Need HELP - Wake, UNC, Emory, MUSC Anesthesia Res

[docofthefuture92]

They all seemed to impress me during interviews and my pros/cons list are all tight. Any thoughts/recommendations very much appreicatied!

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[Remxed]

They're all solid programs. Where do you want to live for the next 4 years? and where do you want to work in the future? That should help narrow down your choices.

 

[Bertelman]

If they are all pretty equal in your mind, consider whether you want to do a fellowship. Let’s pick cardiac, for example.

A couple of those have excellent programs. Might be easier to match into the fellowship after completing residency there.

I wouldn’t normally recommend this because you probably don’t know what you want. But if your rank is really that tight, this could help. Frankly, they are 4 strong programs

 

[mdo1738]

They’re all fairly similar. Very good programs, some of the top in the south/pseudo-south (North Carolina is a northerner’s version of the south).

Things to consider outside of the program quality/training itself:

Lifestyle: it’s been several years for me, but when I interviewed Wake would have easily been the top of these in terms of hours and moonlighting pay.

Cost of living: All of these are fairly expensive places to live. Certainly not on the level of LA/NYC, but not cheap.

Traffic: Atlanta traffic is notoriously bad. Charleston’s isn’t great. The others are reasonable.

City: Atlanta is obviously the biggest city, so all the stuff that comes with that. Major international airport hub, pro sports, huge concerts, tons of restaurants, etc. Charleston is a booming city right now, huge tourist destination. It is a beach city, which is awesome. Probably 2nd only to Nashville in terms of southern cities for tourists currently. It’s a medium city that is bursting into a larger one, and the downside is the strain that comes with that (housing prices, traffic worsening, hard to get into many restaurants, etc). Chapel Hill is a college city for sure, but even though each city in The Triangle is distinct, they’re all reasonably close. Chapel Hill to Raleigh can be 20-30 minute drive, and Raleigh is a good, medium sized city. Durham is not bad either. I cannot speak much about Winston-Salem as I only drove through it a couple times, definitely the smallest.

Food: Atlanta and Charleston have outstanding, world class restaurants. I did not ever eat food in Winston-Salem, but based on my time living in The Triangle, North Carolina has the world’s most mediocre food. Carolina “BBQ” is very bad and not real BBQ.


In short, programs are all very equal. Great training, they all have alumni all over the south/southeast so it will be no problem networking for jobs anywhere. So go to the place where you think you’ll be happiest for 4+ years.

 

[Gern Blansten]

They’re all fairly similar. Very good programs, some of the top in the south/pseudo-south (North Carolina is a northerner’s version of the south).

Things to consider outside of the program quality/training itself:

Lifestyle: it’s been several years for me, but when I interviewed Wake would have easily been the top of these in terms of hours and moonlighting pay.

Cost of living: All of these are fairly expensive places to live. Certainly not on the level of LA/NYC, but not cheap.

Traffic: Atlanta traffic is notoriously bad. Charleston’s isn’t great. The others are reasonable.

City: Atlanta is obviously the biggest city, so all the stuff that comes with that. Major international airport hub, pro sports, huge concerts, tons of restaurants, etc. Charleston is a booming city right now, huge tourist destination. It is a beach city, which is awesome. Probably 2nd only to Nashville in terms of southern cities for tourists currently. It’s a medium city that is bursting into a larger one, and the downside is the strain that comes with that (housing prices, traffic worsening, hard to get into many restaurants, etc). Chapel Hill is a college city for sure, but even though each city in The Triangle is distinct, they’re all reasonably close. Chapel Hill to Raleigh can be 20-30 minute drive, and Raleigh is a good, medium sized city. Durham is not bad either. I cannot speak much about Winston-Salem as I only drove through it a couple times, definitely the smallest.

Food: Atlanta and Charleston have outstanding, world class restaurants. I did not ever eat food in Winston-Salem, but based on my time living in The Triangle, North Carolina has the world’s most mediocre food. Carolina “BBQ” is very bad and not real BBQ.


In short, programs are all very equal. Great training, they all have alumni all over the south/southeast so it will be no problem networking for jobs anywhere. So go to the place where you think you’ll be happiest for 4+ years.

Agree on the bad BBQ in North Carolina. I made that mistake once.

 

[linkin06]

Wake is a good program I remember, but it also was more older folks with families. If you're single, I would not recommend it because the social scene is not great for things to do.
I'd pick UNC over wake as chapel hill and triangle area is nice.

 

[Bertelman]

North Carolina has the world’s most mediocre food. Carolina “BBQ” is very bad and not real BBQ.

😂

 

[bocciball]

I trained at Wake... excellent program. Although all your programs are "good programs"... Wake is in league above the others.

 

[Gern Blansten]

I trained at Wake... excellent program. Although all your programs are "good programs"... Wake is in league above the others.

As an outsider, I would say Wake is a top ten program nationally.

 

[nimbus]

I trained at Wake... excellent program. Although all your programs are "good programs"... Wake is in league above the others.

But how is the food?

 

[BLADEMDA]

Wake has a low cost of living and is a very good program. UNC is a good program but likely not as good as Wake. Social life? Now that's a different story entirely as your list has better locations for social life. Wake may finish first in your list of programs in every category except social life.

 

[Dabears38]

I also trained at Wake and had a similar rank list. I will second Bocci’s assessment. Feel free to PM with any questions.

 

[kidthor]

They all seemed to impress me during interviews and my pros/cons list are all tight. Any thoughts/recommendations very much appreicatied!

Eh just go with your gut. They’re all fairly similar so I’d just pick wherever you envision being happiest.