Hi
Please tell me what is the difference between a University Program and a Community Program. Which is the better of the two ? Do we have to apply for both?
Thank you.
A university program is affiliated with a university and usually has all the perks that go with that, like fellowships, research, and big-name docs. Not true for all, but a generalization. Some university programs seem to be affiliated in name only and act more like a community program, from what I've seen.
A community program is not university affiliated and tends to focus more on primary care. They can be less intense and not have all the fellowship opportunities of university programs, though they always make the point that their grads can go get any fellowship they want at a big-name program after residency.
Again, those are just generalizations!!
You don't have to apply to anything you don't want to apply to. If you want to do primary care, aren't interested in fellowships or research, and want maybe a more low-key residency, apply to programs with a community feel. And if that's not you, vice-versa, and apply to a university/academic program. FREIDA lists whether it's a university or community program.
The distinction solely exists to help you figure out what program is best for you. It's a very personal choice to make, and no one can tell you what's "better."
