which prelim med programs to choose in large cities?

[cleansocks]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi,

I am applying broadly and therefore need to pick a couple of prelim med programs per locale to apply to. I am wondering if people have insight into which programs offer the combination of: 1. nice location 2. less hours 3. nice people. Obviously I'm not going into IM so I do not care about the prestige, working incredibly hard, etc of my prelim med year.

I'm applying to the following large locations: LA, San Diego, San Fransisco, Chicago, New York, Boston, Phili.


Also, with respect to competitiveness: is 256 / half honors, half highpass 3rd year / MBA dual degree with lots of projects/internships/associated research good enough so that I should only have to apply to 1 or 2 prelim medicine programs per location?


Thanks.

 

[lord_jeebus]

Prelim is very competitive these days (the pool is made up of everyone going into derm, rads, ophtho, radonc, and many from anesthesia so it is quite severe).

I applied to all the Southern CA programs, a few in Northern CA, and in New York. My Steps I and II were over 260 but I did not do a medicine sub-I which seemed to hurt me quite a bit. I matched at my #11 for prelim.

In Southern CA, I thought the most attractive programs were Santa Barbara Cottage, Huntington Memorial, Kaiser LA, and Scripps Mercy TY. Have heard good things about Arrowhead TY but did not apply due to location. Harbor-UCLA (TY, not prelim med) and UC-Irvine (where I matched; only ranked it low for location) were also better than average in my opinion. As a UCSD grad, I encourage you to stay far away from that prelim.

I had difficulty getting interviews in NYC and those that did expressed their concern that they did not think I would rank them (although I ranked all but one).

 

[cleansocks]

Thanks for your help with LA and competitiveness.

Any other areas known to people?

 

[cleansocks]

Could moderators move this thread to anesthesia forums plz?