I have a unique situation: Can I match?

[asecondchance]

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[j4pac]

If I was a program director, I wouldn't take you. Too many significant red flags.

If you are going to have any chance at all of matching somewhere, you need to do very well on the boards and continue to do well in the Caribbean. You need to apply very broadly when the time comes. If I were in your shoes, I would probably apply to hundreds of programs. I think that anesthesia is going to be next to impossible for you to match, but if it's what you want to do, you will need to apply broadly there as well.

Start saving your money because you are likely going to need to spend a couple thousand on applications and I would try to get 15 interviews.

 

[22031 Alum]

Plenty of people who go through all kinds of crises in medical school and manage not to fail multiple classes. So despite what you say about renewed dedication/focus, I have no reason to believe you'll score above average on Step 1 and Step 2 (past performance predicts future performance). But let's say that you do. Now I'm thinking about the fact that you'll start as a resident, and discover some other interest that leaves you simply unable to function unless you go and explore it (past performance predicts future performance). Now I've got a distracted, poor-performing resident who'll likely fail the in-service exam, and is likely to up and leave, making the program short a person and affecting the education of all my other residents.

No thank you.

 

[Goro]

Your odds aren't good.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Hi, I have a question about my ability to match as a resident that I hope you can help me with.

A few years ago, I attended a US medical school as an US citizen and struggled quite a bit. I failed a class my first semester there, mostly just passed the rest of my classes first year, and successfully remediated my failed class over the summer after my first year. Then during my second year, I also failed another class and also mostly just passed the rest of my classes my second year. I did not take the Step 1 exam.

I took a leave of absence during my second year and returned before I failed the M2 class. Because of my second failure, I was told that my file would be discussed by the academic committee and I could be dismissed. When I asked for another leave of absence, I was not given one because I had already taken one that year. So not wanting the possibility of a dismissal on my record, I withdrew before the academic committee discussed my file. During my time at the school, I had some other interests that interfered with my ability to fully concentrate on school. I could not concentrate until I explored these other interests and so I withdrew.

After withdrawing and exploring my interests, I decided that I missed having the opportunity to take care of patients and so I matriculated at one of the Big 3 Caribbean medical schools and restarted my education from the M1 year. I had also applied to American schools before starting in the Caribbean but was not admitted to any of them. Since I was happily committed to medicine this time around, I averaged an A- average for my M1 year at this Caribbean school with 75% As and 25% Bs.

My questions are: Assuming I continue to do well in my preclinical classes, score above average on both step 1 and 2, and do well in my clinical years, will I have a chance to match in IM, FM, or Anesthesia somewhere in America with my previous US medical school performance hanging over my head?

Are applicants with failures on their transcripts screened out by some programs?

Is there anything else I can do to become an applicant residency directors would want to have in their programs despite my past history?

Thank you for your input.

Do you have a chance? Yes. It is hard to quantify how much of a chance it is. You now are in a sub-tier of even those applying as IMG's. Your previous failure will be scrutinized and you will be asked about it. All you can really do is keep trudging along, I guess.

 

[asecondchance]

Thank you all for your responses, it is helpful to see my situation through other people's eyes.

I'll continue to work hard to do well and will apply broadly when the time comes.

 

[epsilonprodigy]

OP, I am curious about these other interests, and I imagine potential PD's would be too. If you know someone with some insight into the game, I'd work with them on finding a way to explain this clearly and with a positive spin. Something huge and triggered by a significant life circumstance ("I'm adopted and realized I couldn't rest until I found my bio mom"), or even just some acknowledged restlessness ("I'd never travelled and had to get it out of my system before committing any further") is going to go over a heck of a lot better than, "I dunno, I found out I really liked to play Xbox/rock climb/etc." I would make a point to say how you've addressed getting sidetracked, and be sure to say how/why you won't let it happen again. I wish you the best- keep your chin up!

 

[22031 Alum]

OP, I am curious about these other interests, and I imagine potential PD's would be too.

Not so much. Having other interests is fine- encouraged, even. Lacking the maturity/focus/whatever you want to call it, to complete a task you set out to do without traipsing off to explore those interests isn't a good look. Like I said, it's concerning that another distracting interest will magically appear in residency and adversely affect the whole program.

 

[drake19]

You are asking this question WAY TOO EARLY. You just finished M1 year. Wait till you get your Step 1, M2 grades back and then ask the question. That way we will get a clearer picture of how well you truly redeemed yourself.

My assumption is that your previous US med school transcript will be there.
Also in ERAS there is a box you check if you have any gaps in med school PLUS you would have to explain why.

But the answer to your question is yes you do have a chance - depends on the rest of your performance (step 1, 2, M2, M3) and also of course if you have connections because honestly connections trump everything else in life.

 

[epsilonprodigy]

Not so much. Having other interests is fine- encouraged, even. Lacking the maturity/focus/whatever you want to call it, to complete a task you set out to do without traipsing off to explore those interests isn't a good look. Like I said, it's concerning that another distracting interest will magically appear in residency and adversely affect the whole program.

Right- much better phrased. Didn't mean to imply that having other interests is a problem- quite the opposite is true. I just meant that you now face the task of showing that you can exhibit balance.