Program Prestige

[MichiMO]

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Okay...I know that I will be adequately trained by any acredited OB program and that I should look for a program where I feel I fit in with the people ect.

But say you have two programs where you feel you would fit in equally as well...how much weight should you give to program prestige (university vs. community) vs. other things like good benifits, better location, ect.

I mean, I have had people say to me if you can go to a university program...go because it leaves your options open...but do you really think options are closed coming from a community program.

I am not trying to get into a community vs. academic debate...I think there are good community programs and crappy university ones... but I do think this is something to consider. Thoughts?

 

[chrisisinnocent]

Depends what you want to do career wise. If you want to go into private practice the prestige will be less important and you may be better off at a community based program. If you plan on staying in academia then prestige will be a more important factor.

 

[luvOB]

Depends what you want to do career wise. If you want to go into private practice the prestige will be less important and you may be better off at a community based program. If you plan on staying in academia then prestige will be a more important factor.

what if I want to work for kaiser or another hospital group after residency? is it easier to get a job if you trained at an academic program vs. community?
thanks in advance for any advice.🙂

 

[MichiMO]

Depends what you want to do career wise. If you want to go into private practice the prestige will be less important and you may be better off at a community based program. If you plan on staying in academia then prestige will be a more important factor.

What if you don't know? How much of a difference does your residency make in terms of career opportunities? Do you think that you should go to the more prestigious program even if you like the location of another program better?

 

[dr. know]

glad to hear that others are having the same delemma. personally, i only got one interview at a program that truely carries weight with its name, all others are about equal and i don't think that training at anyone of them will change the path that my life takes. whenever i heard from a university program that "you should only go to a community program if you don't want to go into fellowship for sure" i felt like it was another form of acedemic snobbery and a way to trash some of the really good community programs. i feel that there are still opportunities out there for fellowship and acedemic generalist practice through the community route, just be aware that both of those career paths take driven people and you may have to work even harder to get the same recognition coming from a community program.