Official 2015-2016 Help Me Rank Megathread

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Are UAB and Wake Forest equivalent programs in terms of reputation and training? For reference, I'm looking at hem/onc or ID as fellowship options.
UAB has a better reputation. I can't comment on the training at either place but I've met a lot more people from UAB on the interview trail and as applicants to my (West Coast hem/onc fellowship program) than Wake for whatever that's worth.

You probably won't suffer in any noticeable way from going to Wake over UAB though.

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Planning on going into Heme-Onc. Considering Maryland vs. Vermont vs. Wake Forest, but wondering which program would be best in terms of training and fellowship placement. Vermont seemed to have the best fellowship match list for Heme-Onc out of the 3, but also seemed to have exposure to mostly bread and butter medicine. Would appreciate any input!
 
What are people's opinion on Baylor vs OHSU ? currently leaning towards Baylor mostly b/c of their fellowship match over the past few years. Interested in GI, Hem/onc

Baylor:
Pros: seems to have a better fellowship match, access to MD Anderson research, residents were warm & cordial during dinner and seemed to enjoy working there, morning report was quite good, great facilities
Cons: leadership was iffy at best, its Texas, program maybe too big

OHSU:
Pros: absolutely loved the PD, R2/R3 was stellar during rounds, great facilities, 3+1 schedule. also residents seemed like a bunch of cool, down-to-earth, smart people
Cons: gray and rainy, pretty good fellowship match but not as impressive as Baylor, maybe more limited job opportunities for SigO

Thanks, appreciate the comments and inputs. Good luck everybody!
 
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I'm having difficulty with how to rank my top three: Stanford (Global Health Track), Hopkins, and U Washington. Hope to go into academic ID or global health with a focus on translational research, and I have a preference to eventually end up on the west coast. Thanks!

If you want to do global health, Stanford is the way to go. For ID/ research, any of the three will get you there. I would go by regional preference/ gut feeling in that case.
 
I'm having difficulty with how to rank my top three: Stanford (Global Health Track), Hopkins, and U Washington. Hope to go into academic ID or global health with a focus on translational research, and I have a preference to eventually end up on the west coast. Thanks!
3 great programs, obviously, so congratulations on that! You can do great things from any of them. I would say that your description of global health/translational research is right in Stanford's wheelhouse, and with a specific global health track you'll likely have more flexibility in your schedule than usual to allow you to pursue your interests. UW/Hopkins are obviously superb spots, as well.

I know multiple people have said it, but it is worth repeating: you are not going to be limited coming out of any of these programs, either from fellowship opportunities or job opportunities, other than how you limit it based on your own performance. That being said, if you know you want to end up on the west coast, all things being equal I would recommend favoring west coast programs - not because you won't be able to return coming out of Hopkins or a similar program, but because you'd be surprised how quickly you can end up with relationships, research endeavors, etc. which push you to stay in an area. So if given the choice between equal or near-equal options, and you know where you want to be in the long-term, I think it's a good idea to take that into consideration.

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions. I know all of these great programs well. Good luck!
 
What are people's opinion on Baylor vs OHSU ? currently leaning towards Baylor mostly b/c of their fellowship match over the past few years. Interested in GI, Hem/onc

Baylor:
Pros: seems to have a better fellowship match, access to MD Anderson research, residents were warm & cordial during dinner and seemed to enjoy working there, morning report was quite good, great facilities
Cons: leadership was iffy at best, its Texas, program maybe too big

OHSU:
Pros: absolutely loved the PD, R2/R3 was stellar during rounds, great facilities, 3+1 schedule. also residents seemed like a bunch of cool, down-to-earth, smart people
Cons: gray and rainy, pretty good fellowship match but not as impressive as Baylor, maybe more limited job opportunities for SigO

Thanks, appreciate the comments and inputs. Good luck everybody!
Sounds like you've made your decision. Your choice is absolutely fine.
 
Are UAB and Wake Forest equivalent programs in terms of reputation and training? For reference, I'm looking at hem/onc or ID as fellowship options.

No.

UAB >> Wake

Though Wake is still really nice spot. You'll find a fellowship spot out of either.
 
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Cards hopeful, into what tiers would you separate these programs:

UCSD
Utah
Colorado
OHSU
UChicago
UNC
Minnesota
Wisconsin
U of Washington
 
Cards hopeful, into what tiers would you separate these programs:

UCSD
Utah
Colorado
OHSU
UChicago
UNC
Minnesota
Wisconsin
U of Washington

1st: Washu
2nd: Uchicago
3rd: UCSD, Utah, Colorado, UNC
4th: rest

Just my impression not sure if you or everyone will agree!
 
