8 Best Places to Do Your Residency

If you’re anything like every other medical student in America, you’d like to complete your residency in a top-rated residency program and then secure employment in a top-rated healthcare facility. Here, we expand on each city and facility to give you the information you need to narrow down your options and set your sights on the prize. And, who is best to rank residency programs? Practicing physicians, of course.

These cities boast top medical residency programs selected by physicians. 

1. Rochester, Minnesota – It’s likely no surprise to you that Rochester is at the top of the list considering this city is home to the renowned Mayo Clinic. Only the best doctors train at Mayo Clinic; their pass rate for boards is 98%. Above and beyond being one of the best residency programs in the United States, Mayo Clinic is one of the best hospitals in the country, for everything from gynecology to urology. Your chances of getting in are improving, too – nearly 100,000 new residents could be accepted in the next twenty years according to Rochester Mayor, Ardell Brede.
   
2. St. Louis, Missouri – The Barnes-Jewish Hospital (Washington University) attracted doctors to St. Louis. The Barnes-Jewish Teaching Hospital is most well-known for their Emergency Medicine residency program, which emphasizes advanced knowledge of toxicology, ultrasound, critical care, and pediatric emergency medicine. Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s residencies are four-year programs, better preparing future doctors for success in their field. St. Louis isn’t only appealing because of this first class residency program; they are also one of the most charitable cities in the US and its city park is significantly bigger than Central Park itself.
3. Chicago, Illinois – Chicago made the list due to the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University. McGaw Medical Center offers three-year accredited residency programs in over 20 specialties including neurological surgery and and internal medicine as well as fellowships in over 40 subspecialties. This state-of-the-art facility utilizes the best technology in the industry in combination with simulation training to provide real-life education for potential medical providers. As a home base, Chicago has a lot to offer, too. The “el train” simplifies commuting and makes owning a car a luxury rather than a necessity. Chicago offers big city amenities with one-tenth of the per-square-foot price of property than New York City.
4. Durham, North Carolina – It’s no surprise that Duke University Hospital gave Durham a spot on the list. Duke’s Internal Medicine Residency program is highly esteemed nation-wide. The faculty at Duke “nurture the intellectual curiosity” of residents for everything from cardiology to orthopedics, allowing each student to maximize their years as a resident and potential as an internist. Learning plans are individualized rather than standardized and residents have the option to choose between a variety of career paths: categorical program, preliminary program, research, global health, health care leadership, or ambulatory care leadership.
5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The internal medicine internship programs at University of Pennsylvania landed Philadelphia on the list of best places to do your residency. The University of Penn focuses specifically on exposure to diversity through not only a diverse patient population but a diverse rotation schedule as well. Research skills, patient safety, and quality control are also emphasized. Rotations include general medicine, critical care, emergency medicine, geriatrics, neurology, and ambulatory training.
6. Boston, Massachusetts – Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston offers an accredited and well-respected internal medicine residency. The mission of their residency program is to “provide outstanding clinical training and individualized career mentoring” to ensure every graduate soars above and beyond best practice to become a leader in academic medicine. Residents participate in research during their program to advance their potential for an investigative career. Perhaps even more noteworthy is Massachusetts General Hospital. The internal medicine residency program here puts unprecedented focus on supervised direct patient care. Residents rotate through intensive care, ED, consultation services, and general medicine. There are other reasons to live in Boston, too. Of all metro areas in the US, the average age of Bostonians is the youngest, making it a perfect fit for millennials.
7. Baltimore, Maryland – Baltimore is home to John Hopkins University, one of the best hospitals and residency programs in the entire country. John Hopkins University focuses on establishing a relationship with each and every patient and contributing to medicine through life-long learning and leadership. If you’re looking into gastroenterology, ophthalmology, or psychiatry as your specialty, you won’t find a better residency than those at John Hopkins.
8. New York, New York – The big city made the list simply because it’s home to New York Presbyterian Hospital. This teaching hospital is associated with not just one but two Ivy League schools – Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. New York Presbyterian Hospital uses several areas of excellence to train doctors who are capable of providing patient care to the highest standard upon completion of their emergency medicine residency program:

• residents as teachers
• emergency medicine ultrasound program
• airway management course
• simulation
• global emergency medicine program
• wilderness medicine
• evidence-based medicine
• toxicology
• pediatric emergency medicine
• geriatric emergency medicine
• resident research
• residency wellness

In addition to this incredible residency program, New York boasts diversity, plenty to do, and many options to make your commute more manageable. The cost of living is one of the highest in the nation, though.