Kaiser (full COA, no home specialty residency) vs. T5/10 (no aid)

[proudofmykids]

(Please don’t quote.)
There have been many posts of Kaiser vs. T5/10/20 and for the most part typically endorse a Kaiser selection unless choosing high paying specialty and cost difference <$200k and especially if No aid.

However, the decision becomes both easier and harder when one factors in the fact that the T5/10/20 would be full cost via loans (lean Kaiser) BUT Kaiser has no home competitive residency for surgical/ sub specialty/ortho/pediatric-surgical making it significantly more difficult to even get into a specialty like good Ortho Residency (lean T5/10/20).

Even if PD general ranking for Kaiser is very favorable, I would think competitive specialties where there are no home residencies would not be ranked as favorably, as well as significantly reduced clinical, research, and mentorship opportunities in that missing home program further reducing one’s competitiveness.

Who can help argue against this assessment? Which would you recommend in this scenario?

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[nymedschoolfan]

I'd take the top school over Kaiser if I 100% wanted to go into a surgical speciality. You don't go into surgical speciality for lifestyle. Look at their salaries, you can definitely pay the loans back. Primary care or no desire for academic medicine = Kaiser.

 

[aSagacious]

The problem is the majority of college students don't know what their eventual specialty will be. For most people, the safe bet would be going to the place that will keep doors open. Even if you want to go into a non-competitive specialty like internal medicine, good luck getting into a top program out of Kaiser.

 

[b1209]

ya, i feel like a lot of people give advice on here without considering the individual OP's interests -- after talking to a lot of mentors and peers about my strong interest in something procedural, they thought it would be a better career investment to go to my non-KP option ... just putting it out there

 

[proudofmykids]

No one validated the extra difficulty from lack of home program for Ortho at KP.
These responses are my current feeling that T10@400k > KP for surgical/Ortho.

 

[b1209]

I'm gonna copy and paste what an M4 said to me about home programs and you can take what you want from it: "Even if there's no home residency program, you may still be able to do research with attending physicians in those fields if Kaiser has departments, especially if there are high-profile academic faculty around (which would still be helpful for securing letters of recommendation)"

Theoretically, you could reach out locally to UCLA or USC, City of Hope, etc and try to make connections -- its gonna be a much bigger grind for sure. Up to you if you are up for that additive challenge or want to INVEST in "peace of mind" a bit

 

[Yhwach]

T5/10

Kaiser is an obvious choice for pre-PCP folks.

 

[longhaul3]

No one validated the extra difficulty from lack of home program for Ortho at KP.
These responses are my current feeling that T10@400k > KP for surgical/Ortho.

If you know you want to do something highly competitive, I don't think you can put a price tag on the top-tier pedigree vs. an unknown, especially without a home department. I know KP is an unusually "good" new MD school, but you need individuals who know you by name and are invested in your success by virtue of being members of the same academic institution. Having been through the match in a very competitive specialty, I can attest to the difference it makes.

I'm gonna copy and paste what an M4 said to me about home programs and you can take what you want from it: "Even if there's no home residency program, you may still be able to do research with attending physicians in those fields if Kaiser has departments, especially if there are high-profile academic faculty around (which would still be helpful for securing letters of recommendation)"

Theoretically, you could reach out locally to UCLA or USC, City of Hope, etc and try to make connections -- its gonna be a much bigger grind for sure. Up to you if you are up for that additive challenge or want to INVEST in "peace of mind" a bit

There are always going to be people who match from a school with no home department, from a DO school, with a failed CS attempt, etc. These are the exceptions. I think it's a big mistake to go to a school without a home department if you're dead set on a competitive specialty and have a choice. Nobody should count on faculty from an outside institution going to bat when it it matters.

 

[newaccount4decisionss]

For summer between MS1/2, is it better to do research at an institution where you want to match?
For example, if I want to match Hopkins/MGH/etc for ENT, should I do summer research with faculty there?
Or does this look weird?

 

[nymedschoolfan]

For summer between MS1/2, is it better to do research at an institution where you want to match?
For example, if I want to match Hopkins/MGH/etc for ENT, should I do summer research with faculty there?
Or does this look weird?

I heard it's best to have a strong connection with your home dept before venturing out, otherwise it looks weird. Unless you have no home dept.

 

[dsonic]

Why are you writing these posts if your son didn’t interview at or isn’t accepted at KPSOM?

 

[proudofmykids]

Why are you writing these posts if your son didn’t interview at or isn’t accepted at KPSOM?

Bigger question is why do you care?
And how would you know where they interviewed or were or weren’t accepted?