GI Hopeful. Not tied down by geography. How would you rank?

Indiana
UT San Antonio
UIC
Northwestern
Case Western
Ohio State
Baylor(Real Baylor)
Cincinnati
Duke
Miami
UPMC
UAB
UTSW
 
IMG student, leaning towards ID for fellowship
Struggling to decide on order of my top 3. Not top tier programs by any means:

Baystate Medical Center
University at Buffalo
Lenox Hill - Hofstra NSLIJ

Any advice on these programs?
 
Another long time reader, first time poster. Appreciate all the knowledge (and opinions) freely given on these threads. I am categorical, leaning heme-onc over cards. I have been lucky to interview at some great programs, unfortunately I have a NE preference due to my significant other. I made my rank list balancing strength of training and fellowship match, proximity to my significant other, and feel/happiness i gathered from interacting with residents on interviews. This is what I got:

1. BIDMC - pretty solid as my number 1, got high marks in all 3 of my categories
2. Dartmouth - big surprise here for me, I really got along with house staff and attendings I met, loved being away from it all but still at a big academic medical center. Some concern I will be selling myself short for fellowship match
3. UCSF - loved the program, people, and city but would make for a long distance romance for forseeable future..
4. Boston Medical Center - location good, concerned about the difficult pt population and heme-onc experience.
5 . Yale/Tufts/Vermont - Yale got knocked down big because I got the sense residents were not happy and New Haven was not a nice place to be, otherwise location and program are great fits for me. Not tremendous feel at tufts. Vermont got knocked down due to program quality compared to some others (felt less academic).
8. Cornell - training and fellowship match are great, but living in New York would be tough and I have some concerns about ancillary staff.
9. Northwestern/Brown - Liked the NW program although I have concerns whether the training lives up to the name.. Brown location and feel were good, but I think the fellowship match and academics were not on same level as others.

Am I a bit crazy having Dartmouth this high given my plan is to be in academic medicine (education vs clinical research)? Should I give yale and cornell more love?
your opinions and/or knowledge would be much appreciated!
 
Another long time reader, first time poster. Appreciate all the knowledge (and opinions) freely given on these threads. I am categorical, leaning heme-onc over cards. I have been lucky to interview at some great programs, unfortunately I have a NE preference due to my significant other. I made my rank list balancing strength of training and fellowship match, proximity to my significant other, and feel/happiness i gathered from interacting with residents on interviews. This is what I got:

1. BIDMC - pretty solid as my number 1, got high marks in all 3 of my categories
2. Dartmouth - big surprise here for me, I really got along with house staff and attendings I met, loved being away from it all but still at a big academic medical center. Some concern I will be selling myself short for fellowship match
3. UCSF - loved the program, people, and city but would make for a long distance romance for forseeable future..
4. Boston Medical Center - location good, concerned about the difficult pt population and heme-onc experience.
5 . Yale/Tufts/Vermont - Yale got knocked down big because I got the sense residents were not happy and New Haven was not a nice place to be, otherwise location and program are great fits for me. Not tremendous feel at tufts. Vermont got knocked down due to program quality compared to some others (felt less academic).
8. Cornell - training and fellowship match are great, but living in New York would be tough and I have some concerns about ancillary staff.
9. Northwestern/Brown - Liked the NW program although I have concerns whether the training lives up to the name.. Brown location and feel were good, but I think the fellowship match and academics were not on same level as others.

Am I a bit crazy having Dartmouth this high given my plan is to be in academic medicine (education vs clinical research)? Should I give yale and cornell more love?
your opinions and/or knowledge would be much appreciated!

Fellow applicant here but interviewed at some of the same places. Think your right about Dartmouth selling yourself a little short compared to others on your list.

