Thoughts on the following...

Medstudentquest said:

If I apply to derm again and don't get in, how do I get into a different field then?

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You apply to a different field when you submit your application...

Seriously, how many more threads do you need to start to discuss the exact same thing?

Medstudentquest said:

Of course you apply to a different field, but you'd need new letters, some sort of rotation in the new field, etc. I've been done with my req's for med school since the middle of January, and I'm just working on finishing up some research now. Obviously taking anesthesia electives at the end of my M4 year when clearly I was derm focused before would look bad/odd I think as well.

So I'd like to try for derm again since I love it, but if I can't get in, I just can't get in. So how do I go about preparing to change into a different specialty. Do I just find a PGY-1 spot and gear it towards what I want and apply then?

Sorry about the new thread, I'm just kind of down. I was not expecting the news I got last week. Trying to put things all together at this point.

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Honestly, chica, you NEED to talk to your dean. NEED to...like, yesterday.

Sure, it looks "bad" to have a career change late in 4th year. You know what looks worse? Deciding to go into a field that you now don't have any rotations or letters in.

Sorry, but you are coming across as incapable of thinking for yourself here. I know that sounds harsh, but it's true. Honestly, you've got about 2 months to get your s--- in order. Every day that passes is a wasted day in making sure that you are able to complete residency in something. It's impossible to get letters if you graduate without them and aren't headed into residency.

haha this thread again!! haha this person is whack. consult psych asap someone

I'm sorry to hear about your current situation. It's apparent that you're going through a very difficult time right now. Take a deep breath and do something fun to clear your head a little. I know this issue matters a lot to you, but trying to work through a difficult situation in your current state of mind might not be the best way. You need to make the best decision for yourself when you are relaxed, thinking clearly, and all your worries and feelings of doom set aside. Try talking to your family. I know we sometimes feel that our families, especially when your family members are not in medicine, are not likely to be able to help us resolve this matter, but that isn't always the case. Talking to your family will give you some degree of support and encouragement. They might be able to help you decide what is the best path for you since they have a much greater insight into who you are as a person and what your needs and priorities are much better than us on SDN. The choices you make are ultimately yours, but the idea of talking to others is so you can sort out your priorities. A friend of mine once sat down and made a list of pros and cons for all the specialties she wanted to go into, and that helped put things into perspective for her. I wish you the best, and while this is a difficult time for you, you will eventually get through it.

Medstudentquest said:

So at this point, what is the likelihood (say on a scale of 1-100) that some decent prelim medicine position would open up before July 1?

I think it would be difficult to find a good research opportunity at this point since obviously I was expecting to match were it not for the problem with the rank list.

If I just finish my MPH until the next match (obviously which starts in a few months), will it be detrimental? In other words, will committees think negatively of this?

I have talked to anyone I can think of but no positions are open now. Should I just get used to the idea that I won't be able to find anything until next match?

Another thing. Would it be reasonable to give up on derm and start considering other specialties? I thought about the possibility of taking more electives in say anesthesia or rads which are two specialties I have considered before, but obviously are not the ideal specialty that I'd like to go into. Would it be looked upon as strange if I did some rotations in these specialties at the end of my M4 year that are unrelated to the rotations I've taken before?

Please advise.

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I think all of these q's are better answered in your dean's and PD's office!!!!

You should continue to actively look for an internship for July 1st. You should actively look for a research spot. You should reapply to derm after rocking Step II which you should be studying like mad for right now instead of posting on SDN. You need to have a Plan B (and C and D) and be prepared to act on it!!!!

You apply for derm while SIMULTANEOUSLY applying for another specialty. I recommend psych. Its the perfect specialty for you!!! You rank derm programs first. Then categorical psych programs. Then 1-yr internships. You hope and pray for derm. You are thrilled with psych since its categorical and you will be able to practice medicineafter. And you are very happy with an internship since it allows you to start residency and start to practice medicine. Unless, of course, you want to spend another year in limbo while your medical skills get outdated and your chances of matching into anything get slimmer and slimmer.

4th year is a great time to do rotations in a specialty you wont have the opportunity to explore in the future - it adds to your clinical knowledge and when you see a pt with comorbidities you can better understand that care and how it effects the derm treatment you prescribe. If you have done some derm rotations, doing more probably wont help too much and you need to take some elective so why not explore anesthesiology? (Previous replies disagreed so maybe I am wrong here.) And, yes, I know you are done with your med school recs. But will they allow you to take another rotation or two? Programs dont exactly check to see what your schools requirements are compared to if you did an extra month or two. Just be prepared to work hard since these are essentially audition rotations!!!!

What were your goals with getting the MPH? Go back and think about those and how you can maybe use them this year in a job-setting while reapplying for derm and psych.

If you didnt match derm with lots of research and experience, I would be warry of trying to match radiology with very little exposure!!!!!

Is the chair in the dean's office warm yet????

You wont be the first to cry. Take tissues. Schedule a few appts so you can f/u after you have had time to think about his or her recs, discussed your options with your family, and decided what your next step is and how your dean can help.

And talk to psych folks about which psych programs are best for you and how they recommend going in that path. Tell them you had a change of heart and are thrilled that you "get" to go back and reapply and have the opportunity to do things over again so you can be a psychiatrist which you remembered was one of your favorite rotations and one you really missed after you finished it.

Since you seem to want folks on SDN to tell you what to do, here is your calendar.

Monday:
- Call dean's office. Set up appt for Tuesday, Thursday, Tuesday.
- Call psych attendings you worked with. Set up appt for Tuesday (or first available) to discuss a last-min psych rotation and discuss how to apply for psych for next year.
- Call derm PD's office and set up an appt for Tuesday to discuss your options.
- Study for Step II for 4 hours.
- Spend 1 hour doing something for yourself - bubble bath, running, baking, whatever.
- Go to bed early!
- Spend no more than 30 mins on SDN. (Set your kitchen timer.)

