Residency Advisor Logo Residency Advisor
Programs Map SmartPrep
SmartPick ShortList Interview Questions Knowledge Hub
    Knowledge Hub     Regional Residency Guides

Regional Residency Guides

120 articles

Back to Knowledge Hub
Two-Body Problem: Coordinating Couples Match Across Regions
Regional Residency Guides

Two-Body Problem: Coordinating Couples Match Across Regions

Solve the two-body problem with practical couples match regional strategies to align residency choices, prioritize regions, and build realistic pair lists.

Managing Kids and Schooling While Moving to a New Residency Region
Regional Residency Guides

Managing Kids and Schooling While Moving to a New Residency Region

Med School in One Region, All Contacts in Another: Bridging the Gap
Regional Residency Guides

Med School in One Region, All Contacts in Another: Bridging the Gap

Do You Really Need ‘Regional Ties’ to Match? What the Evidence Says
Regional Residency Guides

Do You Really Need ‘Regional Ties’ to Match? What the Evidence Says

Matched Far From Family: How Do Residents Actually Cope Long-Term?
Regional Residency Guides

Matched Far From Family: How Do Residents Actually Cope Long-Term?

More Articles

The Unique Culture of Texas GME: Funding, Autonomy, and Hierarchies
Regional Residency Guides

The Unique Culture of Texas GME: Funding, Autonomy, and Hierarchies

Explore Texas GME's unique culture: how state funding, institutional autonomy, and hierarchies shape residency training and expansion, plus practical tips.

What PDs in Rust Belt Cities Secretly Think About Big-City Applicants
Regional Residency Guides

What PDs in Rust Belt Cities Secretly Think About Big-City Applicants

Inside what Rust Belt residency program directors really think about big-city applicants - learn how to beat stereotypes and improve your residency chances.

Overvaluing Brand-Name Cities While Ignoring Regional Training Gaps
Regional Residency Guides

Overvaluing Brand-Name Cities While Ignoring Regional Training Gaps

Avoid choosing residency based on city prestige—learn how regional training gaps harm skills, fellowship prospects, and long‑term practice confidence, choices.

Night Float vs 24-Hour Call: Regional Patterns and Resident Impact
Regional Residency Guides

Night Float vs 24-Hour Call: Regional Patterns and Resident Impact

Compare night float vs 24-hour call in residency: regional patterns, effects on continuity, error risk, and burnout, with insights for applicants and programs.

If You’re LGBTQ+ and Evaluating Regional Culture for Residency
Regional Residency Guides

If You’re LGBTQ+ and Evaluating Regional Culture for Residency

Evaluate regional culture for LGBTQ+ residency applicants: practical steps to assess program, hospital, and city protections before you rank.

Can Switching Regions for Fellowship Reset Your Career Geography?
Regional Residency Guides

Can Switching Regions for Fellowship Reset Your Career Geography?

How Important Are ‘Regional Ties’ Emails to Program Directors?
Regional Residency Guides

How Important Are ‘Regional Ties’ Emails to Program Directors?

Fixing a Regionally Scattered Application Before Rank List Lock
Regional Residency Guides

Fixing a Regionally Scattered Application Before Rank List Lock

Scared of High Cost of Living on a Resident Salary in Coastal Cities
Regional Residency Guides

Scared of High Cost of Living on a Resident Salary in Coastal Cities

Browse All

Latest

Practical Checklist for Evaluating a New Region on Interview Travel Days

Regional Residency Guides

Religious and Cultural Considerations When Choosing a Residency Region

Regional Residency Guides

Anxious About Weather Extremes: Winters Up North vs Summers in the South

Regional Residency Guides

Should You Prioritize Region or Program Reputation When Ranking?

Regional Residency Guides

August–October: Tracking Invites by Region and When to Worry

Regional Residency Guides

Rural Midwest Residency Tracks: Structure, Case Mix, and Career Paths

Regional Residency Guides

Do Fellowship Directors Care Which Region You Trained In?

Regional Residency Guides

Do State Lines Really Matter for Fellowship Applications and Jobs?

Regional Residency Guides

Even More

Rank List Month: Stepwise Process to Weigh Region vs Program Tier

Rank List Month: Stepwise Process to Weigh Region vs Program Tier

Red-Flag Errors Applicants Make With ‘Geographic Fit’ in the Midwest

Red-Flag Errors Applicants Make With ‘Geographic Fit’ in the Midwest

Pre-Interview Season: Planning Travel Routes for Multi-Region Tours

Pre-Interview Season: Planning Travel Routes for Multi-Region Tours

Burnout and Wellness Scores: How Regions Compare in Recent Surveys

Burnout and Wellness Scores: How Regions Compare in Recent Surveys

How to Build a Targeted Residency List for One Region Without Overapplying

How to Build a Targeted Residency List for One Region Without Overapplying

What If I Hate the Region I Match In? Real Stories and Exit Paths

What If I Hate the Region I Match In? Real Stories and Exit Paths

Fear of Cultural Mismatch: Moving From Coastal City to Deep South

Fear of Cultural Mismatch: Moving From Coastal City to Deep South

Is Weather a Trivial Factor in Residency Burnout? Regional Outcomes

Is Weather a Trivial Factor in Residency Burnout? Regional Outcomes

What Academic vs Community PDs in the South Expect on Day One

What Academic vs Community PDs in the South Expect on Day One

Handling Sudden Life Events That Force a Last-Minute Regional Pivot

Handling Sudden Life Events That Force a Last-Minute Regional Pivot

Comparing Safety-Net Hospital Training in NYC vs LA vs Chicago

Comparing Safety-Net Hospital Training in NYC vs LA vs Chicago

Post-Match Timeline: Logistics of Moving Cross-Country for Residency

Post-Match Timeline: Logistics of Moving Cross-Country for Residency

Are Northeast Programs Truly the Most Malignant? Sorting Fact from Lore

Are Northeast Programs Truly the Most Malignant? Sorting Fact from Lore

Trauma Volume Differences: Level 1 Centers by Region Explained

Trauma Volume Differences: Level 1 Centers by Region Explained

Retention Data: Who Actually Stays to Practice Where They Train?

Retention Data: Who Actually Stays to Practice Where They Train?

If Family Care Obligations Tie You to a Single Metro Area

If Family Care Obligations Tie You to a Single Metro Area

How Northeast Residency Rank Meetings Really Work Behind Closed Doors

How Northeast Residency Rank Meetings Really Work Behind Closed Doors

Ranking Too Many ‘Reach’ Coastal Programs: A Hidden Match Risk

Ranking Too Many ‘Reach’ Coastal Programs: A Hidden Match Risk

Academic vs Community Training Styles in the Northeast Corridor

Academic vs Community Training Styles in the Northeast Corridor

If You’re From a Coastal City Considering a Rural Heartland Program

If You’re From a Coastal City Considering a Rural Heartland Program

Migration Patterns: Where Graduates Relocate After Southern Training

Migration Patterns: Where Graduates Relocate After Southern Training

Regional Case Volume Statistics: Trauma, OB, and ICU Exposure Trends

Regional Case Volume Statistics: Trauma, OB, and ICU Exposure Trends

Why Mountain West Residencies Quietly Attract Burned-Out Attendings

Why Mountain West Residencies Quietly Attract Burned-Out Attendings

Subspecialty Exposure Variability by Region: Where Certain Fields Thrive

Subspecialty Exposure Variability by Region: Where Certain Fields Thrive

Resident Debt vs Salary: Regional Time-to-Break-Even Calculations

Resident Debt vs Salary: Regional Time-to-Break-Even Calculations

If Your Partner’s Job Locks You to One Region: Residency Strategies

If Your Partner’s Job Locks You to One Region: Residency Strategies

Six Months Before Match: When to Narrow From National to Regional Focus

Six Months Before Match: When to Narrow From National to Regional Focus

The Hidden Hierarchy Between NYC, Boston, and Philly Residencies

The Hidden Hierarchy Between NYC, Boston, and Philly Residencies

Does Matching in a Big City Guarantee Better Procedural Volume?

Does Matching in a Big City Guarantee Better Procedural Volume?

PGY-1 First 90 Days: Adapting Quickly to a New Region’s Culture

PGY-1 First 90 Days: Adapting Quickly to a New Region’s Culture

Gap Year Timeline: Using 12 Months to Pivot Into a New Geographic Market

Gap Year Timeline: Using 12 Months to Pivot Into a New Geographic Market

Gulf Coast Programs: Hurricane Preparedness and Disaster Medicine

Gulf Coast Programs: Hurricane Preparedness and Disaster Medicine

The Truth About ‘Lifestyle’ Programs in West Coast Residencies

The Truth About ‘Lifestyle’ Programs in West Coast Residencies

Negotiating Moves: Managing Couples Match Across Two Distant Regions

Negotiating Moves: Managing Couples Match Across Two Distant Regions

Long-Distance Marriage in Residency: Cross-Region Survival Plans

Long-Distance Marriage in Residency: Cross-Region Survival Plans

Template Emails to Signal Genuine Interest in a New Geographic Region

Template Emails to Signal Genuine Interest in a New Geographic Region

Fellowship Planning Timeline: When to Consider Leaving Your Region

Fellowship Planning Timeline: When to Consider Leaving Your Region

Step-by-Step Plan to Pivot Regions When You Have No Local Ties

Step-by-Step Plan to Pivot Regions When You Have No Local Ties

Myths About ‘Underserved’ Programs in the Midwest and Deep South

Myths About ‘Underserved’ Programs in the Midwest and Deep South

Are Coastal Residencies Always Better? Debunking Prestige Geography

Are Coastal Residencies Always Better? Debunking Prestige Geography

Avoid These Cultural Faux Pas When Applying to Southern Residencies

Avoid These Cultural Faux Pas When Applying to Southern Residencies

Will Training in a Rural Region Limit Your Urban Job Prospects?

Will Training in a Rural Region Limit Your Urban Job Prospects?

How Do You Decide Between Two Very Different Regions You Like?

How Do You Decide Between Two Very Different Regions You Like?

Concrete Strategies to Show ‘Regional Commitment’ on Interview Day

Concrete Strategies to Show ‘Regional Commitment’ on Interview Day

Handling Visa Constraints When Your Preferred Region Is Limited

Handling Visa Constraints When Your Preferred Region Is Limited

Match Rates by Region: Which Areas Are Most Competitive in 2025?

Match Rates by Region: Which Areas Are Most Competitive in 2025?

How Do You Assess Safety and Lifestyle in an Unfamiliar Region?

How Do You Assess Safety and Lifestyle in an Unfamiliar Region?

Underestimating Commuting and Call Logistics in Big-City Programs

Underestimating Commuting and Call Logistics in Big-City Programs

Does Training in a ‘Flyover State’ Hurt Fellowship Chances?

Does Training in a ‘Flyover State’ Hurt Fellowship Chances?

Assuming All Community Programs in One Region Are the Same

Assuming All Community Programs in One Region Are the Same

Procedural Autonomy Differences Between Coastal and Inland Programs

Procedural Autonomy Differences Between Coastal and Inland Programs

How to Use Rotations Strategically to Anchor Yourself to One Region

How to Use Rotations Strategically to Anchor Yourself to One Region

How Texas Residency Politics Shape Who Actually Gets Ranked

How Texas Residency Politics Shape Who Actually Gets Ranked

Is It Smart to Train Where You Ultimately Want to Practice?

Is It Smart to Train Where You Ultimately Want to Practice?

How Regional Epidemiology Shapes Training: South vs Northwest

How Regional Epidemiology Shapes Training: South vs Northwest

Application Inflation: Average Programs Applied to by Region of Interest

Application Inflation: Average Programs Applied to by Region of Interest

Is It Harder to Match Back Home After Training Out of Region?

Is It Harder to Match Back Home After Training Out of Region?

Can You Realistically Match Back Home After Leaving Your Region?

Can You Realistically Match Back Home After Leaving Your Region?

Border-State Residency Nuances: Immigration, Language, and Call

Border-State Residency Nuances: Immigration, Language, and Call

Cost-of-Living Adjusted PGY-1 Salaries: Region-by-Region Comparison

Cost-of-Living Adjusted PGY-1 Salaries: Region-by-Region Comparison

Designing a Rank List When Family, Cost, and Region All Compete

Designing a Rank List When Family, Cost, and Region All Compete

If You’re Planning to Return to Your Home Country After US Training

If You’re Planning to Return to Your Home Country After US Training

I Only Applied to One Region: Did I Just Tank My Match Chances?

I Only Applied to One Region: Did I Just Tank My Match Chances?

Which Factors Matter Most When Comparing Residency Regions?

Which Factors Matter Most When Comparing Residency Regions?

Final Week Before Rank Lock: Regional Reality Checks to Do Now

Final Week Before Rank Lock: Regional Reality Checks to Do Now

MS4 Summer: Building Regional Connections Before ERAS Opens

MS4 Summer: Building Regional Connections Before ERAS Opens

Does a Rural Residency Limit Future Urban Job Options? The Data

Does a Rural Residency Limit Future Urban Job Options? The Data

How Many Regions Should You Seriously Target in One Match Cycle?

How Many Regions Should You Seriously Target in One Match Cycle?

MS3 Spring: Locking In Rotations That Support Your Target Region

MS3 Spring: Locking In Rotations That Support Your Target Region

What Small-Town Programs in the Midwest Will Never Put in Writing

What Small-Town Programs in the Midwest Will Never Put in Writing

November–January: How to Reassess Regional Priorities Mid-Season

November–January: How to Reassess Regional Priorities Mid-Season

How to Compare Call Schedules Across Regions With Different Cultures

How to Compare Call Schedules Across Regions With Different Cultures

Terrified of Rural Training After a Big-City Med School: Is It Safe?

Terrified of Rural Training After a Big-City Med School: Is It Safe?

Can a ‘Bad’ Regional Reputation of a City Hurt My Future Career?

Can a ‘Bad’ Regional Reputation of a City Hurt My Future Career?

Misreading ‘Resident Wellness’ Signals Across Different Regions

Misreading ‘Resident Wellness’ Signals Across Different Regions

Common Interview Day Missteps at Small-Town and Rural Programs

Common Interview Day Missteps at Small-Town and Rural Programs

Panicking About Long-Distance Relationships Across Regions in Residency

Panicking About Long-Distance Relationships Across Regions in Residency

Urban vs Rural: A Practical Framework to Choose Your Residency Location

Urban vs Rural: A Practical Framework to Choose Your Residency Location

Mountain West Residencies: Altitude, Transfers, and Resource Limits

Mountain West Residencies: Altitude, Transfers, and Resource Limits

Top Relocation Mistakes Residents Regret After Moving to the South

Top Relocation Mistakes Residents Regret After Moving to the South

Why Southern Programs Quietly Prefer Home-Grown Applicants

Why Southern Programs Quietly Prefer Home-Grown Applicants

Inside California vs Pacific Northwest Residency Culture Clashes

Inside California vs Pacific Northwest Residency Culture Clashes

Myth vs Reality: Is Training in the South a Barrier to Academic Careers?

Myth vs Reality: Is Training in the South a Barrier to Academic Careers?

Moonlighting Opportunities by Region: Income and Policy Differences

Moonlighting Opportunities by Region: Income and Policy Differences

Is a High Cost-of-Living Region Ever Worth It on a Resident Salary?

Is a High Cost-of-Living Region Ever Worth It on a Resident Salary?

What If I Have Zero Ties to My Dream Region? Honest Match Odds

What If I Have Zero Ties to My Dream Region? Honest Match Odds

How Program Directors Use Regional Ties as a Tie-Breaker on Rank Day

How Program Directors Use Regional Ties as a Tie-Breaker on Rank Day

Worried I’ll Be Stuck Practicing Forever Where I Do Residency

Worried I’ll Be Stuck Practicing Forever Where I Do Residency

Interview Offer Yield: How Many Invites Convert to Matches by Region

Interview Offer Yield: How Many Invites Convert to Matches by Region

Ignoring State Licensing Rules: Regional Pitfalls Before You Match

Ignoring State Licensing Rules: Regional Pitfalls Before You Match

What Midwest Community PDs Privately Value More Than Step Scores

What Midwest Community PDs Privately Value More Than Step Scores

Regional Preference Mistakes That Get You Auto-Screened in the Northeast

Regional Preference Mistakes That Get You Auto-Screened in the Northeast

Are West Coast Programs Always More ‘Chill’? Regional Culture Myths

Are West Coast Programs Always More ‘Chill’? Regional Culture Myths

West Coast Cost-of-Living Miscalculations That Sink New Interns

West Coast Cost-of-Living Miscalculations That Sink New Interns

Explore All Topics in Knowledge Hub