Matching to a top 10 PM&R program...

[LeoRaphMikeyDonny]

Hello everyone,

I am a 3rd year medical student at St. George's University who is very interested in matching into a good PM&R program. I realize that being an IMG will have some bearing on my ability to match at a top 10 program, and I was wondering if anybody could give me any insight as to what I could expect with my profile. A bit more about myself:

Basic Sciences Average: 88%
Step 1 Score: 254
Member of several societies and organizations including student government, VP of neuroscience society, etc.
Several volunteer experiences
Undergraduate Research experience but no publications. I am very interested in research, although I have had limited opportunities to actually get involved.

Any advice or help is much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

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[TXPMR]

May I ask, why do you want to match into a "top 10" program?

 

[nvrsumr]

You need a PMR rotation. Perferably at one of your top ten programs. Apply to programs of all tiers and you will get a spot.

 

[lejeunesage]

What does top 10 mean?
Top for research? Interventional procedures? Inpatient? SCI? MSK US? General physiatry?
No 10 programs are better than every other at all of these.
Find a place you're comfortable at and that matches your practice interests and go there.
Forget rankings.

 

[TXPMR]

What does top 10 mean?
Top for research? Interventional procedures? Inpatient? SCI? MSK US? General physiatry?
No 10 programs are better than every other at all of these.
Find a place you're comfortable at and that matches your practice interests and go there.
Forget rankings.

Exactly.

 

[LeoRaphMikeyDonny]

Sorry, I didn't mean to come across as an elitist if thats how it seemed. What I really should have asked was: "what are my chances of matching at a good program?" It seems to me that the goal is to match at the best institution possible, especially if research is of interest to me. More NIH funding translates into better research opportunities.

 

[j4pac]

Different programs likely look for different types of candidates. Your grades look plenty enough good (at least up to this point). You would benefit from research experience...or at the very least formal oral presentation/poster board presentation. Something to put down on paper to suggest that you are at least somewhat pursuing research. Research is incredibly important to most of the "top 10 programs". That is a way to strengthen your package.

You would be wise to rotate at the site...especially if you believe your personality is a strong point. Collect as many LOR's as possible...and always ask for a STRONG LOR.

 

[RangerBob]

I agree with the others--doing away rotations will help your chances substantially. Your scores/background are really great, so that should get you interviews. I don't know how much being an IMG will hurt you--hopefully others know more about that. But it might be worth looking at the current residents of programs you're interested in---if there are no IMGs, the program may have a bias, and it might be better to use your away rotations elsewhere. In my mind away rotations, other than the first "required" PM&R rotation that shows your interest in the field, only help you get into the program you rotate at. Though they can hurt you if you don't do well or get along with people. It's worth using that precious time to focus on a improving your odds a program you're both really interested in and you can get into.

With that said, I would think you could get into any program-- I just don't really know how being an IMG affects things, since who knows many IMGs actually apply to PM&R (it's such a small field), and how many of them have USMLE scores as high as you. So it's possible that top programs without any IMGs currently may not actually be biased--they just may not have received applications from or interviewed competitive IMG applicants. But the odds are if a program accepts you for an away rotation it means they would consider you--most programs want rotators that are interested in their program and might come there.

Definitely apply broadly--applications are (relatively) cheap, and in the event you get too many interviews, cancellations cost nothing. Unless you bought airfare already, so if you can try and fly Southwest or with another carrier that will let you cancel your flight and transfer funds to another flight. And even better is to drive to as many interviews as you can--it's fun (for me at least), and you get to see more of the area that way.

 

[j4pac]

I will second applying broadly. If you are a AMG and a rockstar...you have the luxury of only applying to select programs. However, being an IMG you would be wise to apply broadly. I am a DO, but an untraditional applicant in that I have already done an internship and have been on a Navy utilization tour heavy in sports med for the past few years. I have solid but not great scores but didn't do a USMLE (didn't think I would need it back in the day). There will be programs that love my real world experience, and others who will see my lack of USMLE and not great scores and overlook me. I think that you are in the same boat being an IMG...apply broadly. I just got done applying to 49 programs and it cost me over $900, but I have four interviews already. In the grand scheme of things...$900 is nothing when it comes to the importance of matching to the best residency possible.