Need advice on what to do while waiting for application season to start

[futuredoc937]

Hey guys! I would like some advice. I am a caribbean medical student. I have completed my rotations, taken Steps 1, 2CK & CS. Now I am waiting for September to apply for residency. During these couple months until applications open, what should I be doing? What are some things we can do while we wait?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

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[longhaul3]

I have no idea how Caribbean schools work but what about your electives? Have you done those already? Did you graduate?

 

[futuredoc937]

I have no idea how Caribbean schools work but what about your electives? Have you done those already? Did you graduate?

Yes I am done with both my cores and electives. My graduation is coming up. So technically I have graduated.

 

[longhaul3]

Yes I am done with both my cores and electives. My graduation is coming up. So technically I have graduated.

Oh, ok. I have no idea then. I guess if I were in your position I would think about getting involved in some research if possible.

 

[futuredoc937]

Oh, ok. I have no idea then. I guess if I were in your position I would think about getting involved in some research if possible.

Thank you! What are some ways I can look for research opportunities?

 

[HomeSkool]

Why did you not apply for this year's Match?

 

[futuredoc937]

Why did you not apply for this year's Match?

I did not take my CK & CS on time.

 

[longhaul3]

Thank you! What are some ways I can look for research opportunities?

As an unaffiliated MD grad I really don't know what your options are. If you live in a place with some academic medical centers you could reach out to some PIs and explain your situation. Junior faculty are usually more ambitious in the short term and would probably be more likely to be interested in you doing some grunt work in exchange for a publication. If there's a community hospital with an active researcher maybe you could inquire about that. I only have experience getting involved through my own institution(s) which I have to say is much easier.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Honestly you've got to find a job or something that will either give you research experience or clinical exposure over the next year. The problem is that once you've graduated, you no longer have a "home institution" which is invested in making sure you have help. Ideally, you probably should have looked into this a few months ago once you realized that you were going to have a gap year between graduation and application--I suppose there's no sense worrying about that now, I just mention it for anyone else who may face this in the future.

Ask your school what others in your situation have done. Do that. If there isn't a clear path that you can follow, then reach out to some academic medical centers near wherever home is and see what you need to do to get involved in research. Send out as many feelers as you can, as you want to be able to start work over the summer.

 

[futuredoc937]

Honestly you've got to find a job or something that will either give you research experience or clinical exposure over the next year. The problem is that once you've graduated, you no longer have a "home institution" which is invested in making sure you have help. Ideally, you probably should have looked into this a few months ago once you realized that you were going to have a gap year between graduation and application--I suppose there's no sense worrying about that now, I just mention it for anyone else who may face this in the future.

Ask your school what others in your situation have done. Do that. If there isn't a clear path that you can follow, then reach out to some academic medical centers near wherever home is and see what you need to do to get involved in research. Send out as many feelers as you can, as you want to be able to start work over the summer.

Thank you for your advice! So what are some jobs I can apply for? Also I want to apply for FM or Peds.

 

[libertyyne]

I would delay graduation and then do research during that time.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Thank you for your advice! So what are some jobs I can apply for? Also I want to apply for FM or Peds.

That is the problem. Finding a job that is going to give you meaningful research experience/patient exposure that would be willing to hire you knowing you're only going to be around for a year is difficult. Ideally you would get some direction from your school on where to look, but if that isn't an option then there is no centralized list of positions which are available or even who you should contact. You kind of just have to cold-email some places and hope someone replies and tells you who to contact. It isn't impossible, but it's a lot of work.

If you could delay graduation for a year and do additional rotations/research at your school that would be great, but idk if that's realistic for you if you'd have to pay another year's tuition.

I'll say it again: ask your school what others in your position have done, and do that. And start asking now, because the jobs you're looking for are scarce and surely are getting snapped up by a bunch of people who just failed to match.

 

[futuredoc937]

That is the problem. Finding a job that is going to give you meaningful research experience/patient exposure that would be willing to hire you knowing you're only going to be around for a year is difficult. Ideally you would get some direction from your school on where to look, but if that isn't an option then there is no centralized list of positions which are available or even who you should contact. You kind of just have to cold-email some places and hope someone replies and tells you who to contact. It isn't impossible, but it's a lot of work.

If you could delay graduation for a year and do additional rotations/research at your school that would be great, but idk if that's realistic for you if you'd have to pay another year's tuition.

I'll say it again: ask your school what others in your position have done, and do that. And start asking now, because the jobs you're looking for are scarce and surely are getting snapped up by a bunch of people who just failed to match.

Thank you so much for your advice! I will def call the school and talk to them.

 

[raiderette]

I would go for research or practical skills like scribing.

 

[VincentAdultman]

About ten years ago recall reading about a guy who failed to match ortho who wanted to do a year of research. He looked up the top 50 NIH-funded unverisites, and cold called them, one by one. He eventually got a research year and matched the next March.

I mean it's one anecdote and involves a lot of cold-calling which can be painful and demoralizing, but it's an idea.