How much is the name really worth?

[Sadame]

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I've noticed that many people here place a lot of value on the prestige and reputation of a program. I'm just wondering, in respect to applying for a residency program, how much weight does the school you graduate from carry? I mean, I honestly feel every school teaches you what you need to know to become a doctor, but I can also see how a name like Harvard or whatever could help. Lets say for example, is it harder for a student to get into a competitve residency program from an unknown, unranked school as opposed to that same student getting in from an upper tier school? Thoughts?

 

[jjmack]

This question has been beaten to death. If you want to stay in academic medicine or research then going to a prestigious school is very important. I was talking to my boss the other day about this very question. He is an MD/PhD from einstein and did his residency in psychiatry at columbia (one of the top programs in the country). He told me that he could very easily be looked over for promotions in academics just because he went to a place like einstein instead of columbia or wash u. I know it sounds petty but it's true. However, on the other had if you want to go into private practice I think practically it doesn't really matter where you go to med school.

 

[exmike]

its pretty much agreed that reputation plays a role in residency placement, but not more than your Step 1.

 

[g3pro]

Prestige means little relative to board scores.

 

[elias514]

You can get into any residency program from just about any med school, esp. the schools included in the US News research rankings. As for academia and prestige, if you want to become the chairman of a department, you'll get there faster if you go to a prestigious med school and complete your postgrad work at top-notch places. But plenty of faculty members at top institutions graduated from average med schools (although they're very accomplished people in terms of research output and fellowships).

Don't worry about med school prestige, man. I think the importance of it in the determination of professional success is grossly inflated on SDN. Just go where you think you'll be happy.

 

[CalBeE]

Again,

Being the BIG FISH always help, no matter how small the pond is.

But then being the Big fish in a BIG POND certainly is better. 😉

 

[Beast]

Like the OP, I am having some difficulty gauging how important the academic reputation of the med school you attend is in residency placement. I know school name pales in comparison to say, step 1 scores, but where does it fit in with all the other factors? Like preclinical grades, class rank, rotation grades, third year evals, audition rotations, honors and aoa, deans letter, stuff like that. If its even possible, I think it would be helpful to try to put these things into a list of relative importance, if anyone is ambitious enough to try. And maybe someone in the Allo form would be better suited to do it, i don't know. A related question is, ok so you can theoretically get to any residency from any med school, but does that mean you have to work your ass off at a lesser known school to get honors, be number one in your class, crap like that to get that residency? any thoughts appreciated.

 

[Zweihander]

For certain residencies and residency locations, name matters more than in others.

A survey of program directors in emergency medicine -- a fairly competitive residency -- found, for example, that among the least important factors for them in selecting residents for their programs were research, AOA status, and medical school attended. Undoubtedly this is not the case for something like dermatology. So, depending on what you think you will go into, school can be important or not.

 

[exmike]

basically for Derm, Ophtho, Plastics, ENT, maybe ortho - your school can make a noticeable impact. the rest probably matter a lot less.

 

[souljah1]

Prestige means little relative to board scores.

I think that largely depends on the type of residency you are considering. For instance, programs in internal medicine use board scores more as a cutoff. Most people would agree that IM program directors appear to value clerkship grades and where you went to medical score more so than board scores. I know for certain that not everyone who matched in medicine from UCSF this year kicked ass on the boards. Yet, they are all going to amazing places. Yes, board scores are important, but they are not the most important factor for many residencies. One of the program directors for medicine here told us that she cannot remember the last time she looked at board scores as a major factor in choosing someone.