2012-2013 Pre-Interview Thread

[deleted452516]

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Let's get this show started. Somewhere for us 4th years to share our hopes and fears, and hopefully get some words of wisdom from our seniors.

I'm a DO looking mostly at east coast programs. Who else is out there?



Once we submit ERAS and start getting interviews we can start a thread like previous years:

2011-2012
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=862811&highlight=interview

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=853390&highlight=interview

2010-2011
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=775229&highlight=interview


A couple other great resources are splik's IMG match thread:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=897562

Speaking of splik, I hope we have some satire minded folk amongst us. For inspiration see his top 10 list of programs to avoid:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=888012&highlight=programs+to+avoid

 

[lucyernaga]

great idea! long time lurker here. the past threads have been so helpful for me in thinking about what is important in choosing a residency and thinking about where I am going to apply that I really want to give back this year.

I'm an east coast allopath who will be applying to east coast/midwest/west coast programs. I'm really excited, but very antsy. I don't how many times I've refreshed SDN looking for some new tidbit or gone through the program list on ERAS to make sure I didn't miss some gem. It needs to be September 15th already!

 

[211519]

Yay! I am getting excited! I'm also a DO(-to-be), looking at mostly mid-Atlantic and mid-western programs with a few other spots tossed in. I have 18 on my ERAS list right now.

I'm currently displacing my anxiety about applications on 9/15 by obsessively looking for interview suits online.

Thanks for starting a thread that I can check during my extremely exciting Rads rotation.

 

[deleted452516]

really excited, but very antsy.

ditto

obsessively looking for interview suits online

Excellent, I think we need some interview suit links.

 

[211519]

Excellent, I think we need some interview suit links.

Well, I'm a lady who tends to wear ironic animal sweaters and vintage dresses, so I'm having a bit of a time forcing myself to conform. I also just cannot spend hundreds of dollars on a suit.

J. crew looks promising.

 

[deleted452516]

heard good things about these folks
http://www.bodenusa.com/en-US/Womens-Clothing.html#nav

 

[211519]

heard good things about these folks
http://www.bodenusa.com/en-US/Womens-Clothing.html#nav

Interesting! I'll check it out.

 

[211519]

So, how many programs is everyone applying to? I've heard so many conflicting things about a good number.

 

[stiz]

I'm MS4 ... will be applying mainly in mid-atlantic area but would love to check out Brown, and a few West Coast places (NM, Az, Davis, Oregon) ...

I'm planning on keeping the list to 15 .... maybe 20. 😀

 

[deleted452516]

how many programs is everyone applying to

My plan is apply to about 40, interview at 15 and rank 12.
(Keep in mind my context as a DO, looking mainly at the east coast)

I know people have talked about the rule of 1/3s here before- I'm trying to loosely stick to:
1/3 reach programs
1/3 middle of the road
1/3 back up

 

[211519]

My plan is apply to about 40, interview at 15 and rank 12.
(Keep in mind my context as a DO, looking mainly at the east coast)

I know people have talked about the rule of 1/3s here before- I'm trying to loosely stick to:
1/3 reach programs
1/3 middle of the road
1/3 back up

Whoa, 40, wow. More power to you. I am also osteopathic, but I can't imagine applying to that many programs. Maybe I'm way off base.

 

[deleted452516]

It's also entirely possible I'm being ridiculous.
I know the stats are that as non American MDs as long as we rank 11-12 programs we have a very high chance of matching. The other numbers are just kind of pulled out of my ass.

 

[211519]

It's also entirely possible I'm being ridiculous.
I know the stats are that as non American MDs as long as we rank 11-12 programs we have a very high chance of matching. The other numbers are just kind of pulled out of my ass.

I'm a little confused by "non American MDs"? You mean that stat is for IMG/FMGs?

Yah, and I guess it depends on which east coast programs you are looking at. Out of my 18, 16 have a good history of interviewing DOs and have DO residents, so I really only have 2 "fancy" programs. I'm hoping for at least 10 interviews. I have a pile of backup programs too, if I start to panic.

