What do residencies look for?

[erasable]

1. What do residencies look for?
2. Do extracurriculars count? If so, what kind?
3. Does it help to be a class officer? If so, how can you become one?
4. If you could do med sch all over again and apply to residency all over again, what would you do different?

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[Winged Scapula]

1. What do residencies look for?

Specifics will vary amongst specialties, but in general residency PDs and faculty want someone who is hard-working and easy to get along with. Most applicants are within 1 STD of each other in terms of grades, USMLE scores, LORs, etc. So they need to look deeper for evidence that you are a 'team player" (cliched, but it is important), RELIABLE (do you show up on time, do what is asked of you, etc.) and do it in an easygoing manner?

2. Do extracurriculars count? If so, what kind?

Not much. If you have an interesting EC which melds well with the other residents and faculty or one which enhances your job skills, perhaps. But in general, most don't look too deeply into ECs done by medical students and will even wonder how they had time to study if they were doing all those ECs.

3. Does it help to be a class officer? If so, how can you become one?

Nope. Usually by election of your peers. It is unlikely to help your residency application.

 

[Trillgirl]

1. What do residencies look for?
2. Do extracurriculars count? If so, what kind?
3. Does it help to be a class officer? If so, how can you become one?
4. If you could do med sch all over again and apply to residency all over again, what would you do different?

As a resident in OB/Gyn (now Chief) who has interviewed applicant medical students for our program, I can tell you that the other residents look for people who:

1. Appear to be hard working/non-slackers, who can "hit the ground running"
2. Seem like they would be a good fit personality-wise with the temperment of our group; not too shy, not too abrasive, etc.
3. Will pass Step 3

I've personally never cared if someone was a class officer. I do look at extracurricular activities and volunteer activities. It lets me know, hopefully, if they are a well rounded person. I do ask the applicants about these experiences as a way to help them stand out in the crowd.

If I could do med school again? Ick. Probably attack Step 1 a bit more than I did. Maybe take time to do an away rotation just for the fun of it. Otherwise? Not a whole lot.

Remember, just like when you applied to med school... people like people who are like themselves. It is what it is.

 

[RxnMan]

Class rank, grades (clinical and lecture), AOA membership, and USMLE scores: The PD's I've worked with have told me these determine what residencies you are competitive for (where you have a reasonable chance of getting an interview).

Within that, one doc has told me that he sees 600 applications for 4 spots every year, so you need something more to distinguish yourself. He says he then looks at research (as measured by pubs), graduate degrees, and previous careers (professional athelete is the one he mentions most). Then there's the interview.

This is the case for one academic program. Community programs may not look as much at research.

 

[Nerdoscience]

One thing those extracurricular activities do is tell the program what your interests and convictions are. If you say your are really interested in something in an interview or in a personal statement, but you haven't done ANYTHING to reflect that, it may look bad to a program.

But that is one of the many factors that matter less than who you know, what your grades are, and what research you've done.

 

[Lizard1]

plain and simple - high scores, AOA, class rank get you in the door for an interview.

once you get an interview, everybody is pretty much all equal for the most part. at that point we're focusing on down to earth, real people who are HARD working and easy to get along with. you CAN tell who is faking it and who is not

 

[radonc]

board scores
research
grades
letters

 

[erasable]

Thank you for all your answers I guess residency is a bit like med sch grades, step 1, etc. um. I had one other question:
Does community service matter? If so, what kind and how much should I do?

 

[RxnMan]

That same PD mentioned community service, but it was low-yield compared to everything else mentioned. It's also not like the volunteering your put on your AMCAS 'went bad' - if it's a part of your resume, then you can include it on your ERAS.

 

[Narmsanity]

What about undergraduate work? Are undergrad grades taken into consideration?

 

[gutonc]

What about undergraduate work? Are undergrad grades taken into consideration?

In some of the uber-competitive specialties it has been known to come down to that (Plastics, Derm, Ortho, Rad Onc) but not all of those programs and in general, no, undergrad grades are not relevant.

When you're trying to separate a pile of apps with Step 1 of 260, AOA, HMS/Hopkins/UCSF/Columbia grads, Rhodes/Fullbright and ECs that would have made Mother Theresa jealous, you have to use something.

 

[Narmsanity]

In some of the uber-competitive specialties it has been known to come down to that (Plastics, Derm, Ortho, Rad Onc) but not all of those programs and in general, no, undergrad grades are not relevant.

When you're trying to separate a pile of apps with Step 1 of 260, AOA, HMS/Hopkins/UCSF/Columbia grads, Rhodes/Fullbright and ECs that would have made Mother Theresa jealous, you have to use something.

haah.. ok got it! Thank you!