Rank list help: How would you rank these residency programs

[pathYJ]

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Started quite early interviewing this cycle, so I have done interviews with all my top programs. But I am having trouble ranking the following programs in the middle of my list. How would you guys rank them? Thanks for the advice in advance, career goal academic, family tie around north Carolina area, with my wife working at UNC. Struggle most with UCSF, but more of a big name issue I guess🙁 Have a pretty good feeling about UNC, UVA, UCSF during my interview day.

UNC
UCSF
U Chicago
Iowa
UVA
Clevland Clinic

 

[deleted314957]

Started quite early interviewing this cycle, so I have done interviews with all my top programs. But I am having trouble ranking the following programs in the middle of my list. How would you guys rank them? Thanks for the advice in advance, career goal academic, family tie around north Carolina area, with my wife working at UNC. Struggle most with UCSF, but more of a big name issue I guess🙁 Have a pretty good feeling about UNC, UVA, UCSF during my interview day.

UNC
UCSF
U Chicago
Iowa
UVA
Clevland Clinic

Do UNC. That’s where y’all are from. Probably be happier.
You generally get out of a residency what you put in. Doesn’t matter all that much as long as the volume and preview time is appropriate. Wherever you go in today’s system you have no real independent responsibility anyway.
After your training do the academia stuff as an “associate assistant instructor” for a couple years to get real experience then get out of the ivory tower, even though it is a comfortable womb and they will brainwash you that it is too scary on the “ outside”.

 

[chooks]

UNC no question in my mind. Good program. Probably good on the homefront as well. COL is sane. Beach and mountain trips for the weekend. Probably decent practice opportunities afterwards given the population density.

Don't get me wrong, those are all good programs (and I interviewed at most of those as well is Days Gone By). These are my notes:

UCSF: Yeah they pay more and you can see the golden gate bridge from the resident room, but the increased pay just means you can get the fancy ramen instead of Top Ramen.
Iowa: Iowa city is great. Love the Hawkeyes. But if you want to "get away" good luck - the quad cities and Cedar Rapids are nice but won't sustain you for 5 years. Also fewer trees for development of arborist skill set.
Cleveland: It rocks but it is Cleveland
Chicago: Similar to UCSF - COL and living in a shoebox. LSD is great during the 8 weeks of warm weather. They do have amazing polish food though (try the Polish Kitchen near the Circle Theater on Division if the owner hasn't died yet).
UVA: Actually - would consider that as well. Good program and location.

Also there are more options for arborist side gigs in NC.

 

[gbwillner]

Reputation-wise these are all solid programs with good national reputations. Go with your gut.

 

[pathYJ]

UNC no question in my mind. Good program. Probably good on the homefront as well. COL is sane. Beach and mountain trips for the weekend. Probably decent practice opportunities afterwards given the population density.

Don't get me wrong, those are all good programs (and I interviewed at most of those as well is Days Gone By). These are my notes:

UCSF: Yeah they pay more and you can see the golden gate bridge from the resident room, but the increased pay just means you can get the fancy ramen instead of Top Ramen.
Iowa: Iowa city is great. Love the Hawkeyes. But if you want to "get away" good luck - the quad cities and Cedar Rapids are nice but won't sustain you for 5 years. Also fewer trees for development of arborist skill set.
Cleveland: It rocks but it is Cleveland
Chicago: Similar to UCSF - COL and living in a shoebox. LSD is great during the 8 weeks of warm weather. They do have amazing polish food though (try the Polish Kitchen near the Circle Theater on Division if the owner hasn't died yet).
UVA: Actually - would consider that as well. Good program and location.

Also there are more options for arborist side gigs in NC.

Thank you so much for sharing all the informative notes. Agree with you especially for UVA part, also great program with reputation and also in-house Dermpath fellow, not that far away from my wife.

 

[pathYJ]

Do UNC. That’s where y’all are from. Probably be happier.
You generally get out of a residency what you put in. Doesn’t matter all that much as long as the volume and preview time is appropriate. Wherever you go in today’s system you have no real independent responsibility anyway.
After your training do the academia stuff as an “associate assistant instructor” for a couple years to get real experience then get out of the ivory tower, even though it is a comfortable womb and they will brainwash you that it is too scary on the “ outside”.

Definitely! Active learning is key in residency, will definitely work hard, thanks a lot for the insight🙂

 

[LADoc00]

No idea on the other cities but SF you need to carry your vaccine card literally everywhere....

I need more info tho:
are you a man, woman or other?
are you married?
do you have kids?
are you independently wealthy?



If you self identify as a cis man or woman, are married, have kids and are NOT independently wealthy, then pass on UCSF.

I think if you have certain sexual kinks (PM me do NOT post here) then UCSF might be a solid place for you.

Good luck.

 

[gbwillner]

I think if you have certain sexual kinks (PM me do NOT post here) then UCSF might be a solid place for you.

Please make sure to send pics in the PM or you'll be wasting LA Doc's time 🤣🤣🤣

 

[Dave CX]

UVa and UNC are both excellent. UVa would have easily been #1 a few years ago, but Wick and Mills recently retired. Still a first class place.

 

[pathYJ]

No idea on the other cities but SF you need to carry your vaccine card literally everywhere....

I need more info tho:
are you a man, woman or other?
are you married?
do you have kids?
are you independently wealthy?



If you self identify as a cis man or woman, are married, have kids and are NOT independently wealthy, then pass on UCSF.

I think if you have certain sexual kinks (PM me do NOT post here) then UCSF might be a solid place for you.

Good luck.

Cis man with wife, no kids, two cats. Resident salary I guess means NOT independently wealthy🤣 I see what you are trying to say LADoc, thanks for the input🙂

 

[pathYJ]

UVa and UNC are both excellent. UVa would have easily been #1 a few years ago, but Wick and Mills recently retired. Still a first class place.

UCSF is pretty much a pass now, I can take some time for these two programs. Thanks!

 

[deleted314957]

There are few sadder things than “living” in San Francisco
on a resident income.