Official 2015-2016 Help Me Rank Megathread

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Tandoori said:
I am interested in PCCM or Cards. I would be interested in opinions about the strength of these programs for fellowship.

This is how I am currently ranking them:
1) Mayo FL
2) Rush: Interested to hear opinions on Rush vs UIC
3) Montefiore M/W
4) Wake Forest
5) UIC
6) MUSC
7) USF
8) MCG
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Monte
Wake
UIC/Rush
MUSC
USF/MCG/Miracle Whip
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I'm an AMG at med school in the Southeast. No AOA. Interested in GI/Heme-Onc for fellowship.

Tentative rank list:
1) Emory
2) UNC
3) Pittsburgh
4) Maryland
5) Wake
6) MUSC
7) VCU
8) Medical College of Georgia
9) Carolinas Medical Center at Charlotte

Also, is there a good number of programs to rank to guarantee match?

Would appreciate any thoughts! Thank you!
 
Fest said:
Need a little help. Planning on going into Heme/Onc but Primary Care is a close second (I have a family and may decide I don't want to do addl training after residency). Preference for the East Coast but ultimately looking for best fit. Here's the prelim list:

1) Maryland
2) Dartmouth
3) Temple
4) Brown categorical
5) Vermont (loved the program, Heme/onc seemed weak though)
6) Univ New Mexico (liked the program culture, location fair, new NCI compreh. center designation meaning more money and fellowship spots, bigger names)
7) UMiami/Jackson Memorial (wife really wants me to go here to be close to family, but I didn't love the program)
8) Brown primary care (great program, lower chance of ending up in Heme/Onc though)
9) USC (liked the program, wife not a fan of LA)
10) NS/LIJ (not a huge fan of NYC/long island)
11) UConn
12) Arizona

Happy for any advice!
Specifically, not sure about the best order of New Mexico, Miami, Brown primary care....)

Thanks!
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I would maybe do Brown, Temple, Dartmouth as 2-4 but other than that looks good.
 
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boxin said:
I'm an AMG at med school in the Southeast. No AOA. Interested in GI/Heme-Onc for fellowship.

Tentative rank list:
1) Emory
2) UNC
3) Pittsburgh
4) Maryland
5) Wake
6) MUSC
7) VCU
8) Medical College of Georgia
9) Carolinas Medical Center at Charlotte

Also, is there a good number of programs to rank to guarantee match?

Would appreciate any thoughts! Thank you!
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Move VCU under Maryland and you're solid.
 
AndreasVesalius said:
MGH/UCSF don't have block schedules but IIRC they had 1-2 fewer call months over the course of 3 years. Also keep in mind, UCSF is an open ICU and even on the tour, when asked, the residents gave this half-hearted "well...you learn a lot, but ya it sucks". Another thing to keep in mind is that BWH doesn't do overnight 24hr+ shifts IIRC. I think MGH does and I can't remember about UCSF. Depends if you like that or not.
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UCSF is 1+1 (i.e. 4+4), so it is actually block, if that's what you're referring to, just not intern year. I actually don't think most people at UCSF would say the open ICU sucks. In fact, the medicine department has polled the residents and IIRC they want it to remain open. Yes, it's difficult to have an open ICU, but we also have a smaller cap per intern/team to make up for it.
 
letmeinwillya said:
I'm an IMG and grateful to have the interviews at these programs, I understand they are all community programs.

I have pretty humble list, all programs are in Internal Medicine except Meharry which is Family Medicine. I would appreciate your input if you know pros and cons of these programs. My assumption is that programs with in-house fellowships are better than the ones with no in-house fellowships.

Location is not an important consideration. In general, overall better program should be number 1 and moving on from there.

I would appreciate your input. Thanks for your time.

Maimonides, Brooklyn, NY
Richmond University Medical Center, State Island, NY
Mather Hospital, Port Jefferson, NY
St. Luke’s Hospital, Chesterfield, MO
Berkshire Medical Center, Pittsfield, MA
Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy, NJ
Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN - Family Medicine
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Hi folks, I hope it's not bad form to request again for your input. I understand these may not be the prestigious programs that are being discussed here but if anyone has any insight, I would really appreciate it. Best of luck to all during the Match!
 
Pseudopseudonym said:
UCSF is 1+1 (i.e. 4+4), so it is actually block, if that's what you're referring to, just not intern year. I actually don't think most people at UCSF would say the open ICU sucks. In fact, the medicine department has polled the residents and IIRC they want it to remain open. Yes, it's difficult to have an open ICU, but we also have a smaller cap per intern/team to make up for it.
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I'm sorry I didn't know that UCSF is block like that. I didn't have it in my notes. Is it block in the sense that you don't have clinic during the inpatient experiences as well (the truest sense of X+Y "block" scheduling). I was not told that either (or I missed it). In the junior/senior years, many if not most programs (that I interviewed at) have 6ish months of inpatient experiences, although they may not formally alternate inpatient-outpatient. So I think the presence of clinics during the inpatient months is a key differentiator.

Also, at the interview day they didn't present any survey data about the open ICU IIRC, all I can comment on are the 3 residents who spoke to us on our tour. They gave their very half-hearted (but frank) opinions on it. I would speculate it's a self-selection process that a lot of the people who like that end up ranking UCSF higher because of it.
 
