Over-rated residency programs

[GopherBrain]

I hope this doesn't turn into a flame war. I asked about opinions on under-rated programs, the obvious next questions is over-rated programs.

It seems as programs could be over-rated for many reasons, such as a weak program at a big name place, a famous history but a lackluster present, or just being located in an especially desirable part of the country.

Please mention some programs that meet this description, and try to explain why you think they have such an inflated reputation...

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[kasimagore1]

It is really difficult to say which program is over-rated if they are not commonly considered (and again, by whom?) to be a strong program to begin with. Some programs with nationally known parent institutions that I was less enchanted with during my interviews include Yale, Duke, Stanford, and Northwestern. A common problem among these programs is that the strength and breadth of the clincal department paled in comparison to the basic neuroscience department....whereas other frequently-cited top programs like Partners and UCSF have good representations in both clinical and basic science faculties. This may not affect your residency training, and certainly will not impede your future career objectives. However, it would be an annoyance if you decide to enter a particular fellowship (sleep, pain, neuro AIDS, neuroimmunology, etc) and realize there is no sub-specialists at your home institution who could be your training mentors---having to move every four years is such a pain in the butt.