Would appreciate any input in ranking the following programs:
- Prefer living in a large metropolitan city (NYC, philly)
- Subspecialty currently undecided
UPMC (pitt)
Montefiore
Mount Sinai BI (downtown)
Jefferson
U of Maryland
I'd agree that purely by strength of program I'd pick Pitt, but you said you wanted to be in NYC or Philly. I don't believe Pitt is so far above Jeff to trump your location preference. You understand this is very subjective - and most of the programs you listed are in the same tier. Sinai BI I actually don't know that much about but I know Maryland, Pitt, and Montefiore to be very strong.
Pitt is one of the best stroke and interventional centers in the country and is a nexus for neurological research in general. We're I looking at resumes for a fellowship or job position, it's the only place on that list that would raise my eyebrows based on reputation and people I've known who have trained and studied there. None of the other programs on that list are anything better than "OK" by those measures. I know it's hard for people from the urban northeast coast to understand how 3rd tier institutions in that part of the country could be worse than the cream of the crop in other parts of the country, but it's actually true that not every good neurology department in the US is directly abutting a couple of small pieces of coastline.