Importance of doing an elective BEFORE application?

[Suture15]

Hello friends, sorry if this thread has been made before but I'm in a bit of a bind, and any help is appreciated.

Long story short, I'm a caribbean IMG with 240s Step 1 in my third year currently doing IM with surgery up next. Due to some scheduling issues, my Ob gyn rotation ( the last core rotation I need ) is up in the air. I have to do it after Step 2 unfortunately, which doesn't bother me as much tbh, but what does bother me is as follows...

After my surgery rotation, my plan is to take some time off for Step 2 and then do my Ob gyn rotation. I have a choice of doing all my electives after Ob Gyn (after September 30th and possibly not getting any LORs from electives (unless my October elective is not too late for application purposes)

My other choice is to delay Ob Gyn by 2 weeks, write Step 2 by August and do an elective in August before I start Ob gyn so I can use the LOR from my elective towards my application. It sounds safer, but it would give me less time for step and possibly (just possibly) cutting it close graduation wise (till the last allowed week of doing rotations in spring 2017)

Also, if my October elective can get me an LOR and it's not too late for ERAS, then there really wouldn't be an issue. What do you guys recommend? Is it essential to get your LOR focused rotations done before Sept or there is some flexibility?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[playingfrombehind]

Hello friends, sorry if this thread has been made before but I'm in a bit of a bind, and any help is appreciated.

Long story short, I'm a caribbean IMG with 240s Step 1 in my third year currently doing IM with surgery up next. Due to some scheduling issues, my Ob gyn rotation ( the last core rotation I need ) is up in the air. I have to do it after Step 2 unfortunately, which doesn't bother me as much tbh, but what does bother me is as follows...

After my surgery rotation, my plan is to take some time off for Step 2 and then do my Ob gyn rotation. I have a choice of doing all my electives after Ob Gyn (after September 30th and possibly not getting any LORs from electives (unless my October elective is not too late for application purposes)

My other choice is to delay Ob Gyn by 2 weeks, write Step 2 by August and do an elective in August before I start Ob gyn so I can use the LOR from my elective towards my application. It sounds safer, but it would give me less time for step and possibly (just possibly) cutting it close graduation wise (till the last allowed week of doing rotations in spring 2017)

Also, if my October elective can get me an LOR and it's not too late for ERAS, then there really wouldn't be an issue. What do you guys recommend? Is it essential to get your LOR focused rotations done before Sept or there is some flexibility?

I'm matching this year (hopefully)

I don't know how important LORs are for the app (I had everything done when apps were due) but USMLE scores are supreme. I would assume more so for IMGs? Also you guys also have to do ECFMG (I believe you need to take your steps for that)

So if it was up to me I would prioritize studying USMLE and getting a high grade over LORs. Letters is one part of the app that does not necessarily need to be complete. If you know your authors you can assign letters to the programs you are applying for and then upload them later.

Your electives show up on your transcript but there is no where to put which electives you did on ERAS.

 

[Xorthos]

Hello friends, sorry if this thread has been made before but I'm in a bit of a bind, and any help is appreciated.

Long story short, I'm a caribbean IMG with 240s Step 1 in my third year currently doing IM with surgery up next. Due to some scheduling issues, my Ob gyn rotation ( the last core rotation I need ) is up in the air. I have to do it after Step 2 unfortunately, which doesn't bother me as much tbh, but what does bother me is as follows...

After my surgery rotation, my plan is to take some time off for Step 2 and then do my Ob gyn rotation. I have a choice of doing all my electives after Ob Gyn (after September 30th and possibly not getting any LORs from electives (unless my October elective is not too late for application purposes)

My other choice is to delay Ob Gyn by 2 weeks, write Step 2 by August and do an elective in August before I start Ob gyn so I can use the LOR from my elective towards my application. It sounds safer, but it would give me less time for step and possibly (just possibly) cutting it close graduation wise (till the last allowed week of doing rotations in spring 2017)

Also, if my October elective can get me an LOR and it's not too late for ERAS, then there really wouldn't be an issue. What do you guys recommend? Is it essential to get your LOR focused rotations done before Sept or there is some flexibility?

It's program specific whether or not they take LOR's into high consideration. I had some programs who focused on my LOR's during my entire interview. While I had other programs who focused on other things.

Programs typically use the USMLE scores as filters for interview invites, then narrow down with LOR's and other aspects of your application. Depending on which field you want to go into, a LOR in that specialty would be very important. I wanted to do Family Medicine, and ended up with two FM, one OBGyn, and one peds LOR, all from program directors.

 

[rokshana]

Hello friends, sorry if this thread has been made before but I'm in a bit of a bind, and any help is appreciated.

