Inexpensive Cities for Residency

[Perfect Hair Day]

Good Morning SDN!

Exploring the US map for potential residency locations. Thankfully I am not tied down by family and my Step 1 score is high enough that most doors are open to me (Step 1 = 247, applying to IM). I'm looking at probably $500k in debt between college, graduate school, and medical school loans + car payment and credit card debt. I'd like to make decent headway towards paying off my consumer debt and starting a considerable amount of savings (maybe like $5k-$7k a year during residency) but would also like to live comfortably in a big city. I'm planning on subspecializing in cardiology, so obviously the prestige of a medicine program isn't something I want to cave on.

I've been thinking Vanderbilt, Baylor, Mayo, other Texas programs, possibly UAB, Emory, University of Colorado.

What other cities/programs should I consider that would be considered affordable/livable with also good reputation for a match into cardiology? I love the idea of Florida & Texas because there's no state income tax!

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[LucidSplash]

No state income tax here in TN either. Though Nashville isn't the cheapest place to live by any means.

 

[clausewitz2]

No state income tax here in TN either. Though Nashville isn't the cheapest place to live by any means.

Yeah, Nashville is pretty pricey for what it is. Atlanta had a lot of world class food, a ton of diversity, fantastic air links, no appreciable snow, and housing is still fairly inexpensive.

 

[Phloston]

In light of current events, I think one of the things you should also consider is how blue or red of a location you want to live in. The programs you've listed are across the board. To be honest, cost of living/cheap rent is something you can make work pretty much wherever you are, as long as you're not in a mid-city condo on the 12th floor.

 

[Amygdarya]

Pittsburgh/UPMC if you don't mind the cold.

 

[AdmiralChz]

Actually pretty reasonable list, and these comments are only based on cost of living. I would disagree about Emory - the main hospital is in the middle of a very expensive suburb, when I interviewed there for med school and fellowship I was definitely taken aback by the cost of living, especially compared to Houston (Baylor) and Cleveland. Mayo isn't exactly in the southeast like your other programs, but isn't crazy expensive. Nashville isn't too bad if you live in the right place.

UAB is a great program, but Birmingham is far from the city atmosphere you seem to be seeking so consider that. Would also recommend Florida/Texas for lack of income tax which makes a substantial difference, honestly.

You haven't mentioned any northeast programs which is smart - some great programs, but check out the nursing union threads for some issues fellow posters have had (drawing their own labs...) and the major cities are incredibly expensive, some of my friends with families have actually INCREASED their debt during residency - not sure that's worth it, honestly,

 

[NWwildcat2013]

edit.

 

[DoxMom]

Forget University of Colorado if you seek low cost of living. Rents are high here.

 

[psychhopefull2016]

Pittsburgh/UPMC if you don't mind the cold.

I was coming here to say the same thing!

 

[Follow the Cairns]

How about looking at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville? Looks like they have an IM residency program. I'm familiar with the institution and it's a nice campus in pretty close proximity to Jax Beach. My husband did a fellowship there. We lived close to Mayo on the water and had a boat, it was pretty nice. Benefits of the Mayo name while living in Florida.

Houston is reasonably priced as well, though you can spend a lot more than you might think living in desirable areas of town close to the Texas Medical Center. I am also a former resident of Denver, and would agree with DoxMom that rents can be high there. OTOH, if you are willing to live in/near Aurora where Anschutz Medical Campus is located, it's not as pricey as you might think (though I would not recommend the areas immediately adjacent to Anschutz).

 

[mimelim]

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[Follow the Cairns]

Living in and around the TMC is dirt cheap. There is expensive housing in every city, but within 5-10 min drive of TMC? There are a lot of safe and affordable neighborhoods.

I was thinking more along the lines of Midtown, Montrose, Heights, Washington Corridor.... areas that are the most desirable to millenials. But, I'll agree that there are some areas very nearby the TMC that are reasonably priced (if not particularly exciting).

And I think St. Louis is a good suggestion as well.

 

[Scope guy]

find a place that ll let u moonlight in pgy 2 and pgy 3. lot of AMGs do ask for that during IVs. Some make close to 3 to 4k per month in moonlighting alone. wherever u go, u can share apartment, cut costs and stay cheap. Cleveland is supposed to be cheaper. I wouldnt think about boston, NYC or West coast cities

 

[npappasan]

Forget cost of living. Go where you will get top notch training and have the best shot at landing that top cardiology fellowship. Sometimes cheaper isn't better; it's just cheaper.

 

[Warderino92]

Florida has no income tax or yearly car taxes which is super nice if you wanted to do residency at UF. Gainesville is a little island all by itself though with nothing but farmland in all 4 directions.

 

[smq123]

Florida has no income tax or yearly car taxes which is super nice if you wanted to do residency at UF. Gainesville is a little island all by itself though with nothing but farmland in all 4 directions.

Tampa (USF) isn't that expensive either. And you're half an hour from the beach.

 

[n618ft]

Usually anywhere that's not a big city. Anywhere in FL with the exception of south FL like Miami or Palm Beach. No state income tax, cheap housing if you don't need to walk to the hospitals. I ended up buying a place where I'm at for a little more than $500 a month mortgage. At the very least, it's a good investment.

 

[MediCane2006]

Chiming in for Jacksonville being a great city with a vibrant food and craft beer scene, sports (pro and minor-league), beaches, and low cost of living.

 

[npappasan]

I can't believe you just used the term "craft beer scene".

 

[gutonc]

I can't believe you just used the term "craft beer scene".

In general? Or in relation to Jax? Because the former is a legit way to evaluate programs, the latter is just...sad.

 

[AdmiralChz]

I can't believe you just used the term "craft beer scene".

Breweries are the new outdoor hangout spots these days, and Jacksonville has some really good ones (Bold City comes immediately to mind).

 

[npappasan]

I just find the whole

Breweries are the new outdoor hangout spots these days, and Jacksonville has some really good ones (Bold City comes immediately to mind).

Please. 6 months ago, all the Zac Brown wannabees were shotgunning domestic light beer out of a suitcase pack. I'm getting a mental image of bearded, dad bodied guys in skinny jeans. Now, they're all beer afficionados with sophisticated palates for premium hops, mustache wax and all. Craft beer scene indeed. It's just f••king beer.

 

[smq123]

I just find the whole

Please. 6 months ago, all the Zac Brown wannabees were shotgunning domestic light beer out of a suitcase pack. I'm getting a mental image of bearded, dad bodied guys in skinny jeans. Now, they're all beer afficionados with sophisticated palates for premium hops, mustache wax and all. Craft beer scene indeed. It's just f••king beer.

Ahem. Well, for those of us who DO like to try various craft beers at different breweries, I will second the Jacksonville suggestion. Cost of living is cheap, you're close to some great beaches, and there are plenty of good restaurants and breweries (for those of us who are into that sort of thing). St. Augustine is nearby and is a nice day trip.

 

[backcountryrez]

I moved down to RVA from BOS not for the cheap living, but for the program. The cheap living was a plus. The downside, though, is as good as the program is, sometimes I feel like I've eternally condemned myself to a career centralized in the Mid-Atlantic states.

Don't take any advice from me, though. I have no social life and I don't know whether to blame it on the city, myself, the program, or a little bit of all three.

Psych consult, anyone?

 

[augeremt]

I moved down to RVA from BOS not for the cheap living, but for the program. The cheap living was a plus. The downside, though, is as good as the program is, sometimes I feel like I've eternally condemned myself to a career centralized in the Mid-Atlantic states.

Don't take any advice from me, though. I have no social life and I don't know whether to blame it on the city, myself, the program, or a little bit of all three.

Psych consult, anyone?

Any redeeming factors of RVA? I'm seriously considering doing an away there and curious to hear an insider's view.

 

[rokshana]

Any redeeming factors of RVA? I'm seriously considering doing an away there and curious to hear an insider's view.

don't think an intern who has been in richmond for 6-7 months can really be called an "insider"...

 

[augeremt]

don't think an intern who has been in richmond for 6-7 months can really be called an "insider"...

Fair point. I was going for the "medical person not from the region but living there now with not-so-much time on their hands" perspective to get a glimpse of a potential future life for me there.

True insider information is also appreciated from anyone familiar with the area.

 

[northernpsy]

Don't take any advice from me, though. I have no social life and I don't know whether to blame it on the city, myself, the program, or a little bit of all three.

Psych consult, anyone?

You're an intern? Sounds like you're totally normal to me.

 

[backcountryrez]

Any redeeming factors of RVA? I'm seriously considering doing an away there and curious to hear an insider's view.

I've cultivated a few professional relationships here and the commonality between them is that they have a love for the arts. I also can walk into work in mid-January in a pair of shorts and not think second thoughts for it. Boston, not so much.

I'm not an insider by any stretch of the imagination and I am prognosticating it could be another 5-8 years before I could really immerse myself in RVA's culture. Being a first-year intern in my mid-30's already puts me "out of touch" with my peers who are largely 10 years my junior.

 

[MediCane2006]

I just find the whole

Please. 6 months ago, all the Zac Brown wannabees were shotgunning domestic light beer out of a suitcase pack. I'm getting a mental image of bearded, dad bodied guys in skinny jeans. Now, they're all beer afficionados with sophisticated palates for premium hops, mustache wax and all. Craft beer scene indeed. It's just f••king beer.

Haters gonna hate.....

 

[caffeinemia]

Florida has no income tax or yearly car taxes which is super nice if you wanted to do residency at UF. Gainesville is a little island all by itself though with nothing but farmland in all 4 directions.

But then you could walk outside and someone could shoot you for no reason. Seems like that type of **** only happens in FL.

Anyhoo. Tx, especially Houston, seems very reasonable. If you want a big city (that's not to say Houston isn't also big), I also found Chicago to also be relatively reasonable too -- especially if you don't live in the really ritzy parts of town.

 

[smq123]

But then you could walk outside and someone could shoot you for no reason. Seems like that type of **** only happens in FL.

Anyhoo. Tx, especially Houston, seems very reasonable. If you want a big city (that's not to say Houston isn't also big), I also found Chicago to also be relatively reasonable too -- especially if you don't live in the really ritzy parts of town.

Have you ever been to Florida?

It's not that bad.

 

[Warderino92]

Having grown up in South Florida it's pretty much a detached part of New England that somehow ended up in the swamp as far as the people and culture go. Having gone to school in north Florida it's nothing but farmland and more southern types of personalities. Huge difference within the same state.

 

[armybound]

I was thinking more along the lines of Midtown, Montrose, Heights, Washington Corridor.... areas that are the most desirable to millenials. But, I'll agree that there are some areas very nearby the TMC that are reasonably priced (if not particularly exciting).

And I think St. Louis is a good suggestion as well.

I lived in Westbury and found it to be a very nice place to live and very affordable.

if you're thinking other parts of Texas, Temple is dirt cheap. I imagine Lubbock is too, but who wants to live in Lubbock?

I will say Nashville isn't the cheapest, but I LOVE Nashville and am trying to find a job there. It would be worth the money, imo.

 

[MediCane2006]

Having grown up in South Florida it's pretty much a detached part of New England that somehow ended up in the swamp as far as the people and culture go. Having gone to school in north Florida it's nothing but farmland and more southern types of personalities. Huge difference within the same state.

I feel like the resident Florida apologist sometimes (along with @smq123 ) but North Florida is absolutely not "nothing but farmland". There are some very vibrant cities with plenty of culture, beautiful beaches, and pristine wilderness recreation areas here.

That being said, I'm ok with people staying away from our little slice of paradise as it keeps cost of living and population density down...

 

[Hershalmike555]

Forget University of Colorado if you seek low cost of living. Rents are high here.

But the OP are looking for cheap place to live on.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

I'm not sure if you're still looking or if you already sorted this, but NM is cheap as well. ABQ has an IM program and is a cheap place to live and has a major airport. If you do have it sorted you should let us all know where you ended up!