Does this mean good experiences at Utah or bad experiences at University of Maryland? I'm not sure on the order of 3-6, loved Utah but far from home/east coast for me.
Official 2014 Rank Order List & "Help Me Rank" Thread
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AFAIK, Utah is a good program, but Iowa is even better. Maryland didn't do anything for me but it's a YMMV type of thing I guess. In other words, my personal ranking would be WPIC, Duke, Iowa, Utah, Maryland in that order.
I'm sorry I'm used to my other forum habits. I forget acronyms aren't very common on this board.
AFAIK = As Far As I Know
YMMY = Your Mileage May Vary
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At this point, I'm just hopelessly confused--that gut feeling has faded and even though I have entered and certified my list, I keep wanting to go back and change it. I am definitely more certain about the bottom of my list but most worrying for me is that I don't know the order of my top 3--I don't know which one to put at the top spot because I liked all 3 of them. I realize that overall most of the programs I want to rank will give me solid training. Geographically, I'd like to stay in a bigger-to-medium sized city that is more affordable than New York. My SO is going to move with me and since he has a non-medical job (business) I need to keep his job prospects in mind. The most important aspects to me in choosing a program are the people--how friendly and cohesive were the residents, the relationship between the PD and the chairman, and the residents perceptions of how well they get along with faculty. Unfortunately, everyone during the interview is trying to sell their programs and most say warm things about their superiors but it's hard for me to tell what sentiments were genuine. Other important things for me include forensics exposure since I'd like to pursue a forensics fellowship after completing a training program and research because I want to be published. Also, I'd like to work with eating disorder patients just to see what's it like but it's not as important to me as forensics exposure early on. So here it goes--help me rank please:
1. University of Maryland/ Sheppard Pratt --the most concerning aspect for me here is the new PD
2. Wash U St. Louis-- LOVED the program and people but St Louis just doesn't have my heart
3. Temple--love Philadelphia and the people, but no forensics or eating disorder exposure until PGY4
4. St. Luke's
5. Drexel --I didn't really gel well with the people and didn't like the hospital facilities as much
6. Stony Brook
7. Tulane
8. VCU
9. SUNY downstate
10. Baystate/Tufts
11. Maimonides
12. NYMC Westchester
1. University of Maryland/ Sheppard Pratt --the most concerning aspect for me here is the new PD
2. Wash U St. Louis-- LOVED the program and people but St Louis just doesn't have my heart
3. Temple--love Philadelphia and the people, but no forensics or eating disorder exposure until PGY4
4. St. Luke's
5. Drexel --I didn't really gel well with the people and didn't like the hospital facilities as much
6. Stony Brook
7. Tulane
8. VCU
9. SUNY downstate
10. Baystate/Tufts
11. Maimonides
12. NYMC Westchester
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St Louis is an acquired taste, but is in many ways the same as Baltimore in that respect, but with the added bonus that St Louis is really affordable on housing. I say go with Wash U #1...no real comment on the rest of your list order.
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Needing some input... at this time hoping to eventually go into Child Psych. From the midwest, no ties to anywhere in particular. Not big on research plans but not opposed to the idea. Favorite programs (in current order on rank list, top 5ish very close in my mind)
1. UC Irvine
2. University Pittsburgh/WPIC
3. Northwestern
4. UC Davis
5. Duke
6. Wash U/Barnes Jewish
7. UCLA- Harbor
8. Emory
Any thoughts? Gut feeling is starting to dissipate the closer the deadline approaches!
1. UC Irvine
2. University Pittsburgh/WPIC
3. Northwestern
4. UC Davis
5. Duke
6. Wash U/Barnes Jewish
7. UCLA- Harbor
8. Emory
Any thoughts? Gut feeling is starting to dissipate the closer the deadline approaches!
I'm sorry I'm not going to be very helpful in terms of clarifying your rank list, but I'm curious as to why you have ranked Emory so low down, even lower than UCLA-Harbor. If the reason is not something you can post publicly, can you let me know via a private conversation? Thanks.