UCSF
NW/Yale/BIDMC
Cornell
Tufts/BU
Brown/Dartmouth/Vermont
 
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Another long time reader, first time poster. Appreciate all the knowledge (and opinions) freely given on these threads. I am categorical, leaning heme-onc over cards. I have been lucky to interview at some great programs, unfortunately I have a NE preference due to my significant other. I made my rank list balancing strength of training and fellowship match, proximity to my significant other, and feel/happiness i gathered from interacting with residents on interviews. This is what I got:

1. BIDMC - pretty solid as my number 1, got high marks in all 3 of my categories
2. Dartmouth - big surprise here for me, I really got along with house staff and attendings I met, loved being away from it all but still at a big academic medical center. Some concern I will be selling myself short for fellowship match
3. UCSF - loved the program, people, and city but would make for a long distance romance for forseeable future..
4. Boston Medical Center - location good, concerned about the difficult pt population and heme-onc experience.
5 . Yale/Tufts/Vermont - Yale got knocked down big because I got the sense residents were not happy and New Haven was not a nice place to be, otherwise location and program are great fits for me. Not tremendous feel at tufts. Vermont got knocked down due to program quality compared to some others (felt less academic).
8. Cornell - training and fellowship match are great, but living in New York would be tough and I have some concerns about ancillary staff.
9. Northwestern/Brown - Liked the NW program although I have concerns whether the training lives up to the name.. Brown location and feel were good, but I think the fellowship match and academics were not on same level as others.

Am I a bit crazy having Dartmouth this high given my plan is to be in academic medicine (education vs clinical research)? Should I give yale and cornell more love?
your opinions and/or knowledge would be much appreciated!

Crazy? No. Does it deserve second thought? Yes. Broadly within a 'tier' I think that the specific program means little in terms of fellowship matching, e.g. it's not going to make a meaningful difference whether you're coming out of Brigham/MGH/Hopkins/Penn/Stanford/UCSF, etc. But Dartmouth is significantly 'lower' in the academic hierarchy than some of the others on your list, most notably UCSF/BIDMC/Northwestern, but I'd also include Yale/Cornell & maybe even Brown. Heme/Onc has gotten more competitive over the years, and Cardiology remains the most competitive of all.

So if you really loved Dartmouth I wouldn't try that hard to talk you out of ranking it that high, but it's worth a second thought. Good luck!
 
Leaning towards Pulmonary Critical Care, but still considering Cardiology and Heme/Onc. Have an East Coast preference and am from Virginia. Have a MBA and am interested in innovative projects and environments that support social business, medicine, and medical education. I was curious what thoughts and feedback people had about my match list.

1. Penn - big city, close to home. Residents were happy and incredibly friendly. It seemed like a supportive program that excels in most areas. Could work with students and professors at Wharton.
2. Duke - nice mid-sized city, close to home. Residents seemed like they genuinely liked each other and spent considerable time with each other outside of work. However, some of the residents were a little inappropriate and self-centered at the pre-interview dinner. Has the only Management and Leadership Pathway in the country, which is geared towards those who have a MBA.
3. Mayo - would rank it #1 if it wasn't in Rochester, MN. Incredibly supportive in every regard. Everyone was incredibly friendly and seemed like they would do whatever to ensure you could reach your dreams. Intern year is 4 + 4. Practice incredible medicine, with outcomes superior to almost any other hospital in the world.
4. Vanderbilt - Nashville is an affordable city with tons to do. Every resident I met was a nice, normal, fun person. The residents I met here were the most fun. I actually had a ton of fun at the pre-interview dinner. Program director and associate program director seemed incredibly supportive. 4 + 2.
5. UVA - closest to home. Again, everyone was nice, fun, and friendly. Incredibly supportive place. All the facilities were fantastic.
6. Beth Israel Deaconess - loved the emphasis on medical education and amount of involvement in teaching medical students. Has a unique medical education tract and is a leader in this regard. Again everyone was nice. The facilities weren't great and were old.
7. Southwestern - huge program and total number of residents, which i think is a negative. Has a great reputation and brand new facilities.
8. UNC - UVA's twin program with more research.
 
GI Hopeful. Not tied down by geography. How would you rank?

Indiana
UT San Antonio
UIC
Northwestern
Case Western
Ohio State
Baylor(Real Baylor)
Cincinnati
Duke
Miami
UPMC
UAB
UTSW

I'd saw you have lots of solid options
1. Duke is probably by itself on that list
2. UPMC=UTSW=UAB=NW
3. Then most of the rest of them...maybe Baylor could be a bit higher, UT San Antonio, UIC prob a bit lower

Just my opinion though!!
 
Leaning towards Pulmonary Critical Care, but still considering Cardiology and Heme/Onc. Have an East Coast preference and am from Virginia. Have a MBA and am interested in innovative projects and environments that support social business, medicine, and medical education. I was curious what thoughts and feedback people had about my match list.

