What are some of the most well-respected VA/AMC sites (2023 edition)

[studentdoctorsnetwork123]

I know there was a thread in 2013 about this question. After 10 years, I figured it'd be interesting to revisit this question.

I'm wondering if we can have a VA list and AMC list separately. Of course, each site has its own strength. I'd also imagine there's a general sense of well-rested ranking as an overall institution.

I'm wondering if the following might fall in the well-respected category; Please add more if you could!

VA
Seattle VA
Palo Alto VA
Brooklyn VA
Manhattan VA

AMC
Montefiore
MGH

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[WisNeuro]

Going to be highly variable, and with different opinions. For example, there are some there that I would have off the list due to personal experience or knowing friends/colleagues who have trained or worked there.

 

[PsyDuck90]

I would probably add Houston VA, Tampa VA, and Richmond VA to that list. But yes, it’s going to be highly variable, especially if you are talking about specialties. University of Washington would probably be one I throw up there as well for AMCs. Personally, I wouldn’t rank Montefiore as a well respected AMC, especially not over other NYC hospitals like Columbia, NYU, Cornell, and Sinai.

 

[deleted1129370]

I would probably add Houston VA, Tampa VA, and Richmond VA to that list. But yes, it’s going to be highly variable, especially if you are talking about specialties. University of Washington would probably be one I throw up there as well for AMCs. Personally, I wouldn’t rank Montefiore as a well respected AMC, especially not over other NYC hospitals like Columbia, NYU, Cornell, and Sinai.

I would offer a different perspective on the Houston VA.

 

[iliketohelppeople]

San Diego VA/UCSD are pretty good, I'd say.

 

[PsychPhDone]

The VAs with academic affiliates tend to have good training programs.

 

[deleted1129370]

We should probably know more about what your intentions are about comparing VAs with AMCs. For example, I am a psychologist at the 4th largest VA in the country and hold a joint faculty appointment with an AMC. If you are looking to find out what life is like as a psychologist vs. a trainee, that might help us provide you some insights based on that.

 

[cara susanna]

Portland VA (OHSU)
Durham VA (Duke)
Boston VA (U Mass Boston)
Providence VA (Brown)
West Haven VA (Yale)
Minneapolis VA (U of Minnesota)
Charleston VA (MUSC) - internship is consortium between the two

Milwaukee VA is affiliated with Medical College of WI but I'm not sure I'd consider them a prestigious psych internship, lol. Ditto Madison VA and University of WI

 

[Cheetah89]

Boston VA is associated with Harvard Medical School (although maybe UMass Boston too - not sure)

 

[jdawg2017]

Boston VA is associated with Harvard Medical School (although maybe UMass Boston too - not sure)

The other affiliation is Boston University, not UMass Boston. It is pretty confusing haha.

Again, this might be tied a bit more to nice areas of training, but other AMCs that I don't see on the list that I think most would consider top tier include:

-UCLA
-USC
-UCSF
-U of Michigan (affiliated with the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System)
-Mayo Clinic (MI and FL)
-Cleveland Clinic (OH and NV)
-Emory University School of Medicine
-Ohio State University

I am sure I am leaving others off this list.

 

[cara susanna]

My bad, sorry!

 

[Justanothergrad]

If you are listing VA, and you dont include Minneapolis, Boston, and New Haven, and a bunch of others listed above on the list, you are missing some key sites. Ditto for any Mirecc site beyond those as well (e.g., Salisbury), assuming an interest in academic positions. I do think its very important to note that this will primarily be a list of 'major hospitals' rather than 'quality hospitals' as many smaller VA are equally amazing for training but just have smaller resource/opportunities than flagships (e.g., Mountain Home). A lot with vary depending on goals, specific rotations, etc.

I would offer a different perspective on the Houston VA.

I've heard the same from close friends who trained there.

 

[cara susanna]

I would also advise looking into MIRECC sites, or Centers of Excellence

 

[Ollie123]

Seems like most so far have spoken to VAs. I agree with all the ones listed. On AMCs, I would mention:
Brown
Duke
UCSF
MUSC
U Chicago
UIC
University of Washington
UCSD
UMMC
UF
UAB
Kennedy Krieger (child)

Depends where your threshold is for "most well-respected" I suppose, but safe to say all would be considered "top tier" - at least within content areas they have offerings.

