Which offers better Cali Residency offers - WesternU or CO Denver

[UnEdgeUcated]

Hi, I originally posted this in the school specific section but very few responses.

Between WesternU and University of Colorado, Denver-Skaggs, which offers me a better chance, upon graduation, at landing an ambulatory care residency in the state of CA?

I got accepted to both and am trying to decide which one to go to.

I am a California native and would like to come back after I graduate. I like the feel of CO better but think there will be a bias for residency programs to pick in-state applicants.

What's everyone take on this topic?

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[inverness2012]

University of Colorado. Programs like brand name schools.

 

[bacillus1]

University of Colorado. Programs like brand name schools.

Not sure about that for Cali programs. I work at a hospital in California with a large residency program, and all the residents are from Cali. The program only really attempts to recruit Cali students. The program or residents don't even go to Midyear. They recruit solely off of CSHP. Now this is just an n of 1, but the residents told me that other programs do the same.

The only problem with Western is that it's super expensive. If Colorado is much cheaper, just go for that. Plus, doing residency in another state is not the end of the world. Cali weather is nice, but there are lots of nice places to live in the country.

 

[njac]

Not sure about that for Cali programs. I work at a hospital in California with a large residency program, and all the residents are from Cali. The program only really attempts to recruit Cali students. The program or residents don't even go to Midyear. They recruit solely off of CSHP. Now this is just an n of 1, but the residents told me that other programs do the same.

The only problem with Western is that it's super expensive. If Colorado is much cheaper, just go for that. Plus, doing residency in another state is not the end of the world. Cali weather is nice, but there are lots of nice places to live in the country.

I've heard stories of programs recruiting only at CSHP as well.

Seems odd.

 

[radio frequency]

Why not go to Colorado and join CSHP and fly out for their events now and then? It would still probably save you some cash and you'd go to a "name brand" school, as somebody above mentioned.

 

[Transformer]

Hi, I originally posted this in the school specific section but very few responses.

Between WesternU and University of Colorado, Denver-Skaggs, which offers me a better chance, upon graduation, at landing an ambulatory care residency in the state of CA?

I got accepted to both and am trying to decide which one to go to.

I am a California native and would like to come back after I graduate. I like the feel of CO better but think there will be a bias for residency programs to pick in-state applicants.

What's everyone take on this topic?

If I were you, I would attend WesternU in Pomona, CA. I am also a native of Cali, and I know based on personal experience, most, if not all California residency directors favor graduates from California pharmacy schools.

I'm not saying you can't get a Cali residency from an out of state school (many on sdn have done it). All I'm saying is it's going to be an uphill battle for you. With the opening of two new pharmacy schools in California, the competition for residency is only going to get worse. Congrats on acceptances to two great pharmacy schools! Good Luck!

 

[radio frequency]

If I were you, I would attend WesternU in Pomona, CA. I am also a native of Cali, and I know based on personal experience, most, if not all California residency directors favor graduates from California pharmacy schools.

I'm not saying you can't get a Cali residency from an out of state school (many on sdn have done it). All I'm saying is it's going to be an uphill battle for you. With the opening of two new pharmacy schools in California, the competition for residency is only going to get worse. Congrats on acceptances to two great pharmacy schools! Good Luck!

Western U is considered a good school? It's hard for me to believe that residency directors in California would favor that school over CU Denver, even if it is a local California school. They probably recruit locally mostly only because it's cheaper and easier to do so.

 

[Transformer]

Western U is considered a good school? It's hard for me to believe that residency directors in California would favor that school over CU Denver, even if it is a local California school. They probably recruit locally mostly only because it's cheaper and easier to do so.

It's all about networking.

When the pharmacy school you attend is in California, most of your preceptors and professors work at California hospitals and personally know many California residency directors and preceptors. Your recommendations from these preceptors will carry more weight and work to your advantage.

In addition, if you have ever interviewed at California residency programs, you know the pharmacy residents have a strong say/influence in the interview process. And guess where do most of these California pharmacy residents graduate from?/ and will favor in the interview process?

Now, I don't know Western U or Denver. I'm sure both schools produce good and not so good students, but from the networking standpoint, and from personal experiences interviewing at several California residency programs, I know for a fact your chances to getting a California residency are significantly higher with attending California pharmacy schools. This is no secret. Talk to some of the California residency directors at CSHP or ASHP meetings, and most will tell you they prefer California graduates.

For the directors who say they don't give any preferences to california graduates, you'll still be fighting an uphill battle and have to convince the current residents and preceptors who are heavily bias towards favoring California graduates as well.

 

[radio frequency]

Interesting take, @Transformer.

I don't go to school in California and have no connections to the state, nor to Colorado, but the students I've met from California at my school haven't had any issues getting good residencies back near their homes in California. Most have networked back in California during school by attending California pharmacy meetings, etc. Going elsewhere hasn't held them back, apparently, and many claim they saved a boatload of money and ended up getting into a respectable school by doing so. That's my n=1.

 

[Transformer]

Interesting take, @Transformer.

I don't go to school in California and have no connections to the state, nor to Colorado, but the students I've met from California at my school haven't had any issues getting good residencies back near their homes in California. Most have networked back in California during school by attending California pharmacy meetings, etc. Going elsewhere hasn't held them back, apparently, and many claim they saved a boatload of money and ended up getting into a respectable school by doing so. That's my n=1.

radio frequency, you're right. There are several out of state graduates who networked at CSHP/ASHP meetings and obtained california residencies. Many did save a lot of money on tuition, but these students are rare and definitely not the norm nowadays.

With the increase in tuition, many pharmacy students graduate with 200K-300K loans (example: students who are attending out of state private schools)

As the number of pharmacy graduates out grow the number of residency positions each year (attributed by the opening of several new pharmacy schools), many excellent candidates did not and will not obtain a residency on their first attempt.

The reality is the vast majority of new graduates return to california or to their home states without a residency and are working for big retail chains while living with family/loves ones so they can pay off their enormous debt.

My point is with the opening of two new pharmacy schools in California, the competition for residency may get significantly worse in 4 years. IMHO, If I were the OP, I would attend a California pharmacy school to get the edge on the competition through the networking provided by California schools.