Tier 1 programs vs Tier 2

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NoChanges

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Hey guys hope everyone had a great match!
I'm currently interviewing for IM residency and plan to do GI fellowship later.
My questions is would you prefer going to mid tier residency programs that seem to prefer their own graduates vs. going to top programs where you're gonna compete with others top candidates?
I'm considering this because I'm an IMG and it seems that we always can be less competitive so making the first choice would seem safer, does it?
Thanks

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Hey guys hope everyone had a great match!
I'm currently interviewing for IM residency and plan to do GI fellowship later.
My questions is would you prefer going to mid tier residency programs that seem to prefer their own graduates vs. going to top programs where you're gonna compete with others top candidates?
I'm considering this because I'm an IMG and it seems that we always can be less competitive so making the first choice would seem safer, does it?
Thanks

If you can match into a top-tier residency program, do it. This will carry you a long way if you are interested in GI.
 
Hey guys hope everyone had a great match!
I'm currently interviewing for IM residency and plan to do GI fellowship later.
My questions is would you prefer going to mid tier residency programs that seem to prefer their own graduates vs. going to top programs where you're gonna compete with others top candidates?
I'm considering this because I'm an IMG and it seems that we always can be less competitive so making the first choice would seem safer, does it?
Thanks

it's a risk to do that. I wouldnt say going to the first is safer unless they can somehow garantee you a position there (they wont and have no reason to). The single most important factor in getting interviews is the power of the IM program you come from. So go to a big a heavy hitter as you can.
 
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Hey guys hope everyone had a great match!
I'm currently interviewing for IM residency and plan to do GI fellowship later.
My questions is would you prefer going to mid tier residency programs that seem to prefer their own graduates vs. going to top programs where you're gonna compete with others top candidates?
I'm considering this because I'm an IMG and it seems that we always can be less competitive so making the first choice would seem safer, does it?
Thanks

If you're an IMG, I would strive for a balance. Go to the biggest university program that you can that has reputable GI faculty and that also takes their own candidates. You likely are training on a visa, and that already cuts down the number of programs you can apply to. However, there is no guarantee that that mid-tier program will continue to take in-house. For example, when I was in residency, the chief of GI changed, and he started limiting the program to taking over 1 in-house candidate a year.
 
Thanks for the help guys, done with those interviews for IM:
1. Emory
2. Case Western
3. UMinn
4. UF
5. UTH
6. CCF
7. William Beaumont
8. UMDNJ NJMS
9. MCG
10. U of Toledo
11. Creighton

Should I change anything? esp. considering how good GI is and how likely I am to get it in those programs?
 
Pretty solid list. Assuming you don't fall out of your top 3 or even top 5 (and most people don't in IM) you will be in a good position for fellowships down the road.
 
Thanks for the help guys, done with those interviews for IM:
1. Emory
2. Case Western
3. UMinn
4. UF
5. UTH
6. CCF
7. William Beaumont
8. UMDNJ NJMS
9. MCG
10. U of Toledo
11. Creighton

Should I change anything? esp. considering how good GI is and how likely I am to get it in those programs?

For what it's worth, Minnesota has an extremely strong GI program (especially panc/bili) with a lot of well known faculty (Martin Freeman is arguably the biggest name in pancreas) and they are known for taking their own. They had 5 spots this last year, but most years offer 4. If you are dead set on GI, I would give this program a very strong look for residency. Even if you didn't want to stay for fellowship it would certainly prepare you well for a fellowship elsewhere.
 
For what it's worth, Minnesota has an extremely strong GI program (especially panc/bili) with a lot of well known faculty (Martin Freeman is arguably the biggest name in pancreas) and they are known for taking their own. They had 5 spots this last year, but most years offer 4. If you are dead set on GI, I would give this program a very strong look for residency. Even if you didn't want to stay for fellowship it would certainly prepare you well for a fellowship elsewhere.

Thanks a lot for the input. Are GI programs generally smaller than cardiology? with an average of 4-5 versus more than 10 ? I'm still new at this but when I see a program sending 3 people to GI and 10 to cards I just freak out. Do you happen to know Minnesota's list? like where these 5 people are from?
 
Thanks a lot for the input. Are GI programs generally smaller than cardiology? with an average of 4-5 versus more than 10 ? I'm still new at this but when I see a program sending 3 people to GI and 10 to cards I just freak out. Do you happen to know Minnesota's list? like where these 5 people are from?

I don't know anything about this year's match class, but if you go to their fellowship website you can see where their current fellows are from. Most either trained at UMinn, Hennepin County or have ties to the region somehow. They really stressed what your ties to Minnesota are during the interview.
 
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