Tuesday:
- Meet with dean.
- Meet with derm PD.
- Meed with Psych attending.
- Call registrar (or go in person) to arrange to add in psych rotation in April.
- Study for Step II for 4 hours.
- Start reading for psych rotations.
- Spend 1 hour doing something for yourself.
- Spend no more than 30 mins on SDN. (Set your kitchen timer.)

Weds:
- F/U recs from meetings.
- Apply for derm reserach programs.
- Study for Step II for 4 hours.
- Read for psych rotations.
- Spend 1 hour doing something for yourself.
- Spend no more than 30 mins on SDN. (Set your kitchen timer.)

Thursday:
- Meet with dean to discuss the progress you have made.
- Start reseraching psych programs by talking to your classmates who matched in it.
- Call internship programs and see if they have had any openings.
- Study for Step II for 4 hours.
- Read for psych rotations.
- Spend 1 hour doing something for yourself.
- Spend no more than 30 mins on SDN. (Set your kitchen timer.)

Friday:
- Study for Step II for 4 hours.
- Read for psych rotations.
- Spend 1 hour doing something for yourself.
- Spend no more than 30 mins on SDN. (Set your kitchen timer.)
- F/U applications for derm research programs.

Monday:
- Meet with dean to f/u on prior conversations.
- Call registrar to ensure that psych rotation is set up.- Study for Step II for 4 hours.
- Read for psych rotations.
- Spend 1 hour doing something for yourself.
- Spend no more than 30 mins on SDN. (Set your kitchen timer.)
- Call internships to inquire about openings.
- Call derm programs to ensure application was received.

Medstudentquest said:

So at this point, what is the likelihood (say on a scale of 1-100) that some decent prelim medicine position would open up before July 1?

I think it would be difficult to find a good research opportunity at this point since obviously I was expecting to match were it not for the problem with the rank list.

If I just finish my MPH until the next match (obviously which starts in a few months), will it be detrimental? In other words, will committees think negatively of this?

I have talked to anyone I can think of but no positions are open now. Should I just get used to the idea that I won't be able to find anything until next match?

Another thing. Would it be reasonable to give up on derm and start considering other specialties? I thought about the possibility of taking more electives in say anesthesia or rads which are two specialties I have considered before, but obviously are not the ideal specialty that I'd like to go into. Would it be looked upon as strange if I did some rotations in these specialties at the end of my M4 year that are unrelated to the rotations I've taken before?

Please advise.

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I agree you need to talk to your dean, like yesterday. If you are interested in derm, you need to either (1) find a prelim medicine year and reapply, (2) find a research project and then reapply to derm + prelim, (3) look into derm related things -- you can do a lot of derm through family medicine, IM, some of which may have spots that open up or remain unfilled, (4) you can try to change into a new specialty for the next match, with or without having completed research or a prelim year before the next match.

In terms of #4, I agree that you need to do electives and get specialty specific letter to have a good shot at the non-core things. And it's going to be hard to explain to a place that you applied for derm and never took rads or gas but somehow that is now what you want to make a career of, rather than a second choice. It's probably much easier to explain why you now want to do IM or FM because you probably had rotations in those and you can tie them in to your prior path much more easily. Or as the prior poster suggested, you might want to shoot for something less competitive like psych.

But you need to sit down with a dean and talk. I suspect if you just turned your attention to gas or rads without doing much between now and the next match, you are going to have the same result. You need to stop worrying about what will look odd -- it looks bad to come up short on your goal, and you can't really help that. Meet with your school admin to see what you can do to land on your feet.

Also-- one thing to keep in mind-- once you've graduated you no longer have malpractice insurance and therefore won't be accepted to rotate at other hospitals. You'll be like FMGs-- able to do observerships only. So take advantage of April, May and June to do electives and get letters.

And I agree- why on earth are you *here*? You need to take ownership of your situation, STAT.

I know I have no business posting here but I'm procrastinating homework and was highly entertained by the following (posted 1/24/08!)

Medstudentquest said:

Need suggestions

So I cannot make up my mind as far as what I want to do for specialty. I have made up my mind about specialties i would not go into, but still I have about 3-4 specialties I like. I am trying to set up elective rotations and my question is: should I choose electives in all of the things I interested in? Will that look bad? I like IM for a fellowship in the future, psych., derm and anesthesia. I think I would be fine for these except maybe derm since I know it's so difficult to get into. Should I do an elective in all of these? Should I limit it to two? I would appreciate suggestions on the matter. Thanks!

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I can't believe someone brought this thread back to life! To the mods, please close this thread before it becomes a runaway train like the other.

sorry. It was tempting.

STOP IT! You've done your venting...so, just STOP.

You know what story is worse than a "highly qualified" MS-IV (such as yourself) not matching into derm?

A stellar applicant from "name" school who was passionate about derm from FIRST YEAR (unlike you), completed a productive year of derm research/published between M3-M4, no match; then did a prelim at "name" program, did not match again; then started a very prestigious derm fellowship at "name" big-city program which historically takes 99% of its own fellows, and NO MATCH THIS YEAR.

If anybody is entitled to a derm spot (if there were such a thing), it is this person. I feel so, so bad for this person, whom I've gotten to know. This is a true tragedy.

So, stop complaining. After hearing stories like my colleagues', your story pales in comparison -- it is the same as the hundreds of other applicants who do not match in derm every year.

Until you've walked the steps of the 3-time unmatched passionate derm applicant who has exhausted ALL options and held his/her head up high...STOP COMPLAINING AND GET TO WORK.

dude chill out. I didn't realize the mod closed the other threads, which you all started yourself