Allopathic IM residencies

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Brodo Swaggins

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I'm a first year OMS and was wondering what it takes to get a residency spot at a good allo Internal Med residency. Anyone have any experience with this application process?

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From what I've heard, at this point focus on 2 things:

1) Taking and doing well on the USMLE (Step 1 & 2CK)
-This requires working hard in the first 2 years to get the material down

2) Doing research when you get a chance
 
From what I've heard, at this point focus on 2 things:

1) Taking and doing well on the USMLE (Step 1 & 2CK)
-This requires working hard in the first 2 years to get the material down

2) Doing research when you get a chance

Is research totally necessary for IM? I will do it if needed but I really dislike research. That and I'd like to have my last free summer of possible.
 
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I interviewed at all ACGME IM programs and a lot of interviewers commented that my research was helpful in my application.

Research can only help you. I don't know why this question keeps coming up. Sure you can match without it, but why not do everything you can to maximize your chances?

There are ACGME IM programs that will accept only COMLEX. Again, taking and doing well on USMLE Step 1 is going to be the #1 thing you can do to help yourself
 
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I'm also interested in ACGME IM. I don't have any research. I took USMLE step 1(mid 220) and COMLEX(550+).
Interested to stay in the South region..
Do I have a chance at getting in mid-tier IM programs?
 
OP you are making a huge mistake if you go through medical school with "mid tier IM" as your goal.

Trust me, you have no idea what you actually want to match into yet.
I would venture that you probably have no idea what IM really even is yet.

Go through school being the best that you can possibly be.


Do not be one of the thousands of students who waits til third year to realize that you love a specialty that youll never match into.
 
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I interviewed at all ACGME IM programs and a lot of interviewers commented that my research was helpful in my application.

Research can only help you. I don't know why this question keeps coming up. Sure you can match without it, but why not do everything you can to maximize your chances?

There are ACGME IM programs that will accept only COMLEX. Again, taking and doing well on USMLE Step 1 is going to be the #1 thing you can do to help yourself

What kind of research did you do. Bench, clinical, etc.?
 
Did you guys who head to these interviews meet a lot of carib students from say Ross or SGU along the way or was it mostly folks from DO programs and MDs here in the States?
 
I'm a first year OMS and was wondering what it takes to get a residency spot at a good allo Internal Med residency. Anyone have any experience with this application process?

It really depends on what you mean by a good allo IM residency...

Are we talking a reasonable community program or a midtier university program or are we talking upper midtier university program?

1) take and do well on usmle step1 and consider step2 ck

2) do well on clinicals and do aways at strong academic institutions

3) get strong letters from reasonably well known faculty (if you can)

4) research- if you want to match at a university program you need research. You're at a disadvantage as a DO and IM is becoming more and more competitive. The average board scores are the same as general surgery and that includes the hundreds of crappy community programs out there.
 
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Did you guys who head to these interviews meet a lot of carib students from say Ross or SGU along the way or was it mostly folks from DO programs and MDs here in the States?

At university IM program interviews, I've never seen a Caribbean student.

I saw an SGU student at a community program interview however.

*this was strictly my own experience at the programs I interviewed at on the days I was present for the interview. I know that there are certainly university progs that take Carribbean grads
 
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At my Umass, Drexel, Downstate interviews, I am the only DO candidate,and met many Caribbean candidates.
 
At my Umass, Drexel, Downstate interviews, I am the only DO candidate,and met many Caribbean candidates.

Yeah, according to NRMP match data, a larger percentage of IM residency programs interview and rank US IMG grads as opposed to osteopathic grads. So it's really no surprise there. People can say that things are going to get worse for US IMGs, but that's all hearsay and speculation. For now, things look roughly equal.
 
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Yeah, according to NRMP match data, a larger percentage of IM residency programs interview and rank US IMG grads as opposed to osteopathic grads. So it's really no surprise there. People can say that things are going to get worse for US IMGs, but that's all hearsay and speculation. For now, things look roughly equal.


Except for the fact that there are 13,000 IMGs participating in the ACGME match, and only about 2000 DOs.

The IMGs you see on interviews are probably 20+ usmle points above you, so not exactly equal.

Now as far as "things getting worse for IMGs", that is just SDN nonsense. Those same people seem to think it will get easier for DOs, which is also pure and utter nonsense.
 
Except for the fact that there are 13,000 IMGs participating in the ACGME match, and only about 2000 DOs.