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So I think this is a bit of a straw man argument here. I never said people shouldn't attempt to find out as much as they can about programs that they're interviewing at and ranking. However, I think we need to be mindful of the limitations of our knowledge and of the ability of obtain really comprehensive information from an interview or from talking to other students who have interviewed at the same place. Hence, I still dispute your belief that you understand as much as you understand about these various programs.
Either way, I hope everyone participating in this thread puts together a rank order list they're comfortable with and winds up going where they want to go.
Hey Doctor Bagel,
I think most of us agree with Nasrudin's point that while it is not everything, it is something and if we don't have something, we have nothing.
So, please, just let it go.
Even though your list is all over the place, I really like your list too, for what it is worth!
Emory below Harbor perplexes me too but I didn't interview at Emory so I have nothing to compare against anyway.
Hi guys. I posted several pages ago but could still use some guidance. My first choice is already picked (UCLA Harbor), but I'm considering ranking Harvard Southshore #2. People seem to not like that program too much here and I'm wondering if its just because of the VA thing? Because I'm fine with that. But admittedly I don't know much else about the program itself outside of interview day and what I've read here. Are there specific problems with HSS that I should consider before ranking it #2?
Please advise.
Please advise.
I went into it a bit more in a separate convo, but it came down to a few interactions on interview day and Atlanta in general. I think I'd be really happy at any program on the list, but the last few rankings are based on random details/gut.
All I can say is that when I interviewed there in 2012, I really liked the HSS program - seemed to have good didactics and diverse clinical sites (not just the VA after all). I didn't like the location of the VA but my sense was that poeple were able to stay nearer Boston.
As a constant lurker ever since residency process started this season I have been pretty hesistant to even post because of my IMG status but I want to share my rank list and so far I think I am pretty set. My main focus is LOCATION, LOCATION in terms of the activities I can do in the area, the diversity in terms of the polarity of income and race, and how IMG friendly the programs are. Some of the programs near the bottom are ranked not only because of location and lack of diversity but because of skeptical comments when I asked about the IMG friendly of the program from IMG residents (even though there is a good amount of IMGs in those programs). But I would be happy in any of them 🙂
1. Cleveland Clinic
2. UVA
3. Wake Forest
4. MUSC
5. USF
6. Indiana
7. Medical College of Georgia
8. Iowa
9. Kansas
10. Arkansas
Thank you 🙂
1. Cleveland Clinic
2. UVA
3. Wake Forest
4. MUSC
5. USF
6. Indiana
7. Medical College of Georgia
8. Iowa
9. Kansas
10. Arkansas
Thank you 🙂
^ That is by far the most baffling rank list I've ever seen. You talk about location and activities you can do there being important and then you rank MUSC at #4 below places like Cleveland, Charlottesville and Winston-Salem? And Iowa at #8?!
You also need to clarify what you mean by "IMG friendly".
You also need to clarify what you mean by "IMG friendly".
Having issues with my rank list, care to help?
In alphabetical order to avoid any bias 😀
-Boston University
-Brown
-Duke
-Harvard South Shore
-Johns Hopkins
-St. Elizabeth's Boston
-Tufts
-University of California San Diego
-University of Florida Jacksonville
-University of North Carolina
-University of South Florida
Thanks in advanced!
In alphabetical order to avoid any bias 😀
-Boston University
-Brown
-Duke
-Harvard South Shore
-Johns Hopkins
-St. Elizabeth's Boston
-Tufts
-University of California San Diego
-University of Florida Jacksonville
-University of North Carolina
-University of South Florida
Thanks in advanced!
I think it is "Caritas St. Elizabeth" so it should be higher on that alphabetical list.
Joking aside, I think more people would be able to help if you post your order first - not me though because I know nothing about most of the programs on your list.
And of course UCSD.
I don't know much about Duke or John Hopkins, but I suspect they could also use some spots near the top.
PS: See how unhelpful these responses are? Hence why I mentioned above that you'd be better off posting your list first!
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Agreed, applepro1. Your list is your list based on your wants and needs. Don't have others deter you based on their preferences. It looks good!
I'll bite. Here's my order.
UCSD
Brown
Hopkins
UNC
Duke
USF
Tufts
BU
HSS
UF Jacksonville
St. Elizabeth's
That was my impression too. I don't know why it doesn't appeal to more people.
