Official 2014 Rank Order List & "Help Me Rank" Thread

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I interviewed at 3 of the programs on your list, and had them in the same order (Duke, HSS, Case Western). I cancelled IV's at a number of these programs owing to limited IV time, and being convinced about my number 1 and 2 early on in the IV season. Based on subsequently accumulated impressions, such as they are, I think you have done a great job with this list!

Thank you SmallBird!

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As long as it is officially certified that is all we are required to do, right? Yeah, I'm being neurotic.
 
As long as it is officially certified that is all we are required to do, right? Yeah, I'm being neurotic.

I know this feeling! I'm really scared to miss something and screw it all up too!
 
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Haha. We're all in the neurotic canoe together.

I checked this. Basically, if your are certified and paid, and your NRMP number was placed on you ERAS application then you're good to go. There's no send button or anything to join the match. "Certified" means you rank list will enter the match as is.

Just curious but does anyone know if programs are submitting their lists on this same deadline today?
 
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Haha. We're all in the neurotic canoe together.

I checked this. Basically, if your are certified and paid, and your NRMP number was placed on you ERAS application then you're good to go. There's no send button or anything to join the match. "Certified" means you rank list will enter the match as is.

Just curious but does anyone know if programs are submitting their lists on this same deadline today?

Yes, programs have the exact same deadline as us.
 
Yep...we're obsessively reconfirming that our lists are certified, and chewing on our fingernails for the next 23 days, too.

Best of luck getting a good class.
 
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Yep...we're obsessively reconfirming that our lists are certified, and chewing on our fingernails for the next 23 days, too.

Neurotic question for you: if an applicant you are trying to rank has something incomplete in their application(i.e. NRMP number entered in ERAS wrong, Match list not certified, or some other technical error beyond their control), are you able to notify them or ask them to complete the application correctly?
 
Neurotic question for you: if an applicant you are trying to rank has something incomplete in their application(i.e. NRMP number entered in ERAS wrong, Match list not certified, or some other technical error beyond their control), are you able to notify them or ask them to complete the application correctly?
We can call the NRMP people and report the problem if the ERAS numbers are wrong. If your list isn't certified, I don't think there is anything a program can do as they would be unlikely to know this.
 
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There is something uniquely palpitation-inducing about watching that "Edit Rank Order List" button disappear... and this is coming from someone who certified a month ago.
 
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Congrats to everyone on getting your lists in! Thought I would share my final list and reasoning now that everything's in. I mostly interviewed at west coast programs, so this probably won’t be too helpful for those looking east. If it helps you to understand how I ranked the programs, here are the main things that I was looking for in a program (in no particular order):
  1. Strong academic program with opportunities for electives (outpatient C&L is a particular interest of mine)
  2. Good camaraderie among residents and feeling that I would get along well with them
  3. Close to family and friends (i.e., in southern California)
  4. Ease of living (housing, traffic, public transport, etc.)
Anyway, here's my final list:
  1. UCLA-Semel
  2. Loma Linda
  3. UC Irvine
  4. UW-Seattle
  5. Stanford
  6. University of Utah
  7. Kaiser Fontana
  8. UCLA-San Fernando
  9. OHSU
1. UCLA-Semel
Program highlights: I did a visiting sub-I here and absolutely fell in love with the program while I was there. Fantastic attendings and intelligent residents who are incredibly driven and unique while still being approachable and fun. Every specialty clinic known to man. Great location with lots of stuff to do (e.g., music, comedy, sports, outdoors, etc.) and tons of good food.
Concerns and reservations: A heavy workload with a busy call schedule during PGY-1 and -2. Traffic in the West LA area is consistently atrocious, and housing is expensive.
This program would be perfect for: Someone interested in an academic career who wants to get a strong, broadly based clinical education from top-notch faculty and is willing to work for that.
Why I ranked it as I did: This program had basically everything I was looking for: top-notch faculty, impressive residents, great reputation. The abundance of specialty clinics is extra icing on the cake. The fact that it was within southern California close to family and friends just sealed the deal. Traffic and housing prices were the only major red flags for me, but everything else outweighed those factors.

