I want to live on the SC Coast...

[redgrover]

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I want to live on the South Carolina coast, preferably in Charleston. I am not a South Carolina resident but have the opportunity to become one before I apply to med schools (admittedly with a small financial sacrifice).

Attending MUSC or even USC sounds very attractive.

I understand that going to med school helps one place for residency and that the location of one's residency is a decisive factor in deciding where one eventually practices.

If I want to go into pediatrics (or maybe PM&R--realizing my mind could change), is it worth attending a South Carolina school?

I'm a Tennessee resident, if that makes any difference.

(Any recommenations on finding out how all of this works? I'm rather clueless regarding the importance of residency, attending a top program, location, etc...)

 

[mpp]

No. According to Section 17(b).1.3 of the The American Board of Pediatrics and the Congress of Physiatrists, people from South Carolina can never be members.

In jest...

Go where you like. You can be any type of doctor you would like to be. If you are really interested in those schools it's probably best to become a resident of South Carolina first. Do well in school and on the MCAT to increase your chances of acceptance into your top choices of school. Good luck...

 

[Jalby]

Originally posted by redgrover

Attending MUSC or even USC sounds very attractive.

We are like 3,000 miles away. I wouldn't really recommend it. 😉

 

[emanresu]

Please clarify what you mean by "worth attending a SC school?"

 

[redgrover]

Sorry folks, I don't think I made my original post clear enough.

Essentially what I am asking is how much does where I attend school affect where I will be able to practice medicine?

I am asking for some perspective because I am leaving law school to go to med school (probably a source of my disorientation). Law is extremely geographically-centered. You had better be a resident of a certain state if you want to practice in that state. If you're not a resident, you had better go to school in that state or go to a VERY highly ranked school (and usually that doesn't help that much for some areas) to stand a chance to practice in a region (e.g. if I wanted to practice law in Charleston, I, by all means, should go to the University of South Carolina). Is medicine like this?

That is, how much will the school affect where I will be able to obtain my residency and how much will my residency affect where I will practice medicine some day? Is there a degree of latitude where people can move from place to place with freedom or no?

I am looking at a career in fields that are generally considered less competitive for residency. I absolutely love kids, enjoyed shadowing peds doctors, etc... Will this affect my situation?

I'm trying to get a feel for how much geographic freedom I'll have. Will I be disadvantaged by going to a TN school if I want to live in Charleston? live in California?

Or if those are my goals, would I be better off moving to South Carolina and esablishing residency (SC and TN state schools are about equally competitive--3.6 28 or 29, similar acceptance rate).

 

[mpp]

In general, the more contact you have with programs the easier it is to land a residency and perhaps easier to get a job later. But it is by no means a requirement and you can always do away clinical rotations to become more familiar with the programs. The best thing to do is do as well as you can in medical school and on Step I and then you will be more likely have your pick of residency programs. Graduating from a well-respected residency program will likely open doors to jobs.