1. Penn - big city, close to home. Residents were happy and incredibly friendly. It seemed like a supportive program that excels in most areas. Could work with students and professors at Wharton.
2. Duke - nice mid-sized city, close to home. Residents seemed like they genuinely liked each other and spent considerable time with each other outside of work. However, some of the residents were a little inappropriate and self-centered at the pre-interview dinner. Has the only Management and Leadership Pathway in the country, which is geared towards those who have a MBA.
3. Mayo - would rank it #1 if it wasn't in Rochester, MN. Incredibly supportive in every regard. Everyone was incredibly friendly and seemed like they would do whatever to ensure you could reach your dreams. Intern year is 4 + 4. Practice incredible medicine, with outcomes superior to almost any other hospital in the world.
4. Vanderbilt - Nashville is an affordable city with tons to do. Every resident I met was a nice, normal, fun person. The residents I met here were the most fun. I actually had a ton of fun at the pre-interview dinner. Program director and associate program director seemed incredibly supportive. 4 + 2.
5. UVA - closest to home. Again, everyone was nice, fun, and friendly. Incredibly supportive place. All the facilities were fantastic.
6. Beth Israel Deaconess - loved the emphasis on medical education and amount of involvement in teaching medical students. Has a unique medical education tract and is a leader in this regard. Again everyone was nice. The facilities weren't great and were old.
7. Southwestern - huge program and total number of residents, which i think is a negative. Has a great reputation and brand new facilities.
8. UNC - UVA's twin program with more research.

Did the Mayo Clinic show you data to support that claim that their outcomes are better than all other hospitals? Also for some reason I'm fairly certain programs like UTSW/Penn/Vandy are very similar in size
 
Did the Mayo Clinic show you data to support that claim that their outcomes are better than all other hospitals? Also for some reason I'm fairly certain programs like UTSW/Penn/Vandy are very similar in size

ya, dunno how legit the data is, but they had a fairly long (and kind of awkward presentation) on how mayo is literally the #1 hospital in America. PD spent an awkward 5-10 minutes describing USNWR's ranking algorithm though and seemed a bit defensive on Mayo being ranked overall #2 vs MGH #1 even though Mayo is ranked #1 in like 10 specialties. it was awkward IMO. no body doubts that Mayo is a high caliber institution, imo, it was unnecessary going into that much detail.
 
Hey guys, need some help with my list. Thinking about GI or cards for the future, but unsure. Would really like to train in Philadelphia, but worried that I'm not optimizing my list for the best chances in the fellowship match. Think I'm hurting myself down the road with Jeff over RWJ, Monte and Dartmouth? Thanks in advance.

1. Jefferson
2. Rutgers RWJ
3. Einstein Montifiore
4. Rutgers NJMS
5. Dartmouth
6. Penn State
7. Drexel
8. Cooper
9. VCU
10. Geisinger
11. Einstein - Philly
 
Cards hopeful, into what tiers would you separate these programs:

UCSD
Utah
Colorado
OHSU
UChicago
UNC
Minnesota
Wisconsin
U of Washington
Just my impression not sure if you or everyone will agree!

1st: Washu
2nd: Uchicago
3rd: UCSD, Utah, Colorado, UNC
4th: rest


It was U of Wash not WashU, does that change things? Any other opinions?
 
Hey guys, need some help with my list. Thinking about GI or cards for the future, but unsure. Would really like to train in Philadelphia, but worried that I'm not optimizing my list for the best chances in the fellowship match. Think I'm hurting myself down the road with Jeff over RWJ, Monte and Dartmouth? Thanks in advance.

1. Jefferson
2. Rutgers RWJ
3. Einstein Montifiore
4. Rutgers NJMS
5. Dartmouth
6. Penn State
7. Drexel
8. Cooper
9. VCU
10. Geisinger
11. Einstein - Philly
I'm a huge fan of "going with your gut" when it comes to ranking. But you're not going with your gut, you seem to be going with geography (which I guess could be part of your gut), but not even really doing that since the 2nd Philly program is at #7 on your list.

If you really loved Jeff, then go ahead and rank it #1. But if you're looking for "objectish" program rankings to set you up for a competitive fellowship:
Dartmouth
RWJ
Einstein/Jeff
VCU/Penn State
NJMS
The others
 
Cards hopeful, into what tiers would you separate these programs:

UCSD
Utah
Colorado
OHSU
UChicago
UNC
Minnesota
Wisconsin
U of Washington

I'd put UW and UCSD near the top. I'd rank the rest as you like them. All those programs are pretty different geographically, and that also affects how/where people match for fellowship, so take that into consideration as you also consider where you'd want to live for the next 3+ years.
 