2. Loma Linda
Program highlights: My home program, and the one I am most familiar with. What appealed to me most about this program is the friendly, down-to-earth faculty and cohesive residents who seem to really love each other. There is a strong clinical focus with high patient volume. Suburban location makes for easy living and great place to raise a family.
Concerns and reservations: Call can be brutal, as you are covering multiple sites, and several residents let on that they worked too hard. No real research to speak of, and no fellowships at this time.
This program would be perfect for: Someone wanting a strong clinical training with a variety of patients from all walks of life and who doesn’t mind working hard for it.
Why I ranked it as I did: Ultimately, this is a great (if somewhat work-heavy) program that I would be happy to continue my training at. There really is a fantastic feeling of camaraderie here among both the attendings and residents. I had concerns about the the workload and general lack of research options, but a lot of peripheral aspects (close to friends and family, ease of living, low traffic, don't have to move) factored into the decision to rank it highly.

3. UC Irvine
Program highlights: This program stood out in my mind for its strong family feel. In addition, the call schedule is amazing with no overnight call after PGY-1. Felt like a very casual program (in a good way) but with a good academic foundation.
Concerns and reservations: Academics not as strong as at bigger-name programs, although they mentioned they are trying to recruit and improve in this regard.
This program would be perfect for: Someone who is looking for a low-key, friendly environment with fun colleagues in a beautiful coastal part of Southern California. Low call and good reputation in the area are additional perks.
Why I ranked it as I did: Though lacking the academic strength of some of the other programs on my list, I got a very positive vibe from the program, plus it is in a good location close to family and friends. I would not have any regrets about matching here.

4. University of Washington-Seattle
Program highlights: This was one of my favorite programs. It offers all the benefits of a large academic program (e.g., specialty clinics) while still having incredibly friendly and down-to-earth residents and attendings. The program director gets uniformly rave reviews from residents. Big focus on integrated psychiatry (an interested of mine), with several required rotations in outpatient C&L. Residents seemed hard-working and driven yet still approachable. Training seemed very evenly balanced between all areas of psychiatry, with the ability to tailor your program to fit your specific interests by signing up for "pathways" (teacher/scholar pathway, research pathway, neuroscience pathway, etc.).
Concerns and reservations: Training sites are spread out by several miles, so driving (or heavy use of public transportation) is going to be a frequent reality. Call schedule is busy, and residents did say that they worked hard. I loved Seattle but ultimately decided that I wanted to stay in Southern California if possible.
This program would be perfect for: Pretty much anyone wanting a solid academic program, as I feel that this program could tailor to just about any interest. Major bonus points if you're interested in integrated psychiatry/outpatient C&L.
Why I ranked it as I did: It genuinely pains me that I could not rank this program higher, as it was the program I fell in love with the most on interview day. The approachable faculty and focus on integrative psychiatry were both huge pluses for me. I loved the city of Seattle as well. What kept this program from being higher on my list, unfortunately, is the distance from family/friends. Were it not for that issue, this program could very well have shot to the top of my list.

5. Stanford
Program highlights: Almost startling for the sheer amount of freedom offered to residents (at least compared to the other programs I interviewed at). Two months of “scholarly concentration” time starting PGY-2 and increasing after that. Residents are encouraged to find a specific interest within psychiatry and pursue it, culminating in a required scholarly project. Some faculty members are world-renowned (e.g., Irvin Yalom). Leadership sounded very responsive to feedback (residents jokingly complained about being "feedbacked to death"). Balanced workload (reasonable but not so light that you don't get adequate training).
Concerns and reservations: I got an odd gut feeling from this program when I interviewed, which I later attributed to the somewhat aloof nature of the attendings and residents I interacted with. Housing in the area is expensive.
This program would be perfect for: Someone interested in an academic career primarily, or who wants to do private practice in the Bay Area. If you are excited about the idea of having a scholarly concentration during residency, this would be your program.
Why I ranked it as I did: As someone interested in an academic career, the research focus here was definitely a draw. That being said, something about the program didn’t entirely add up for me on interview day. Obviously a one-day impression has limits, but I did not get the personal, family feel here that I found at a lot of other programs. I do feel that the training here would be fantastic overall, and living in the Bay Area would be awesome (despite the expenses). In the end, a bit of a mixed bag, which is why this program ended up ranked lower than I had anticipated.

