RANK HELP: MGH v. Hopkins v. PENN v. BWH

[Airway81]

Hi everyone:

I am having some family issues regarding location and how to rank the following programs... I am a Philly native and want to stay near home for my family, however, PENN is not MGH, Hopkins or BWH in terms of anesthesia programs...

... bc of family I will most likely do:
- PENN, Hopkins, MGH, Columbia, BWH

... however I want to rank this way:
- MGH, Hopkins, BWH, Columbia, PENN

anyone have any suggestions...the clock is ticking (ROL due monday!)

-AW81

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[RockLee]

Looks like Hopkins is a pretty good compromise from your list there

 

[badgas]

Just make the choice based on what will make you happiest. If being near your family will make you the happiest, then go that route. If you have the need to say you trained at haaaaavard, then shoot for that. I don't know if any of us can figure out the importance of these things for you. You win with any of those programs. It is like saying "I'm so stressed out. I can't decide if I want to drive a Porsche, Lambo or Ferrari!"

 

[AnesGuru]

I think they are all great programs, however, you do have to take into consideration your family. I think that at this point you should choose a program based on where you will be happiest. You may choose a program based on reputation and in the end find you may find out that family issues compromises your happiness.
Penn is a great program (as are the other programs you listed)... I think whichever way you end up ranking them, you will be more than prepared to get whatever job you are looking for after residency. I would look more at family than at reputation... but thats just my opinion.

 

[Airway81]

I meant to add that I really want to go into academics (eg- get a master's degree after residency and do research etc...)...

Please keep the good advice commin'... !!!

-AW81

 

[gaspasser2004]

as a current Hopkins resident, I am biased... but you can't go wrong with ranking JHU #1

 

[Airway81]

I should add, I consider Hopkins and NYP-Columbia "suburbs" of philly, since they are both less than 2 hours by car and around 90min by train (unlike the Boston programs...)...

-AW81

 

[bullard]

This is a no-brainer. Rank Penn #1 and don't look back.

Those are 4 excellent programs -- all with outstanding clinical exposure-- it doesn't matter which one you go with. Don't fall victim to the stupid Boston/Harvard hype. It does you no good when they've closed one lane of the Mass Turnpike and there's 10 inches of snow on the ground (and no signs of any snowplows) and you're hours away from family. I'd rank MGH and BWH over Jefferson, for instance, but Penn is a hell of a program.

 

[jennyboo]

Some of these were at the top of my rank list and I matched at one of them. Now that I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel during my internship, the main lesson I have learned is this: All else being equal at these great programs, your quality of life is the bottom line.

No matter how excited you are to start residency, the reality is that this is your job. You get paid to show up. No matter how awesome your program is meant to be, you still look forward to your days off and to getting home at the end of the day. Although you will be spending a lot of time at work, many if not most of the meaningful things going on in your life -- the things you'll appreciate wherever you go -- are actually outside of work. This includes friends, family, a city that you like, places you like to go to, and so on. While you could probably live without those things, most of the time I go home and just marvel at how lucky I am to have these things in my life no matter what, especially when I'm exhausted and don't have the energy to even invest a little into them. Friends and family for example -- you don't ask for them and you also spend so much time at work you may not "deserve" their time, but they are there and thank goodness, because they make your otherwise hospital-driven life enjoyable.

Order your list however you'd like, and let the chips fall where they may. You will probably be thrilled with where you end up, even if it's not your first choice.

 

[RockLee]

Someone add Jenny's post to the the "FAQ" : "How should I rank X, Y, Z?"

Nice post!

Some of these were at the top of my rank list and I matched at one of them. Now that I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel during my internship, the main lesson I have learned is this: All else being equal at these great programs, your quality of life is the bottom line.

No matter how excited you are to start residency, the reality is that this is your job. You get paid to show up. No matter how awesome your program is meant to be, you still look forward to your days off and to getting home at the end of the day. Although you will be spending a lot of time at work, many if not most of the meaningful things going on in your life -- the things you'll appreciate wherever you go -- are actually outside of work. This includes friends, family, a city that you like, places you like to go to, and so on. While you could probably live without those things, most of the time I go home and just marvel at how lucky I am to have these things in my life no matter what, especially when I'm exhausted and don't have the energy to even invest a little into them. Friends and family for example -- you don't ask for them and you also spend so much time at work you may not "deserve" their time, but they are there and thank goodness, because they make your otherwise hospital-driven life enjoyable.

Order your list however you'd like, and let the chips fall where they may. You will probably be thrilled with where you end up, even if it's not your first choice.

 

[cutdacheese]

Totally agree with jenny... keep droppin the pearls of wisdom.

Luckily i realized this in time and i canceled all my big haaavard interviews because i felt that i would not be happy living for three yrs in Boston- away from family/friends and im not a big fan of the city itself. Some people may say "oh its only three yrs"-- yeah, THREE YRS of your life... how much more of the self deprivation should we go thru... 4yrs undergd, 4yrs medschool, xy yrs of residency/fellowship... at some point we have to realize that you cannot keep going thru life saying to yourself :"Itll all be better when i become a doctor or it'll all be worth it when im done with residency and earning some dough..." Im glad that my perspective has shifted from my gungho days of being an anal gunner med student; focusing on other things in life that make me happy has been an epiphany in the waiting. The point is there are many programs that you can have a life outside of residency and still get a top notch education.. and you will be happier in the long run.

In your instance- i would def go with PENN.

 

[bubalus]

If you're going to go into academics, the most important thing is what you did most recently, and it sounds like you're going to be doing some sort of additional training after residency. That makes residency choice a little less of an issue in my mind as any of the ones you listed should prepare you for the next step. That next step could be done at any institution. Residency at Penn followed by fellowship at MGH isn't really going to be different from residency and fellowship at MGH. In addition, the lucrative nature of private practice makes academics less competitive in general.

 

[chips]

Hi everyone:

I am having some family issues regarding location and how to rank the following programs... I am a Philly native and want to stay near home for my family, however, PENN is not MGH, Hopkins or BWH in terms of anesthesia programs...

... bc of family I will most likely do:
- PENN, Hopkins, MGH, Columbia, BWH

... however I want to rank this way:
- MGH, Hopkins, BWH, Columbia, PENN

anyone have any suggestions...the clock is ticking (ROL due monday!)

-AW81

airway, i totally feel your pain. only 4 days until deadline and my list is still a mess - what i want vs. what will be good for the fam.

 

[SexPanther]

airway, i totally feel your pain. only 4 days until deadline and my list is still a mess - what i want vs. what will be good for the fam.

Nice to hear others are in the same boat. I'm making myself sick over this crap. Damn wife and desire to have kids near family!

 

[pineapples]

i say go with hopkins...looks like it is the best compromise of both promixity to family and strong research reputation that you are looking for