<p>D. was told that location is considered very highly. someonw who stayed in midwest (in UG, Med. School) has a higher chances at Midwest Residencies. The funny part was that this was my method of creating the list, I just went in circular movement on a map untill I have reached about 65 places. I did that before I heard the advice. I do not know how D. will construct her list. But in case she does not have time, at least I have something.</p>
<p>It is very important to consider where she wants to practice after she completes residency. The overwhelming majority of residents will practice within 150 miles of where they completed residency. This isn’t a 100% rule, just a fact based upon observations. Many private physicians will refer to nearby facilities for complex cases and may attend CMEs at these nearby academic institutions. I have hired countless of providers and my big concern was whether the applicant had ties to the area or trained in the area. Hiring physicians is a tedious and expensive process. The last thing I wanted was to hire a person who may leave in a year or two. I noticed my hospital using the same starting criteria. Prestige meant nothing.</p>
<p>I think the biggest problem with med school rankings is that people think they’re like undergrad rankings…where there are “top schools” and there are “subpar schools”. There is also that same undergrad assumption that the top 10-20 med schools are somehow superior in very noticable ways education-wise. </p>
<p>Since all US MD schools are very good, the idea that a “lower ranked” or “unranked” US MD SOM is somehow an inferior place to be educated is just cray-cray.</p>
<p>^^concur, but the top ~20 might have a noticeable difference in education for those desiring a medical research career.</p>
<p>Bluebayou, IMHO you are absolutely correct. I was educated in a bottom SOM and trained at a top 2 research institution. My SOM was phenomenal. I would pay full price if I had to do it again. However, my training gave me the opportunity to work with researchers who were on a different planet from everyone else. They wrote the books, they published the articles and they gave the lectures that everyone coveted. But I gained an exceptional experience and exposure from my SOM too. In the end, each location served its purpose. If I wanted to work where I attended school, I really would have needed to train near my SOM for an advantage. If I wanted to publish and receive research funding, my training facility would give me instant credibility.</p>
<p>Agree. Rankings dont mean anything if you want to be a clinician, but if you want to do research in med school, the top schools provide far more resources (and my stipend is much higher than other schools, which is a nice plus). Also, some of the lower ranked schools might not have faculty in every specialty.</p>
<p>This article may be of interest:</p>
<p><a href=“http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=225924[/url]”>http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=225924</a></p>
<p>"It is very important to consider where she wants to practice after she completes residency. "
-She “wants” to practice (most likely) at the location that will offer her a residency spot. She will be happy with a single one. Most likely she will listen to advisors and apply primarily in Midwest. For us (her parents), we would not mind at all if she stays where she is now, but we are OK with whatever, will ve very happy for her getting that one spot, even if it not such a desirable location, her history tells us that she will adjust.</p>
<p>^^concur, but the top ~20 might have a noticeable difference in education for those desiring a medical research career.</p>
<p>Yes, I should have included the MD/PhD difference. </p>
<p>That said, we all have seen kids/parents post about wanting only “top ranked med schools” or wanting a particular med school (JHU, Harvard, etc) when they have no intention of going the academic med route. They just think “top SOM = better doctor”…which is so not true. Or they think “I need a top SOM otherwise I can’t get a good residency”…also not true.</p>
<p>If my son’s only SOM acceptance had been to unranked USA (aka “South”), he still would receive a very fine MD education. The SOM is small (70 admits per year) so lots of attention and opportunities, and the students do get very good residencies.</p>
<p>The SOM that he’ll be attending is ranked about 30, which is still very good, and we’re pretty confident that his chances for a competitive residency are all up to him and his successes.</p>
<p>Attention and opportunities are everywhere, correct. Every school is very small, considering that the biggest that I know is only 220.</p>