Is Duke > Georgetown?

[CharmCityRunner]

Yes, its another IM program comparison post... Opinions of all sorts would be appreciated!

I live in DC now, and much of my family is here- with the notable exception of my husband, who lives and works in North Carolina. I have put a lot of effort into networking at Duke and really felt at home on my away rotations there, but my husband has been getting more and more homesick for DC. I really loved Georgetown on my interview day as well.... And now I'm a little stuck.

What I really want to know is whether or not these two programs are in the same class. I am looking for a challenging program that will give me the best clinical education I can get... Good mentorship and autonomy are a must, but I'm honestly less interested in research. While at Duke I felt like my attendings were brilliant and provided higher quality teaching than at my home institution, and the residents were all incredibly competent and confident. Should I expect the same from Georgetown?

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[HarryGary]

Duke has one of the very best IM programs in the country. You would get top-notch training and exposure to wide patient pathology, and the doors to the most elite academic fellowships would be open to you.

Still, family is important, and almost any IM program, especially a university affiliated one will give you solid clinical training. If you don't intend on applying for a competitive fellowship (GI, Cards), then I would strongly consider Georgetown.

 

[darkelven29]

Uhm their match list would beg to differ. 100% match rate, decent list.

Cards at Michigan, CCF, and Pitt
GI at Virginia and Yale
(Not too much in house, don't know why)

But it's no where near Duke's level. I'm sure you also interviewed at other programs in bigger cities within 1-2 hrs flight to DC that rival Duke's clinical training? Your husband may just need to be in a city like DC and be living with you?

Forgive my bluntness, but It's kind of unfair that you did all the work of networking/externship in North Carolina because your husband is working there, and then now he doesn't want to be there anymore...

 

[HarryGary]

Uhm their match list would beg to differ. 100% match rate, decent list.

Cards at Michigan, CCF, and Pitt
GI at Virginia and Yale
(Not too much in house, don't know why)

But it's no where near Duke's level. I'm sure you also interviewed at other programs in bigger cities within 1-2 hrs flight to DC that rival Duke's clinical training? Your husband may just need to be in a city like DC and be living with you?

Forgive my bluntness, but It's kind of unfair that you did all the work of networking/externship in North Carolina because your husband is working there, and then now he doesn't want to be there anymore...

Most programs have a 100% match rate, doesn't really mean much, but Cards at Michigan and CCF is outstanding. I think this should make it easier to pick Georgetown over Duke if you're family is pushing you toward it.

 

[CharmCityRunner]

Forgive my bluntness, but It's kind of unfair that you did all the work of networking/externship in North Carolina because your husband is working there, and then now he doesn't want to be there anymore...

My husband and I both agree with you but I am glad that he is at least being honest. This is exactly what I am trying to figure out... Without the special interest I paid to Duke (visiting elective, letter of rec from a faculty member)I doubt I would have been a contender at all. Lets just say I won't be helping their average Step1 scores... I feel ridiculous for even considering letting that slip away (especially since I liked working there so much). But I/we still feel more emotionally drawn to somewhere near family.

I just didn't really know how to compare them on an academic scale.

 

[Eurostar]

Yeah great fellowship match list at Georgetown this year.

In general, if you want to go into a competitive specialty you should prioritize programs that get you into those specialties a bit higher. If you want to go into primary care / hospitalist then you can prioritize other factors a bit higher ie location, family factors, resident quality of life / the vibe you get from the residents, how nice the PD and other faculty are. Obviously you're looking for a program that has everything, but sometimes thats not possible. This is 3 years of your life so if you're going to be miserable in a place or its going to create a strain on your family or friends, then it doesnt make much sense to go there.

 

[infarct]

Yes, its another IM program comparison post... Opinions of all sorts would be appreciated!

I live in DC now, and much of my family is here- with the notable exception of my husband, who lives and works in North Carolina. I have put a lot of effort into networking at Duke and really felt at home on my away rotations there, but my husband has been getting more and more homesick for DC. I really loved Georgetown on my interview day as well.... And now I'm a little stuck.

What I really want to know is whether or not these two programs are in the same class. I am looking for a challenging program that will give me the best clinical education I can get... Good mentorship and autonomy are a must, but I'm honestly less interested in research. While at Duke I felt like my attendings were brilliant and provided higher quality teaching than at my home institution, and the residents were all incredibly competent and confident. Should I expect the same from Georgetown?

....to avoid belaboring the point. put simply duke>georgetown. but...DC>anything in NC

 

[OCallag]

....to avoid belaboring the point. put simply duke>georgetown. but...DC>anything in NC

...except in the departments of cost of living, traffic, # of yuppie douchebags...

 

[indiamacbean]

Having been through both the residency match and cardiology fellowship match I can tell you without a doubt that you should stay in DC. Residency is hard (not as hard as it used to be) fellowship is hard (possibly harder than it used to be) and we're talking many years of your life here. I know a lot about Duke and less about Georgetown but can tell you that Georgetown will get you where you want to go. Choose your family, choose your husband, choose where you are emotionally drawn. Residency and fellowship will pull you away from those things enough regardless of where you go. IM to fellowship to practice is a marathon. "Honestly I'm less interested in research." That pretty much says to me (and not in a bad way) that you need to put your life outside of the hospital first. If all you cared about was an academic career I would advise you differently but that is not the case. Choose DC. You are not letting anything go. You are choosing to put your life outside of work and your marriage first.