Limiting to myself CA IM Programs--Should I apply to more Top Tier Programs?

[odcb]

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Hey all

So I am currently a MS3 at mid tier school in southern CA. I am confident I will be applying to Internal Medicine next year

This is my dilemma. I am currently getting advice from some of my mentors to apply to some of the big programs on the East Coast (MGH, BWH, JHU etc). My goal is to end up in a cardiology fellowship and likely go on to interventional cardiology. The reason I am hesitant to apply more broadly than just southern CA is that I am pretty tied to southern CA with family and a SO.

My questions are these:

-What are some of the internal medicine programs in CA that you would recommend for me considering my goals of staying in CA for cardiology fellowship and likely interventional cardiology super fellowship?

-Is there a significant difference between the top programs in southern CA and the East Coast?

-If I wanted to end up in academics, what are the programs in CA that send the majority of their cardiology fellows into academic centers?

Brieft overview of my stats

Step 1: 265+
Step 2: Not taken yet
AOA: Pending
Pre-Clinical grades: All honors
Clinical: Honors in first four rotations, no medicine or surgery yet
Reputation: Middle tier med school
Research: 1+ abstract in cardiology, 1 cardiology paper pending, several in progress projects in surgery
EC: Free clinic, some international work, some leadership stuff, nothing too exciting

Thanks for any advice you might be able to offer

 

[disorder]

i'm still in this process (applying for residency) so take the following information for what it's worth.

Hey all

So I am currently a MS3 at mid tier school in southern CA. I am confident I will be applying to Internal Medicine next year

This is my dilemma. I am currently getting advice from some of my mentors to apply to some of the big programs on the East Coast (MGH, BWH, JHU etc). My goal is to end up in a cardiology fellowship and likely go on to interventional cardiology. The reason I am hesitant to apply more broadly than just southern CA is that I am pretty tied to southern CA with family and a SO.

This is a personal decision. Best training possible vs location. You need to decide this.

Also, it slightly irks me that people get honed in on such a specific specialty or, sub-specialty before third year even starts. Without finishing out the two big clerkships of the year, try and keep an open mind. But, I guess you know what you want. To each his own.

-What are some of the internal medicine programs in CA that you would recommend for me considering my goals of staying in CA for cardiology fellowship and likely interventional cardiology super fellowship?

From what I've read, it sounds like Cedars, Stanford, Scripps, and Kaiser LA/SF have high volumes of caths. Interventional fellowship is only one year, so even if you stay in X, Y or Z place for Cards, what's spending a year away from CA to do interventional cards?

-Is there a significant difference between the top programs in southern CA and the East Coast?

Don't know. But, I think if you just limit yourself to JUST southern CA... you will be limiting yourself.

-If I wanted to end up in academics, what are the programs in CA that send the majority of their cardiology fellows into academic centers?

I think any of the academic big name instituions will allow you to do this-- anything UC or Stanford.

Brieft overview of my stats

Step 1: 265+
Step 2: Not taken yet
AOA: Pending
Pre-Clinical grades: All honors
Clinical: Honors in first four rotations, no medicine or surgery yet
Reputation: Middle tier med school
Research: 1+ abstract in cardiology, 1 cardiology paper pending, several in progress projects in surgery
EC: Free clinic, some international work, some leadership stuff, nothing too exciting

Thanks for any advice you might be able to offer

So you go to UCI or USC. Honestly. You will be fine with the match. Just don't get butt hurt and whine next year if ALL of the top tier programs don't invite you for an interview (ie why did MGH send me an invite but not BW??!). It's a complete **** show/crap shoot at the top. You will have your choices come this time next year. Again, whether you choose to limit yourself to the CA (and possibly just Southern CA?) is entirely up to you. No one is going to tell you to NOT do that.

Can we get a WAMC FAQ thread?

 

[GOINGDUMB]

brieft overview of my stats

step 1: 265+
step 2: Not taken yet
aoa: Pending
pre-clinical grades: All honors
clinical: Honors in first four rotations, no medicine or surgery yet
reputation: Middle tier med school
research: 1+ abstract in cardiology, 1 cardiology paper pending, several in progress projects in surgery
ec: Free clinic, some international work, some leadership stuff, nothing too exciting

damn son.