Hardest hospitals to match in

[directdoc]

I don't really know how the match system works... Are there certain hospitals that are known to be harder to match in? I know certain specialties are hard like derm, but are there known hospitals also?

When you do the match, do you chose like your top 10 places and then the hospitals rank you?

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[jennyboo]

Yes, certain hospitals are harder to match in than others.

As a VERY rough estimate, the most elite medical schools are often affiliated with the most elite hospitals in most specialties. That will give you a "ballpark estimate" of which hospitals have big reputations.

However, WHICH hospitals are supposed to be the most sought after vary by specialty. To take an example, the emergency medicine "top 10 residency programs" are at very different hospitals from the internal medicine "top 10."

Finally, where people match for residency is often not based on wanting to go to the "best" one. People make their rank list based on a lot of lifestyle choices as well, such as living near family, living in certain cities, etc. It's not all about being at the "best" hospital (if there is such a thing).

 

[directdoc]

However, WHICH hospitals are supposed to be the most sought after vary by specialty. To take an example, the emergency medicine "top 10 residency programs" are at very different hospitals from the internal medicine "top 10."

So are there actually Top 10 lists or is the just speaking hypothetically? Like would there be a pediatric top 10?

 

[Long Dong]

So are there actually Top 10 lists or is the just speaking hypothetically? Like would there be a pediatric top 10?

Go here for the rankings:

http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/honorroll.htm

I just noticed ucla jumped up to #3, the last time I checked ucla was at #5 behind cleveland clinic and mgh. They haven't even opened their new hospital yet maybe they'll jump up even more when that happens.

 

[mlw03]

if you want a nice, thorogh explanation of the Match algorithm go to the NRMP website and they give a very good discussion of how everything works. including how the system favors the applicant over the program.

 

[jennyboo]

So are there actually Top 10 lists or is the just speaking hypothetically? Like would there be a pediatric top 10?

There are no official lists of "top 10" unless you look at the US News and World Report list, which does rank hospitals and medical schools but does not rank residencies by specialty.

There are many opinions, however, and you can get an approximate idea by asking several people in each specialty.

 

[docB]

There are no official lists of "top 10" unless you look at the US News and World Report list, which does rank hospitals and medical schools but does not rank residencies by specialty.

There are many opinions, however, and you can get an approximate idea by asking several people in each specialty.

Which, ironically enough, is how US News does their rankings.

 

[yaah]

Which, ironically enough, is how US News does their rankings.

I thought they did their rankings with 95% bull****, 5% tangible relevant facts.

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Yes, certain hospitals are harder to match in than others.

As a VERY rough estimate, the most elite medical schools are often affiliated with the most elite hospitals in most specialties. That will give you a "ballpark estimate" of which hospitals have big reputations.

However, WHICH hospitals are supposed to be the most sought after vary by specialty. To take an example, the emergency medicine "top 10 residency programs" are at very different hospitals from the internal medicine "top 10."
Finally, where people match for residency is often not based on wanting to go to the "best" one. People make their rank list based on a lot of lifestyle choices as well, such as living near family, living in certain cities, etc. It's not all about being at the "best" hospital (if there is such a thing).

An excellent point for those new to the idea of the Match to understand. I am rotating at 2 hospitals that are HUGE in the world of EM and when my friend's ask me where I'm going their next question is always, "where is that?" My friends that are trying for competitve matches in IM are spending time at more "typical" places i.e. MGH, U of C, Stanford.

Another example, my home institution houses a VERY well-respected surgery program, a medium IM program, and psych/family programs that are very poor.