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List of residency programs based on competitiveness?

23K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  macstjo 
#1 ·
I know this gets asked a lot and the answers are bound to change over time (even though I'm sure they won't change too drastically), but I wonder if there's such a list out there? Preferrably from an official source?

When some local Kaplan reps did a presentation on US residency at my med school on last Feb 2011, they gave us this list:

Most competitive:
1. Plastic surgery
2. Orthopedic surgery
3. Otolaryngology
4. Ophthalmology
5. Radiology
6. Radiation oncology
7. Neurosurgery

Competitive:
1. Emergency medicine
2. Urology
3. Dermatology
4. General surgery
5. Anesthesiology
6. Pediatrics
7. Obs/gyn

Less competitive:
1. Psychiatry
2. Pathology
3. Physical medicine & rehab
4. Internal medicine
5. Neurology
6. Family medicine

Now I don't know where this list came from, or what it is based on... Salary, maybe? Or percentage of AMG-filled spots? And do you think this still holds true now? I heard primary practice is getting more preferred recently.

Thanks!
 
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#3 ·
Hey thanks! So pediatrics is like... way down the list??

This is very interesting for me because the above list is almost the complete opposite with the situation in my country :p People get looked down when they say they take radiology, for example. So yeah, I'd like to hear what it's like in the US.

Also:
What about unique specialties like aerospace medicine? Sports medicine?
 
#6 ·
from memory, this is fairly similar to the order at the beginning of FA for step 1, 2009.
Things that studies have shown make a difference in competition ratios are factors such as average attending/private practice pay, call hours, perceived prestige.
Sorry I can't reference any of the above, but emedicine is a good place to look, as of course is pubmed if you're really interested.
 
#8 ·
This list is not true

IM should be put in place of pediatric as it is really competitive even more than anesthesia i think
Neurology is competitive for sure more than IM
Pediatric, psychiatry should be on the bottom as i hear in forums
Dermatology in highly competitive also
 
#9 ·
Specialty Rankings Based on Unmatched Rates for U.S. Seniors (Source: National Resident Matching Program; San Francisco Matching Program; American Urological Association.)
(unmatched rate %)

Extremely competitive
Plastic surgery 23.5 Ophthalmology 22.0 Urology 20.0 Radiation oncology 17.9 Dermatology 16.1

Very competitive
Neurosurgery 15.0 Otolaryngology 15.0 Orthopedic surgery 14.9 Radiology 11.1 Emergency medicine 6.5

Competitive
General surgery 5.4 Anesthesiology 5.2 Obstetrics and gynecology 4.3 Psychiatry 4.3 Neurology 3.0

Less competitive
Physical medicine and rehabilitation 2.7 Pathology 2.1 Family practice 1.9 Internal medicine 1.6 Pediatrics 1.3
 
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