AndreasVesalius said:
I'm sorry I didn't know that UCSF is block like that. I didn't have it in my notes. Is it block in the sense that you don't have clinic during the inpatient experiences as well (the truest sense of X+Y "block" scheduling). I was not told that either (or I missed it). In the junior/senior years, many if not most programs (that I interviewed at) have 6ish months of inpatient experiences, although they may not formally alternate inpatient-outpatient. So I think the presence of clinics during the inpatient months is a key differentiator.

Also, at the interview day they didn't present any survey data about the open ICU IIRC, all I can comment on are the 3 residents who spoke to us on our tour. They gave their very half-hearted (but frank) opinions on it. I would speculate it's a self-selection process that a lot of the people who like that end up ranking UCSF higher because of it.
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Agreed 100% regarding the open ICU. While many enjoy the experience, there are plenty who prefer not to have it. I would venture to guess that interns are wild about it, but seniors (R2/R3) actually like it. My point was just that it's not adding ICU patients on top of your 10 person intern cap. The cap is reduced specifically because of that, so I personally don't think it's necessarily more work.

Yes, as of this year (started July 2015), R2 and R3 are 1+1, with NO outpatient duties while on inpatient service and vice versa. For many it ends up 6&6, but some get extra outpatient 6.5&5.5 or 7&5, depending if they are in the primary care tracks.
 
Interested in cardiology or pulm/critical care. Thoughts on the top of my list:

1) Penn - I liked Philly a lot, friendly residents, 6+2 block schedule all 3 years, strong PD, I like the idea of subspecialty wards/broad exposure (but q2 subspecialty call sounds intense), lower cost of living compared to SF/NY/Boston, all 3 hospitals very close geographically
2) Brigham - Great gut feeling, everyone I met seemed happy, strong program leadership, worried that great cardiology/heme-onc experiences come at the expense of broad exposure to other specialties/general medicine, Boston is a relatively expensive city
3) UCSF - Clicked most with my interviewers here, liked SF a lot, but far from family/friends, expensive city
4) MGH - Seems to produce very strong clinicians and researchers, but seemed less cohesive than the other programs above, residents seemed friendly but less willing to help each other when work gets busy, not sure I'm sold on the Bigelow model, conferences and ambulatory experiences could be stronger/better attended

Overall, I think Penn/Brigham/UCSF seemed very similar in terms of friendly/happy residents, very strong/well established program leadership, and well developed didactic curricula. In my mind it's probably splitting hairs to separate those 3.
 
EPADHA said:
strictly for oncology..
Mayo > UAB=UPMC=CC. If UTH gets you access to MD Anderson, it would be solid as well. Please do keep in mind that MD Anderson is run more like a private hospital, and is very different from lot of the academic powerhouses. A great thing about Mayo would be access to all the clinical researchers in divisions of hematology/oncology that could help you develop your CV. The overall atmosphere may be most nurturing there; especially for specialties that involve cognitive training only (no procedural skills) Mayo can not be beat.
UPMC is also a research powerhouse.
Traditionally the strong specialties at UAB have been ID, cardiology, rheumatology and nephrology. Don't know how strong oncology is.
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Thanks much!
 
Could anyone care to comment on my ROL please? Much appreciate any input!

1. Jefferson
2. UIowa
3. Rush
4. Northshore LIJ
5. Albert Einstein @ Montefiore
6. St. louis U
7. Univ. Missouri @ columbia

I have a genuine interest in Cards and would really like to move to East coast or Chicago. I guess my real question is how much better uiowa is compared to semi-academic programs such as rush or northshore LIJ in terms of difficulty in landing a cards fellowship as an amg.

Thanks again guys, please comment!
 
EPADHA said:
strictly for oncology..
Mayo > UAB=UPMC=CC. If UTH gets you access to MD Anderson, it would be solid as well. Please do keep in mind that MD Anderson is run more like a private hospital, and is very different from lot of the academic powerhouses. A great thing about Mayo would be access to all the clinical researchers in divisions of hematology/oncology that could help you develop your CV. The overall atmosphere may be most nurturing there; especially for specialties that involve cognitive training only (no procedural skills) Mayo can not be beat.
UPMC is also a research powerhouse.
Traditionally the strong specialties at UAB have been ID, cardiology, rheumatology and nephrology. Don't know how strong oncology is.
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Nope.

UAB=UPMC=Mayo >> The rest by far
 
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Hello! It seems this tread has been helpful for many people, so I was hoping I could get some input as well to help determine my top few spots. I am interested in pursuing cardiology in the future.

This is currently how my tentative list is:

Baylor (Houston)
Indiana
University of Cincinnati
Loyola
University of Minnesota
William Beaumont
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville

Would appreciate thoughts on the order, as well as thoughts about individual programs. Thank you!
 
TinCup said:
Hello! It seems this tread has been helpful for many people, so I was hoping I could get some input as well to help determine my top few spots. I am interested in pursuing cardiology in the future.

This is currently how my tentative list is:

Baylor (Houston)
Indiana
University of Cincinnati
Loyola
University of Minnesota
William Beaumont
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville

Would appreciate thoughts on the order, as well as thoughts about individual programs. Thank you!
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I would have Minn #1 on that list, definitely no lower than 3. But otherwise it's fine.
 
Hey guys, time poster - would really appreciate your thoughts. I'm interested in GI/Hospitalist at the moment, subject to change. I applied in the NE, considering the following programs near the top of my list.

