Ranking CA programs

[anestheticman]

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Applicants to CA programs, how are you ranking them? Which did you think were the best and why and in what order? If you were to make 3 tiers of CA programs what would they be?

I think that UCSF, Stanford, UCLA, and UCSD are clearly in their own league but how are people ranking UC Davis vs. Loma Linda vs. UCI vs. USC? What about Cedars and Harbor-UCLA?

 

[ANES82]

i agree- UCLA, UCSF, stanford are all outstanding programs. i didn't go to UCSD. i think UCSF might be the best program in CA - i'm not sure its tough to decide. UCLA and Stanford are also really well respected.

a previous harbor UCLA resident is now a chief at UT Houston. at my UTH interview he said that most residents left his year but maybe it has gotten better. i canceled that interview so thats all i know.

I think Cedars has great potential but currently isn't there yet. It just started last year and the upper level residents are from a program in LA that closed. most residents are FMG's. Some attendings told me in my interview that the residents aren't the strongest group but hopefully it will get better. Cedars is an awesome place and would be a great place to go back and practice at after residency. this program will probably be competitive in about 5 years or so.

a residents at USC told me the cRNA's have great authority there and he once lost a whipple to a sRNA/cRNA. the residents seem really relaxed and happy there and all told me they would go there again. one attending recommended i go to UCLA in my interview though. they get lots of trauma so if you're interested in that this is probably the best place for trauma in LA.

hope this helps thats all i really know -

 

[lord_jeebus]

My very tentative list (did not interview at UCSF, UCI, Harbor, or Loma Linda)

UCSD
UCLA
Stanford
Davis
(non-CA programs)
Cedars
USC

I am having particular difficulty deciding on UCLA vs Stanford

 

[Jack Burton]

Not to start a debate, but how could you put UCSD and UCLA over Stanford - by what criteria. Having spoken to many anesthesiologists, Ive heard the only program that might be ahead of Stanford is UCSF, and that Stanford has caught them in recent years (getting the entire Peds Cardiac unit from UCSF), etc - Stanford has all four acredited fellowships, strong in all areas, plus the name is huge - again, just wondering, because if UCSD is stronger, I might take a much closer look at it

 

[coprolalia]

Are you guys interested in academic careers? If not, don't sweat it. Just learn how to put the tube in, turn the vapors on, and wake the patient on time and you'll be rollin' once you pass your boards (i.e., don't really matter which you choose or where you go in the grand scheme... they're all great programs).

-copro

 

[mdqueen]

Currently tentative list is
UCLA
(3 out of state programs)
USC
UC Davis
(more out of state programs)
......Loma Linda last.

UCLA was good, most of the residents seem happy. they work there for sure, but have lots of resources and supportive faculty. They are more research oriented though.

I was told similar things at USC about the CRNA's and SRNA's, but mostly that SRNA's don't steal most big cases. They seemed really chill and happy, but kept stressing that if I wanted an academic career, maybe UCLA would be better for me. I really liked USC, and I think it is improving year by year. They kept stressing that their hours are good and that they get cases that UCLA doesn't get (traumas).

UC Davis seemed really cool, the PD stressed education, and their call schedule is the most humane I've heard (13 hr shifts?). I was just reluctant about the volume of cases and living in Sacramento.

Loma Linda seemed a little strange to me, and I got a vibe like they didn't like OR teaching. Also, it's in the IE....


This process is turning out to be harder that I thought it would be....

 

[mdqueen]

Are you guys interested in academic careers? If not, don't sweat it. Just learn how to put the tube in, turn the vapors on, and wake the patient on time and you'll be rollin' once you pass your boards (i.e., don't really matter which you choose or where you go in the grand scheme... they're all great programs).

-copro

Thanks for the words of wisdom...

 

[lord_jeebus]

Not to start a debate, but how could you put UCSD and UCLA over Stanford - by what criteria. Having spoken to many anesthesiologists, Ive heard the only program that might be ahead of Stanford is UCSF, and that Stanford has caught them in recent years (getting the entire Peds Cardiac unit from UCSF), etc - Stanford has all four acredited fellowships, strong in all areas, plus the name is huge - again, just wondering, because if UCSD is stronger, I might take a much closer look at it

By the "I want to settle down in San Diego" criterion, coupled with my "not going into academia" factor.

I also think UCSD's pain fellowship (I'm pretty much committed to pain) is better than UCSF's and Stanford's.

UCSD doesn't have the same national name recognition because of the program's size, but there are some big names like Benumof and Drummond. I agree that for pedigree power, UCSF >= Stanford > UCSD.