importance of attending conferences as a student

[lilek22]

I'm sadly a below average third year student with a 218 on the step 1, all passes in clerkships so far, and just three months of research between 1st and 2nd year in ObGyn.

I got word of a midwest regional medical students in psych conference in Chicago on Feb 28th and I can't find any info about it online. I could possibly go to the APA conference in Toronto this year but I'll be 7 Mos pregnant.

So I'm not really that interested in going to either of these conferences but wonder if they would really help my application. Is there anything else I could be doing now to strengthen my application?

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[st2205]

If you don't want to go then I wouldn't. It may show interest if the rest of your application is completely lacking in demonstrating that, or if a letter writer mentions how great of an ophthalmologist you will be, etc.

Having to read over applications, there's so much fluff listed that I honestly don't end up reading much more than the first paragraph of a PS, quick glance at letters, check for red flags and look at board scores. Granted, this isn't for selecting for interviews but I can't imagine I would read all that fluff if I did.

 

[vistaril]

Heck no if you don't want to go don't. Nobody is going to care one way or another if you showed up at some silly conferences. Heck if you think it's going to help a lot, just say you went(nobody is going to know you didn't)

 

[OldPsychDoc]

...
So I'm not really that interested in going to either of these conferences but wonder if they would really help my application.

There's your answer.

Is there anything else I could be doing now to strengthen my application?

Rock your rotations and get your Step 2s scheduled.

 

[Frazier]

Heck no if you don't want to go don't. Nobody is going to care one way or another if you showed up at some silly conferences. Heck if you think it's going to help a lot, just say you went(nobody is going to know you didn't)

Recommendation: Lying.

See name: Not surprised.

 

[vistaril]

Recommendation: Lying.

See name: Not surprised.

well I didn't really recommend lying...I recommended not going.

 

[Opira]

well I didn't really recommend lying...I recommended not going.

And then recommended lying about going.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

And then recommended lying about going.

Semantics...

 

[shan564]

Agree with the above. If the goal is improving your application, the resources invested in going to a conference would be better-invested in trying to improve your Step 2ck score and/or getting a good grade in your current rotation. Going to a conference is not very meaningful.

Heck, even if you were asking about presenting a poster at a conference, I'd say that an extra 5 points on Step 2CK would be more useful. Merely attending a conference will only be useful as a potential discussion point at interviews.

BTW, why are you so worried about a 218? That may be below average overall, but it's above average for psych.

 

[vivezvotrevie]

Regional Conference: Up to you. Don't go if you don't want to, but if it's close by you could make some connections and learn something?

Toronto: I went last year as a student, and went to the PsychSIGN residency fair where there were tons of programs there. I got to meet lots of directors, residents, etc, and I found it very beneficial. I even think I got a couple of interviews based on meeting people/staying in touch with them. I also went to a couple talks where I learned of an elective opportunity that turned out the be the highlight of my 4th year and got me interested in an area of psychiatry I wasn't previously very aware of.

If your rotation schedules don't permit or you don't have the funds to go, then that's that. But as a student who is seriously considering psychiatry, I would try to go. Not to make yourself look better as an applicant on paper, though.