Georgetown
George Washington U
Brown
Temple
RWJ
NJMS
UMass
Monte
Stony Brook
Penn State
Another quick question -- after scanning this thread, it seems that lot of people are suggesting to put the DC programs a bit lower on people's list. What's the idea behind this?

Thanks guys, I really appreciate this.
 
meditations said:
Hey guys, time poster - would really appreciate your thoughts. I'm interested in GI/Hospitalist at the moment, subject to change. I applied in the NE, considering the following programs near the top of my list.

Georgetown
George Washington U
Brown
Temple
RWJ
NJMS
UMass
Monte
Stony Brook
Penn State

Thanks guys, I really appreciate this.
Click to expand...
Monte/RWJ
Brown/UMass
Temple/GT/SB/NJMS
Penn State/GW
Another quick question -- after scanning this thread, it seems that lot of people are suggesting to put the DC programs a bit lower on people's list. What's the idea behind this?
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Because they're not considered to be as good of programs as some of the other ones on your list. But if you liked them the most, who cares what we think?
 
gutonc said:
Monte/RWJ
Brown/UMass
Temple/GT/SB/NJMS
Penn State/GW


Because they're not considered to be as good of programs as some of the other ones on your list. But if you liked them the most, who cares what we think?
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I wasn't aware that Robert Wood Johnson was regarded highly among the programs I listed. Would you be able to share some of your thoughts on why? Thanks for all of your help.
 
meditations said:
Hey guys, time poster - would really appreciate your thoughts. I'm interested in GI/Hospitalist at the moment, subject to change. I applied in the NE, considering the following programs near the top of my list.

Georgetown
George Washington U
Brown
Temple
RWJ
NJMS
UMass
Monte
Stony Brook
Penn State
Another quick question -- after scanning this thread, it seems that lot of people are suggesting to put the DC programs a bit lower on people's list. What's the idea behind this?

Thanks guys, I really appreciate this.
Click to expand...

GWU and Georgetown are okay but not amazing programs in terms of clinical training. RWJ, temple, and Monte are definitely more volume heavy and more variety. Unfortunately Georgetown also recently had a really sad loss (the PD passed away) so I don't know who their new leadership is
 
Makes sense, thanks. I forgot to include NSLIJ on my list earlier, so if one of you would be able to share your thoughts on how it falls in relation to the other programs on my list that would be awesome. Thanks guys!

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manysea said:
Could anyone care to comment on my ROL please? Much appreciate any input!

1. Jefferson
2. UIowa
3. Rush
4. Northshore LIJ
5. Albert Einstein @ Montefiore
6. St. louis U
7. Univ. Missouri @ columbia

I have a genuine interest in Cards and would really like to move to East coast or Chicago. I guess my real question is how much better uiowa is compared to semi-academic programs such as rush or northshore LIJ in terms of difficulty in landing a cards fellowship as an amg.

Thanks again guys, please comment!
Click to expand...

Bump. Please comment, thx!
 
I'm struggling to rank a few favorite programs, and may ultimately end up deciding based on location/livability. I'd appreciate any insights about these locations and programs. Thanks!

Pittsburgh, PA (UPMC):
- Definitely my favorite program in terms of overall culture, educational emphasis/values, and like-minded, intellectual, insightful residents
- Great PD
- Great value placed on clinician-educators; this is both an interest of mine, and seems to translate into the residency having great faculty who are eager to teach
- City: Liked the midwestern non-pretentiousness and genuine friendliness of the city. Also liked the idea of the distinct neighborhoods, ample museums, music, and cultural events while still maintaining a somewhat intimate feel. Cool active reinvention of the city, and presence of lots of brainy people.
- Liked a lot of the potential activities (theoretically) available here--huge conservatory gardens, national aviary, Cathedral of Learning, science museums and robots, symphony, bookstores and libraries. (Will I make time to go to these, though? How accessible are they, really?)
- Less excited about the slight bleakness of the city and potentially feeling isolated/disconnected. Seemed a bit spread out and harder to run into people or form a community. Worried about not having a lot of cool hangouts or stuff readily accessible or walkable nearby (seeking out food/things to do rather than happening to have them nearby), and the increased difficulty getting of around and meeting basic needs easily (relative to the incredible ease of NYC). Probably need a car.
- Maybe too culturally homogeneous; mostly Caucasian
- Good potential opportunities for spouse to join me in 2 years (this is the plan for all of these locations… long story), and good-great long-term potential

Madison, WI (Wisconsin):
- Awesome PD, awesome educational emphasis and community
- Didn't get as much interaction with residents; seemed cool, down-to-earth, generally my kind of people if somewhat less nerdy :(
- Liked the liberal, quirky, and young feel of the town, with plenty of things to do, interesting places to eat, farmers' markets, beautiful nature, etc.
- Place seems to 'fit my personality' among the best of the locations I visited
- Really prefer the laid-back, communal feel over NYC (where I've been wishing to leave except for convenience considerations), but simultaneously miss NYC's convenience and compact activities
- Very cold winters; not excited about driving in snow, shoveling snow, and that claustrophobic feeling of dreariness you get during long stints of hibernation. Also worried about isolation, social disconnection (I am a little introverted and sometimes have trouble going to great lengths to seek people out outside of work). Need a car.
- Maybe too culturally homogeneous of a place; mostly Caucasian
- Great potential opportunities for spouse to join in 2 years, and great long-term potential

New Haven, CT (Yale):
- Great PD, great educational emphasis and didactics, really seemed to value the residents
- Overarching tone of the place seemed a little stuffy and formal
- Did really jive with the intellectual tone and opportunities, like the awesome writing course taken by a lot of residents, and the cultural and arts scene at Yale
- Unsure about New Haven: know some kindred spirits who really like it, but my brief impression was that it was a little dreary and unappealing. Don't need the full plethora of options in NYC, but might miss the walkability and proximity of activities and restaurants. Don't know if I'd feel very safe or happy living here… really just didn't get a full sense on interview day of what real life there would be like.
- In 2 years, spouse could find opportunities in NYC but program doesn't exist for him in New Haven. Training at Yale might confer more mobility to me in the future for targeting our future location together.
- 'Convenience' and livability seem intermediate? Likely need a car.

