Failed 2013 Match, Got a 2014 Match. My Story.

[cheezwiz]

Hi guys,

For those of you who got someplace to go this year, congrats! Thank the lucky stars this is over for you.

For those who got nada, I empathize because I was in your shoes last year.

About me: Middling to below average AMG with non-stellar boards scores, good LORs and Rotation evals. I tried to match into IM in the 2013 match. Obviously didn’t match in Main, SOAP, and mini scramble after SOAP.

What I did immediately:

1) Grieved – owned the feelings, dealt with them, talked to counseling and friends during match week and a couple of days after. Don’t wallow in self-pity (too long).

2) Navel gazed – did I want to try again? How passionate am I about medicine? Can I recommit?

3) Talked to IM PD in my school and the “community” IM program affiliated with my school. Got feedback on what their advice would be as to what I should do if I want try again. The answers I got: A) Do an MPH and B) Find a research position. Along with that, I would have to demonstrate commitment to medicine somehow (volunteer at a free medical clinic, find shadowing experiences, etc.)

4) I talked to my Letter Writers, and flat out asked them if I could have their support again if I tried next time (they said yes).

5) I decided to recommit. I cared about medicine too much (and my loans were too big) to not try again. I did, however, make this decision with the following caveat: if I did not Match the 2nd time I WOULD NOT try again. The second time I was going for broke.

What I did over the year:

1) Since I was going for broke and was determined to match, I decided I cared enough about being a doctor that I would dual apply – both IM and FM

2) To that end, I talked with my school's FM program director about my situation and to put out feelers as to how FM PDs would receive my application. Obviously FM’s concern would be whether I was actually committed to becoming a Family Practitioner. To me, I was committed to being a physician and FM naturally fit into that mix.

3) This was an EXPENSIVE decision – I chose to postpone graduation one semester so that I could take another FM and IM rotation and hopefully do well and get fresh letters (especially for FM). In addition these were the added benefits: A) I would still be covered by my school’s trainee malpractice insurance so that I could volunteer as a training clinician at our free medical clinic and student run clinics, and B) I would have concrete evidence about my dedication to medicine, learning, and continuing patient contact. I did not take the above the decision lightly. I talked with PDs and other physician-mentors I trusted. It also took some convincing of the Dean of student affairs and the Registrar.

4) I found a research position. At first I was contacting anyone who had a lab. But then I decided to play to my strengths and interests. I knew I wanted to get into pulm/crit care and I had basic science experience. I cold contacted a PI doing basic pulm research. I laid out my situation and he took me on. I was upfront about me still being enrolled in school, and needing to be away for a couple rotations as well as the time off I would have to take for interviews. The work has been hard but rewarding. And, I got an LOR from it.

What I did for Match 2014:

1) APPLY ON TIME. I got my applications in late last year, and I think that hurt.

2) This is gonna be a numbers game and, again, EXPENSIVE. I kid you not. I dual applied to FM and IM for a grand total of 245 applications. You read that right. It cost, but I had my family’s support. I did discriminate somewhat, I definitely avoided obvious reach programs.

3) That gamble paid off (sorta, depends on your perspective) because I got ~50 interview invites. The proportion of FM:IM invites was the same as FM/IM split of my applications.

4) I went on 32 interviews, both FM/IM. That cost, also. But hey, I said I was going for broke and I was determined to maximize my chances.

5) I had to shift gears constantly between IM and FM. I had to make sure I demonstrated utter passion and commitment to the field I was interviewing for. I will make no excuses, this was disingenuous. However, my rationale is that PDs will do what is right for the program (i.e. self-interest) and you have to do what is right for you.

6) I was surprised that there actually were several FM programs that really impressed me and I ended up ranking them pretty high (given my primary interest in IM). High enough such that I would not be surprised if I match into FM.

