IM programs in PA and NJ?

[nope80]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm trying to figure out the list of programs I am going to apply to for IM. The issue is I am dual applying and so I have to apply transitional and categorical. But the question is which programs do I apply categorical for IM and which transitional? I'm specifically curious about PA and NJ are there any programs that stand out better as transitional year programs? How do the IM programs rank in competitiveness?

Here is my list that I am thinking of applying categorical:
Penn State University
Einstein Medical Center
Drexel University
HUP
Pennsylvania Hospital
Temple
Thomas Jefferson
Crozer-Chester Medical Center – Upland, PA
York Hospital

Prelim/Transit:
Abington Hospital
Geisinger Health System Program – Danville, PA
Mercy Catholic Medical Center Program – Darby, PA
Pinnacle Health Program - Harrisburg, PA
Lankenau Hospital Program – Wynnewood, PA
*St. Luke’s Hospital – Bethlehem, PA
*Reading Hospital – West Reading, PA
*Lehigh Valley Hospital – Allentown, PA
Some of the prelim programs have categorical programs and vice versa. How does this list look? Should I take any off the prelim list and put in the categorical list or vice versa?
Any help would be appreciated!!

 

[jdh71]

What else are you applying for?

I'd stick with University programs for categorical and Community programs for prelim

 

[nope80]

Also, I'm pretty lost when it comes to NJ. I'm not from the area and I have no real idea how the hospitals are. On ERAS, I'm seeing UMDNJ-Robert Wood, Englewood Hospital, Jersey City Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center, Mountainside Hospital, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Jersey Shore University, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Program, UMDNJ New Jersey, Seton Hall. Any ideas about what the top tier, mid tier, easier programs are for categorical vs prelim??

 

[nope80]

What else are you applying for?

I'd stick with University programs for categorical and Community programs for prelim

Thanks for the response See I would do that in general but then I feel like I am not giving myself a wide range of tiers in the categorical programs. So if I apply to all university programs I feel like I need a few solid community programs as back ups? What do you think? If I needed to apply to a few solid community programs, which ones would they be from that list - thats what I am having trouble determining?

Rads is the other specialty - although I dont entirely have the numbers. I have tons of research and other things going in my favor so really rads is just a wish but not necessarily a reality.

 

[jdh71]

Thanks for the response See I would do that in general but then I feel like I am not giving myself a wide range of tiers in the categorical programs. So if I apply to all university programs I feel like I need a few solid community programs as back ups? What do you think? If I needed to apply to a few solid community programs, which ones would they be from that list - thats what I am having trouble determining?

Rads is the other specialty - although I dont entirely have the numbers. I have tons of research and other things going in my favor so really rads is just a wish but not necessarily a reality.

An american applicant with good scores should find you a nice spot in a university program. I promise your categorical list as it stands is more than adequate. (HUP = Pittsburgh ??, because if it does not you need to apply there for categorical)

 

[gutonc]

An american applicant with good scores should find you a nice spot in a university program. I promise your categorical list as it stands is more than adequate. (HUP = Pittsburgh ??, because if it does not you need to apply there for categorical)

I'm pretty sure it's Penn. But I totally agree that Pitt needs to be on the list as it's better than any other program on the list besides Penn.

 

[nope80]

The only reason i didnt put pitt was location constraints that I have w my family.

Its def a long list but I dont know anything about these programs and whether there are some that shouldnt be on the list for any reason? How about the nj programs? I really appreciate the help!

 

[gutonc]

The only reason i didnt put pitt was location constraints that I have w my family.

Its def a long list but I dont know anything about these programs and whether there are some that shouldnt be on the list for any reason? How about the nj programs? I really appreciate the help!

Fair enough.

As for the NJ programs. UMDNJ-RWJ > UMDNJ-NJMS >>> All the others.

 

[himanshu82]

I interviewed at the Philly programs for cards and have friends that go to Jefferson and Penn for IM categorical.

From them, I heard that Jefferson is a solid program w/ great location and pretty good fellowship match.

It seems drexel and temple are an notch below Jefferson.

 

[gutonc]

I interviewed at the Philly programs for cards and have friends that go to Jefferson and Penn for IM categorical.

From them, I heard that Jefferson is a solid program w/ great location and pretty good fellowship match.

It seems drexel and temple are an notch below Jefferson.

True. TJU is definitely the #2 program (almost regardless of specialty) in Philly. Temple is slightly below it and Drexel far below that. A number of the community programs have better national reps than Drexel.

 

[smq123]

An american applicant with good scores should find you a nice spot in a university program. I promise your categorical list as it stands is more than adequate. (HUP = Pittsburgh ??, because if it does not you need to apply there for categorical)

HUP = Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Everyone in Pittsburgh calls Pitt's medical center "UPMC."

 

[jdh71]

HUP = Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Everyone in Pittsburgh calls Pitt's medical center "UPMC."

learn something new everyday . . . I've heard of UPMC, but not HUP. It's always been called "Penn" in my parts of the world.

 

[gutonc]

learn something new everyday . . . I've heard of UPMC, but not HUP. It's always been called "Penn" in my parts of the world.

If by "my parts of the world" you mean "everywhere on the planet" I agree.

 

[smq123]

learn something new everyday . . . I've heard of UPMC, but not HUP. It's always been called "Penn" in my parts of the world.

There's even variation based on which part of the Philadelphia area you're from. People from the eastern suburbs tend to call it "Penn," while people from Center City and from the western suburbs will say, "I had my surgery done at HUP," or something like that.

People also rarely refer to it as "Drexel," but more frequently as Hahnemann.

OP - if you're going to apply to York and Crozer categoricals, you might as well apply to Lankenau's categorical, too. It's probably about the same, if not better, than those.

Einstein and York also offer transitionals, but those are supposedly two of the most competitive programs in the country, so I don't know if you're avoiding those for that reason. I rotated at Einstein for a couple of things as a med student, and the stats of some of the prelims there blew me away (250s/260s Step 1, UCLA/Harvard type degrees).

I'm surprised that Cooper didn't show up on your list of categoricals in NJ. It's not that far from Philly (a 15 minute train ride) and while Camden is kind of ghetto, so is Temple. It's a solid hospital, with good programs (if you don't mind seeing Kelly Ripa's face EVERYWHERE as you go to work).