Another long time reader, first time poster. Appreciate all the knowledge (and opinions) freely given on these threads. I am categorical, leaning heme-onc over cards. I have been lucky to interview at some great programs, unfortunately I have a NE preference due to my significant other. I made my rank list balancing strength of training and fellowship match, proximity to my significant other, and feel/happiness i gathered from interacting with residents on interviews. This is what I got:

1. BIDMC - pretty solid as my number 1, got high marks in all 3 of my categories
2. Dartmouth - big surprise here for me, I really got along with house staff and attendings I met, loved being away from it all but still at a big academic medical center. Some concern I will be selling myself short for fellowship match
3. UCSF - loved the program, people, and city but would make for a long distance romance for forseeable future..
4. Boston Medical Center - location good, concerned about the difficult pt population and heme-onc experience.
5 . Yale/Tufts/Vermont - Yale got knocked down big because I got the sense residents were not happy and New Haven was not a nice place to be, otherwise location and program are great fits for me. Not tremendous feel at tufts. Vermont got knocked down due to program quality compared to some others (felt less academic).
8. Cornell - training and fellowship match are great, but living in New York would be tough and I have some concerns about ancillary staff.
9. Northwestern/Brown - Liked the NW program although I have concerns whether the training lives up to the name.. Brown location and feel were good, but I think the fellowship match and academics were not on same level as others.

Am I a bit crazy having Dartmouth this high given my plan is to be in academic medicine (education vs clinical research)? Should I give yale and cornell more love?
your opinions and/or knowledge would be much appreciated!
Not sure why UVM is so high. Its clinical training and fellowship match is not comparable to the places you've listed below it, including Brown which is still in the Northeast. In the end, your priorities are your own, but I would seriously think about whether or not you really want to compromise this stage (arguably the most important) of your medical training. There is a serious difference between UCSF and Dartmouth.
 
Hello, can anyone help me rank the following programs?

1. Lenox Hill
2. St. Elizabeth's (Boston)
3. LIJ-Forest Hills
4. Sinai Hospital (Baltimore)
5. NYU Lutheran

This is my current rank order. Assuming that I want to keep fellowship options open, would this be the right order? Thank you so much!
 
Can people make sure I'm not making a mistake at top of my list (GI hopeful):

1. UPMC - loved the PD, excellent fellowship match list to outstanding institutions, pittsburgh isn't so bad
2. Baylor - great diversity, superb match list
3. Case - Armitage is awesome, residents very happy, seems like most residents stay at Case, city is drawback
4. UW-Madison - very cold, interesting PD (in a good way), match list is relatively weaker than first two

Here's the kicker: I liked UW-Madison the best but the GI results are scaring me off as other programs do better at matching at outside institutions. Would this be silly to drop them down to #4? I know they will all allow me to get a spot, but having flexibility to move is important to me. How many of you are in this type of situation and what would you advise? Thanks to all!
 
It seems that at least two of you here want to rank Baylor highly, which I think is honestly a great choice! BCM is a great program that garners a ton of respect at least in the region but nationally as well. If you've interviewed there recently, you'll have seen that many of the current 2016 class are choosing to do hospitalist medicine but don't be off put by this if you're looking to specialize, because I know for sure that they pretty much all are going into hospitalist medicine out of choice (mainly because Texas is such a great place to practice hospitalist med!). Just as an aside I'm surprised that more people aren't looking at UT Houston especially if they're planning on doing heme/onc. Their strong affiliation with MD Anderson makes their heme onc match list pretty much top tier (2016 match results: 6/6 matched - MD Anderson x2, Vanderbilt, UCLA, Methodist Houston, NIH), not that BCM's is any weaker.
 
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Hey everyone,

First of all thanks to all the knowledgeable/experienced people dispensing wisdom! It's a huge service. Here are my top 3 with perceived pros and cons. I'm looking for anyone to correct or offer an alternate viewpoint. Hoping to specialize, not sure in what, but want to keep doors open. Want to be in a fun city with supportive co residents and approachable faculty.

1. UCLA: Pros - Beautiful new main hospital, rotations at diverse area hospitals with lots of different kinds of exposure, 4 + 1 schedule, residents seemed fun and outgoing overall.
Cons - LA has its good parts, but overall I got kind of a sprawling/dirty feeling....its expensive to live anywhere nice.
2. UWashington: Pros - Cool PD, beautiful city, strong training at different hospitals, residents seemed nice and laid back overall
Cons - traditional schedule (one intern was on 3rd month in a row of call), giant residency class size, Seattle can be very overcast.
UCSD: Pros - San Diego, interesting pathology so close to the border.
Cons - Got the feeling the residents there were mostly talking about having fun in San Diego rather than the strengths of the program, but maybe that's cause San Diego is so fun? Talked a lot about how hard they worked, but maybe that's just par for the course? Traditional continuity Clinic.

