Cannot decide on #1. Need help

[Help!Help!Help!]

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Seriously cannot decide between 3 programs. 1 is 'ranked' top 20 on doximity, 1 is top 30 and 1 is top 40. The one in the 40s does not have a freestanding Peds hospital and no big women's imaging center in comparison to the program in the 20s. Would it be a bad career move to choose the program in the 40s that has those limitations because I felt like I fit better there and liked the location more? I would like to end up somewhere in the Mid-atlantic (PA, MI, NJ, DE) or SE (Carolinas, Florida, GA) for a PP job after residency (Top 20 is in mid-atlantic, top 30 and 40 are in SE). It's been almost impossible to forget reputation and prestige in this decision and 'go with my gut'. I don't know what fellowship I'm interested in yet so I can't pick based on best IR or Peds or whatever.

Thanks for any help!

 

[shark2000]

Without naming the programs your post does not give enough information. Top 20 in mid-atlantic does not mean anything. The same for doximity or ... ranking.

If you want any help you have to name the programs.

 

[IJL]

MUSC, Vandy, And I can't remember the third 🙂

 

[humpdebump2006]

I think it was UPMC

 

[vm26]

Pick the program that is in your desired location of long term practice and ideally has several solid fellowship programs

 

[Help!Help!Help!]

It was UPMC, Vandy, and MUSC. The problem is I don't know where I'd like to end up. I have family in PA, OH, MI, FL and NC so those are all viable options I could see myself landing. I know that I'd like to live in Charleston or Nashville over Pittsburgh (but again, I was told that UPMC has the best name recognition and potentially the largest reach for jobs later on).

 

[Help!Help!Help!]

Would you say that Vanderbilt has a much better reputation/name recognition than MUSC?

 

[shark2000]

Go for location. UPMC is a good program but won't help you that much if you want to land a job for example in Florida.

As vm26 mentioned, if you know where you want to live in the future go to the best academic program in that area and make connections to land a job.

Let's say you don't know where you want to live in the future. There are very few programs that may help you land a job, irrespective of the location. For example if you do residency and a 2 year neuro fellowship at MGH or UCSF, you have a better chance in landing a job in Florida. Having said that still local connections are more important and graduates of local programs have better shot at getting a job. But after local graduates, you will have a good chance. On the other hand, nobody in Florida cares that much about UPMC versus CCF.

Conclusion: If you don't know where you want to end up, rank name brand programs (UCSF, MGH, BWH, Hopkins, Upenn and Duke) first. Also if you know that you want to do a certain fellowship and a specific program is very strong at it (IR at UVA or NW) then rank that program very high. Otherwise, among the solid academic programs go for location. Residency is 4 years and you'd better live in the area that you like.

 

[shark2000]

All of these 3 programs are solid programs, however their reputation is usually useful local. These programs are in the same level with no significant difference. One may be slightly better than the other. However, outside their geographic location nobody is going to be impressed because you did residency at UPMS versus Vanderbilt or vice versa (Unlike MGH or UCSF).

So go for the location that you want to live now. Also remember that many people will eventually settle in the location that they do residency, even if their intention was not to live in that area in the first place. Residency is relatively long and when you live in a place for 4-5 years, you will start to make your own network. By the end of residency, you will get used to the city (unless it is a crappy place). At the end your training, you will be older with less desire to move. You may have kids or may have some belonging in the area. You will also have better job opportunities in that area because of local connections. When you balance everything, you will probably stay.

Ask older doctors. Not uncommon to hear that they came to their current hometown for residency many years ago and they had thought that they would leave after training. "Oh, I didn't like it here. But I could only find a position here, so I came here." But now they have been living in the area for 30 years.

 

[rads321]

I wouldn't put too much weight into the doximity rankings. I don't think most of the people voting were even radiologists.

 

[Help!Help!Help!]

Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[DrDalia]

All of these 3 programs are solid programs, however their reputation is usually useful local. These programs are in the same level with no significant difference. One may be slightly better than the other. However, outside their geographic location nobody is going to be impressed because you did residency at UPMS versus Vanderbilt or vice versa (Unlike MGH or UCSF).

Totally correct. Yes, it's easier if you went to MGH. My sister's Chair opened all career possibilities for her due to his name and the MGH brand. UPMC will have more brand recognition across the Eastern seaboard, while Vandy can open opportunities for you in the South, especially in Kentucky, Georgia, and Alabama. Vanderbilt is going through financial difficulties (there was a recent wsj article about it), so take that into consideration, too.

 

[deleted564680]

UPMC >>> MUSC > Vandy

 

[Gadofosveset]

For IR: Vandy >= MUSC >>> UPMC

UPMC is MSK weak too, IMHO, FWIW.