6. University of Utah
Program highlights: A beautifully well-rounded program that I would not have thought to check out were it not for the recommendation of a current psych resident who interviewed here. Residents seemed to really like each other and enjoy being in Salt Lake City. Academic opportunities available (e.g., autism research) although not as emphasized as at UCLA, Stanford, etc. One day per week off from clinical duties for didactics. Most residents ski/snowboard (which I love). Excellent place to raise a family. Great outdoors.
Concerns and reservations: A few residents stated that the call could be heavy, although on paper it did not seem heavier than other programs I interviewed at. Salt Like City was wonderful, but I have no ties there.
This program would be perfect for: Someone wanting a good, well-rounded training in psychiatry without sacrificing the family feel of smaller programs.
Why I ranked it as I did: Another program that I regret not being able to rank more highly. I loved the residents that I met during my interview and continue to think very highly of the program as a whole. As with UW, however, the distance from family and friends was too much of a trump card when I sat down and really thought about what was most important to me. Nevertheless, a real gem of a program that I would urge future applicants to check out.

7. Kaiser Fontana
Program highlights: Brand new program opening in Fontana about an hour east of Los Angeles. This will be its inaugural class, which could be attractive for those looking to influence the direction of their program early on. Call is basically non-existent, as social workers take care of admits after hours. Faculty I met seemed friendly and responsive to feedback, and all of them stated their interest in teaching.
Concerns and reservations: Just starting, so lots of unknowns and likely a few kinks to be worked out. Low call volume could be detrimental to training. Clinical sites are very spread out (about an hour’s drive from one end to the other), so lots of commuting. No real academic options.
This program would be perfect for: Someone who either a) is intrigued by the possibility of being in the first class of a new program, b) is looking for a distinctly community program without much of an academic slant, c) wants one of the best call schedules this side of San Mateo, or d) all of the above.
Why I ranked it as I did: This program would be an absolute dream for certain applicants (especially with that call schedule), but it ultimately just wasn't the right fit for me. The lack of an academic connection and too many uncertainties ended up being real deal breakers. Still, it's close to family/friends and I wouldn't have to move, which bumped it up a few slots.

8. UCLA-San Fernando Valley
Program highlights: The residents I met were friendly and laid back. In Los Angeles with all the benefits that come along with that.
Concerns and reservations: Lots of driving between clinical sites (starting PGY-2, mornings and afternoons are at different sites with about a 15-30 minute drive between them), although residents all said you get used to it. Ultimately, nothing really stood out to me about the program as either particularly good or bad.
This program would be perfect for: Someone who is looking to be in the Los Angeles area but is not interested in the academic bent of UCLA-Semel or the county experience of UCLA-Harbor or USC. Seemed like most graduates go on to community positions.
Why I ranked it as I did: Like Kaiser Fontana, this program would be a great fit for certain applicants but just did not feel right for me and my career goals.

9. OHSU
Program highlights: Broad clinical training in a beautiful city. I liked the focus on population-based psychiatry. There is a forensics rotation and fellowship, which can be hard to find these days. Gorgeous views from the hospital.
Concerns and reservations: Residents stated that they worked hard. Less specialty clinics than I had expected, certainly not on the level of UW or UCLA.
This program would be perfect for: Someone wanting a good, broad-based residency program. Big bonus points if you want to live in Portland.
Why I ranked it as I did: OHSU was definitely a good program, and in the absence of geographic factors, it would have ranked several spots higher. However, given how important family and friends were in my decision, all of the "not California" programs got bumped a few spots down. Out of the "not California" programs, OHSU was the one I connected with the least.

No interview offered: San Mateo
Did not apply: UCSF, Central California programs
Canceled interview: UCSD, UC Davis

As a final note, I thought it might be helpful to make a "program only" list that doesn't take geography or social factors into account. In the absence of any outside influences, here's how I would have ranked the programs:

1. UCLA-Semel
2. UW-Seattle
3. University of Utah
4. UC Irvine
5. Stanford
6. OHSU
7. Loma Linda
8. UCLA-San Fernando
9. Kaiser Fontana

Hope it helps future applicants! For what it's worth, I would consider all of these to be good programs, and depending on your interests (academics vs community, light vs heavy call, etc.) any of them could be good enough to be "the one." Good luck!
 