Anyway those are my impressions and rank list, any comments appreciated! (For example, how big of a deal is 4+1? Is Seattle objectively better than LA :)? ETC.)
 
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IMG student, leaning towards ID for fellowship
Struggling to decide on order of my top 3. Not top tier programs by any means:

Baystate Medical Center
University at Buffalo
Lenox Hill - Hofstra NSLIJ

Any advice on these programs?

University at Buffalo
Lenox Hill = Baystate.
 
Hey everyone,

First of all thanks to all the knowledgeable/experienced people dispensing wisdom! It's a huge service. Here are my top 3 with perceived pros and cons. I'm looking for anyone to correct or offer an alternate viewpoint. Hoping to specialize, not sure in what, but want to keep doors open. Want to be in a fun city with supportive co residents and approachable faculty.

1. UCLA: Pros - Beautiful new main hospital, rotations at diverse area hospitals with lots of different kinds of exposure, 4 + 1 schedule, residents seemed fun and outgoing overall.
Cons - LA has its good parts, but overall I got kind of a sprawling/dirty feeling....its expensive to live anywhere nice.
2. UWashington: Pros - Cool PD, beautiful city, strong training at different hospitals, residents seemed nice and laid back overall
Cons - traditional schedule (one intern was on 3rd month in a row of call), giant residency class size, Seattle can be very overcast.
UCSD: Pros - San Diego, interesting pathology so close to the border.
Cons - Got the feeling the residents there were mostly talking about having fun in San Diego rather than the strengths of the program, but maybe that's cause San Diego is so fun? Talked a lot about how hard they worked, but maybe that's just par for the course? Traditional continuity Clinic.

Anyway those are my impressions and rank list, any comments appreciated! (For example, how big of a deal is 4+1? Is Seattle objectively better than LA :)? ETC.)

I'd rank them the same as you did. Honestly, program structure (4+1, 3+1, etc.) shouldn't be that significant a deciding factor, it can change very easily during the course of residency. All those cities are great places to live with lots to do.
 
Can people make sure I'm not making a mistake at top of my list (GI hopeful):

1. UPMC - loved the PD, excellent fellowship match list to outstanding institutions, pittsburgh isn't so bad
2. Baylor - great diversity, superb match list
3. Case - Armitage is awesome, residents very happy, seems like most residents stay at Case, city is drawback
4. UW-Madison - very cold, interesting PD (in a good way), match list is relatively weaker than first two

Here's the kicker: I liked UW-Madison the best but the GI results are scaring me off as other programs do better at matching at outside institutions. Would this be silly to drop them down to #4? I know they will all allow me to get a spot, but having flexibility to move is important to me. How many of you are in this type of situation and what would you advise? Thanks to all!

You aren’t the first one that has expressed surprise at the disconnect between the love on SDN for Wisconsin, versus their fellowship match record in competitive specialties. It’s true that many midwestern programs are overlooked and that they provide great training and have genuinely friendly people. (To say nothing of the Wisconsin PD’s rep - and his beard.) And it’s easy to misread fellowship match results since they do reflect regional preferences and the desire to do private practice in specific locations, rather than people necessarily preferring to go for higher-ranked academic programs.

But at the same, if you personally are interested in higher-ranked academic programs in a competitive sub-specialty, and you don’t want to stay at Wisconsin, I believe it’s worth looking at the data on fellowship matches. For instance, if you look at Wisconsin’s cards matches for the last several years from their website (I would suggest you do likewise for GI - I know nothing about fellowship reputations in GI), their 15 matches were as follows: 11 to Wisconsin, 2 to Illinois, 1 each to Minnesota and Med College of Wisconsin. Even assuming everybody wanted to stay in the midwest, it gives one pause that there was not a single one that went to very highly regarded midwestern cards programs such as NW, Mayo, Michigan, Wash U, U Chicago.

So if someone is not interested in staying in Wisconsin (which I’m sure would offer excellent fellowship training) but wants to go to a more competitive place for fellowship in cards, they’d better think hard. Are they willing to bet that none of the 15 people for cards fellowship from Wisconsin wanted to go to NW, Mayo, Michigan, etc. and they all preferred to be at Wisconsin or Illinois/Minnesota/MCW? No way to know - but I would be uncomfortable taking that bet if I had other programs that I also liked a lot and which had a significantly better match record. And at a minimum, the fact that there is no pipeline of residents from Wisconsin to NW, Mayo etc. means that those programs do not have familiarity with residents trained at Wisconsin.

