Which is more important for longterm success/earning power: Med School or Residency

[futuredocter]

Whats more important in your longterm career, the medical school you went to or the residency you went to. I have talked to doctors and they say definitely the residency because that is where you get real world experience in your field. So even if you go to a Po Dunk medical school, if you get into a top residency at _______ (insert prestigious medical institution here) then you will earn well and get the type of job you want. Any thoughts on this.

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[Law2Doc]

Whats more important in your longterm career, the medical school you went to or the residency you went to. I have talked to doctors and they say definitely the residency because that is where you get real world experience in your field. So even if you go to a Po Dunk medical school, if you get into a top residency at _______ (insert prestigious medical institution here) then you will earn well and get the type of job you want. Any thoughts on this.

That's what I've heard as well -- you are only as good as your last place, and no one cares about where you were before. But certainly the odds are better for getting the peach residency if you do well at a prestigious med school than at Po Dunk.

 

[Ross434]

I dont think either is really important as far as earning power.. Its more based on personal merits. Its often been discussed that if you work hard, you'll get into a residency in your specialty. And after residency, there's such a HUGE demand for doctors, that you'll be able to get a job in private practice ($$$) regardless of what residency you came from.

As far as longterm "Academic" success is concerned. I'd say where you did your residency and research is most important in getting a high level academic job, and where you did med school is most important in getting a high level academic residency. But this has nothing to do with sucess and earning power.

 

[virilep]

Definately the residency. It's kinda like the situation with Carib grads or any FMG. They can go to any med school but have to compete for their residency slots via USMLE scores. a friend of mine went to St. Georges and now he's doin his endocrinology fellowship at Vanderbilt. I think his residency was done at SLU.

 

[Law2Doc]

And after residency, there's such a HUGE demand for doctors, that you'll be able to get a job in private practice ($$$) regardless of what residency you came from.

I sort of agree with you about the private practice point, but note that while there's certainly a big demand for doctors nationally, it's not necessarilly true in the geographical region one might want to practice. I suspect if you want to join a big private practice in a more competitive part of the country, your recent credentials are going to get looked at.
(I would also note that by the time most premeds on this board actually are done with residency, the medical landscape and structure might not be identical to what it is today -- it could be more or less competitive in various places.)

 

[fun8stuff]

Wouldn't a good medical school help open doors for a good residency? So in this way, everything is connected. Although, perhaps it's just that the best canidates attend the best schools, and this is why they get the "best" residencies. I think I will have to agree with earning power.

I once asked an oncologist who is a DO if being a DO (a minority in the medical profession) from a small school had any negative effects on his daily pracice- earning power, respect from peers and patients, etc. His response was that there were no negative effects that he had faced. He said he worked along side a physician who went to a top medical school, did his residency at MD Anderson (top tier), and that regardless of the difference in their credentials- they still do the same job and make the same amount of money.

He then on to remark, "What do you call a the person who graduates last in their class? ...Doctor..."

 

[JAMMAN]

I dont think either is really important as far as earning power.. Its more based on personal merits. Its often been discussed that if you work hard, you'll get into a residency in your specialty. And after residency, there's such a HUGE demand for doctors, that you'll be able to get a job in private practice ($$$) regardless of what residency you came from.

As far as longterm "Academic" success is concerned. I'd say where you did your residency and research is most important in getting a high level academic job, and where you did med school is most important in getting a high level academic residency. But this has nothing to do with sucess and earning power.

This is exactly what I would say as well. Success and earning power are very different.