How much does residency reputation matter?

[turica]

I am asking this question because I am applying for my internal medicine residency right now and I am most likely leaning towards Northwestern - having said that, NW isn't in the top 20 for GI (on US news) - Having that said, I don't know how much I should rely on rank lists but I feel they can't be complete bs and should have some degree of credibility.

I know that in-house residency plays a big factor when choosing fellows.

My rank list looks something like...

1. Northwestern (rep + location)
2. Mayo (rep)
3. Wash U (rep + location but weighing Mayo's rep highly outweighing location factor)
4. Ann Arbor (rep + location but weighing Mayo's rep highly outweighing location factor)
5. Cedars
6. USC
7. U of Miami

Cedars is ranked #3 on US news
Both Wash U and Ann Arbor are ranked higher than NW (by quite a bit)
Mayor ranked #1

Any advice is greatly appreciated - I'm just lost

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[Redpancreas]

Your list is about right. Congrats on landing those top 4 elite places. I would question putting UMich at 4. I am similar in weighing rep over location, but I would bump Mayo down to 4th and Michigan/WashU up to 2/3. I would also put Michigan above WashU, but honestly we're splitting hairs here.

 

[turica]

Your list is about right. Congrats on landing those top 4 elite places. I would question putting UMich at 4. I am similar in weighing rep over location, but I would bump Mayo down to 4th and Michigan/WashU up to 2/3. I would also put Michigan above WashU, but honestly we're splitting hairs here.

Thanks alot!

Yeah, multiple people have told me to bump Mayo down to 4 as well

I was honestly debating myself to put Ann Arbor before Wash U too.. but I feel either way can't go wrong

Wash U's gut feeling was a lot better but Ann Arbor's community is a lot more diverse

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I think you're splitting hairs here. All of those are great programs, and they only thing that will keep you from getting a GI spot is you. You should go wherever you think you will be happy -- that's likely to have more effect on your performance than anything.

 

[#Future.MD.12]

Which programs have the best reputation in the Southeast? Best IBD? Best esophagus? Best advanced programs?

 

[Scope guy]

US news report means nothing in academia. Each of these big places are strong in certain things, not strong in certain things. Eg: NW is huge on motility, Mayo pretty much leader in most areas within GI. Wash U in motility too. For GI, Mayo sounds top notch to me(they have 65 GI faculty). Look for place that will give you more research time in PGY 2, so that you can apply with some abstracts in your bank, that will help programs rank you high. You of course have to bear the brutal Rochester winter for that.

 

[turica]

US news report means nothing in academia. Each of these big places are strong in certain things, not strong in certain things. Eg: NW is huge on motility, Mayo pretty much leader in most areas within GI. Wash U in motility too. For GI, Mayo sounds top notch to me(they have 65 GI faculty). Look for place that will give you more research time in PGY 2, so that you can apply with some abstracts in your bank, that will help programs rank you high. You of course have to bear the brutal Rochester winter for that.

Would you have any clue where Cedars Sinai and Ann Arbor fall into this?

Cedars has a lot of time research for residents - and a lot of funding resources for research and 3rd for GI and cardiology on US news (which I understand doesn't have much to do with academia - so is there any source I can actually use or does that just not exist?)
how would you recommend to weigh this into the ranking list or would you still keep Cedars where it is on my rank list (below 5th)

 

[Gastromeister]

I think you're splitting hairs here. All of those are great programs, and they only thing that will keep you from getting a GI spot is you. You should go wherever you think you will be happy -- that's likely to have more effect on your performance than anything.

This.

 

[Scope guy]

Would you have any clue where Cedars Sinai and Ann Arbor fall into this?

Cedars has a lot of time research for residents - and a lot of funding resources for research and 3rd for GI and cardiology on US news (which I understand doesn't have much to do with academia - so is there any source I can actually use or does that just not exist?)
how would you recommend to weigh this into the ranking list or would you still keep Cedars where it is on my rank list (below 5th)

I dont think Cedars ranks high in any particular area of GI where there is truly a nationally renown person. You will match somewhere for GI but if you are talking about the best places, I dont see Cedars in them.
Ann Arbor is very strong in bench research but not so much clinical side. As a medicine resident, your options for bench research are minimal unfortunately due to time commitment required