How important are pre-clinical grades in matching DO ortho?

[meditation007]

Hi I'm a MS1 and was thinking about going into the ortho route.

I was wondering how important pre-clinical grades are to matching... I know COMLEX and LORs are more important, but do pre-clinical grades carry a lot of weight? As well as honors association, having the requirements to join this, does that also influence matching into orthopedics?

I have looked a lot on this site but could not find a concrete answer currently. Just a little confused.
Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Dr.Surgeon]

As far as GPA? No. But your grades is what determines your rank and your rank determines whether you can get into SSP...and both of those are important...translates to: Yes, preclinical "grades" are important.

 

[meditation007]

So SSP membership is what is really important not so much as how high our class rank is?

 

[PIacebo]

Do you need to get SSP to match?? If not are you automatically guaranteed to not match??

 

[Irish Football]

What's SSP?

 

[Dr.Surgeon]

So SSP membership is what is really important not so much as how high our class rank is?

No, rank is more important. SSP is just icing, it looks good on your app. You don't need SSP to match regardless of specialty. ssp is a DO honor society.
Bottom line: if you're gunning for ortho, everything is important. Just don't drive yourself crazy with all of this. Your sanity is the most important part...followed by step 1