Long story short, I'm a caribbean IMG with 240s Step 1 in my third year currently doing IM with surgery up next. Due to some scheduling issues, my Ob gyn rotation ( the last core rotation I need ) is up in the air. I have to do it after Step 2 unfortunately, which doesn't bother me as much tbh, but what does bother me is as follows...

After my surgery rotation, my plan is to take some time off for Step 2 and then do my Ob gyn rotation. I have a choice of doing all my electives after Ob Gyn (after September 30th and possibly not getting any LORs from electives (unless my October elective is not too late for application purposes)

My other choice is to delay Ob Gyn by 2 weeks, write Step 2 by August and do an elective in August before I start Ob gyn so I can use the LOR from my elective towards my application. It sounds safer, but it would give me less time for step and possibly (just possibly) cutting it close graduation wise (till the last allowed week of doing rotations in spring 2017)

Also, if my October elective can get me an LOR and it's not too late for ERAS, then there really wouldn't be an issue. What do you guys recommend? Is it essential to get your LOR focused rotations done before Sept or there is some flexibility?

what are you planning on applying to? can you not get LoRs from someone in the cores you have done?

as an IMG it is going to be important that you have have everything in on the 1st day...so you should do what you can to have all your steps done and reportable by Sept 15...that being said as an IMG you need to have the best step scores you possibly can have and if you don't think you can do that with a shortened study period then you need to prioritize that...

you should try to have the required 3 LoR from the people you have worked with...if there is someone that you plan to work with later, then you can upload as a 4th LoR...however it is probably best that any elective you feel is an audition rotation, then you should try to do that before the end of sept...after that its less helpful (not useless, just poor timing).

many places will send out interviews as early as sept and oct, but the interview season is all the way til the end of January...and many spots open up at the last minute in jan so you may be able to get some then.

if you can take some time off during interview season to be able to go to some of these last minute interviews...I took the month of january to do the majority of my travel interviews and used Nov and Dec for interviews that were local.

 

[RangerBob]

I agree with the above posters, in that it's best to have everything ready day 1 of submitting your application.

You should be asking for LORs one your core rotations. Depending on what specialty you apply to, you may only need one LOR from someone in that specialty. But many specialties (PM&R--my own, for example) will not consider your application without having done an elective and without having a LOR from the specialty. Honestly, I'm not sure if any specialty will consider someone without any experience or a LOR from the field.

I think having Step 2 is quite helpful for an IMG, but I don't know if it's really necessary to have your score when you submit your application. Unless it's a really competitive specialty programs are really only looking at Step 1 scores to decide whether or not to give you an interview, but they like to see passing Step 2 scores by the time they rank applicants. I took Step 2 CS in Sept and CK in Nov, so I submitting my passing scores to programs just before Christmas. As an IMG I think it'd help to have passing Step 2 scores, but honestly I think it's more important that you have done a full rotation and have a LOR in your specialty.

As the above poster said--different programs put different degrees of interest into LORs. But even the ones that gloss over them quickly will be skeptical of an applicant applying to their specialty without a rotation or LOR in the specialty (unless you have significant research or other exposure to the field--but then that would usually mean you at least have an LOR)

 

[rokshana]

I agree with the above posters, in that it's best to have everything ready day 1 of submitting your application.

You should be asking for LORs one your core rotations. Depending on what specialty you apply to, you may only need one LOR from someone in that specialty. But many specialties (PM&R--my own, for example) will not consider your application without having done an elective and without having a LOR from the specialty. Honestly, I'm not sure if any specialty will consider someone without any experience or a LOR from the field.

I think having Step 2 is quite helpful for an IMG, but I don't know if it's really necessary to have your score when you submit your application. Unless it's a really competitive specialty programs are really only looking at Step 1 scores to decide whether or not to give you an interview, but they like to see passing Step 2 scores by the time they rank applicants. I took Step 2 CS in Sept and CK in Nov, so I submitting my passing scores to programs just before Christmas. As an IMG I think it'd help to have passing Step 2 scores, but honestly I think it's more important that you have done a full rotation and have a LOR in your specialty.

As the above poster said--different programs put different degrees of interest into LORs. But even the ones that gloss over them quickly will be skeptical of an applicant applying to their specialty without a rotation or LOR in the specialty (unless you have significant research or other exposure to the field--but then that would usually mean you at least have an LOR)

as an IMG, you have to be ECFMG verified to participate in the Match. This means having passed all 3 parts of the steps need to become certified (Step I, CK, and CS), otherwise a week after ROL are due you are automatically pulled from the Match...many programs don't want to take the chance on interviewing an applicant that may not be able to stay in the match.

My experience was that I got ~ 75% of my interviews before the MSPE went out (it was Nov 1 then) with most late Sept/early Oct...to optimize your chances as an IMG, it makes sense to get everything in on that 1st day, but i agree with Ranger Bob, if you are looking at something that is not a core, then you probably need to do an elective in the field you are applying.