Which programs are competitive?

[hermit]

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When I applied to medical school, there was a neat little book that told me the MCAT scores, GPAs, etc of people that got into each school. From that, I was able to figure out which schools were within my reach and which were not.

Now that its time to start thinking about residencies, how does one know which programs are more and which programs are less desirable? I am by no means hung up on names. My concern is that I apply to 20 programs, only to find out later that 15 were considered competitive. So...how do I know which programs are "safeties" and which are "reaches?"

Thanks.

 

[docB]

This sort of post often gets a lot of snarky replies because EM folks get a bit irritable about the whole "competitive residency" issue.

Here's what I suggest. Do some searching on this forum. There are a lot of old threads that will touch on this topic. Then ask someone at your school who knows EM such as an EM faculty member.

Good luck.

 

[blackavar]

As someone who is just finishing this process (4 more days!), I definitely remember having the same exact feeling. And if you're anything like me, not only are you unsure of program competitiveness, but you're also still not sure of your own competitiveness (I was still waiting on 3rd year clerkship grades, Step 2's, and needed to take an EM Course!).

There isn't a lot of concrete information out there and you're kinda left with word of mouth, EM faculty at your school, and googling. Generally speaking, a prestigious name is going to make a program more competitive, regardless of what the program is like more people recognize the name. Location also can factor in...there's just more people vying for NYC then rural Louisiana.

Talk to your adviser, or seek out other EM people. Ask for their opinions and thoughts, but don't take them as "the truth," rather, they're a very educated opinion that you can incorporate into what's important to you.

Personally, I applied to a few extra programs, both because I didn't know which ones were competitive and how competitive I would end up being. I probably over-applied, but now at the other end of that, I don't miss that bit of extra money it cost at all, and at the time, it made me feel more comfortable.

This process is a learn as you go process. So just the fact that you're starting to think about it means you'll be better off. Good luck!