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Haha. Nah, you've got all wrong bub. Look here see....
UCSD
Brown
Tufts
BU
HSS
UNC
And dont rank the rest....why I outta.
Does anyone else find this three-stoogish.
The list looks very good to me, although I'm personally ranking UNC higher than Johns Hopkins because I felt the residents seemed happier and the program more well-rounded. Hopkins would win on reputation and pure research however, I think.
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It depends on how powerful you app is. Some people get interviews at nearly everywhere they apply. Some don't. It also depends on how high you're shooting relative to your application.
Whenever it's time post your application skeleton and ask then. Or talk to your advisor and verify here. For American grads 25-30 is on the upper end. You could always apply to more and then cancel. It's also hard to know what might come your way down the road after the season starts. I went on interviews I shouldn't have early because of this.
With all my cards on the table at the beginning I probably would've gone on 8 interviews.
It's hard to say really. Being a minority will get you more interviews than you can handle as well if your application is solid enough. So it really just depends on what you look like on paper to programs.
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You'll probably want to apply to more programs than you're prepared to interview at. For one, you might not get interviews everywhere you apply, and two, you might change your mind about programs during the interview granting process. I've got no data for this, but I feel like 10 interviews is probably a good number for most applicants. I went on 13, and it felt like too much. I haven't looked at the most recent ERAS match results document, but in past, I think it was something like people who ranked 6 programs generally matched. SDNers, help me out if you know more details. So maybe apply to 20 programs because you know, base 10 numbers are good.
Oh yeah, the above advice is assuming you're a regular applicant with no big red flags. With red flags, apply to more programs and interview as much as feasible for you, including some safeties in that mix.
By reputation, I was alluding to the name recognition by the private practice patients (when they care) more than the academic reputation within psychiatry.
That's interesting actually. I was not aware that programs deliberately try to increase the internal diversity of ethnic representation.
Why not Hopkins? It's ranked as one of the nation's top Psychiatric hospitals. Any red flags I'm not aware of, besides its location?
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So, I'm a white USmg with a 240+ step and no red flags, but nothing really exceptional beyond that... So, would applying to 12 quality programs (northwestern, Cleveland clinic, UW, etc...) with a few still very strong backups thrown in (Utah, Indiana, Iowa) a reasonable plan, expecting to get around 10 interviews?
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Yep you're right on target. Good job on the step.
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Thanks 🙂
Part of my concern revolves around the fact that in places like Chicago and Cleveland, I currently only plan on applying to the one program I mentioned earlier. Is this silly? I mean, if I'm happy living in Chicago, shouldn't I apply to all the programs in Chicago? Seriously, the only reason Northwestern is on my list and not UIC or Loyola is because of what I read here and then read on their website... Part of me feels like I'm not being fair and passing up programs that might be "the one" *insert overly concerned emoticon here*
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Yeah, I read extensively to get ideas on where to apply. I think my rank list resembles both me as a person and as an applicant. In other words what the programs found suitable in me I found in them. I think you will feel the same way too no matter what list you end up ranking. From any grouping of 10 programs there's three that are gonna be great that want you enough to seal the deal.
If you really like a city give yourself the chance to be surprised. Otherwise just keep doing what you're doing and you'll be headed somewhere great next year.
I look forward to watching the cycle start all over with your cohort.
If you can manage honors in both psychiatry and medicine, you will be golden (read: you will need zero backups).
Strange, because my classmate who is a minority with avg stats (no red flags) didn't get nearly as many interviews as I did (I am white with slightly above avg stats) and didn't get any at some of the big name places I did. I don't think being a minority is a big selling point at this stage of the game.
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Well. What do I know. I have a lot of minority colleagues and they talk about being courted by programs in ways I don't hear elsewhere. But...they also talk about awkward interviews and in surgical or other competitive specialties and programs being condescended to.
Let's just say who knows. The point being if you have strong assets like a great step 1 score of the poster above then you should not over apply or over interview. It's just not necessary.
I'm average by all accounts, if that. And I over interviewed.
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