How much does prestige matter?

[captaincrunch]

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How much do you all think the prestige of one's medical school affects one's ability to obtain an interview for residency? In my experience, people from less well-known medical schools often have to prove themselves more with high board scores and grades to be considered at programs that will grant interviews to students from top-teir schools with less impressive stats. I wonder if these differences account for the wide discrepancies on what it takes to match posted in these forums. Any thoughts?

 

[cdql]

I'm sure it matters to some degree. If you are talking about an awesome student from an awesome school and an awesome student from a middle-tier school, then it is clear who has the advantage.

But overall, you have so much to worry about: grades, LOR's, board scores, research, etc... etc... that med school prestige will probably not play a very large role. I read one article where a PD states that he ranks med school prestige as a 2 out of 5 on an importance scale.

 

[captaincrunch]

Thinking back to my original post, I think that what you said is true once an interview is granted, but most programs make fairly significant cuts before an applicant gets an opportunity to interview and sell him/herself to a program. I come from a middle-teir medical school, and I have seen people with excellent credentials denied interviews at many of the top programs. I can't help but wonder if an ivy-league degree would help them get past that first screening so their application can be considered in full.

 

[cdql]

I believe if a program is competitive, it makes cuts based on things like board scores. It would have to be an extremely competitive program to start screening for things like "Is the applicant from an Ivy League medical school?"

And if that is the case, then I would want no part of that snobby residency program anyway.

I think the people that you were referring to (the ones with excellent credentials who were denied interviews at many of the top programs) were just being unrealistic. For instance, our dean has told us that if we apply to fields like plastics, derm, ent, etc..., apply to many, apply to all, and smile like hell if you get accepted anywhere.

For some of the most competitive specialties, you have to be happy with simply matching and not matching at top programs.