Help with info on these community programs in California

[doctorrr]

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Hi guys,
Please help me to provide more information on these following community programs in California. I am trying to make a decision in staying in west coast and do community programs vs. east coast with good university programs. Any info would be super helpful and I will be eternally grateful!
1> UC riverside. I like the program during my interview. but it seems like their residents are not as "sharp" and a lot of IMG/prelim go here. Attendings seem nice. They are new so no graduates yet so we don't know where their grads will go
2> Kaiser LA: I like the program. Female heavy. Some graduates go to good fellowship. But definitely not as impressive as some east coast program I interview at.
3> UCSF fresno. The attendings and residents seem nice. The area is okay. The program is decent but I just don't like the fact that it is Fresno. Plus the UCSF affiliation is sketchy. They are not UCSF and seems like they only rotate 1 mth there anyway.
4> Huntington memorial: not interview yet. Thinking of cancelling it.
5> Arrowhead/Kaiser: really like the hospital. But new program too. 1 graduate go to UCLA CT this year. Lots of DO/IMG/prelim as residents.
Do you think it is worth it to stay in CA and do community program as opposed to go to east coast for Emory, Boston, Cornell, Thomas Jeff, NYU...?
Thank you guys!

 

[Winged Scapula]

Are you competitive for Emory etc.?

Where do you prefer to live? I'm not sure you really saw Fresno if you're somehow thinking it's worse than the Inland Empire and Riverside. UCSF-Fresno hospitals aren't where most residents live. I complain about it a lot but the fact is there are many benefits to living there over Riverside.

The affiliation isn't anymore "sketch" than any other affiliated programs; you almost never spend much time at the "mothership". Ours don't have any organized ones in Rochester.

Only you can decide where you want to be training. You Don't mention having applied to those east coast programs or having interviews there but now it's too late to get it done if you haven't.

 

[doctorrr]

I got interviewed at all the above east coast programs that I mentioned. that is why it is a hard decision. If i didn't get them, whats the point of being torn abt it?

 

[Winged Scapula]

I got interviewed at all the above east coast programs that I mentioned. that is why it is a hard decision. If i didn't get them, whats the point of being torn abt it?

Because you didn't post any pros/cons about the east coast programs leading me to believe you didn't know much about them. Like sIM notes above, as far as I was concerned you were posting some random programs.

So the real question is: less reputable/community program in California vs better rep/university program on east coast?

So my answer remains the same: depends.

Depends on what you want out of training.

Depends on how important location is to you.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Hi guys,
Please help me to provide more information on these following community programs in California. I am trying to make a decision in staying in west coast and do community programs vs. east coast with good university programs. Any info would be super helpful and I will be eternally grateful!
1> UC riverside. I like the program during my interview. but it seems like their residents are not as "sharp" and a lot of IMG/prelim go here. Attendings seem nice. They are new so no graduates yet so we don't know where their grads will go
2> Kaiser LA: I like the program. Female heavy. Some graduates go to good fellowship. But definitely not as impressive as some east coast program I interview at.
3> UCSF fresno. The attendings and residents seem nice. The area is okay. The program is decent but I just don't like the fact that it is Fresno. Plus the UCSF affiliation is sketchy. They are not UCSF and seems like they only rotate 1 mth there anyway.
4> Huntington memorial: not interview yet. Thinking of cancelling it.
5> Arrowhead/Kaiser: really like the hospital. But new program too. 1 graduate go to UCLA CT this year. Lots of DO/IMG/prelim as residents.
Do you think it is worth it to stay in CA and do community program as opposed to go to east coast for Emory, Boston, Cornell, Thomas Jeff, NYU...?
Thank you guys!

What do you want to do afterwards? If you want to be a good, community general surgeon, most any community program would allow you to do that. If you want a peds surgery fellowship or another competitive fellowship, going to the university program will give you the best chance to do that. I wouldn't look at the location as much as what your goals are. What places can help you achieve your goals?

 

[doctorrr]

Because you didn't post any pros/cons about the east coast programs leading me to believe you didn't know much about them. Like sIM notes above, as far as I was concerned you were posting some random programs.

So the real question is: less reputable/community program in California vs better rep/university program on east coast?

So my answer remains the same: depends.

Depends on what you want out of training.

Depends on how important location is to you.

Yes! you got me. That was what I meant, community in cali vs. better reputation university in east coast. I have 3 good Universities in West coast too but I'm just trying to think of the 4th, 5th ...ranking. I don't want to do ped or surg onc. Probably CT or plastic or breast afterwards. I just want to make sure if I rank those above community programs higher than the east coast programs, I will not regret later on.
Thank you guys 🙂

 

[Winged Scapula]

Yes! you got me. That was what I meant, community in cali vs. better reputation university in east coast. I have 3 good Universities in West coast too but I'm just trying to think of the 4th, 5th ...ranking. I don't want to do ped or surg onc. Probably CT or plastic or breast afterwards. I just want to make sure if I rank those above community programs higher than the east coast programs, I will not regret later on.
Thank you guys 🙂

Hmmm…well there's a disparity of competitiveness there.

PRS may not be Peds or Surg Onc but its a pretty tough match; possible from a good community program easier from a bigger name (exceptions exist obviously). Breast and CT are less competitive at this time.

 

[Winged Scapula]

At any rate, unless there are some extenuating circumstances, your goal should always be to obtain the best training possible for the rest of your career. Even if it means leaving home, it's for a short period of time. You haven't really given us any information as to what the issue is for YOU in choosing between these programs.

The choice between those program DEPENDS on multiple factors. You may not be interested in anything highly competitive now (except PRS) but I'm sure @southernIM and others can advise you that that can change.

 

[doctorrr]

Thank you guys! I appreciate it