So my bottom line suggestion is that while differences in fellowship match lists can be misleading (and overrated compared to the importance of location and fit), you should at the same time not ignore significant differences in match lists - if you’re interested in a fellowship in a competitive specialty at a highly ranked academic program, and don’t want to stay at Wisconsin. But at the end of the day your own performance will likely matter more than anything else. And keep in mind that their advertised 100% fellowship placement - and the ability to stay at a highly regarded program such as Wisconsin - is not to be minimized either.
 
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Hey guys, I don't have the amazing programs people are discussing but could use some input on a few of the programs on my ROL. Looking for a place with good cardio opportunities. Prefer big city location. Any insight is appreciated!

1. Drexel
2. Lenox Hill
3. UMass
4. Washington Hospital Center
5. SUNY Upstate
6. Jacobi
7. Cook County
 
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! :)

I think you did a good job ranking by reputation from my limited knowledge. At the very least I perceive these programs as you do with the slight caveat that I would put UMinn a lot higher if you were ranking purely based on reputation (I personally really really liked the program but to each their own). If you prefer Chicago as a city though, then everything looks perfect. Honestly your rank looks perfectly solid. I don't really think you'd be at a disadvantage going to any of these programs. Keep in mind that people at Baylor work very hard in IM (kinda like Monte in NYC). That being said though, everyone seems to know this and their match list reflects it. Good luck!
 
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Hi guys,

Please help me ranks my list and given the reason would be appreciated. Want to apply Card fellow.

1. CCF
2. Jacobi
3. Eistein Phily
4. Michigan State University
5. Houston Methodist
6. SUNY downstate

Thanks,
 
Hi guys,

Please help me ranks my list and given the reason would be appreciated. Want to apply Card fellow.

1. CCF
2. Jacobi
3. Eistein Phily
4. Michigan State University
5. Houston Methodist
6. SUNY downstate

Thanks,
Methodist and MSU should be 2 and 3 (in some order).
 
Thanks much gutonc. Here's my current list. Does this make sense?

1. CCF
2. Michigan State University
3. Houston Methodist
4. Jacobi
5. Eistein Phily
6. SUNY downstate
7. Lehigh Valley
8. Cook county
9. Icahn school mount sinai - Queens
10. Wright center
 
Thanks much gutonc. Here's my current list. Does this make sense?

1. CCF
2. Michigan State University
3. Houston Methodist
4. Jacobi
5. Eistein Phily
6. SUNY downstate
7. Lehigh Valley
8. Cook county
9. Icahn school mount sinai - Queens
10. Wright center
Sure...why not.
 
Can someone shed some light on Brown's match list? The match locations seem very consolidated. It seems like most people match in the NE and very few outside that region. Is this because most residents want to stay at Brown or near Boston?
 
Planning on going into Heme-Onc. Considering Maryland vs. Vermont vs. Wake Forest, but wondering which program would be best in terms of training and fellowship placement. Vermont seemed to have the best fellowship match list for Heme-Onc out of the 3, but also seemed to have exposure to mostly bread and butter medicine. Would appreciate any input!

Bumping this. Any input @gutonc or anyone else? Thanks!
 
Fellow applicant here but interviewed at some of the same places. Think your right about Dartmouth selling yourself a little short compared to others on your list.

UCSF
NW/Yale/BIDMC
Cornell
Tufts/BU
Brown/Dartmouth/Vermont


1. UCSF
2. BID
2. NW
4. Cornell
5. Yale
6. Tufts
7. Dartmouth
8. Brown
9. BU
10. Vermont
 
Leaning towards Pulmonary Critical Care, but still considering Cardiology and Heme/Onc. Have an East Coast preference and am from Virginia. Have a MBA and am interested in innovative projects and environments that support social business, medicine, and medical education. I was curious what thoughts and feedback people had about my match list.

