General Qs about choosing the right residency

[helpmewithrol]

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[DrMeowMeow]

Those are great questions! Can I add a question as well?

If I want to end up living in a certain state, would it be better to go to a less prestigious residency in the same state, or a more prestigious program in a different state in terms of job opportunities in the certain state?

 

[Bacchus]

Those are great questions! Can I add a question as well?

If I want to end up living in a certain state, would it be better to go to a less prestigious residency in the same state, or a more prestigious program in a different state in terms of job opportunities in the certain state?

I think this depends on field, mostly.

 

[DrMeowMeow]

I think this depends on field, mostly.

This is for psychiatry

 

[Law2Doc]

I would like to assume that most people posting in the part of the forum have been through the residency...so, I would like to get your two cents on how to choose the residency.

I never thought that ranking the residency program would be hard... But, now I don't really know how to rank the programs -

Here are general Qs and I'd like to hear your opinion as well on how to choose the residency.

1) If you have been a part of a brand new residency program, what are the challenges have you embraced? Any positives?

2) What if the residency program you like is located in the middle of nowhere; you love the hours, you click with the residents and PD but you hate the location... how important is this when it comes to reality of residency?

3) Your residency program has a great reputation but the work hours are crazy.. Should I still go?

1. No idea.
2. Middle of nowhere is better if the hours are bad. If all you are seeing is the wards and your apartment you really could be anywhere and life would be the same. If you "love the hours" you are going to have to actually spend time outside the hospital so geography probably matters more.
3. Probably. It's a finite period of time. Do what gives you the best training and sets you up best career-wise. The goal isn't for residency to be a better three years of your life than what follows.

 

[dienekes88]

I would like to assume that most people posting in the part of the forum have been through the residency...so, I would like to get your two cents on how to choose the residency.

I never thought that ranking the residency program would be hard... But, now I don't really know how to rank the programs -

Here are general Qs and I'd like to hear your opinion as well on how to choose the residency.

1) If you have been a part of a brand new residency program, what are the challenges have you embraced? Any positives?

2) What if the residency program you like is located in the middle of nowhere; you love the hours, you click with the residents and PD but you hate the location... how important is this when it comes to reality of residency?

3) Your residency program has a great reputation but the work hours are crazy.. Should I still go?

1) Haven't been part of a brand new residency program but know people who have been:
Challenges:
A. your rotation schedule may be... malleable
B. unclear the quality of your didactics, because while your attendings will have passed the boards, the system will not be set up (getting different attendings to lecture every week, good curriculum, etc.)
C. in a surgical program, there may attendings who aren't used to teaching (or if it's transitioning from a traditional fellow to an integrated, e.g. vascular), then they just might not be used to teaching folks at your level.
D. you're an unproven quantity: most people come out of a place and have a slew of previous grads who are competent who many potential employers will know about

Benefits:
A. you can tailor it the way you want
B. you may be getting a coveted spot (I believe integrated IR and some hybrid fast-track are going to be a thing)

2+3) Residency is the only time you get to train and make mistakes while someone is watching over you. It may be painful, but excellence takes practice. If you wanted to run a 5-minute mile, would you try to get by without training or just doing the bare minimum? You want to come out of training (3 to 8 years later) as an independent physician who is willing to make decisions. That is not easy. If it were easy, then we'd be replaceable...

Having said that, there are laws about this, so be mindful.

1. No idea.
2. Middle of nowhere is better if the hours are bad. If all you are seeing is the wards and your apartment you really could be anywhere and life would be the same. If you "love the hours" you are going to have to actually spend time outside the hospital so geography probably matters more.
3. Probably. It's a finite period of time. Do what gives you the best training and sets you up best career-wise. The goal isn't for residency to be a better three years of your life than what follows.

Quoted for truth.

 

[J ROD]

I would like to assume that most people posting in the part of the forum have been through the residency...so, I would like to get your two cents on how to choose the residency.

I never thought that ranking the residency program would be hard... But, now I don't really know how to rank the programs -

Here are general Qs and I'd like to hear your opinion as well on how to choose the residency.

1) If you have been a part of a brand new residency program, what are the challenges have you embraced? Any positives?

You may have to carry more burden of seeing more patients while not being fully ready to do so in terms of your educational yr. Also, you will be guinea pigs and will have to be the first to do things. Positives are you are the first and can probably help tailor the program and become stronger because you are asked to do more early. Plus, since you are "new" residents, faculty may be more interested in teaching.

2) What if the residency program you like is located in the middle of nowhere; you love the hours, you click with the residents and PD but you hate the location... how important is this when it comes to reality of residency?
Personally for me location is a big thing, one of my top requirements. But the other stuff are important too. I tried to balance the difference. It all depends on what you value more. Really only you can answer that. Although I would say, with those great hrs, what are you are going to do in a location that you do not like.

3) Your residency program has a great reputation but the work hours are crazy.. Should I still go?

Again, it depends on what you value. Personally, reputation does matter. But, there are plenty of great programs that are accredited that do not work you like a slave. So, for me, others can go there and work crazy hrs. I do not mind working hard but I also want a life. I am not doing surgery.

Those are great questions! Can I add a question as well?

If I want to end up living in a certain state, would it be better to go to a less prestigious residency in the same state, or a more prestigious program in a different state in terms of job opportunities in the certain state?

I think it is better to go ahead and move to the state you want to practice in. Most folks seem to stay where they learned in residency. You make connections while in that state and know how things work there. Prestige only gets you so far.

 

[mimelim]

I would like to assume that most people posting in the part of the forum have been through the residency...so, I would like to get your two cents on how to choose the residency.

I never thought that ranking the residency program would be hard... But, now I don't really know how to rank the programs -

Here are general Qs and I'd like to hear your opinion as well on how to choose the residency.

1) If you have been a part of a brand new residency program, what are the challenges have you embraced? Any positives?

2) What if the residency program you like is located in the middle of nowhere; you love the hours, you click with the residents and PD but you hate the location... how important is this when it comes to reality of residency?

3) Your residency program has a great reputation but the work hours are crazy.. Should I still go?

1) I was the first class in my residency. It is a very difficult process. I would say that for 90%+ of applicants it is a strong negative. Things are not setup. They never are. And if they are setup, they are setup poorly. There will be a lot of revision of what you do and the program the you graduate from will not be the same as the one you entered into. On the other hand (for the other 10%, which I include myself in) it gives you unparalleled ability to make the program what you want it to be. Now, this means that as a PGY4, I spend 10-15 hours a week doing administrative things in addition to my 80+ hours/week of clinical/research/studying, but personally, I couldn't be happier.

2) Depends on specialty. When you are working/studying 100+ hours/week your intern year, it doesn't matter very much where you are.

3) Residency is short. I say this as someone in a 7 year residency. You need to learn how to be a doctor which is related to only 2 things. #1 Good mentorship, #2 Experience. You need experience, which requires patients and a lot of them. Crazy work hours because things are inefficient and you are scutted out as a senior? Waste of time. Crazy work hours because you are operating your brains out 10+ hours a day, means you are going to learn, a LOT.