Eliciting Advice for IM Rank for Committed Heme/Onc (Duke vs Cornell)

[UrbanRiver]

Hi all, I hate to be that MS4, but I would appreciate your advice. I'm in the process of finishing my rank list for IM residencies, and I'm about 95% committed to Heme/Onc. I'm fortunate to be thinking through some great residency options, and I've weighed pros and cons across many different axes (reputation, location, fit, institutional ties, connections).

I can't brush off the feeling that the further on in training I go, the more it becomes important to have a healthy level of institutional and faculty connections. My question is whether these factors played a significant part of your experience in matching at your preferred heme/onc programs. Among my options, I'm particularly having trouble deciding between Duke and Cornell. I did love my interview day at Duke. The reputation looks stronger than Cornell, the camaraderie is solid, NC is fine to me, and it seems like I'll get overall stronger training there. If heme/onc was not so strong a possibility for me in the future, I would go to Duke hands down over Cornell. At the same time, it seems for many years, the heme/onc match from Duke seems incredibly restricted to its home program, and those that match elsewhere vary widely in where they go in terms of the strength of fellowship programs. While I think I'll be content where I end up ultimately, I'd love for at least a decent shot for top places like MSKCC for a strong career in academics. Given this, do you think I should rank a place like Cornell w/ direct ties higher on my ROL instead?

Again, I apologize for the annoying question. Any insight one way or the other would be helpful. Much thanks in advance.

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[whoknows2012]

Hi all, I hate to be that MS4, but I would appreciate your advice. I'm in the process of finishing my rank list for IM residencies, and I'm about 95% committed to Heme/Onc. I'm fortunate to be thinking through some great residency options, and I've weighed pros and cons across many different axes (reputation, location, fit, institutional ties, connections).

I can't help brush off the feeling that the further on in training I go, the more it becomes important to have a healthy level of institutional and faculty connections. My question is whether these factors played a significant part of your experience in matching at your preferred heme/onc programs. Among my options, I'm particularly having trouble deciding between Duke and Cornell. I did love my interview day at Duke. The reputation looks stronger than Cornell, the camaraderie is solid, NC is fine to me, and it seems like I'll get overall stronger training there. If heme/onc was not so strong a possibility for me in the future, I would go to Duke hands down over Cornell. At the same time, it seems for many years, the heme/onc match from Duke seems incredibly restricted to its home program, and those that match elsewhere vary widely in where they go in terms of the strength of fellowship programs. While I think I'll be content where I end up ultimately, I'd love for at least a decent shot for top places like MSKCC for a strong career in academics. Given this, do you think I should rank a place like Cornell w/ direct ties higher on my ROL instead?

Again, I apologize for the annoying question. Any insight one way or the other would be helpful. Much thanks in advance.

I think everything you’ve said is fairly spot on. This year Cornell residents matched at MSKCC, Hopkins, Cornell and Columbia (May be others mixed in, those are just the ones I’m familiar with). In the past other than the above also UPENN, Sinai, and rarely a more mid tier hem/onc program like NYU or upmc. If you really are set on hem/onc Cornell might have the edge especially if you’re interested in living in NYC. If you’re only concerned with prestige of program and quality of training I agree duke may have the edge. Obviously these decisions can be tough and as you have clearly outline are not so cut and dry. Good luck

 

[UrbanRiver]

I think everything you’ve said is fairly spot on. This year Cornell residents matched at MSKCC, Hopkins, Cornell and Columbia (May be others mixed in, those are just the ones I’m familiar with). In the past other than the above also UPENN, Sinai, and rarely a more mid tier hem/onc program like NYU or upmc. If you really are set on hem/onc Cornell might have the edge especially if you’re interested in living in NYC. If you’re only concerned with prestige of program and quality of training I agree duke may have the edge. Obviously these decisions can be tough and as you have clearly outline are not so cut and dry. Good luck

Thanks, appreciate your insight. It's good to know that I'm not too off the mark in these largely theoretical considerations. Will put some more thought and just call the shot soon.

Thanks again, and if anyone else has insight into Duke or Cornell specifically, would appreciate your input.

 

[HoldTheCoffee]

My general take is that both are good medicine programs. Duke is probably more well rounded for general IM and to be honest, if you train/do well at Duke you will likely interview at most places in the country for fellowship (same for if you went to Penn, or Hopkins, etc. etc.). If you look at the fellows list for places like MSK you'll see that the fellows there are not all necessarily from NYC residences, but generally are from "upper tier" places

 

[iniquus]

If you go to Duke, you can match anywhere. The list looks the way it does because residents often want to stay. We interview coast to coast and usually match to our #1.

Choose the program based on location.

 

[CatFactorial]

My general take is that both are good medicine programs. Duke is probably more well rounded for general IM and to be honest, if you train/do well at Duke you will likely interview at most places in the country for fellowship (same for if you went to Penn, or Hopkins, etc. etc.). If you look at the fellows list for places like MSK you'll see that the fellows there are not all necessarily from NYC residences, but generally are from "upper tier" places

Can confirm. At my MSK interview I was told flat out that I had a great CV but my major knock was not coming from a JHH/MGH/UCSF/etc kind of residency.

 

[whoknows2012]

Can confirm. At my MSK interview I was told flat out that I had a great CV but my major knock was not coming from a JHH/MGH/UCSF/etc kind of residency.

And yet over the last 5 years they’ve taken 4 residents (2 MD/phds, 2 chiefs) from Monte. Overall, I agree though and tend to think that at MSK in particular, take those programs above add Columbia and Cornell and you’d be generally accounting for >3/4 of all their fellows. They have a random smattering of other excellent programs like Duke, u Chicago, NYU and yale but it’s usually no more than 2-3/year (out of ~15)