Residency in CA

[archimedesxx]

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Hi,
I have a simple question. For those in the process or have been through it, how easy is it to match in any specialty in CA if you are an OOS resident and you went to a school NOT in CA. Thanks in advance.

 

[dragonfly99]

It's not like med school where they have to take mostly in-state people. However, I think there is some bias in favor of fellow Californians. At least you need to justify why they should take you, why you'd fit in living there and/or that you have some friends/family there, or other good reasons why you want to go there. I think for an average applicant it might be a bit tough, just because there are so many others from CA vying for the same spot, but a lot of this depends on the specialty you want, right? If it's family practice, IM or psych, if you are a strong applicant, the programs will want to compete over you regardless of where you are from.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Agree with above.

State of residency is much less important for GME than for medical school which is state rather than federally funded.

Preference may be given to Californians and those with local/regional ties, but good candidates come from all over without any ties to the state.

Medical school is competitive enough that pre-med Californians should worry about getting into medical school not about residency placement 4+ years from now.

 

[archimedesxx]

Let's say your significant other, who you are not engaged to or married to lives there, will that be a good reason to give PDs? Do you have to show proof in this instance? What are other reasons you can give ( for someone who has never really lived in CA or gone to Cali)? I have been there several times to visit friends and scientific conferences. Other than that I don't have any significan ties per se.

Will doing visiting rotations there at some of the hospitals help. what other things will help you build a string case?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Let's say your significant other, who you are not engaged to or married to lives there, will that be a good reason to give PDs? Do you have to show proof in this instance? What are other reasons you can give ( for someone who has never really lived in CA or gone to Cali)? I have been there several times to visit friends and scientific conferences. Other than that I don't have any significan ties per se.

Will doing visiting rotations there at some of the hospitals help. what other things will help you build a string case?

Unless its a fiance/fiancee or husband/wife, I'd say "no", not good enough reason. I've never heard of a program asking for proof (what would they even ask for).

As noted above, strong ties come from having family there, being a native, etc. Going to conferences, doing rotations, etc. isn't enough, IMHO. You're either a good candidate and they want you or not. I wouldn't worry that much about it.

 

[Labslave]

Let's say your significant other, who you are not engaged to or married to lives there, will that be a good reason to give PDs? Do you have to show proof in this instance? What are other reasons you can give ( for someone who has never really lived in CA or gone to Cali)? I have been there several times to visit friends and scientific conferences. Other than that I don't have any significan ties per se.

Will doing visiting rotations there at some of the hospitals help. what other things will help you build a string case?

It really depends on the specialty. In radiology for instance, it's incredibly hard to match in Cali (at good places) if you don't go to school there. This has more to do with the fact that there are so many locally qualified applicants than any issues with funding, etc. One applicant from my school (UMich) last year had 254/273, AOA, and tons of research and publications and didn't get a single interview in Cali.

As I said, I don't know about other specialties, but many people in rads use away rotations as a way to get their foot in the door, and it does work sometimes.

 

[boogah]

So lets say I went to undergrad in california (born and raised in SF), am currently a 2nd year in North Carolina for medical school, but now have to change my driver's license (which in effect changes my state of residency) because i bought a car here to get around for 3rd/4th year rotations, would I be at a disadvantage 2 years from now when I hope to apply and return to california for residency/licensure? (other than the disadvantage of not going to a california medical school in the first place). My whole family and everything still lives in SF.

 

[Winged Scapula]

So lets say I went to undergrad in california (born and raised in SF), am currently a 2nd year in North Carolina for medical school, but now have to change my driver's license (which in effect changes my state of residency) because i bought a car here to get around for 3rd/4th year rotations, would I be at a disadvantage 2 years from now when I hope to apply and return to california for residency/licensure? (other than the disadvantage of not going to a california medical school in the first place). My whole family and everything still lives in SF.

A driver's license doesn't necessarily = residency.

Your permanent address, whether or not your parents are still deducting you on their income taxes, etc. are better measures of being a state resident. However, bear in mind that residency programs don't care as much as medical schools do for state of residence.