OMSIII thinking of cards. What are my chances for military match?

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Sweetpotatoguy

Potatoes
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My stats:
USMLE step 1: 232
COMLEX step 1: 621

Haven't taken step 2

Halfway through my third year. I'm not highly ranked in my class (maybe top 25%).

LECOM bradenton. HPSP in air force.

I like cards. My uncle is international cardiologist and I liked the field. Haven't done cards here in the US though.

No research published. Getting started on some GI research with a surgeon attending of mine.

What do I do?
Any advice?

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Disagree. He's a DO and already HPSP. Cards fellowship selection is competitive in the real world and there remains a bias against DOs. From a AF IM residency, cards will be probable (if he can stick it out through a utilization tour or two).

OP, residency performance is all that will really matter for cards fellowship. Plenty of opportunities to do what passes for research in the .mil while a resident. Besides, by then you may have discovered the right subspecialty. BTW, interventional cards = 15+ years before you'll have the chance to leave. Sorry kid.
 
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I missed the part where he is already HPSP. My comment was more specifically for someone who was considering entering HPSP in their last year of training.

I don't know how stacked the AF is with cardiologists. I can say for sure that if your branch is stacked with subspecialists already your residency performance and research means nothing. If you're short on that specialty, then sure performance matters. But, needs of the service trump performance 100% of the time. If you're already in, its kind of a moot point what your chances are. Apply and see what happens.

The best insight you can get is to speak with your consultant once you've started residency to get an idea of the projections for cadiology around the time you'd be completing your training. If you're projected to be short on cadiologists, then you're in good shape. If you're projected to have a sufficient number, then you're pissing in the wind. If the AF picks you up for a fellowship, then I do agree that you're in a good position to end up at a good training location. Fellowships across the board like having fellows that they don't have to pay.

Maybe the AF has better research opportunities than the Army, but I stand by the statement that research opportunities in the military (at least the Army) aren't even in the ballpark of a civilian University. But they are available, and you should partake if you want a competative fellowship.

I will say: you should definitely consider trying to get a fellowship, as you are already committed. The argument for not doing so is to spend less time in service. The argument for doing additional training is the increased likelihood of being stationed somewhere that God pays attention. Weight that out as you will.

(original post deleted because it isn't relevant to OP)
 
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I would defer on that one. If DO-cards is really that much more competative, then you've gotta weigh it out in terms of your chances. You're already committed for residency and an ADSO, so you may as well speak with your consultant once you're into your residency and you've had an opportunity to see how the military works. Maybe you'll like the military and want the extra commitment. Even if you don't, if your consultant tells you that the AF is hungry for cardiologists, it may be worth it to stay in and have a greater chance for a competative residency.
 
Look at the match lists of ACGME Cardiology programs and you won't see many DOs. I have a better sense of the GI numbers but I can't imagine they are very different. The AF programs are much more likely to take a DO that they know.
 
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Look at the match lists of ACGME Cardiology programs and you won't see many DOs. I have a better sense of the GI numbers but I can't imagine they are very different. The AF programs are much more likely to take a DO that they know.

Completely agree. Military is his best chance to match to fellowship. It is a long road to fellowship in the military but at least that door may be open to him if he plays his cards right.
 
I for one get tired of these threads suggesting that if you are a DO, you MUST stay in or else you won't ever ever ever ever have a chance.

In my region, cardiologists are a dime a dozen and they do not lack DOs in their ranks. The acceptance for DOs is regional and varies from institution to institution. That being stated, I would not advise that you put yourself through useless time in the military unless of course it is your goal to make a career of it.
 
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