MS2 who is really interested in ENT (and perhaps pediatric ENT)

[TheJiggler]

Hi

I'm an MS2 at reputable medical school (if you wanna go by rankings, we're in the top 15 in US News). And I'm thinking right now that I really want to do ENT, but one thing I'm scared of is that ENT seems really competitive (looking at other threads, I'm seeing board scores that are really high along with AOA, etc). I would really like to go to a place like Wash U or Mass Eye and Ear or any big academic place for residency (I really wanna do academic medicine)....what else does it take besides a high step 1 score? B/c on the match report, I'm seeing people with high board scores that don't match.

I'm going to have one clinical research publication with an ENT physician (though it's in a rheum journal) and I'm also working in a cardio lab (that is gonna produce at least two publications for me so far--one review and one real paper).

Since ENT is so competitive, I'd like to start catering towards that field as soon as possible so in case I do decide to go for ENT, I'll be a good candidate....even if my step 1 isn't ridiculously high (I see people matching in the 220's and 230's on the match report).

Besides get a good step 1 score...any advice?

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[HighPriest]

Check around on the board, as it's been posted before. Besides board scores:

research (ENT slightly better than other, but some much better than none).
Letters of Rec (get them from ENT physicians)
Clerkship performance (especially in surgical clerkships)
AOA (nice, but not necessary)

Have something on your resume that's not school, school, and more school. you'll be competing with people with all of the above, so you've got to set yourself apart.

I wouldn't get TOO hung up on ending up at Wash U or Mass E/E. If you end up there, good for you. But you can certainly do academics after residency at a heck of a lot more places than just those two.

 

[AMedStud]

Have something on your resume that's not school, school, and more school. you'll be competing with people with all of the above, so you've got to set yourself apart.

What are some examples of things that set candidates apart? How important extracurricular activities (other than research) for residency application?

 

[TheJiggler]

Yeah, I had the same question. What are things to "set you apart"? I feel in med school all groups are centered around free clinics or interest groups. I'm apart of a community service fellowship which is a group of people who are doing different community service projects (my community service is working on the board of a free health clinic).....

the only other "extracurricular" I have is research...I'm not counting things I do for fun (i play in an ultimate frisbee league, etc). Does that stuff fall out of "school, school, and more school"? Thanks!

 

[HighPriest]

As far as how important having extracirriculars is, here's how I look at it: it you don't have the grades, then they don't mean anything. If you do have the grades, then it's just a way to make you look different than everyone else. I would say that it probably doesn't matter what specifically it is that you do, so long as an interviewer can look at your resume and say to himself: "I haven't seen that before," or at least, not commonly. There are two goals: get good enough to get the interview, and give the interviewer a reason to remember you. Some people can accomplish both of these things on charisma alone. I prefer to have a backup as well. I probably spent a good quarter of my interview time thus far talking about my extracirriculars. I homebrew. Others do ultimate frisbee or IM sports and the like.

That may seem cryptic, but that's the best I've got for ya.

 

[earboy]

I'm a resident at one of those programs the OP had mentioned. As for my own application, I came from a middle-of-the-road state school with a Step 1 in the 260's. I had done a lot of research (not a PhD) since undergrad because I too was very interested in academic medicine. Other than that and being a strong medical student (on paper), I didn't have too many other extracurriculars. It worked out in the end for me (I got my 4th choice). The rest of my free time was spent playing ultimate (like some of you here, I'm addicted) and tennis. The rest of my time was spent with friends, going out, etc. I didn't volunteer in the free clinics or become president of our local chapter of AMSA or anything.

So, yes, Step 1 will set you up for at least interviews at "academic" programs if you score highly. But it will in no way get you interviews everywhere (I received interviews at around 27-30/40 places I applied to, if I remember correctly).

A proven interest in research is something that "academic" programs will appreciate; so, pubs can help you. Research in ENT is a bonus but is not necessary. What they want to see is that you've done some real science, understood it, learned some research skills in the process, are able to communicate to others about it, and also like it to the point that you may want to incorporate it into your ENT career.

I wouldn't count things like case reports in the research category, but doing things like that as well as retrospective chart reviews with ENT faculty will 1) demonstrate your motivation and 2) endear you to faculty early on so that your letters of rec will be stronger. The longer you know the faculty, the stronger will be your relationship with them, and they will be that much more likely to write strong rec letter for you. As everyone has stated, ENT is a very small field. Letter readers know letter writers fairly often. If not, they probably know someone once removed from them. Strong words can go a long way in your favor.

Once you're picked to interview, it's almost a level playing field. A lot of it boils down to interpersonal skills and what kind of feel they get for you. You could be a Rhodes scholar with a 270 from the number one med school, but if you're an ass, you're not getting ranked highly (or at all). Nice Rhodes scholars have always been ranked highly, though. We have one in our program right now.

Having nice extracurriculars or unusual interests like homebrewing will definitely help out during your interviews. It's makes you unique and is conversation material so that people can distinguish you. Stuff like that will not get you in but, like the previous poster stated, can set you apart. Alternatively, getting super into school clubs and volunteer efforts shortly before graduating does seem a bit disingenuous. Demonstrate a pattern of doings things like that rather than timing your involvement concurrently with your realization that you were about to try to get in to a super competitive field.

So, if you're interested, I'd arrange for a meeting with your dept. chairperson and let them know that. Go to grand rounds when your schedule permits so that people will start to recognize you. Get to know as many faculty as you can. Ask for case reports to do for them (they'll take you a week or two to complete). Or get a feel for any projects going on in the dept. that are on the verge of being published. If they are interesting to you, ask to join in so that your name gets on the pub. You might also be able to take your ENT research to one of the big annual meetings for a poster or podium presentation. That will make you look good and you can also meet people at those meetings. Sometimes there are awards for medical student research projects that you can apply for. The academy offers one of these and that would also look pretty darn good.

Focus A LOT of your energy on Step 1 when it's time. If you're a genuinely good person with a strong work ethic, your letters will reveal that. On top of that, you've got to have strong grades. They ask a lot of people to get into ENT, but in the end it's worth it.

Good luck.

 

[HighPriest]

Have to agree strongly with the above, and I certainly should amend what I've said so far with the comment that was made concerning getting involved in a lot of extra-cirrics at the last minute. I have met a few people so far who have put things on their resume that they either didn't really do or didn't really know that much about. That's a pretty bad idea. Expect that anything that goes on your resume will be discussed at your interviews. If you don't geel comfortable talking about it, or you don't really enjoy it, then it will show.

You've already got a good idea of what you need to do. You've got some research. Do well on your boards, and get to know your ENT program director (as mentioned above). Highlight unique qualities about yourself, and be prepared to talk about them.

 

[acepoint]

i think you just need nice pants....red pants

 

[TheThroat]

From my standpoint, extracurriculars mean almost nothing. Being a concert pianist or a expert sculpture means very little. During my med schoolin', in most of my free time, after starting clinicals and finishing step I, I hung out with my wife and did little/no activity to make me look special.

Now, if you already are a marathoner or play bass in a rock band, certainly mentioning that on your app is a good idea. I just think that trying to add a new talent while in med school to improve your app is not worth the time. If you have some extra time, doing research will help much more than volunteering, picking up a talent, or being president of something.

 

[TheJiggler]

can you describe them?