Regarding residency class diversity

[PRedLSU]

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What does the make-up of a pediatric residency class tell you about the program? I'm just beginning to look around the country at different programs I'm interested in and I'm not quite sure how to interpret some of what I find.

For instance, if a residency program, that is university affiliated, is made up of mainly FMG's, Caribbean graduates, and DO's what am I supposed to take away from that? Does that imply that the program is incredibly diverse and focused on having a wide array of cultures and backgrounds in their residency? Or am I supposed to see it as a negative? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[michigangirl]

What does the make-up of a pediatric residency class tell you about the program? I'm just beginning to look around the country at different programs I'm interested in and I'm not quite sure how to interpret some of what I find.

For instance, if a residency program, that is university affiliated, is made up of mainly FMG's, Caribbean graduates, and DO's what am I supposed to take away from that? Does that imply that the program is incredibly diverse and focused on having a wide array of cultures and backgrounds in their residency? Or am I supposed to see it as a negative? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Its a valid question. In general, if the program is made up mainly of FMGs/Caribbean grads and DOs then what you can take away from that is that it's not a "competitive" program. Not being competitive doesn't mean that's its not a good program-- just means that the program itself doesn't have that "prestige" that makes it attractive to many MD graduates. Some of the most competitive programs don't even interview DOs or FMGs because their pool of MD grads who apply is so large they have to draw a line to limit the interviews they give. Wrong or right, that's how the system works as of now. For example, there is a program in my city that has awesome leadership and great faculty-- but is primarily made up of FMGs. Why? It's a small hospital with limited on-location rotations with two major children's hospitals down the road. So MDs will interview there if they are limited in location (as I was) but it's not on the radar for most MDs who are looking across the country. Often these programs aren't academic "powerhouses" (NIH dollars) and faculty are focused more clinically than they are involved in research.

All in all, these programs can provide a great residency education and experience-- they just don't have the name and draw that more popular programs may-- hence an opportunity for talented FMGs and DOs who may have doors closed to them based on their place of education.

 

[PRedLSU]

Thanks michigangirl, that's helpful.

If anybody else has any thoughts, I'd like to hear them.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

I don't know if you can interpret anything from a residency roster without meeting the people there. In my residency class, I was only 1 of 2 males. I don't know if you can interpret anything about the program based on that though. Likewise, I had attending in a different speciality say "Hmm, there's a lot of FMGs in the [insert name] program". Yeah okay, but some of those FMGs went to the top 10 programs in the nation for residency. I think reading into the diversity or lack there of is just that... reading into it. Until you meet the people in that program, one's assumptions are really just assumptions.

 

[michigangirl]

Surfing doctor, yes, you can't read into it too much without meeting the people, but take a look at the statement you just made. In response to the attending who said "there's a lot of FMGs in that program" you want to respond "look at the top 10 programs that these FMGs came from."

So you're making it all go back to the prestige issue. Let's look at the "top 10" programs (however that's defined)-- are any of those primarily made of DOs and/or FMGs? Many will match DOs or FMGs, but those who matched are folks who distinguished themselves as outstanding, set themselves apart from all other DO/FMG applicants and were competitive for those spots among the entire pool of applicants. Fellowship programs are a different bear-- many "top" programs have a large cohort of outstanding DOs and FMGs.

unfortunately, that's how the cookie crumbles-- it may change, but i'm just speaking the truth of the times. MDs have a distinct advantage to get into "top" programs- and that's how the numbers end up.