7) I tried my absolute best to e-mail thank-yous and “love notes” in a timely fashion. With this many interviews I did screw up once: in my e-mails to an IM program I really liked, I referred to them by the wrong institution’s name. In my defense, I was exhausted and the names were quite similar. PUT EXTREMELY LOW TRUST IN WHAT THEY SAY TO YOU. It’s just the game that has to be played.

8) GET THAT RANK LIST IN! If you don’t, you have absolutely no one to blame but yourself.

9) As match day approached, I felt confident that I had done everything in my power to maximize my chances. This firmed my resolve that if I did not match this time around, then it was not meant to be and I would not try again.

10) I made peace with the fact that I have massive debt, and that I would just find a way to pay it back some other way if I did not practice medicine.


Regarding that last part: We are all smart, competent, and capable. None of us would have finished Med School otherwise. Trust me, I did not feel that way last year during Match Week. But promise me and yourself that – eventually – you will remember that fundamental truth. How I handled this past year is not for everyone, but no one could doubt my dedication and resilience.

Talk to people. Get as much advice as you can, then lay out a road-map for how you want to proceed. Maybe some of you will try the Match again. Others may chose to redirect their life. Note: I won’t call it quitting. It’s not. It is making a rational decision regarding what is right for you.

BTW, I Matched. If you have questions, I’ll try to field them.

Update: I matched into my 4th ranked program (out of 30) into internal medicine. I'm pretty happy

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[IMPD]

Thank you for this. It will help!

 

[MadHopsMD]

I went to 26 interviews and I thought that was tiring. Doing 32 and in two different specialities. You have won my respect.

 

[inmyslumber]

Cheezwiz,

Congratulations on your match!

This is great advice that will help other med students. Thank you for taking the time to post.

 

[Tylermall1]

I also did not match last year but did match this year. I wanted to post my experience because it s very similar to cheezwiz's and hope that it helps and gives people encouragement during this difficult time.

Med School and Last Year's Match
1) AMG with below 200 on Step 1, ~200 on Step 2 (2nd attempt), had to retake two med school exams. I had an illness during medical school which greatly impacted by ability to do well but I did not take a leave of absence.

2) Did not match to IM. I am from Southern California and thus applied to California schools and a few other west coast states. Roughly 40 apps total. only got 4 interviews. Obviously, my mistake was applying to the most competitive state with low stats. Got absolutely nothing in SOAP. Post-SOAP I was offered an interview to a Path program in New Jersey, which I strongly considered. My associate dean told me I should take it. However, I spoke to my IM and FM program directors, both of whom said if I reapplied with a wiser approach next year, I should match. And importantly, I felt that I could match next year.

Like cheezwiz said, the feeling of not matching and having to go through the agonizing SOAP is pretty awful. I had to consider other career options. But after speaking to PDs, I decided to make a plan for reapplying.

3) Talking to PD's is a very critical step. Not only will they give you advice for next year and how to realistically match, but they will(well they should if theyre decent people) give you the encouragement needed to believe you can match next year. Having something to believe in helps enormously in getting you out of the post-non match depression/anxiety and focused on moving forward. It also creates a relationship with these people that you can keep going back to. (I pretty much ambushed one PD of a program I interviewed at, and he said as an AMG, he couldnt fathom that I did not match into IM. I took to this to mean that if I applied better next year, I would match.)

This Last Year
1) I was advised to find an MPH/MBA program to enroll in, research, or some sort of clinically related job. I emailed dozens of faculty at So Cal schools for research and and ended up not finding anything. I was able to find a medical internship at a local medical group in their Quality Management department. It was meant for undergraduate students but they needed someone with some medical knowledge and I let them know I had completed medical school. Yes, it feels fairly embarrassing to be a medical graduate working at a desk job meant for undergrads but things like this have to be done. It brought in money and it also ended up being a very nice addition on my application.

