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does anyone know of any movement on the mt sinai, columbia, or ucsf waitlists? still keeping my fingers crossed...
for those headed to the Cloister... is most everyone planning on getting there on the first start date? They say that getting there early is better for having your choice of lab. Those who are there currently or have done it in years past, does 2 weeks in July make a large difference?
The first start date in the beginning of July is cutting it very close to when I would be able to leave and so I would prefer to go on the second start date, which is 2 weeks later.
thanks for the advice!
-qpwoei
so when's the best time to take step 2 if you're taking a year off?
i've had one student dean tell me to take it early, and another program director told me not to unless i could crush it (since i did well enough on step 1 to get interviews, but not so well that a drop in step 2 wouldn't ruin my app...)
is there a way to take it during the year off, yet still be able to withhold the score? (my school requires me to take it before dec 31, so it's not like i can take it after interviews anyway...)
I agree to some extent. A fellow fellow knew who he wanted to work with from day one, so right after he was accepted he called up that researcher and locked in a spot. Most people will tour a few labs when they get to the NIH. If you're really worried about getting a place in a good lab, you can work through the CRTP's tutor system to narrow down prospective PIs and do phone interviews ahead of time.I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I recommend getting there early. Some of the big names will be snatched up between the first date and the second. Another bonus to getting there early is that the first group seems to be a little closer (socially) and go out together more often than those that come later. The latter may not be a big deal to you, but just fyi.
That being said, you're unlikely to have a bad experience showing up on any date, and if you want to work with a specific mentor that is taken, you can usually work with a close collaborator as a way around that.
CRTP also has multiple start dates, so maybe rxnman will want to comment?
I didn't know about the Step II reporting timeline, but I had planned to take it after my research year in August anyways. I have a good enough score that I don't need an early strong showing on Step II, and I wanted to spend 3 weeks to study for it, which I didn't have between MS3 and moving down to the NIH. I haven't felt like it was hanging over my head.If the score comes back before Sept 1 (or whenever you submit ERAS), you have no choice but to release it. If you take it after the second week in August, the score will come back after that and you can just not release it. Make sure you check the box on ERAS that says you don't want to submit it automatically.
A few programs, including UCSF, have begun requiring it prior to ranking you in February. Not many others, though.
My advice: take 2-3wks off in August (of 4th year) to do all of UWorld and take the exam. It's not that hard if put some effort into it.
i've got a question for current or former research year people. is it out of line to present research you did before the cloisters during your year there? do PIs dislike involvement with old labs?
my old PI is asking to see if i want to go to a meeting in the fall. would be ok to say yes?
I don't see how this would be a problem. If it is, then your year-out PI is crazy and anything would have got you into trouble.i've got a question for current or former research year people. is it out of line to present research you did before the cloisters during your year there? do PIs dislike involvement with old labs?
my old PI is asking to see if i want to go to a meeting in the fall. would be ok to say yes?
hi,
I am planning on applying to the CRTP program for next year...I know their application does not open until Oct. 1st, but I have 2 questions (I tried to email the contact person on their website but did not hear back):
1) if accepted, can a fellow start a little later (i.e. mid-aug. instead of beginning of july?) with a very good reason of course.
2) is it strictly for medical students? can I apply if I am finishing med school in aug. 2011-right when the program starts...and won't be doing residency for a year?
any feedback is appreciated!
thanks,
Me too! Anyone else applied to the new Janelia Farm program?
So I had a conversation with someone over the weekend who matched in chosen specialty that they did CRTP research in, but didn't feel that it was a good experience. Not sure how much of that was Intern blues speaking, but he was pretty negative about the experience - which was surprising to me since this was my first negative feedback about the program. He had a hard time coming back into 4th year of medical school - and felt that he was behind the mark in terms of some general knowledge and the routines of medical school since had spent a year out. The rest of the details were maybe more specific to his experience, or so I am hoping!
I tend to be a Polyanna, but it is always nice to hear the "other" side since most people paint a rather rosy picture of the experience when they are accepted - but few people come back to post what the year was like. Anyone else heard anything but good reviews care to chime in? Particularly people who have taken a year off to do one of these programs recently?
Interview invites from Iowa, Harvard, UNC, and Hopkins so far. No word yet on UCSF or UPenn. Has anyone heard from those two schools yet?
Anyone heard from Penn or Yale yet?
If you didn't get an interview for the HHMI-NIH Research Scholars Program, does that mean your chances for the HHMI Medical Research Fellows Program are slim?
No, they have separate selection committees.