NYC Progams - Really struggling with whether I want to stay here. Not a "New York person," and at the beginning of the interview trail, was determined to leave. Now the convenience and certain aspects of great programs compel me to stay, but too many pros/cons to list here for now…
 
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Hey again, any info at all on these programs is welcome!! I cannot decide on 1-4 and maybe some info will help me figure out if a specific one would be better for me

Thanks in advance!

Hi! IMG here, long list of community programs (nothing impressive), interested in fellowship (definitely not GI and probably not cards but unsure what exactly) and no geographic preference.
In any case would love any input!!
Based on gut and trying to compare fellowship placements 1-4 felt most similar

Baystate (Springfield, MA) = Allegheny Gen Hosp (Pittsburgh, PA) = Atlantic Health - Morristown (NJ) = St Elizabeth's - Steward (Boston, MA)

Next tier (I think)

Staten Island University Hospital (NY)
Advocate Christ UIC (Chicago, IL)
Roger Williams Medical Center (Providence, RI)
Lincoln Medical Center (NY)
Queens Hosp Center (NY)
Richmond Univ Medical Center (NY)
Englewood Hospital (NJ)

Appreciate any input, good luck to all!
 
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Hi!
I am struggling with Duke vs UNC for the top of my rank list.

Duke: better recognition nationally, but questioning the happiness of the residents there. I have heard that the program can be "malignant," but a lot of that comes from residents/posts a couple of years outdated. It was early on in my interview trail, and I didn't have the good sense to ask about that during my interview day. It seems they have no restrictions when it comes to fellowships.

UNC: loved this program on interview day, a little worried about being in the "guinea pig" class for the transition to 3+1 next year. Overall, had a great feel after interview day. Loved chapel hill. Most of the residents seem to stay at UNC for fellowship, hopefully because they like it so much?! Do you think there is a benefit to a smaller class size (20ish vs 40ish)?

I'd love to hear any thoughts! Thanks!
 
daj24 said:
Hi!
I am struggling with Duke vs UNC for the top of my rank list.

Duke: better recognition nationally, but questioning the happiness of the residents there. I have heard that the program can be "malignant," but a lot of that comes from residents/posts a couple of years outdated. It was early on in my interview trail, and I didn't have the good sense to ask about that during my interview day. It seems they have no restrictions when it comes to fellowships.

UNC: loved this program on interview day, a little worried about being in the "guinea pig" class for the transition to 3+1 next year. Overall, had a great feel after interview day. Loved chapel hill. Most of the residents seem to stay at UNC for fellowship, hopefully because they like it so much?! Do you think there is a benefit to a smaller class size (20ish vs 40ish)?

I'd love to hear any thoughts! Thanks!
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hey, here's what help me decide my ROL. the big names give you a huge leg up for the most competitive places for residency (eg CCF for cards) but most decent academic places will set you up for the fellowship of your choice. the other big draw is research vs clinician. the big name places will absolutely give you a huge advantage because you have access to more resources, more high powered researchers, and more institutional support. not saying you can't do great research at UNC, but going to Duke gives you the ability to go anywhere in any field for any career path. how important is that to you? if you aren't really that interested in becoming a high powered clinician researcher, then you Duke = UNC for all intents and purposes. however, if you want to be able to publish in JAMA/NEJM/Nature/Science, then Duke is miles ahead of UNC.
 
throwaway1939 said:
hey, here's what help me decide my ROL. the big names give you a huge leg up for the most competitive places for residency (eg CCF for cards) but most decent academic places will set you up for the fellowship of your choice. the other big draw is research vs clinician. the big name places will absolutely give you a huge advantage because you have access to more resources, more high powered researchers, and more institutional support. not saying you can't do great research at UNC, but going to Duke gives you the ability to go anywhere in any field for any career path. how important is that to you? if you aren't really that interested in becoming a high powered clinician researcher, then you Duke = UNC for all intents and purposes. however, if you want to be able to publish in JAMA/NEJM/Nature/Science, then Duke is miles ahead of UNC.
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Haha, that will sure happen during your post-call research sessions. Get real. You go there to train in clinical medicine.
 
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daj24 said:
Hi!
I am struggling with Duke vs UNC for the top of my rank list.

Duke: better recognition nationally, but questioning the happiness of the residents there. I have heard that the program can be "malignant," but a lot of that comes from residents/posts a couple of years outdated. It was early on in my interview trail, and I didn't have the good sense to ask about that during my interview day. It seems they have no restrictions when it comes to fellowships.

UNC: loved this program on interview day, a little worried about being in the "guinea pig" class for the transition to 3+1 next year. Overall, had a great feel after interview day. Loved chapel hill. Most of the residents seem to stay at UNC for fellowship, hopefully because they like it so much?! Do you think there is a benefit to a smaller class size (20ish vs 40ish)?