The IMGs you see on interviews are probably 20+ usmle points above you, so not exactly equal.

Now as far as "things getting worse for IMGs", that is just SDN nonsense. Those same people seem to think it will get easier for DOs, which is also pure and utter nonsense.

Yeah, I see mostly osteopathic grads trying to blow up the notion that "things are getting worse with IMGs and better for DOs." How convenient? The way I look at it (supported to NRMP data and match lists):

USMD>>>>>>>USDO>SGU

as opposed to

USMD>USDO>>>>>>>>>>>Carib MD
 
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says the sgu marketing rep / sgu troll with 100 do acceptances who couldn't keep track of his stats
 
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Yeah, according to NRMP match data, a larger percentage of IM residency programs interview and rank US IMG grads as opposed to osteopathic grads. So it's really no surprise there. People can say that things are going to get worse for US IMGs, but that's all hearsay and speculation. For now, things look roughly equal.
Lol, 85% vs 82%.

Man, you are awful at looking at statistics and interpreting their meaning (overall here, not a comment about IM):

http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/PD-Survey-Report-2014.pdf

Edit: And, nothing is ever "roughly equal" when group A has a low to mid 80s match rate (ACGME plus AOA data) vs group B that has about a 50% match rate. I sincerely wish you all the best but it's beyond incredible that you have convinced yourself that the road to residency will be just as difficult.
 
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Yeah, I see mostly osteopathic grads trying to blow up the notion that "things are getting worse with IMGs and better for DOs." How convenient? The way I look at it (supported to NRMP data and match lists):

USMD>>>>>>>USDO>SGU

as opposed to

USMD>USDO>>>>>>>>>>>Carib MD


Well the way you look at it is wrong.




I dont even think I need to touch on the attrition rate in the carib, but you should just ask a graduate or a 4th year about it. Most never graduate.

Then, look at that 80% of ACGME residencies that dont interview IMGs. Spread that 80% across 13000 applicants.


Or

(And Lets just pretend that DOs only match IM)
Spread that 80% across 2000 applicants.
 
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But hey, if you wanna prove us all wrong...be my guest.
 
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No. These are the ramblings of a premed.
 
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Figured that after looking at his/her post history.
 
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in other words a "premed" with a personal vested interest in img's/sgu/caribbean schools
 
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previous university program acgme 4th year chief IM resident.
1) DO vs carib at University programs is a highly program specific thing. Some programs like one versus the other or dont care. My program favored DOs more but we have the occasional carib. The reason you may or may not see many DO or IMG residents is because programs frequently hold "IMG days" and DOs may get lumped there or with the US MD students
2) ACGME IM is getting more competitive but there are tons of programs that are "DO friendly". Just apply broadly to university program. Research is not mandatory but certainly helps. I think scores and letters make a big difference.
3) There are upper tier IM programs with rare DOs as well but these are exceedingly few. Even i f you graduate from a drexel or commonwealth you probably dont have much shot at these programs.
4) Plenty of good university programs dont care if you took USMLE or not. If you are getting sub 220 on your practices dont do it.
 
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previous university program acgme 4th year chief IM resident.
1) DO vs carib at University programs is a highly program specific thing. Some programs like one versus the other or dont care. My program favored DOs more but we have the occasional carib. The reason you may or may not see many DO or IMG residents is because programs frequently hold "IMG days" and DOs may get lumped there or with the US MD students
2) ACGME IM is getting more competitive but there are tons of programs that are "DO friendly". Just apply broadly to university program. Research is not mandatory but certainly helps. I think scores and letters make a big difference.
3) There are upper tier IM programs with rare DOs as well but these are exceedingly few. Even i f you graduate from a drexel or commonwealth you probably dont have much shot at these programs.
4) Plenty of good university programs dont care if you took USMLE or not. If you are getting sub 220 on your practices dont do it.

I would assume this pretty much sums it up haha
 
Guys, we need to start telling these people who dont listen to facts to just go to SGU. It will save us time, and IF this dildo actually has a DO acceptance, which i really doubt, it will open up a seat for a much better student.
 
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Guys, we need to start telling these people who dont listen to facts to just go to SGU. It will save us time, and IF this dildo actually has a DO acceptance, which i really doubt, it will open up a seat for a much better student.

Lol I have multiple DO acceptances dude. It would have been completely ridiculous if o didn't get into one given my stats. And It's not that absurd I'm considering SGU over DO. I know several people that have. You just don't know those types of ppl obviously
 
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Lol I have multiple DO acceptances dude. It's not that absurd I'm considering SGU over DO. I know several people that have.


