Good target programs for me/away electives

[wingandprayer]

I am a American MD student from an American school who is really interested in psychiatry. The biggest red flag on my application will be two fails on step one. Even when I did pass it was not very high. Mostly because of personal issues at the time that caused me to walk away from medicine but overall those issues are behind me and I really truly feel that there is no good excuse for failing step. I have certainly turn things around in my third year now. I have gotten a few publications out and a few posters, I have gotten high pass in psych and have thus far pass or high pass in everything else. I have done well on step 2 practice exams and plan on sitting for it in June. I know that I will pass on my first try. My concern is what programs would be good for me to target for away rotations or applications for residency. Obviously the Harvards and Yales of the world are not going to be interested in me but I am curious about where would be good programs that I would have a realistic shot at matching and I would like to be on the East Coast and would prefer in the south but I'm not married to either of those being that I'd rather have a match than anything else. My ultimate end all be all goal would be to do child and adolescent psychiatry. Any input and advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Shikima]

Just do your best, get some good LORs and apply broadly. Remember, any port in a storm. You'll be fine, don't get caught up in geographical regions as you'll rank where you interview.

 

[wingandprayer]

Just do your best, get some good LORs and apply broadly. Remember, any port in a storm. You'll be fine, don't get caught up in geographical regions as you'll rank where you interview.

By applying broadly, how many programs should that be? What's considered a good number of interviews to feel "safe" about matching?

 

[vistaril]

I am a American MD student from an American school who is really interested in psychiatry. The biggest red flag on my application will be two fails on step one. Even when I did pass it was not very high. Mostly because of personal issues at the time that caused me to walk away from medicine but overall those issues are behind me and I really truly feel that there is no good excuse for failing step. I have certainly turn things around in my third year now. I have gotten a few publications out and a few posters, I have gotten high pass in psych and have thus far pass or high pass in everything else. I have done well on step 2 practice exams and plan on sitting for it in June. I know that I will pass on my first try. My concern is what programs would be good for me to target for away rotations or applications for residency. Obviously the Harvards and Yales of the world are not going to be interested in me but I am curious about where would be good programs that I would have a realistic shot at matching and I would like to be on the East Coast and would prefer in the south but I'm not married to either of those being that I'd rather have a match than anything else. My ultimate end all be all goal would be to do child and adolescent psychiatry. Any input and advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

the most important thing for you isn't going to be publications and posters and stuff like that, but putting up a decent passing score on step 2 ck. Try to get at least a 210 or so.

If you have a decent score on step 2 ck, you'll be fine.

 

[Shikima]

By applying broadly, how many programs should that be? What's considered a good number of interviews to feel "safe" about matching?

Whatever you can get. After about 12-14 interviews, you'll start to burn out but because the numbers have changed since the UK closed its doors back in 06/07, our numbers have drastically increased to fill rates over 99%. I've been out of the game for some time now and I'm not affiliated with academics, I just look at the trending. I would say between 15-20, but take whatever you can get.

 

[Psychotic]

I highly recommend that you apply to GRU/MCG. This is a perfectly fine program located in a small town (Augusta, GA) that does not seem to fill (at least not in the last couple of years). They only interview around 60 applicants, so maybe this would even be a good place to try to do an away (although I did not do one anywhere and think it is a little bit silly to do them in psych).

Good luck. Other programs in the south you should apply to: USC Greenville, UAB, East Carolina, EVMS.

 

[Psychotic]

Whatever you can get. After about 12-14 interviews, you'll start to burn out but because the numbers have changed since the UK closed its doors back in 06/07, our numbers have drastically increased to fill rates over 99%. I've been out of the game for some time now and I'm not affiliated with academics, I just look at the trending. I would say between 15-20, but take whatever you can get.

I applied to 25, got 19 invites, attended 12. But I was a "good" applicant (or say average) with no red flags, good letters, top med school.

So for the OP, I say he should apply to at least 25 programs, and probably many more. Maybe 40 to 50? Don't play games - your red flags hurt you. Apply very broadly in the hopes it will yield 15 or so interviews.

I can attest to interview burnout around 12 programs, but the OP really needs to do as many as possible.

 

[DermViser]

I am a American MD student from an American school who is really interested in psychiatry. The biggest red flag on my application will be two fails on step one. Even when I did pass it was not very high. Mostly because of personal issues at the time that caused me to walk away from medicine but overall those issues are behind me and I really truly feel that there is no good excuse for failing step. I have certainly turn things around in my third year now. I have gotten a few publications out and a few posters, I have gotten high pass in psych and have thus far pass or high pass in everything else. I have done well on step 2 practice exams and plan on sitting for it in June. I know that I will pass on my first try. My concern is what programs would be good for me to target for away rotations or applications for residency. Obviously the Harvards and Yales of the world are not going to be interested in me but I am curious about where would be good programs that I would have a realistic shot at matching and I would like to be on the East Coast and would prefer in the south but I'm not married to either of those being that I'd rather have a match than anything else. My ultimate end all be all goal would be to do child and adolescent psychiatry. Any input and advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

Apply to ALL OF THEM. You may need to take Step 2 CK to assure you have a handle on doing well on standardized exams.

 

[wingandprayer]

Apply to ALL OF THEM. You may need to take Step 2 CK to assure you have a handle on doing well on standardized exams.

I plan on taking ck in June before applications are sent out to show that I can handle the material

 

[wingandprayer]

I highly recommend that you apply to GRU/MCG. This is a perfectly fine program located in a small town (Augusta, GA) that does not seem to fill (at least not in the last couple of years). They only interview around 60 applicants, so maybe this would even be a good place to try to do an away (although I did not do one anywhere and think it is a little bit silly to do them in psych).

Good luck. Other programs in the south you should apply to: USC Greenville, UAB, East Carolina, EVMS.

I definitely will apply to all of those. Thanks for the list! A student in the class ahead of me failed step 2 and only passed by a little when he did pass, he interviewed at USF, so I was think about adding that one too...any thoughts on that program?