I'd love to hear any thoughts! Thanks!
Click to expand...

Some comparisons are close. Duke vs UNC is not very close. UNC is a good program that will train you to be a good clinician. Duke is a fantastic program that will train you to be a good clinician and open many more doors in the future. Not familiar with the UNC fellowship list -> take a look at where the non UNC staying people go and those from Duke who don't stay at Duke and go from there.
 
I am set on my top 2. Struggling with 3 and beyond. Interested in Heme/Onc. Location not a big factor. My thinking is:

3-5 Wash U., Brown, BU
6-7 Univ. of Maryland, Univ. of Wisconsin
8-11 Ohio State, VCU, Tulane, Jefferson
12-14 RJW, Univ. of Rochester, Temple

Maryland and Wisconsin too low?
 
IMRules said:
I am set on my top 2. Struggling with 3 and beyond. Interested in Heme/Onc. Location not a big factor. My thinking is:

3-5 Wash U., Brown, BU
6-7 Univ. of Maryland, Univ. of Wisconsin
8-11 Ohio State, VCU, Tulane, Jefferson
12-14 RJW, Univ. of Rochester, Temple

Maryland and Wisconsin too low?
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Looks reasonable. I think Maryland and Wisconsin are probably better than BU but Wash U and Brown are good where you ou them.
 
IMRules said:
I am set on my top 2. Struggling with 3 and beyond. Interested in Heme/Onc. Location not a big factor. My thinking is:

3-5 Wash U., Brown, BU
6-7 Univ. of Maryland, Univ. of Wisconsin
8-11 Ohio State, VCU, Tulane, Jefferson
12-14 RJW, Univ. of Rochester, Temple

Maryland and Wisconsin too low?
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If location is really not a factor then Wisconsin and tOSU should be in that 3-5 group along with WU and Brown and BU somewhere else in the list.

But whatever, it will probably be a moot point.
 
one&done1123 said:
Hey y'all obviously a throwaway account here. I'm pretty certain about my top 3 programs but they are however quite a bit of a reach for me (coming from a low tier school and nobody has matched to those places for IM from my school over at least 5 yrs). But here are the rest of my rank.

Interested in hem/onc, maybe GI. Please let me know what you think. I appreciate all inputs and advices.

Top 3 then
#4/5 : Maryland vs USC. was more impressed by Maryland on interview day (more friendly residents, smaller program, better PD) but USC seems to have a better fellowship match year in and out. Also worried about how the fact that 60-70% of USC's patients are Spanish speaking will affect my learning
#6: Montefiore (Moses-Weiler)
#7/8/9: Indiana U vs Minnesota vs Bayview: Loved Indiana as a program and the PD but not sure about living there, same with Minnesota (might be a tad too cold). I have reservations about the size of Bayview ( 1. Smaller hospital w/ no transplant patients and probably less acuity given JHU and Maryland, 2. Higher focus on primary care with less residents going into fellowships (50%ish per class vs 70% in most academic places)
#10/11: Rush vs UIC: I think they are both probably interchangeable (Rush has private attendings for many of their hem/onc patients thus leaning toward ranking UIC higher)
#12 Loyola
#13 Temple: PD was blatantly exhibiting favoritism during the interview day which was a real turn-off, plus location of the hospital definitely leaves a lot to be desired
#14 Iowa: loved the program but don't see myself being happy living in such a small town
#15 Tufts: didn't like the 'sub-specialty team' system and during the tour one of the senior was blatantly ignoring one of the two interns who was an IMG (i.e not even introducing him and then pretended like he wasn't even there, it was super awkward and terrible). Disliked it enough that I would rather go to Iowa
#16 G'town: wasn't too impressed by the program with too many hospitals that you have to rotate through, also didn't like their conservative Catholic BS (can't prescribe birth control for its stated purpose, etc) and the fact that you don't do your own admissions. Seems like you do an 'admission only' call Q7days)
# 17 USF
# 18 Wake forest: Can't see myself living here either
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Oh my god for some reason I only now realized G'town was Catholic with all the associated anti-contraceptive BS. Derp. Thanks man, that kind of stuff is important to me!
 
Hey Everyone. Hoping for some help on deciding between California Pacific Medical Center and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. I've read the previous threads on this topic from a few years ago with the conclusion that it came down to personal preference and wanted to know if anyone had any new insight into the program due to recent changes (i.e scheduling and new PDs at both sites)

I'm originally from CA, go to school on the East Coast and would like to come back. I'm currently considering Renal, ID or being a Hospitalist. No interest at all in cards/GI/heme-onc. Autonomy, access to procedures, high acuity and complexity would be ideal. Working with an underserved population is the eventual goal, if not in residency, then in practice. Unfortunately I have no language skills besides my very well English :)

Here's my probably flawed analysis:

CPMC
+by far the best morning report I have been to..there were more than 10 attendings present!
+top-notch teaching faculty
+strong tertiary care exposure due to being the referral site for all of Sutter Health
+very busy renal transplant service ~200 / year
+residents seem very happy. seem to have a great work-life balance
+hospital seems to be run very efficiently
-PD is a well-established ID doc from Mayo

- still a traditional scheduling system
- uncertain about socioeconomic diversity of patients
- uncertain about autonomy

SCVMC
+incredible acuity and complexity, particularly in the ID realm
+strong emphasis on underserved from residents to attendings (i.e I got the feeling that residents ranked this #1 for the county experience
+seems to have a lot of autonomy and procedures
+~35% of fellows end up at Stanford or other great institutions
+4+2 for juniors and seniors
+PD just came a few months ago and is full of energy to make program even stronger. Seems like an awesome boss

-unsure about quality of didactics
-no transplants
-unsure about general organization of the institution

Any advice?
 
