I got off the waitlist at a school in my home state. I ultimately want to practice medicine *somewhere* on the east coast and figured a school in a coastal state would make that easier. I'm currently in an SMP in the Midwest and was also accepted at the host institution. For SO reasons, going to medical school in the Midwest would be easier (versus 2 years of long-distance). However, I'm concerned that there is 1) a bias on the part of the Residency programs to take people who rotate in their hospital systems and 2) a tendency for applicants to make connections only in areas around them, boosting their chances for competitive area residencies.

If I go to medical school in the Midwest, am I likely to be stuck there for Residency as well? Neither of us wants to stay here long term, so if there is a strong regional effect in the match placing myself in an advantageous position for more attractive long-term locations may be worth the headache of long distance for pre-clinical.

Thanks!

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[TraumaLlamaMD]

If you're genuinely open to a large area of the East Coast for future practice/residency, I don't think you'd be at a big disadvantage applying from the Midwest. If you have your heart set on a competitive specialty in a particular city, that's when it gets tricky (although not necessarily primarily because you went to school in the Midwest).

 

[Stagg737]

Would it be easier to match east coast if you go to school there? Probably. Can you still reasonably match there going to school in the midwest? Probably.

Something to keep in mind is that many relationships fail in med school. I'm not saying yours will, but for a lot of people things just don't work out. If something were to happen, you'd be in a better position being out east both in terms of your career and moving on. If things do work out you'll still be in a better position so long as your SO can eventually follow you out there.

Is there a reason your SO has to stay in the Midwest for 2 years?

 

[The Helpful Aye Aye]

Is there a reason your SO has to stay in the Midwest for 2 years?

Non-trad finishing up undergrad on essentially a full-ride.