2) I have always been interested in global and public health and had considered an MPH before med school. I decided to enroll in a state college MPH program because the tuition was wayyyyyy less than going to a full university. Were the classes as challenging or educational as a bigger school? No. Is this as nice as being at a big university? No. But again you have to let your ego go a little and accept that youre taking a step back. The logistics of this were tricky since the program is not a one year program. So obviously Im not going to finish it before residency. It didnt matter. It was cheap, it showed I was dedicated to primary care, it kept me occupied, and it was a great bonus on my application. I had one program director tell me it took him 7 years to finish his MPH and I met other residents who were in similar positions. You can finish you degree, during or after residency and I learned that many people do just that. (Or some dont even finish)

3) I asked my IM letter writers to resupport me and had to keep bugging my FM attending to write me one so I could apply for FM. It was frustrating, but I got the letter.

4)I applied to 200+ programs in IM/FM. This is very expensive yes. But its an investment and is worth a try compared to the money you have already poured into med school. I focused on programs that accepted lots of FMG/IMG/DOs to increase my chances of matching. I made an excel sheet for this and went to each program's website and counted one by one. I also submitted my ERAS app literally within an hour of it opening. I believe this actually helped me get some interviews the very next day which is a psychological boost. I ended up getting 23 interviews total(2 came pretty late in the season from good programs after I emailed the programs repeatedly expressing interest)

5)Like cheezwiz, I switched between my IM/FM story mode. You shouldnt feel the slightest bit guilty for doing this. You just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of your life and stress and sacrifice. No one should expect you to just give up because the field youre applying to isnt your first choice. You still want to become a doctor. Every program blatantly stretched the truth to recruit me. It's a part of life. The important part is to find a convincing reason for applying to that field and hopefully have your off year efforts and interviews reflect that. For IM to FM, since they are both primary care fields, I said my focus was to become a primary care doctor, which is true.

6) I sent the thank you notes and expressed interest in them. More importantly, I tried keeping in strong contact with programs that I had a good chance at. That involved multiple emails expressing interest(especially near rank time), attending resident gatherings and dinners, attending lectures, and trying to find anyone who could put in a good word for me. You arent bugging them. Yea everyone else on SDN will say you dont have to write interest emails or attend 2nd looks, but those people are probably in much stronger positions.

7) Rank list: I ranked every program, even the ones that scared the **** out of me.

8) Result: I matched to a good So Cal FM program that ended up being my first choice (ahead of IM) due to location and how awesome the people were there. I went to the resident mixer, attended a small resident lecture, emailed a faculty member that I had already expressed interest to in person, and emailed the PD twice in a week days before the rank list was submitted. He responded favorably to my second email. So dont worry about bugging them.

Everything that cheezwhiz says, I second. Talk to PDs at your school, make a plan, and proceed from there if you think its the best decision(which I believe it is). Also, be very realistic. I had to accept the fact that I might match to some program where I may be miserable at for three years(it scared me). This may or may not be for everyone but its a reality.

I have a friend who didnt match this year and I feel terrible for him. I know the feeling. I dont wish it on anyone. But hopefully many of you can find a way through it and everything works out in the end.

 

[msbbc833]

Congrats!

 

[cheezwiz]

I did apply to both IM and FM in the same institution, I even got invites for both at the same institution from several places. I interviewed for both at my home institution as well as another institution. I really like using the word institution

 

[cognitus]

I matched and I didn't even get an interview from my home institution

 

[Paddington]

There's nothing wrong with applying to both FM and IM. Regardless of philosophical and historical differences between these fields, IM and FM doctors who are PCP's do pretty much the same thing. I'm a specialist and I read notes from PCP's all day. I don't keep track of whose IM and whose FM, because to me they're all just "PCP's" one and the same.

If you're a US MD, there is really no reason you shouldn't match into IM/FM, even if you have ~200 board scores and some clerkship failures, assuming that you take some steps to pull together and polish your overall profile by your fourth year of medical school. You should be applying like you're told to apply as a senior in high school: go for some reach programs, go for some average programs, and go for some "safety" programs. You need to take an objective look at yourself and always ask, "why would they rank me over better candidates?" And as such, you should maybe aim for a lot of safeties - which there's plenty of, when you look at all those IM/FM programs that are chock full of IMG's, FMG's, and DO's. Make no mistake, the program directors there would love to match some US MD's.

