applying broadly?

[playingfrombehind]

US-MG at low-tier medical school planning on applying very very broadly for internal medicine and family medicine

1) what is the best resource that organizes all the cutoff scores for step 1, etc. for individual programs. Went through several residency guide books - none have hard stats on individual programs just general advice on preparation for match
-Trying to apply to "safe schools" - but looking at stats for all programs in the middle of nowhere, I have not found a "safe school". i.e. thought Arkansas would be a "safe school" they apparently have thousands of applicants for 6 spots.

2) graduating this year did not apply to NRMP. Will be doing another masters this upcoming year and additional electives to bolster resume. Wondering what my chances are - please be as blunt/honest as possible (see stats below)

step 1 score: 2nd attempt 190
step 2 score: 1st attempt 225
step 2 CS: pass 1st attempt

-no repeat courses or failures
-M3 clerkship grades mostly high passes and 3 passes
-no red-flag comments in dean's letter (all comments were positive, nothing that says I performed poorly, useless, no medical knowledge, a dick, etc.)
-M4 grades almost all honors
-no gaps in medical education
-average basic science grades equal mix of honors, high pass and passes
-no clinical research

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[evilbooyaa]

With a second attempt 190 on Step 1, there is no such thing as a safe school.

All you can do is focus on the parts of the application that are good (M3, M4, LoRs, etc), discuss the circumstances of your Step 1 failure (and what you've done to move on from ever possibly repeating it) in your PS, and apply broadly to community programs in IM.

If by Arkansas you mean University of Arkansas, then yes, that is likely a reach for you.

I would imagine most academic institutions would be extreme reaches for you. Be ready to apply very, very broadly and go on a ton of interviews if possible.

 

[WinslowPringle]

1) what is the best resource that organizes all the cutoff scores for step 1, etc. for individual programs. Went through several residency guide books - none have hard stats on individual programs just general advice on preparation for match
-Trying to apply to "safe schools" - but looking at stats for all programs in the middle of nowhere, I have not found a "safe school". i.e. thought Arkansas would be a "safe school" they apparently have thousands of applicants for 6 spots.

The most reliable resources for individual programs are websites of the individual programs. If whether they'll look at an application with a first time step 1 failure is unlisted, you can call. Create a spreadsheet. A lot of work, but it's the most reliable.

Re 'safe schools' - Yes, apply 'in the middle of nowhere' but apply primarily to community programs in those locations (not, say, the University of Arkansas unless you know they'd look at your app). Also, to people from NYC, Omaha (for example) may seem like fly-over country but to some of us from the area, it's a choice locale. This is partly why even for a small-time community program in the boondocks, there are plenty of applicants from which to chose. (That, and the applicant to opening ratio.)

2) graduating this year did not apply to NRMP. Will be doing another masters this upcoming year and additional electives to bolster resume. Wondering what my chances are - please be as blunt/honest as possible (see stats below)
step 1 score: 2nd attempt 190
step 2 score: 1st attempt 225
step 2 CS: pass 1st attempt

Just to clarify - your year of graduation will be 2015 (for your MD), but you are getting another master's (you already have one?). Any chance your additional masters is through your med school and you could finagle your grad year to 2016? Are you getting excellent LORs from your additional electives?

I'd wager you'd match by virtue of being an AMG and applying broadly to IM/FM, but it's no guarantee by far. Good work on the clinical M3/M4 grades.

 

[drake19]

edit

 

[playingfrombehind]

The most reliable resources for individual programs are websites of the individual programs. If whether they'll look at an application with a first time step 1 failure is unlisted, you can call. Create a spreadsheet. A lot of work, but it's the most reliable.

Just to clarify - your year of graduation will be 2015 (for your MD), but you are getting another master's (you already have one?). Any chance your additional masters is through your med school and you could finagle your grad year to 2016? Are you getting excellent LORs from your additional electives?

I'd wager you'd match by virtue of being an AMG and applying broadly to IM/FM, but it's no guarantee by far. Good work on the clinical M3/M4 grades.

Thanks for your reply. Originally tried to delay graduation with masters...my school said another red flag that would not be needed. They said it was not good enough a reason to delay graduation. Doing another masters since I have nothing else to do except observerships

Category A criteria according to my dean is step1,2,M3-clinical grades, maybe dean's letter. Dean said only benefit of delaying graduation was if I didn't have any letters.

 

[WinslowPringle]

...Category A criteria according to my dean is step1,2,M3-clinical grades, maybe dean's letter. Dean said only benefit of delaying graduation was if I didn't have any letters.

Yes, delaying can be a red flag. But an older YOG is also a red flag. The primary benefit to delaying is that you don't get filtered out on first-round filters with YOG filter set to that year's seniors. It can also be beneficial to stay in clinical medicine for awhile longer; I'd be prepared to answer interview questions of "Do you feel clinically ready, having been out of clinical medicine for a year?" The letter part is also an issue with not delaying - you will have to have letters for next (the upcoming) year that are up-to-date but haven't been around the letter writers. I guess I'd recommend that you keep in contact with your LOR writers, make sure they know what you're doing, etc. Any interest or chance of matching at your home program? Some buddies this year had some red flags, but really wanted academic IM - the home program was their best bet and they really discussed it with the PD, who was open to their staying (they matched here). Your PD may be helpful in the process; but that varies by programs.