Competitiveness of community FM vs IM vs Peds

[pmarank]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am interested in these 3 specialties and I keep going back between FM and peds. It seems like ppl on this forum always bring up FM when a student has a COMLEX score around the avg. Why don't ppl bring up community peds and IM as well?

Are community peds, IM, and FM in the mid-west approximately the same in terms of competitiveness? For example, if a student has a 500 COMLEX would they have decent chance at matching into any of these 3?

The AOA IM program at my school regularly has an open spots or two at after the match. I know ppl from my school with "low grades" (some even had board failures) who have been able to match into all 3 of these fields so I was curious what the SDN consensus was.

 

[Mass Effect]

If you can do residency at an academic center, do it. I find the training is much better. That said, if you settle on community programs, yes, they're likely similar in terms of competitiveness. I think just by virtue of there being more FM slots nationwide, it may be slightly less competitive.

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

If you can do residency at an academic center, do it. I find the training is much better. That said, if you settle on community programs, yes, they're likely similar in terms of competitiveness. I think just by virtue of there being more FM slots nationwide, it may be slightly less competitive.

Training being better at academic centers for FM? That's questionable. If you mean didactic training and general academic oriented learning, then absolutely. But hands on/procedures? Maybe in some southern areas without as many residencies/fellowships but in the northeast... unopposed community programs will be better almost always. Some of it will be cultural because even occasional unopposed programs don't have residents super hands on every rotation, but most can.

 

[Black Coffee 24/7]

I am interested in these 3 specialties and I keep going back between FM and peds. It seems like ppl on this forum always bring up FM when a student has a COMLEX score around the avg. Why don't ppl bring up community peds and IM as well?

Are community peds, IM, and FM in the mid-west approximately the same in terms of competitiveness? For example, if a student has a 500 COMLEX would they have decent chance at matching into any of these 3?

The AOA IM program at my school regularly has an open spots or two at after the match. I know ppl from my school with "low grades" (some even had board failures) who have been able to match into all 3 of these fields so I was curious what the SDN consensus was.

Training for Peds and IM will be better at academic university residencies.

As for FM, training at unopposed FM program in the middle of nowhere will be better for your skillset, and prepare you better for practice in rural communities. If you're a FM person, you better be fine with living and practicing in rural communities in order to make good physician money and act like a real doctor.

If you're one of those people in which you need some metropolitan civilization to your life, I would go with Peds/IM and sub specialize into a niche role.

 

[Mass Effect]

Training being better at academic centers for FM? That's questionable. If you mean didactic training and general academic oriented learning, then absolutely. But hands on/procedures? Maybe in some southern areas without as many residencies/fellowships but in the northeast... unopposed community programs will be better almost always. Some of it will be cultural because even occasional unopposed programs don't have residents super hands on every rotation, but most can.

As someone who did FM rotations at both community-oriented programs and academic centers, I strongly disagree. Sure, you'll see your standard COPD, asthma, CHF, ICU admits, central lines, etc., but if you really want to be skilled in diagnosis, treatment, AND procedures, academic centers are better in my experience. That's where you get your zebras, where you learn the art of a comprehensive differential, where you learn how to think outside the box and use evidence-based medicine rather than rely on the same old algorithm.

 

[alprazoslam]

I would go academic because the thing is a lot of the rural fm programs get not the best applicants and these people will be your superior residents for a few years and may make your time there not well spent. Broad generalization but most good applicants don’t go to BFE fm residency

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

As someone who did FM rotations at both community-oriented programs and academic centers, I strongly disagree. Sure, you'll see your standard COPD, asthma, CHF, ICU admits, central lines, etc., but if you really want to be skilled in diagnosis, treatment, AND procedures, academic centers are better in my experience. That's where you get your zebras, where you learn the art of a comprehensive differential, where you learn how to think outside the box and use evidence-based medicine rather than rely on the same old algorithm.

I think that has to do with the hospital you're at. There are some unopposed programs which get good pathology. And even if you see less rare pathology, at least you're more hands-on and not sidelined by the ICU fellow or EM resident.

 

[Sardonix]

Everything said thus far are good opinions--some I agree moreso, some I disagree moreso.

The most important factor I have seen thus far is unopposed status. Academic or community (IM, FM, peds... all good PC choices), the fact of the matter is if you are at a place where your training is constantly overridden by other specialties you're gonna have a bad time. What's the point of going to an academic center if anytime you get something valuable to learn from a specialist swoops in and takes it?

I am very lost with where I want to go for residency, but I know unopposed is for me.

 

[KeikoTanaka]

Piggy backing off OP's question: What are the more competitive FM academic-based residencies in the NE?

 

[IntheClouds4ever]

Meh.. i personally would rather have an unopposed rural program. After being in an academic center then a rural center, the rural residents could do as much as they wanted. One wanted to get certified for scopes and was getting his numbers with the surgical attendings blessing. Tons of path and opportunity to develop your own niche. A few of the residents would go over to the hospital after clinic days to get extra procedures and practice in their desired arena. You should definitely decide on what your end game (rural vs metro) is and go from there.