 

[WisNeuro]

A very important point to make is that there is a lot of intra-institution variance here. Certain specialty areas can be very highly regarded and good places to work, even in institutions with issues overall. And the converse is also true. So, I would focus more on what your specific area is when looking at the places you may want to train/work.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I would agree with everything I've seen here, including that there can be variability within institutions depending on the emphasis area. I'd also add that even if you don't end up at the site you'd hoped, it probably won't be that big of a deal. I don't think I've ever been asked about where I completed internship other than on fellowship interviews. Where I went to grad school has come up for often, but even then, "often" is relative in that it hasn't come up much.

 

[cara susanna]

Similarly, there's a site mentioned in this thread that rejected me for internship (I didn't even get an interview) but I ended up getting a fellowship there.

 

[Ollie123]

No one cares about internship once you secure your next position, as long as it was APA-accredited. I think the only reason to go to a "top" site is because they are more likely to have fellowships you are interested in and you can spare yourself (and family if relevant) a move.

Even that doesn't necessarily always work. I went to what <would> have been considered by many a top site - top psychiatric department, name brand institution recognized around the world, etc., etc. It was an epic disaster to the point I genuinely question whether it should have even maintained accreditation (e.g., one of our seminars just involved us receiving auricular acupuncture) and the T32s were all in renewal that year so there weren't really opportunities to stick around. I'm genuinely embarrassed to have gone there and this is not an institution one would normally say that about.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Similarly, there's a site mentioned in this thread that rejected me for internship (I didn't even get an interview) but I ended up getting a fellowship there.

I've had this happen too. I couldn't help but laugh because I would have been involved in the training of those internship slots at both places. Same experience for jobs, as there were a couple of internship programs that flat out don't take PsyDs, but they recruited me 2yrs later after fellowship because I came from a big name program and had the right people/recommendations. I used to tell my fellows that if they wanted to pursue a faculty position to do it from fellowship because they could leave afterwards, but they would have a better network of people to help with early career jobs as opposed to going into PP or working at a smaller/regional hospital. If someone wanted a VA career it was more important to get into the VA system and then to find your ideal spot. Depending on the area of work, some specialities had more pull and could ask for better incentives, but it depending on the needs of the specific VISN (group of VAs in a region) .

 

[cara susanna]

I've had this happen too. I couldn't help but laugh because I would have been involved in the training of those internship slots at both places. Same experience for jobs, as there were a couple of internship programs that flat out don't take PsyDs, but they recruited me 2yrs later after fellowship because I came from a big name program and had the right people/recommendations. I used to tell my fellows that if they wanted to pursue a faculty position to do it from fellowship because they could leave afterwards, but they would have a better network of people to help with early career jobs as opposed to going into PP or working at a smaller/regional hospital. If someone wanted a VA career it was more important to get into the VA system and then to find your ideal spot. Depending on the area of work, some specialities had more pull and could ask for better incentives, but it depending on the needs of the specific VISN (group of VAs in a region) .

Yup, I was involved with internship selection as a post doc even though it was a site that I hadn't been competitive for, myself. Struck me as really funny.

 

[psycho1391]

I know there was a thread in 2013 about this question. After 10 years, I figured it'd be interesting to revisit this question.

I'm wondering if we can have a VA list and AMC list separately. Of course, each site has its own strength. I'd also imagine there's a general sense of well-rested ranking as an overall institution.

I'm wondering if the following might fall in the well-respected category; Please add more if you could!

VA
Seattle VA
Palo Alto VA
Brooklyn VA
Manhattan VA

AMC
Montefiore
MGH

Honestly Brooklyn and Manhattan are going downhill per reports from colleagues

 

[studentdoctorsnetwork123]

Honestly Brooklyn and Manhattan are going downhill per reports from colleagues

Would you mind sharing a bit more about this? In what ways are they going downhill?