1. Penn - big city, close to home. Residents were happy and incredibly friendly. It seemed like a supportive program that excels in most areas. Could work with students and professors at Wharton.
2. Duke - nice mid-sized city, close to home. Residents seemed like they genuinely liked each other and spent considerable time with each other outside of work. However, some of the residents were a little inappropriate and self-centered at the pre-interview dinner. Has the only Management and Leadership Pathway in the country, which is geared towards those who have a MBA.
3. Mayo - would rank it #1 if it wasn't in Rochester, MN. Incredibly supportive in every regard. Everyone was incredibly friendly and seemed like they would do whatever to ensure you could reach your dreams. Intern year is 4 + 4. Practice incredible medicine, with outcomes superior to almost any other hospital in the world.
4. Vanderbilt - Nashville is an affordable city with tons to do. Every resident I met was a nice, normal, fun person. The residents I met here were the most fun. I actually had a ton of fun at the pre-interview dinner. Program director and associate program director seemed incredibly supportive. 4 + 2.
5. UVA - closest to home. Again, everyone was nice, fun, and friendly. Incredibly supportive place. All the facilities were fantastic.
6. Beth Israel Deaconess - loved the emphasis on medical education and amount of involvement in teaching medical students. Has a unique medical education tract and is a leader in this regard. Again everyone was nice. The facilities weren't great and were old.
7. Southwestern - huge program and total number of residents, which i think is a negative. Has a great reputation and brand new facilities.
8. UNC - UVA's twin program with more research.

1. Penn
2. BID
3. Duke
4. Mayo
5. Vanderbilt
6. UNC
7. UVA
 
Hey guys, need some help with my list. Thinking about GI or cards for the future, but unsure. Would really like to train in Philadelphia, but worried that I'm not optimizing my list for the best chances in the fellowship match. Think I'm hurting myself down the road with Jeff over RWJ, Monte and Dartmouth? Thanks in advance.

1. Jefferson
2. Rutgers RWJ
3. Einstein Montifiore
4. Rutgers NJMS
5. Dartmouth
6. Penn State
7. Drexel
8. Cooper
9. VCU
10. Geisinger
11. Einstein - Philly


1. Jefferson
2. Dartmouth
3. RWJ
4. Montefiore
5. VCU
6. Drexel
7. Penn State
8. NJMS
9. Cooper
10. Einstein Philly
11. Geisinger
 
Does anyone have Iowa's fellowship match list or know how well they match? I just remember hearing on my interview day something like "80-something% of people matched..." and it has been concerning me about this program since it seems like a low match percent. I'm not sure if I misheard and it was something like 80-something% matched at their top choice, so I just wanted to clarify!

I was also wondering about Iowa's reputation/strength vs. Baylor vs. Dartmouth vs. Rush vs. Loyola vs. Indiana vs. Minnesota vs. Cincinnati. The way that I have them ranked right now is:
-Baylor
-Dartmouth
-Rush
-Iowa
-Loyola
-Indiana
-Minnesota
-Cincinnati
Reputation/strength of the program/research/fellowship matches are important for me (especially reputation), so I'm looking for objective info/rankings because location is not an issue for me and I got along with everyone and liked all of these programs.

1. Baylor
2. Dartmouth
3. Minnesota
4. Iowa
5. Indiana
6. Loyola
7. Rush
8. Cincinnati
 
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Hello, can anyone help me rank the following programs?

1. Lenox Hill
2. St. Elizabeth's (Boston)
3. LIJ-Forest Hills
4. Sinai Hospital (Baltimore)
5. NYU Lutheran

This is my current rank order. Assuming that I want to keep fellowship options open, would this be the right order? Thank you so much!

unfamiliar with programs.
 
Can people make sure I'm not making a mistake at top of my list (GI hopeful):

1. UPMC - loved the PD, excellent fellowship match list to outstanding institutions, pittsburgh isn't so bad
2. Baylor - great diversity, superb match list
3. Case - Armitage is awesome, residents very happy, seems like most residents stay at Case, city is drawback
4. UW-Madison - very cold, interesting PD (in a good way), match list is relatively weaker than first two

Here's the kicker: I liked UW-Madison the best but the GI results are scaring me off as other programs do better at matching at outside institutions. Would this be silly to drop them down to #4? I know they will all allow me to get a spot, but having flexibility to move is important to me. How many of you are in this type of situation and what would you advise? Thanks to all!

Would do the same.
 
Hey guys, I don't have the amazing programs people are discussing but could use some input on a few of the programs on my ROL. Looking for a place with good cardio opportunities. Prefer big city location. Any insight is appreciated!

1. Drexel
2. Lenox Hill
3. UMass
4. Washington Hospital Center
5. SUNY Upstate
6. Jacobi
7. Cook County

1. UMass
2. Drexel
3. SUNY upstate
4. Jacobi
5. Washington Hospital Center
6. Lenox Hill
7. Cook County
 
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