I know, I also know tons of people who have. If I could go back and go to SGU I would have. You should go there and not look back.
 
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Lol I have multiple DO acceptances dude. It would have been completely ridiculous if o didn't get into one given my stats. And It's not that absurd I'm considering SGU over DO. I know several people that have. You just don't know those types of ppl obviously


Hahahaha i dont know those type of people because med school weeds out idiots. There is a reason we never run into SGU students on rotations who "lol have multiple DO acceptances dude".

Those people are called stupid. Stupid people dont make it to rotations.
 
Lol I have multiple DO acceptances dude. It would have been completely ridiculous if o didn't get into one given my stats. And It's not that absurd I'm considering SGU over DO. I know several people that have. You just don't know those types of ppl obviously

Listen man, I got to be honest. You've heard a ton of real reasons why a DO school would be better than going to SGU. You're not going to get what you want from this forum. At this point you're not looking for advice, you're looking for validation for the illogical decision you've already made. You're not going to get it.

There's a reason why everyone in pre-allo, pre-osteo, osteo, and even many SGU grads suggest going DO over SGU. It's not about the quality of education, its not about the ridiculously expensive tuition and cost of living on the islands.

Besides, there are many DO students that had to make the decision between SGU and DO (myself included). It's not like getting into SGU is hard. You should be asking yourself why people tend not to choose SGU over DO.

Anyway, it doesn't matter. Have fun in Grenada.
 
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Guys, we need to start telling these people who dont listen to facts to just go to SGU. It will save us time, and IF this dildo actually has a DO acceptance, which i really doubt, it will open up a seat for a much better student.

His attempt to validate himself is a pretty understandable one. I just fear that other, confused pre-med students read his posts and believe there is a real debate to be had here between SGU and DO schools. I wish this guy well, he's got a hard path, harder than most, ahead of him. I want him to beat difficult odds, because why not? I just don't want the next guy to read his posts and have the erroneous thought that I had "MD is more recognized or more legitimate than DO" and combine that bias with his posts, and make a decision that is going to lead them to a poor decision that has the ability to cripple them financially for a long, long time.
 
But seriously. Please go to the carib.

Good advice. Right up there with
- run with scissors
- Tell your wife the truth if she asks you if she looks fat in that dress
- pick up that sketchy hitch-hiker on the side of the road
 
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Good advice. Right up there with
- run with scissors
- Tell your wife the truth if she asks you if she looks fat in that dress
- pick up that sketchy hitch-hiker on the side of the road

Lolz. I know but hey, I'm just trying to limit my competition when it comes time to apply for residency. People always ask for advice on these forums and it's always in one ear and out the other. In cases such as this one, just tell them what they want to hear/read.

So OP...

PLEASEEE go to the carib.

You'll be a neurosurgeon in no time and you get to drink amazing coconut water and live on the beach bro!
 
Lolz. I know but hey, I'm just trying to limit my competition when it comes time to apply for residency. People always ask for advice on these forums and it's always in one ear and out the other. In cases such as this one, just tell them what they want to hear/read.

So OP...

PLEASEEE go to the carib.

You'll be a neurosurgeon in no time and you get to drink amazing coconut water and live on the beach bro!

I'm the OP brah, my thread got hijacked by that twit
 
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Yeah, according to NRMP match data, a larger percentage of IM residency programs interview and rank US IMG grads as opposed to osteopathic grads. So it's really no surprise there. People can say that things are going to get worse for US IMGs, but that's all hearsay and speculation. For now, things look roughly equal.
There's literally 5 times more IMGs competing for a given position than DOs. Of course IM programs are going to interview more IMGs.
 
From the NRMP's latest data:
  • The number of active osteopathic students/graduates rose again this year to 2,738, the most in NRMP history. Their PGY-1 match rate, 77.7 percent, was the highest in thirty years.
    •  The number of active U.S. citizen IMGs continued to grow, and at 5,133 was an almost 40 percent increase since 2010. The match rate for this group was 53.0 percent, the highest since 2005.

    •  The number of active applicants who were non-U.S. citizen students/graduates of international medical schools declined from 7,568 in 2013 to 7,334 this year; however, their PGY-1 match rate rose for the second consecutive year and at 49.5 percent was the second highest in the past 10 years.
 
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