I think you hit the majority of points from both programs. I interviewed at both as well and I largely agree with your assessment.

My overall impression is that you will get better training/autonomy at SCVMC given that it is a county program.

Just to hit on the uncertainties you mentioned that I noticed:

CPMC
Regarding autonomy-
Interpret this as you wish but the interview guide for CPMC mentioned he did not do many procedures in the ICU, and if you wanted to you would have to go through the fellow. Felt a little more handholding compared to SCVMC (but this may definitely be a pro for some).


SCVMC
Regarding Didactics -
Had typical morning report and noon conference. On par with other programs. PD was in attendance, and had good participation from residents. I do think CPMC does this better as you mentioned.

Go with your gut imo. I don't think these differences really matter.

Indomie said:
Hey Everyone. Hoping for some help on deciding between California Pacific Medical Center and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. I've read the previous threads on this topic from a few years ago with the conclusion that it came down to personal preference and wanted to know if anyone had any new insight into the program due to recent changes (i.e scheduling and new PDs at both sites)

I'm originally from CA, go to school on the East Coast and would like to come back. I'm currently considering Renal, ID or being a Hospitalist. No interest at all in cards/GI/heme-onc. Autonomy, access to procedures, high acuity and complexity would be ideal. Working with an underserved population is the eventual goal, if not in residency, then in practice. Unfortunately I have no language skills besides my very well English :)

Here's my probably flawed analysis:

CPMC
+by far the best morning report I have been to..there were more than 10 attendings present!
+top-notch teaching faculty
+strong tertiary care exposure due to being the referral site for all of Sutter Health
+very busy renal transplant service ~200 / year
+residents seem very happy. seem to have a great work-life balance
+hospital seems to be run very efficiently
-PD is a well-established ID doc from Mayo

- still a traditional scheduling system
- uncertain about socioeconomic diversity of patients
- uncertain about autonomy

SCVMC
+incredible acuity and complexity, particularly in the ID realm
+strong emphasis on underserved from residents to attendings (i.e I got the feeling that residents ranked this #1 for the county experience
+seems to have a lot of autonomy and procedures
+~35% of fellows end up at Stanford or other great institutions
+4+2 for juniors and seniors
+PD just came a few months ago and is full of energy to make program even stronger. Seems like an awesome boss

-unsure about quality of didactics
-no transplants
-unsure about general organization of the institution

Any advice?
Click to expand...
 
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Opinions on my rank list? I have absolutely no idea what I want to do after residency so I'm looking for a well-rounded program. I'd would like to keep my options open in case I decide on something competitive afterwards. (also I'm posting from a friend's account!)

1) University of Cincinnati
2) University of Louisville
3) Rush
4) University of Chicago - Northshore
5) Beaumont
6) Henry Ford
7) Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners
8) Western Michigan
9) St. Vincents - Indianapolis
 
buonassezia said:
I'm struggling to rank a few favorite programs, and may ultimately end up deciding based on location/livability. I'd appreciate any insights about these locations and programs. Thanks!

Pittsburgh, PA (UPMC):
- Definitely my favorite program in terms of overall culture, educational emphasis/values, and like-minded, intellectual, insightful residents
- Great PD
- Great value placed on clinician-educators; this is both an interest of mine, and seems to translate into the residency having great faculty who are eager to teach
- City: Liked the midwestern non-pretentiousness and genuine friendliness of the city. Also liked the idea of the distinct neighborhoods, ample museums, music, and cultural events while still maintaining a somewhat intimate feel. Cool active reinvention of the city, and presence of lots of brainy people.
- Liked a lot of the potential activities (theoretically) available here--huge conservatory gardens, national aviary, Cathedral of Learning, science museums and robots, symphony, bookstores and libraries. (Will I make time to go to these, though? How accessible are they, really?)
- Less excited about the slight bleakness of the city and potentially feeling isolated/disconnected. Seemed a bit spread out and harder to run into people or form a community. Worried about not having a lot of cool hangouts or stuff readily accessible or walkable nearby (seeking out food/things to do rather than happening to have them nearby), and the increased difficulty getting of around and meeting basic needs easily (relative to the incredible ease of NYC). Probably need a car.
- Maybe too culturally homogeneous; mostly Caucasian
- Good potential opportunities for spouse to join me in 2 years (this is the plan for all of these locations… long story), and good-great long-term potential

Madison, WI (Wisconsin):
- Awesome PD, awesome educational emphasis and community
- Didn't get as much interaction with residents; seemed cool, down-to-earth, generally my kind of people if somewhat less nerdy :(
- Liked the liberal, quirky, and young feel of the town, with plenty of things to do, interesting places to eat, farmers' markets, beautiful nature, etc.
- Place seems to 'fit my personality' among the best of the locations I visited
- Really prefer the laid-back, communal feel over NYC (where I've been wishing to leave except for convenience considerations), but simultaneously miss NYC's convenience and compact activities
- Very cold winters; not excited about driving in snow, shoveling snow, and that claustrophobic feeling of dreariness you get during long stints of hibernation. Also worried about isolation, social disconnection (I am a little introverted and sometimes have trouble going to great lengths to seek people out outside of work). Need a car.
- Maybe too culturally homogeneous of a place; mostly Caucasian
- Great potential opportunities for spouse to join in 2 years, and great long-term potential