Electives are a golden opportunity. Instead of wasting them on an away rotation at some place like Harvard or Johns Hopkins where you're not going to match, be smart and cultivate a relationship with the physicians at a local or away community hospital for one or two of your safeties.

 

[Tuesang]

hi cheezwiz and Tylermall1,

I did not match this year and read through this post. Thank you very much for your advice. would you mind telling me which school you went for MPH?

Also I am thinking of taking Step 3 before sending applications again to residency programs (FM and IM) because I am US-IMG with low scores: Step 1 (199, first attempt), and Step 2 CK (220 , 2nd attempt). How critical is it to have passing Step 3 with my application?

Thanks

 

[Tylermall1]

hi cheezwiz and Tylermall1,

I did not match this year and read through this post. Thank you very much for your advice. would you mind telling me which school you went for MPH?

Also I am thinking of taking Step 3 before sending applications again to residency programs (FM and IM) because I am US-IMG with low scores: Step 1 (199, first attempt), and Step 2 CK (220 , 2nd attempt). How critical is it to have passing Step 3 with my application?

Thanks

I went to California State Universirty, Northridge, California for MPH classes

 

[Knightmd]

I went to 26 interviews and I thought that was tiring. Doing 32 and in two different specialities. You have won my respect.

Well, try doing BOTH the Canadian and American match interviews simultaneously.... for three years in a row.... and here's the kicker: The last two were done from abroad. Meaning, I had to make a transatlantic trip for every interview unless they were lined up pretty close. Total transatlantic trips over the past 3 years: 22. Yes, 22 transatlantic flights, including electives, observerships, and interviews. Oh, and I'm a FMG.

Impressed? Here's the final kicker: I'm not in debt, and didn't receive much family support after the first 6 months into the first match.

At the end of the day, I matched to my #1 choice surgical program, which I ranked higher than an Ivy League surgery program. What was key? Always being in practice/clinical training at a reputable program abroad (my backup plan after the first match), and being well paid in said program without financial responsibilities (i.e. no family). I didn't save much money after three years of pay, but it was an investment that paid off. Most importantly, I would never had got here without believing I could make it.

 

[Tuesang]

I went to California State Universirty, Northridge, California for MPH classes

Hi Tylermall1. Thanks for your reply. So it's not online?

 

[Tylermall1]

No it is not online. I attended classes. I couldnt find any viable online courses and I really had no idea how to do them. I was lucky in finding some programs where the application deadline had not passed. Northridge was one of them. I suggest you start looking now because of these deadlines if thats the route you want to take.

For step 3, I havent taken it yet. I had one FM program director tell me it would be good to have done so you can show to programs but I cant really comment much beyond that.

 

[Tuesang]

thanks Tylermall1!

 

[asuka99]

i have a question

someone told me that the LoR's from the previous years match stay uploaded in ERAS

is this not the case ? do you need to have them re-uploaded? i have to track down all my previous letter writers ?

 

[gutonc]

i have a question

someone told me that the LoR's from the previous years match stay uploaded in ERAS

is this not the case ? do you need to have them re-uploaded? i have to track down all my previous letter writers ?

Someone lied to you.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

i have a question

someone told me that the LoR's from the previous years match stay uploaded in ERAS

is this not the case ? do you need to have them re-uploaded? i have to track down all my previous letter writers ?

Someone lied to you.

Not completely.

ERAS does not keep LOR's from year to year.

But ECFMG does: http://www.ecfmg.org/eras/2014-repeat-applicants.html

So, for IMG's who applied in 2014 who are reapplying in 2015, your MSPE, transcript, and LOR's remain available to you without reuploading them. Although it would be better to get more recent letters if possible.