Fellowships and Consideration of internal residents

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rule out normal

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How much weight does being a resident at the same program as a fellowship carry? I would really like to stay at my current institution for a number of reasons, but the fellowship program states it doesn't give spots to internal candidates preferentially. I am to apply just like any other applicant.

Despite this, in anyone's past experience, does being from the home institution where I did residency generally offer an advantage when applying to that institution's fellowship program?

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This seems highly variable. Most programs I know about accept their own without question. Often without even an interview.
 
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Christ. The proper way to do it is automatic ranking home students above the rest.

I personally wouldn't consider a fellowship that doesn't give preference to its home candidates.

It shows that the institution has no faith in its own product.
 
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Fellowships usually prefer their own residents: 1) No personality surprises, 2) they know the small unimportant things about the PACS, personalities, hospital-specific bureaucracy, etc., that make a big difference in terms of efficiency, 3) it's kind of an honor if you've been grooming someone for four years that they choose you for more teaching.

It can't be a guarantee, because despite all efforts, a very small percentage of residents really suck (either personality or skillwise... usually personality). You don't want to commit yourself to being stuck with him or her. This is an uncommon situation, but important to avoid.
 
If an applicant can't land a spot at their home program, it's a red flag on the applicant not the program
 
If an applicant can't land a spot at their home program, it's a red flag on the applicant not the program

Knowing the intricate politics behind some programs, that's not always the case.
 
Knowing the intricate politics behind some programs, that's not always the case.

Only a few places are notorious for not taking their own (like colorado)...how can one find out more about program specifics pertaining to this issue?

Politics hard to gauge in a 3 hour interview day!
 
Colorado is the only one I heard that wouldn't take their own.
 
What if you're not considered a bad resident, but you're still not as good as the rest of your class?
 
What if you're not considered a bad resident, but you're still not as good as the rest of your class?

That's pretty theoretical. The tie will usually go to the home resident. There are some exceptions. Ex. If it's a nationally renowned fellowship with four positions and six people in your class want to go (or even just four), then, yeah, you're not guaranteed, but you have a big leg up on outside candidates.

Another exception is if you make a major switch... IR to diagnostics or the other way around. You may not have the connection and track record to compete with a stellar outside competitor. You'll still be more considered than otherwise, though.

As before, If you have bad attitude problems, this will be the time that they will cut you. If you never opened a book and are proud of f'ing up in conference, this will be the time they will cut you.
 
Colorado is the only one I heard that wouldn't take their own.

Huh?

I know a current Colorado fellow who was a resident there...unless they have a fellowship that only has one spot, I think you're mistaken
 
Huh?

I know a current Colorado fellow who was a resident there...unless they have a fellowship that only has one spot, I think you're mistaken

From discussion with the IR applicant from Colorado, it sounds like he was told specifically he will not be favored just because of his tie to the program and the program likes to recruit fresh blood.
 
From discussion with the IR applicant from Colorado, it sounds like he was told specifically he will not be favored just because of his tie to the program and the program likes to recruit fresh blood.

We have a similar policy here. We take internally for IR, but we have a policy to not fill with internal candidates.
 
Depends on what your expected to do in the fellowship. There may be different duties between non-accredited and accredited programs.
Some like to mix it up with external as well as internal, and of course it depends on how many positions. Just because a program doesn't favor internal people does not make it a bad program.

There are both accredited and non-accredited programs whose societies require them to go 'all-in' in the match, so internal and external have play by those rules.

I wouldn't expect to be given a place in fellowship, I want to earn it.
 
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