I have been reading this wonderful forum compulsively for a couple weeks now as the current 4th years near glory day and I have been wondering this exact question myself. I feel that I am a 'competitive' candidate, but really don't have an accurate picture of just how competitive I am. I would really appreciate some experienced insight into my position, so thanks in advance. Heres my snapshot:
I am an MS3 at one of the SUNY schools (not giving specifics for anonymity sake, if you really think it makes a difference I will gladly PM), I have an MA in Molecular Biology (1 year program b/w undergrad and med school), 257 Step 1, Honors in every pre-clinical course minus 1 High Pass (and Pass in both ECM courses), Honors in every clerkship so far including Neuro, Medicine, Surgery, and Pediatrics. I have my fingers crossed 24/7 that I make the cut for junior AOA, but I am pretty confident I will be AOA by senior year for sure. I was interested in ENT for a long while up until recently when I realized that IM is really where I belong and I can't wait to start training. On that note, I was involved in an ENT research project between 1st and 2nd year; I honestly have not kept up with it too well as I am not intrinsically motivated for that kind of research but I do know the work and know it is being presented at conference next month. I am cool with doing research, I just haven't gotten involved in a project that I picked myself or am genuinely interested in. I have a pretty decent slathering of other involvements around school from ENT club leadership, free clinic administrative leadership for a year, anatomy teaching to PA/PT over a summer, and helping run the anatomy mock-practicals for the 1st years as a second year. I have a penchant for teaching and have followed through with it pretty well; i was paid staff teaching chemistry at Binghamton when I was doing my Masters.
I have very broad and open interests ranging from Cards>GI>Hospitalist>Intensivist>Heme/Onc. I really am an open book when it comes to what direction I want to head in Medicine. What I do know is that I want to train amongst the best. I am a product of SUNY and every step of the way I have gone with the state option over the high priced private option, even though I had the opportunities. Now is when it counts and I really want to Match at a top 25.
My question: am I actually MGH/BW/Columbia - Cornell/Sinai/NYU material?
Now I know people will tell me, sure, your competitive and will probably get some interviews (right?). But I also know that names from SUNY schools are much fewer and far between on these schools match lists than names from likewise top med schools. I really want to stay in NY for family and life reasons, which makes Columbia/Sinai/Cornell/NYU my ideal picking, but I will obviously be taking my shot at the Harvards, Penn, and Yale also. I don't really see myself going to Baltimore or NC for JH and Duke for the family reasons. I'll obviously have Monte, LIJ, etc... on my list somewhere, but I'd be honestly disappointed to not end up at a tier 1. Am I really taking a crap shoot at hoping I can match in NY or do I have a solid fighting chance?
Thanks for reading my long, self involved post. I really appreciate any insight I can be given because I really need some guidance. I hope to contribute more around these parts now that I have broken the ice, this is a great great place.