Chance (WAMC)

[BLTsandwich]

(Moderators, please move this to appropriate thread if WAMC doesn't belong here)

Step 1: 215
Level 1: <500
3rd year: almost all HP + 1P + 1H
No failed school exams.
President of 1 club + 2 other insignificant position.
Location: Northeast
Class of 2023; DO School.
Nothing really sets me apart in terms of extracurricular activities.

Straight to the point.
What are my chances? I've looked up <220 Step1 WAMC for gas, but a lot of them are before 2018.
Anesthesia has gotten a lot more competitive recently. There were +200 unfilled EM positions in Class of 2022 and I heard a lot went into anesthesia, making it more competitive.

Do I have a shot at low-tier programs near the coast line (east; preferably NE)?
I will apply as broadly as I can but will shy away from midwest, and rural places.
Future wife needs to be near a city due to her corporate job.

I know it's an uphill battle, but if this is a battle I cannot win, I'm ok with cutting my loss and just go into IM/FM/Psych.

Just need some cutthroat advice or hopeful stories on those getting in with low scores.

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[IMGASMD]

Like you said. It will be a uphill battle, especially with the recent matches.

If you really want anesthesia, then you need to apply EVERYWHERE.

The usual advice applies here. Do well on Step 2, get strong letters.

Good luck

 

[UscGhost]

Try to find an attending with good connections to a lower tier program to vouch for you

 

[anesussy]

bruh there's literally a stickied WAMC superthread

Future wife needs to be near a city due to her corporate job.

You really can't afford to be picky with those scores, which means almost certainly not a big city. Even community residencies near big cities are competitive/selective (for example, Lahey Clinic is almost all US MDs, with maybe one IMG a year. No DOs).

 

[coffeebythelake]

(Moderators, please move this to appropriate thread if WAMC doesn't belong here)

Step 1: 215
Level 1: <500
3rd year: almost all HP + 1P + 1H
No failed school exams.
President of 1 club + 2 other insignificant position.
Location: Northeast
Class of 2023; DO School.
Nothing really sets me apart in terms of extracurricular activities.

Straight to the point.
What are my chances? I've looked up <220 Step1 WAMC for gas, but a lot of them are before 2018.
Anesthesia has gotten a lot more competitive recently. There were +200 unfilled EM positions in Class of 2022 and I heard a lot went into anesthesia, making it more competitive.

Do I have a shot at low-tier programs near the coast line (east; preferably NE)?
I will apply as broadly as I can but will shy away from midwest, and rural places.
Future wife needs to be near a city due to her corporate job.

I know it's an uphill battle, but if this is a battle I cannot win, I'm ok with cutting my loss and just go into IM/FM/Psych.

Just need some cutthroat advice or hopeful stories on those getting in with low scores.

Apply widely. Be open geographically. Unfortunately You are really not jn a position to dictate where you will end up.

 

[ToKingdomCome]

I agree. You have a chance but you need a good step 2, excellent letters, and show a sincere interest in the field of anesthesiology. With all of that said, you absolutely can’t be picky about location if you are serious about anesthesia.

 

[BLTsandwich]

In terms of casting a wide net, how wide?
Around what area are more possible to match in?

 

[coffeebythelake]

In terms of casting a wide net, how wide?
Around what area are more possible to match in?

Look, you have multiple negative things going for you. Low scores (20th percentile; I was under the impression that USMLE STEP1 is now P/F? Maybe that might help you. ) and in a DO program which has traditionally been looked down upon. This is the reality of your situation. As you are aware already, anesthesia has become a fairly competitive specialty especially in the last few years. If you are serious about getting into anesthesia residency, I would apply EVERYWHERE in the country targeting the low to mid tier programs. Even with this it might be an uphill battle.

 

[nimbus]

Application Improvement

Posted awhile back about input on formulating a rank list. Looks like I jinxed myself because I managed to not match to any program. I was hoping to get some advice on how to improve my application for the next match cycle. I had to SOAP for a TY spot and will be reapplying. Step scores were...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[IMGASMD]

There are also DO only programs, which I think you should also apply to.

 

[nimbus]

There are also DO only programs, which I think you should also apply to.

There was a recent merger. However, some previously DO only programs may still give preference to DOs.

 

[ToKingdomCome]

Look, you have multiple negative things going for you. Low scores (20th percentile; I was under the impression that USMLE STEP1 is now P/F? Maybe that might help you. ) and in a DO program which has traditionally been looked down upon. This is the reality of your situation. As you are aware already, anesthesia has become a fairly competitive specialty especially in the last few years. If you are serious about getting into anesthesia residency, I would apply EVERYWHERE in the country targeting the low to mid tier programs. Even with this it might be an uphill battle.

I agree. Apply to every low tier to mid tier program if you are serious about anesthesia