general question about applying (top tier programs/affiliates)

[nitsasckya]

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I’ve got a general question... I'm in the process of finalizing my list of programs to apply to. I’m not the best candidate on paper, so I’m going to save money and avoid the top tier programs. My question is this: if I’m avoiding programs such as UCSF (just an example), do I also want to avoid its affiliates (such as Kaiser SF)? (In other words, do affiliate programs TYPICALLY have similar criteria for selecting their residents/interviewers, or are they a bit more lax?)

Thanks for your feedback.

-nitsasckya

 

[atsai3]

I’ve got a general question... I'm in the process of finalizing my list of programs to apply to. I’m not the best candidate on paper, so I’m going to save money and avoid the top tier programs. My question is this: if I’m avoiding programs such as UCSF (just an example), do I also want to avoid its affiliates (such as Kaiser SF)? (In other words, do affiliate programs TYPICALLY have similar criteria for selecting their residents/interviewers, or are they a bit more lax?)

Thanks for your feedback.

-nitsasckya

Kaiser SF is not an affiliate of UCSF.

The short answer to your question is yes, depending on the specialty, in general, the affiliate programs have more 'lax' selection criteria than the 'main' programs. For example, UCSF internal medicine is generally more selective than UCSF-Fresno internal medicine. However, the short answer is rarely the end of the story. The outcome of the residency selection process is a complicated interaction between your preferences, the residency program's preferences, other residency program's preferences, and other applicants' preferences. There is an exceptionally high degree of heterogeneity in match outcomes that undercuts discussion of the averages. For example, the ob/gyn residency program at Brigham/MGH is generally regarded as one of the most selective ob/gyn residency programs, yet one of the current residents matched there despite ranking it 8th on the match list.

-AT.

 

[nitsasckya]

Kaiser SF is not an affiliate of UCSF.

My mistake. It is affiliated to the med school.

Thanks for your input.

 

[atsai3]

My mistake. It is affiliated to the med school.

Thanks for your input.

AFAIK Kaiser SF does not have an affiliated med school.

-AT.

 

[gutonc]

AFAIK Kaiser SF does not have an affiliated med school.

-AT.

It's not affiliated so much as "UCSF students can rotate there" which Kaiser SF may use in marketing themselves as "affiliated with UCSF."

 

[notdeadyet]

It's not affiliated so much as "UCSF students can rotate there" which Kaiser SF may use in marketing themselves as "affiliated with UCSF."

Ditto this. Where a med student does different rotations during third year isn't an endorsement of that particular site.