Best General Surgery Residencies?

Started by FUBAR
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FUBAR

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I just wanted to find out if anyone on here has any info about what the best general surgery residencies are. This may be more of a subjective assessment of the programs than i initially thought, but as of late I have been having a hard time figuring out which are the best (like a U.S. New and World Report type of ranking list). I went to US News and they have lists for Ortho, Heart/Heart Surgery, etc. but I didnt see anything for "General Surgery". So if anyone can provide some info on this sibject, i would appreciate it. If you have some kind of objective list, thats great, but even if it is only people's personal opinions about programs, thats fine too. At this point I'll take anything I can get.

Also, as we all know the list I asked for is going to be ALL university based programs, so my second request would be if anyone can tell me what the better community-based gen surgery programs are. I am an IMG applicant with good board scores, but it seems likely that even with good scores i am destined for a community based program, so if anyone can help me out with some info, I will be forever in your debt.

Thanks in advance for any posts.


:clap: 4 interviews and one rejection..............only 165 more programs to hear from............WOO HOO...........let the good times roll............
 
it is a bit insane, but the problem is that as an IMG applicant I am starting at a disadvantage and many times, even with my scores, my application won't even be considered. It may sound nuts to you ( I am assuming of course you are a US student), but for us(IMG's) it is a necessary evil to get a GOOD residency spot. If it was an even playing field then i wouldnt be applying to so many programs, but this is the only way I can make sure I get a significasnt number of interviews, AND that I get interviews at decent or good programs.

Granted, i did go a bit overboard, even for an IMG applicant, but I don't want to take ANY chances...........most of my friends who are IMG's and who are applying to competitive/ultra-competitive residencies almost universally apply to 80,90, or 100+ programs. Welcome to our reality...............

In any case, good luck to everyone, IMG's and AMG's alike..........we are all in this for the same reasons.
 
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How much $$$ will you project you would have spent at the end of the entire interview cycle? I've dumped about $1000 for about 45 programs, before interviews.
 
All I can say at this point is that my ERAS app cost me $3500. I am figuring on interviewing at between 10 and 20 programs, so add on another 3-5K (ballpark estimate). So I guess I am looking at between 5 and 10 grand total. These are just round figures, and i am really ballparking it, but those are the numbers I'm woking with for now. I really have no idea how much it is gonna cost me in the end, and believe me I wish I didnt have to spend this kinda money, but as I said in the previous post, it is just a necessary evil to ensure that I get a good spot.

Of course I am sure that these numbers sound outrageous and ridiculous to you, as I am sure it does to most US students, but for IMG's they are not that far off. Again, it all depends on what specialty you are applying to, but for an IMG applying to one of the more competitive residencies, it just has to be done. I think of it as a one time expense for the rest of my life. I mean if i get a good spot at a good program, it is a small price to pay for my future.
 
I hope you get a good spot. I couldn't come up with $10,000 cash to apply! How many interviews do you plan to attend if you get the typical 1/3 invite and 2/3 rejects? That's going to be about 50 programs that might invite for an interview! Good luck man!
 
thanks, i need all the luck and good wishes I can get.

believe me, its not like I have cash coming out of my ears. i promise you that. I was raised by a single mother and I dont have some big fat inheritance to use. It is all loan money and whatever my mom can help me with. Its just that i have to spend it to make sure i get a decent spot.

I dont know if the 1/3 2/3 thing applies to IMG's. I honestly am not anticipating that kind of response. i think the absolute maximum number of places i can interview at is maybe 20 (a stretch). If I get 50+ interviews, then i guess it becomes pick and choose time. But I would rather be able to pick and choose which interviews I WANT to go to, rather than not having enough or any interviews to go to. I'll just have to wait and see.

Thanks again and good luck to you also.
 
Fubar

Actually, the amount you plan on spending is similar to what a lot of AMGs applying for surgical subspecialties spend. I applied to 40 ENT program, got about 30 interview offers and visited 15 programs. It was hard to coordinate interview dates because most programs only offer one or two dates so I made several trips to the same cities. Overall the application process cost me around $8000. I took out extra loans to cover the cost. From talking to other applicants in ENT, urology etc this is not uncommon. But the money I spent didn't bother me at all. It was really a small price to pay to match at a good program in the specialty I wanted. I'm sure you feel the same way.
 
you just echoed word for word how I feel. Any price is worth paying for a good spot in the field I love. Congratulations on landing a coveted ENT spot.

Any advice on how to handle getting away from electives to actually GO to interviews? I am really starting to wonder about how much time I am going to miss because I am going to be off at interviews, and whether they are going to let me go.
 
Dude, does location have any factor in applying to Gen Surgery
residencies? Applying to 165 basically indicates you dont care where you go as long as its a "great" program. I would think training in New York or DC gives
you a higher chance of contracting Hep or
even AIDS since more of your patients will have these diseases.
 
well, you are right on the first count, but I will have to disagree with you on the second. Yes, geography means very little to me. i want the best possible program I can get, and I will go wherever i have to go to get it. Thats not to say that geography wont play some role in my decision. I mean if I have 2 academically identical programs, and one is in arizona and one is in minnesota, then I would go where the warmer weather is.

About the second thing you said, regarding bigger cities and increasing chances of contracting hep or HIV, it is not something that has entered into my mind AT ALL in the decision making process of where i want to do my residency. Firstly, i am interested in trauma, so a bigger city would be better for me. Plus, i want as much operative experience as I can get, which also favors bigger cities. I dont really think that my chances of getting HIV or hep are any higher in a big city to be honest. I am going into a messy field, and it is going to be messy anywhere. HIV and hep are everywhere, even if they may be more concentrated in bigger cities, I dont personally think it is a reason why I WOULDNT go to a big city. like I said, i had never even thought about it until you brought it up, and I dont really subscribe to that reasoning. My primary concern is will i get the best possible training I can get, wherever that might be.
 
Originally posted by halogen
I would think training in New York or DC gives
you a higher chance of contracting Hep or
even AIDS since more of your patients will have these diseases.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't matter what the patient has. Is that a factor when considering which patients need surgery? Nope.

Personally, I don't know where I'm going to get the money to apply to a ton of programs next year. When you factor in the cost of applications, flights, hotel rooms, interviews... 🙁

It doesn't help that I'll be flying from Hawaii, so it's extra expensive.
 
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