Realistically, how important is your residency program in terms of finding a job?

[tealeafexplorer]

Whether it’s a top 10, or any other PM&R residency, if you are 100% moving out of state of your residency program after you graduate, does it REALLY matter where you go to residency?

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[j4pac]

Yes, where you go to residency matters...both for residency and employment

 

[RangerBob]

It matters, to a degree. Many inpatient units are so desperate they'll take anyone (including non-PM&R trained docs). But if you want an academic job or job at a more competitive place to live, then if there are other applicants, your residency/employment history matter.

In general what matters most is whether your potential employer thinks they can work with you.

I work with just one other physiatrist. I really didn't care where he trained--I just cared that he was good at inpatient rehab and easy to work with. I would've chosen him over someone from a top 5 program that was more difficult to work with. No question. The guy before him came from a "top" program and he left abruptly within a few months. The fact he left us hanging was actually the upside--life was quite difficult when he was there. Multiple staff members were getting ready to leave.

With all that said, go to a top 5 program and be easy to work with. You'll get a job wherever you want.

 

[runfastnow]

If you want to stay in academics or stay in a large coast city then residency matters for connections, prestige, brainwashing (jk), etc that academics care about. If those things don't matter then go wherever makes you happy and trains you to do what you want.

I work in private practice mixed ortho/sports group and they do not care where I did training (it helped there was a name brand attached but certainly didn't land me a job on its own) but more so that I fit the culture and am competent at my job. Similar to above post.

The last two paragraphs of RangerBob's post is ALL you need to know.

 

[Kissmyabjj]

Unless someone has been involved in hiring a recent grad, I don't know how he or she could possibly know the answer to this question. I am starting an academic job in 2 weeks. It's possible that it was considered when my application was reviewed, but I don't think I was asked a single question about my residency program during my interview day. I was of course asked many questions about my time during residency (and fellowship) in terms of the experiences I had, things I liked, things I didn't like, research, etc...

Who knows though?

I would rank as #1 the program that you like the most. If you like two programs equally, then of course rank the more prestigious one higher.

 

[PMR2008]

We just hired 4 new grads. Residency program in the private world does not matter much. Training/experience and personality are the most important. Alumni can certainly help with finding a job. In the academic world residency can matter.