Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 12/5/2007

Question
Dear Dr. Levy,

I am currently in the midst of my third year of medical school, and I am trying to start narrowing down the list of places I'd like to apply for residency, and also to choose a couple sites to do away rotations next year.  I plan on applying mostly to programs in the midwest to be near family, and currently my home school is my top choice for personal as well as program reasons (all the residents seems really happy with the program except the one guy who transferred out!)  However, when it even comes to picking second, third, fourth choices I'm lost.  On the FREIDA website they all look good to me and I really don't know how to differentiate between them.  I've gotten advice before that says "talk to the residents in the program" and ask, but I can't just very well ring up a hospital and ask to speak to an anesthesiology resident to quiz them about their program.  I know I'm looking for a more clinically oriented program (rather than highly focused on research) and my eventual career goal is to become a very competent, well-trained general anesthesiologist working in either a hospital or likely an outpatient surgery center.  Can you recommend how to start picking other than geography alone and the fact I think I'd prefer a mid-sized program rather than tiny or huge?  Thanks!

Answer
If you have any relationship with the residents or faculty in your home institution, talk with them first. They probably applied to many of the places you're considering and can give you a good insight into them. Other than that, geography, patient population and NIH funding can give you a pretty good idea who is clinically vs. research oriented. All programs will make you a competent anesthesiologist. Thus you choose your program based on some of the softer indications.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston