irlandesa
08-01-2004, 03:53 PM
Hi guys, I am really trying to figure out all the panic about matching in IM, all of these threads about "OMG, my Step 1 score is ONLY average, do I have a chance?" or "am I doomed even though I am in the running for AOA" just seem really strange considering that IM is NOT that competitive to match in. Now, I am a VERY average student and not an expert, but here are a few facts/anecdotes that might reassure you and hopefully, stop all of the "woe is me" threads on here (believe me, I've spent way too much time posting them myself and getting slammed, and can tell you it ain't worth the time, amigos. Don't do as I do, do as I say b/c I've been enormously foolish):
1)The "least prestigious" IM matches at Tufts in 2003 were Temple and Lenox Hill. Considering that a)Step 1 scores at TUSM are hardly anything to write home about, b)it has a strong rep, but is by no means up there with Hah-vahd, Columbia, Duke, etc., and c)the above named programs are hardly anything to scoff at IMO, this is reassuring, no?
2)By no means will it kill you to go to a state school or lower ranked school, even if your class rank isn't fantastic (and most residency directors could care less about the first 2 years as long as you passed). Here are a few of what must be numerous examples:
-student from MCV/VCU, not AOA, not URM (if you want to play that game), not a research superstar, matched at BWH for categorical IM, and one of the most motivated and intelligent residents in the program IMO.
-one woman from my school had ALL HP's during 3rd year and matched in Opthalmology (wouldn't you say that is WAY more competitive than IM??) at NYP-Cornell.
-SDNers who matched well and got good interviews in IM this year with "average" credentials include state schoolers w/average MCAT's who interviewed at Michigan, Mayo, BIDMC, BUMC, Vandy, etc., and someone with below ave. class rank who matched at Brown and had many other excellent interviews.
3)Do your research, there are plenty of people in academic medicine, even dept. chairs at rel. prestigious places who didn't go to BWH, MGH, or UCSF for residency, and/or didn't go to a Top 10 med school. To name a few, the head of GI at Lahey Clinic (prob. the best GI program in New England outside the Harvard/Yale system) went to Finch/CMS and Mt. Auburn for residency, and the head of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at NEMC went to WVU for med school and part of her residency (and is an awesome doc, I might add).
any other anecdotes or words of wisdom for the anxious?:)
1)The "least prestigious" IM matches at Tufts in 2003 were Temple and Lenox Hill. Considering that a)Step 1 scores at TUSM are hardly anything to write home about, b)it has a strong rep, but is by no means up there with Hah-vahd, Columbia, Duke, etc., and c)the above named programs are hardly anything to scoff at IMO, this is reassuring, no?
2)By no means will it kill you to go to a state school or lower ranked school, even if your class rank isn't fantastic (and most residency directors could care less about the first 2 years as long as you passed). Here are a few of what must be numerous examples:
-student from MCV/VCU, not AOA, not URM (if you want to play that game), not a research superstar, matched at BWH for categorical IM, and one of the most motivated and intelligent residents in the program IMO.
-one woman from my school had ALL HP's during 3rd year and matched in Opthalmology (wouldn't you say that is WAY more competitive than IM??) at NYP-Cornell.
-SDNers who matched well and got good interviews in IM this year with "average" credentials include state schoolers w/average MCAT's who interviewed at Michigan, Mayo, BIDMC, BUMC, Vandy, etc., and someone with below ave. class rank who matched at Brown and had many other excellent interviews.
3)Do your research, there are plenty of people in academic medicine, even dept. chairs at rel. prestigious places who didn't go to BWH, MGH, or UCSF for residency, and/or didn't go to a Top 10 med school. To name a few, the head of GI at Lahey Clinic (prob. the best GI program in New England outside the Harvard/Yale system) went to Finch/CMS and Mt. Auburn for residency, and the head of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at NEMC went to WVU for med school and part of her residency (and is an awesome doc, I might add).
any other anecdotes or words of wisdom for the anxious?:)