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I interviewed at both. Case Western has had a significant budget cutback recently that directly affected the training experience so while I don't know what the reputations of the two programs are in the academic community, Cleveland Clinic is definitely a much stronger program overall now - better didactics, more/better (published) faculty and supervision, much more opportunities for research and a more complete clinical experience (there is very little exposure to the uninsured at Case Western).

The following response to the above post is by a current resident at the program who wishes to remain anonymous.

Case Western has not had a recent significant budget cutback. I don't know where you got that information, but it's simply incorrect. In fact, in an age of budget cutbacks (Cleveland Clinic has been laying off employees recently) and belt-tightening at hospitals across the country, our psychiatry department has been one of the few in the hospital to come in under budget for several years in a row now. That's better than some of the procedural specialties. I can't comment on the didactics, opportunities for research, or quality of the faculty or supervision at Cleveland Clinic, but I will say that there is definitely not very little exposure to the uninsured at Case Western (compared to other residency programs, that is. There aren't many residency programs where a large proportion of your patients will be uninsured.) We definitely have a very complete clinical experience. I'm asking Fenster to post another anonymous post for me in the Interview Reviews thread, in which I explain this in more detail.
 
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Well...you guys know what time it is? Share on your favorite social media!

 
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The following response to the above post is by a current resident at the program who wishes to remain anonymous.

Case Western has not had a recent significant budget cutback. I don't know where you got that information, but it's simply incorrect. In fact, in an age of budget cutbacks (Cleveland Clinic has been laying off employees recently) and belt-tightening at hospitals across the country, our psychiatry department has been one of the few in the hospital to come in under budget for several years in a row now. That's better than some of the procedural specialties. I can't comment on the didactics, opportunities for research, or quality of the faculty or supervision at Cleveland Clinic, but I will say that there is definitely not very little exposure to the uninsured at Case Western (compared to other residency programs, that is. There aren't many residency programs where a large proportion of your patients will be uninsured.) We definitely have a very complete clinical experience. I'm asking Fenster to post another anonymous post for me in the Interview Reviews thread, in which I explain this in more detail.

Yeah, I'm glad you posted this for the benefit of the collective consciousness - what I remember from Case Western was that the facilities were amazing, particularly the new cancer center. I obviously don't have specific info but the impression I got from seeing the units was not one of budgetary challenges.
 
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Im curious for anyone who did an audition or interviewed at University Alabama Birmingham, what did you guys like in it? Aside from locale (for some) what were the drawbacks? It seems like a pretty chill place to me.
 
Can people help me rank these? I would like to incorporate clinical research into my career in psych. many of these programs have started to mesh in my head and I'm having a tough time seeing the differences between them.

Indiana- strong research, brand new facilities, good moonlighting opportunities, somewhat freq call- Q6 overnights during 2nd year, location: Indy seemed like a dead city when i visited. PD: great person, seems very motivated.

Jefferson- limited research, very nice facilities, nightfloat system, location: philly is an awesome city, probably the best one for me on the list. PD: Quirky, but I liked him.

Musc- strong research, older facilities, moonlighting opportunities, call seemed to be average but i cant remember the details, location: charleston is a really fun city with charm. PD: seemed like a real genuine and intelligent individual. PC: very warm, maybe the best i met on the trail.

LIJ/Zucker hillside- havent visited yet.

Maryland: strong research, nice facilities, tough call schedule: PG2: night float, Q5 PG3:backup call 2-3X per month call PG4: backup call 2-3 x per month. location: baltimore seems like a decent city to live in PD: seemed nice.


Where would people rank these and why? my ranking would probably be 1) MUSC 2) Jefferson 3) Maryland 4) Indiana . not sure where LIJ will stand.
 
Do yourself a favor, and do UTSW or Baylor first...followed by ut houston, lubbock, or anm next....JPS is a community based program where as the others are UNIVERSITY based, so definitely better chance for fellowships

Hi guys!

I am finally done with my interviews and I started to think about rankings. I applied to the Texas programs mostly and am planning to stay there. Since I am a foreign medical graduate, I feel that I still need more information. What would you suggest about ranking these programs?