New Haven, CT (Yale):
- Great PD, great educational emphasis and didactics, really seemed to value the residents
- Overarching tone of the place seemed a little stuffy and formal
- Did really jive with the intellectual tone and opportunities, like the awesome writing course taken by a lot of residents, and the cultural and arts scene at Yale
- Unsure about New Haven: know some kindred spirits who really like it, but my brief impression was that it was a little dreary and unappealing. Don't need the full plethora of options in NYC, but might miss the walkability and proximity of activities and restaurants. Don't know if I'd feel very safe or happy living here… really just didn't get a full sense on interview day of what real life there would be like.
- In 2 years, spouse could find opportunities in NYC but program doesn't exist for him in New Haven. Training at Yale might confer more mobility to me in the future for targeting our future location together.
- 'Convenience' and livability seem intermediate? Likely need a car.

NYC Progams - Really struggling with whether I want to stay here. Not a "New York person," and at the beginning of the interview trail, was determined to leave. Now the convenience and certain aspects of great programs compel me to stay, but too many pros/cons to list here for now…
Click to expand...

Pitt resident here, I moved from Boston and I was pleasantly surprised by the options the city has to offer especially in the neighbors surrounding the hospitals. Regarding the need for a car, I would strongly recommend, but most of the residents live nearby and some of the people I know bike/walk to the hospital. Yale is a great program but I wasn't really excited about New Haven at all.
 
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gutonc said:
Nope.

UAB=UPMC=Mayo >> The rest by far
Click to expand...

Undoubtedly Mayo is a great program.. They're also super rich and the best at selling themselves. But at the same time, they're extremely overrated and obsessed about rankings.
UAB is an awesome program! I'm biased to talk about pitt..
 
Last edited:
@gutonc (and anyone else) I'm looking at a career in academic hemonc, and am fine with leaving CA to pursue the best training/experience possible. Had positive vibes/fit at every single one of these:

1. Baylor
2. USC
3. UIC
4. Hopkins Bayview
5/6. Harbor UCLA / UCLA Olive View
7. Yale Waterbury (the Yale affiliation is nice but it seemed to have a lot of FMGs, I don't know how this should affect how I view it)

Thanks!
 
MegMurry said:
@gutonc (and anyone else) I'm looking at a career in academic hemonc, and am fine with leaving CA to pursue the best training/experience possible. Had positive vibes/fit at every single one of these:

1. Baylor
2. USC
3. UIC
4. Hopkins Bayview
5/6. Harbor UCLA / UCLA Olive View
7. Yale Waterbury (the Yale affiliation is nice but it seemed to have a lot of FMGs, I don't know how this should affect how I view it)

Thanks!
Click to expand...

OMIGOOOOOOOD MEGMURRY
 
Hey Guys! Help me rank, is there a huge difference between these programs? Interested in Cards possibly
Beaumont Health Royal Oak, Case Western Metro Health, Suny UPSTATE, Albany, Univ Connecticut, Lahey Clinic, Univ Buffalo, Univ Toledo, Baystate
 
gutonc said:
If location is really not a factor then Wisconsin and tOSU should be in that 3-5 group along with WU and Brown and BU somewhere else in the list.

But whatever, it will probably be a moot point.
Click to expand...

Thx! Would I be crazy to rank OSU above Wash U? Wash U.'s fellowship match list is awesome, but OSU has sent people to some good places in Heme/Onc over the past few years (NYU, Northwestern, U of Chicago).
 
Would love some help! I'm not sure precisely what I'll do after residency, but have some interest in Pulm/Crit and want to leave my options open for fellowship. I am fairly flexible geography-wise, but prefer mid-sized cities.

1. Wash U-- felt I fit in the best here, I liked the PD, great scholarly/academic opportunities, impressive match list, good researched opportunities. St Louis doesn't seem like too shabby of a place either.
2-5. Kind of struggling here. In no particular order:
Colorado-- great location for family reasons. A little worried by its prickly reputation, but I didn't really see any evidence of it on interview day/ in subsequent communications with residents. Pulm/Crit there is a draw.
Michigan-- great clinical training and reputation, but I think I would prefer an x+y system
Tulane-- Probably #2 in terms of how well I felt I fit in there. NOLA is awesome, I really liked the PDs message and how resident-focused the program is.
Minnesota-- A solid program where I felt I fit in and I loved the Twin Cities. I can do Midwest winters (barely).
6. OHSU (I think my significant other would struggle to find a job in Portland)
7. Iowa (Iowa City may be a tad too small)
8. Wisconsin (Didn't feel I meshed as well with the residents here)
9. Utah (Don't know if I want to start at a program that is just transitioning to a new schedule. I like outdoorsy things but something about SLC is a little strange)
10. Northwestern (Chicago is maybe a tad too large of a city, didn't feel I fit in well)

Thank you in advance!
 
Pitt
buonassezia said:
I'm struggling to rank a few favorite programs, and may ultimately end up deciding based on location/livability. I'd appreciate any insights about these locations and programs. Thanks!