UTSW-Dallas
Baylor
Ut-Houston
Ut- Lubbock
JPS
Texas A&M
 
I think my real conflict is between UIC and BI aka Chicago and NYC. I would go to Chicago before jumping down south - but that is because I have never lived there. Psychotherapy training is very important to me and I'm not sure how this compares as well. And I felt I connected better with the faculty and residents at AE than BI.
FWIW, UIC being my home institution, I know there's great psychotherapy training there, and if that's an interest, you can find a faculty adviser in just about any type of therapy you're interested in and focus on it.
 
Please help. Ideally, I want to do addiction psychiatry once I am done residency.i interviewed at 10 psych programs this year, none having an addiction fellowship. Please help me rank the following and if possible, explain why.

1. Reno
2. Arizona
3. Albany
4. Nassau
5. Henry ford
6. Lsu -Shreveport
7. John Peter smith - DFW
8. East carolina university
9. Texas tech - El Paso
10. Connecticut

Thanks! Please help me in terms of prestige level as well
 
I would suggest being in a major metropolitan area and having good public psychiatry and VA exposure would be things to look for if you are interested in addictions. you might do well to find out how much exposure to things like methadone, suboxone, medication-assisted therapies, motivational interviewing, inpatient and outpatient detox at different programs. Psychiatry is not a competive speciality and with the exception of a few forensic fellowships psychiatry fellowships essentially require you to have a pulse and you could certainly get into a good addictions fellowship (remember there are addiction psych and addiction medicine fellowships so a good number) if you do well in residency regardless of where you go. you should also try and attend the american academy of addiction psychiatry or state addiction psychiatry or the american society for addiction medicine or california society for addiction medicine meetings during residency, all of which have awards for residents to attend and are not hugely competitive.

on a separate note, i dont know much about henry ford but the program director i do know and he is one of the nicest people you will meet and has a strong interest in education.
 
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FWIW, UIC being my home institution, I know there's great psychotherapy training there, and if that's an interest, you can find a faculty adviser in just about any type of therapy you're interested in and focus on it.

this is true... and a pretty diverse patient base to work with.

I've also heard good things about Ford through the grapevine.
 
How much does it mean if a program contacts you after you interview to say they liked you? I have heard from a few programs, but I don't know if some programs basically just contact everyone to say they are one of the top applicants.
 
How much does it mean if a program contacts you after you interview to say they liked you? I have heard from a few programs, but I don't know if some programs basically just contact everyone to say they are one of the top applicants.

How much does it mean if an applicant contacts you after you interview to say they liked you? I have heard from a few applicants, but I don't know if some applicants basically just contact everyone to say they are one of the top programs.

Point is: you won't know until Match Day.
Hopefully it means they like you. No one is obligated to say anything either way.
But some folks on both sides of the process have been known to give misleading (or no) information.
 
is it a good idea to set up a second look at a program you are highly interested in as a way of conveying interest? or should i just send an e-mail that i plan on ranking them highly. the pc was super friendly on interview day and he offered to set up a second look for all applicants. thanks
 
Most PDs I met on the interview trail explicitly said they didn't factor second looks into their decisions because they knew many applicants couldn't get the time off or were coming from far away.

This may be a little OCPD of me, but maybe we should move on to a 2015 ranking thread?
 
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Don't do a second look. They probably already like you or they wouldn't have invited you for interview. Requesting a second look also has the potential of being a "sigh...." moment for the program now that you're creating more work.

It's different for MD/PhDs, when even during a two day interview they may not have had a chance to get hooked up with all the folks that would help them make a decision.

But otherwise, don't bother. In multiple senses....


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I did only one second look and it happens to be at my top program. Several residents at the program said they did a second look and did end up matching at the program. It sounds like that this particular program it was actually encouraged. I had the impression from other programs it was not necessary.
 
Most PDs I met on the interview trail explicitly said they didn't factor second looks into their decisions because they knew many applicants couldn't get the time off or were coming from far away.

This may be a little OCPD of me, but maybe we should move on to a 2015 ranking thread?
Motion for a 2015 ranking thread seconded.

Being brand new to SDN, I'm not sure if such a thread is usually begun by someone with more clout, so I'll hold off until I hear otherwise.
 
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