Pittsburgh, PA (UPMC):
- Definitely my favorite program in terms of overall culture, educational emphasis/values, and like-minded, intellectual, insightful residents
- Great PD
- Great value placed on clinician-educators; this is both an interest of mine, and seems to translate into the residency having great faculty who are eager to teach
- City: Liked the midwestern non-pretentiousness and genuine friendliness of the city. Also liked the idea of the distinct neighborhoods, ample museums, music, and cultural events while still maintaining a somewhat intimate feel. Cool active reinvention of the city, and presence of lots of brainy people.
- Liked a lot of the potential activities (theoretically) available here--huge conservatory gardens, national aviary, Cathedral of Learning, science museums and robots, symphony, bookstores and libraries. (Will I make time to go to these, though? How accessible are they, really?)
- Less excited about the slight bleakness of the city and potentially feeling isolated/disconnected. Seemed a bit spread out and harder to run into people or form a community. Worried about not having a lot of cool hangouts or stuff readily accessible or walkable nearby (seeking out food/things to do rather than happening to have them nearby), and the increased difficulty getting of around and meeting basic needs easily (relative to the incredible ease of NYC). Probably need a car.
- Maybe too culturally homogeneous; mostly Caucasian
- Good potential opportunities for spouse to join me in 2 years (this is the plan for all of these locations… long story), and good-great long-term potential

Madison, WI (Wisconsin):
- Awesome PD, awesome educational emphasis and community
- Didn't get as much interaction with residents; seemed cool, down-to-earth, generally my kind of people if somewhat less nerdy :(
- Liked the liberal, quirky, and young feel of the town, with plenty of things to do, interesting places to eat, farmers' markets, beautiful nature, etc.
- Place seems to 'fit my personality' among the best of the locations I visited
- Really prefer the laid-back, communal feel over NYC (where I've been wishing to leave except for convenience considerations), but simultaneously miss NYC's convenience and compact activities
- Very cold winters; not excited about driving in snow, shoveling snow, and that claustrophobic feeling of dreariness you get during long stints of hibernation. Also worried about isolation, social disconnection (I am a little introverted and sometimes have trouble going to great lengths to seek people out outside of work). Need a car.
- Maybe too culturally homogeneous of a place; mostly Caucasian
- Great potential opportunities for spouse to join in 2 years, and great long-term potential

New Haven, CT (Yale):
- Great PD, great educational emphasis and didactics, really seemed to value the residents
- Overarching tone of the place seemed a little stuffy and formal
- Did really jive with the intellectual tone and opportunities, like the awesome writing course taken by a lot of residents, and the cultural and arts scene at Yale
- Unsure about New Haven: know some kindred spirits who really like it, but my brief impression was that it was a little dreary and unappealing. Don't need the full plethora of options in NYC, but might miss the walkability and proximity of activities and restaurants. Don't know if I'd feel very safe or happy living here… really just didn't get a full sense on interview day of what real life there would be like.
- In 2 years, spouse could find opportunities in NYC but program doesn't exist for him in New Haven. Training at Yale might confer more mobility to me in the future for targeting our future location together.
- 'Convenience' and livability seem intermediate? Likely need a car.

NYC Progams - Really struggling with whether I want to stay here. Not a "New York person," and at the beginning of the interview trail, was determined to leave. Now the convenience and certain aspects of great programs compel me to stay, but too many pros/cons to list here for now…
Click to expand...
Pitt or Wisconsin definitely. Be careful not to confuse Yale IM program with strong rep of undergrad or medical school it is not nearly on same level. If you have 2 other (stronger) options pick one of those.
 
theimapplicant2016 said:
Pitt

Pitt or Wisconsin definitely. Be careful not to confuse Yale IM program with strong rep of undergrad or medical school it is not nearly on same level. If you have 2 other (stronger) options pick one of those.
Click to expand...

I don't think that's the case. Yale=Wisconsin=upmc in terms of reputation. I've been hearing this a lot on sdn not sure where this began. Yale has a great IM program.
 
Set on my top 3, but having some trouble with the rest of my list. Not sure about fellowship and am looking for broad general training with an interest in working with some underserved populations. Would like to keep as many doors open as possible. Southern California is best for family/significant other who does not have a flexible job so I have those programs ahead of others... wondering if that is a mistake. Thanks for the help and congratulations to everyone for making it this far! We are so close!

For Cali programs- from what i've heard/read this order can be a toss up depending on what youre looking for. Scripps is smaller but i prefer SD to LA
3- Scripps Green
4- Harbor
5- UC Irvine
6- Cedars Sinai
Elsewhere in the US-
7- Duke
8- UNC
9- NYU
10- UChicago
 
Saddened to hear of the Georgetown PD Dr. Michael Adams passing. I read the posted obituary and he seemed to be a great guy heavily invested in his residents and patients. RIP.

Need help ranking these programs. I know things tend to work out, and none of this really matters in the big picture. @gutonc your input would be appreciated. Thank you for everyone who helped out on this forum.

I am doing GI after residency and took that into account when making the list.

1) Jefferson
2) Temple
3) RWJ
4/5 Montefiore/UMaryland
4/5 Montefiore/UMaryland
6) NSLIJ (Northwell)
7) Stony Brook
8) Drexel
9) Downstate
10) Lenox Hill
11) St. Lukes-Roosevelt

Let me know if you would rank otherwise. Any places moving up or down?

Good luck with the match ya'all. I hope you get your 1.
 
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