 

[Elle726]

hi! I am pretty anxious too.

I am an MS4 soon to be US graduate and I plan to apply to about 20 prorams, most on the east coast.

Here is my list so far:

Harvard Longwood
Brown
Cambridge Health Alliance
Boston University
Umass
NYU
AE-BI
Mt Sinai
George Washington University
University of North Carolina
Duke
Jackson Memorial
University of Texas Southwestern
University of Cincinnati
The Ohio State University
Northwestern
University of Puerto Rico

Any suggestions are welcome!

 

[211519]

hi! I am pretty anxious too.

I am an MS4 soon to be US graduate and I plan to apply to about 20 prorams, most on the east coast.

Here is my list so far:

Harvard Longwood
Brown
Cambridge Health Alliance
Boston University
Umass
NYU
AE-BI
Mt Sinai
George Washington University
University of North Carolina
Duke
Jackson Memorial
University of Texas Southwestern
University of Cincinnati
The Ohio State University
Northwestern
University of Puerto Rico

Any suggestions are welcome!

Why PR? Just wondering. Easy access to piragua? 😛

 

[211519]

My current list:


University of Wisconsin - Madison
Indiana University
Wake Forest
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
Ohio State University
Medical University of South Carolina
Palmetto Health/University of South Carolina
ETSU
University of Virginia
Carilion Clinic/Virginia Tech
University of Michigan
Medical College of Wisconsin
Yale University
West Virginia University - Charleston Division
Mayo Clinic
University of Minnesota
Virginia Commonwealth University
University of Vermont
Western Michigan

Suggestions are welcome!

 

[Elle726]

Why PR? Just wondering. Easy access to piragua? 😛

Because it is home 🙂

I forgot to add University of Wisconsin to my list

 

[211519]

Because it is home 🙂

Fair point! My husband is from Fajardo. 😀

 

[On Walden Pond]

MS4 at Top 20 med school. The list:

UCLA-SFV
UCLA-Harbor
UCLA-NPI
UCSD
USC
UC Davis
Stanford
UCSF
Harvard Longwood
MGH
Johns Hopkins
Northwestern
UIC
Utah
Hawaii

 

[st2205]

East to west-ish:

Cambridge Health Alliance
MUSC
Palmetto
Ohio State
Arkansas
OU Tulsa
UTSW
Scott & White / Texas A&M
UTMB
New Mexico
Utah
San Mateo

The maybe list:

Indiana
UC Davis
UTSW Austin
UT San Antonio
Wright State
MCW

 

[lucyernaga]

Well, I'm a lady who tends to wear ironic animal sweaters and vintage dresses, so I'm having a bit of a time forcing myself to conform. I also just cannot spend hundreds of dollars on a suit.

J. crew looks promising.

I too tend towards vintage dresses. I am seriously considering interviewing in a professional wool dress with a jacket, see below.

heard good things about these folks
http://www.bodenusa.com/en-US/Womens-Clothing.html#nav

I just stumbled upon their suiting collection this weekend!

 

[deleted452516]

"non American MDs"

When the match releases its stats they bunch DO and IMG together and American MD grads are their own category. I agree, I worded it a little funny.

Thanks for sharing everyone, I will put up my list soon!

Maybe we need a separate clothing in psychiatry thread, haha.

 

[lucyernaga]

So, how many programs is everyone applying to?

I'm going to apply to between 15-20, hopefully interview at 10, rank 8. What's my reasoning behind those numbers? Well I'll apply 15-20 because there are just so many programs that look interesting to me, and I don't have geographic limitations. Interview at 10 because I don't have unlimited funds and I don't want to burn myself out, and I'll rank 8 based on the 2011 Charting Outcomes of the Match.

Places I'm applying:
MGH
Cambridge Health Alliance
Brown
Penn
Jefferson
Temple
WPIC
University of Michigan
Northwestern
University of Wisconsin
University of Washington
OHSU
UCSF
UCLA NPI
UCLA Harbor
UCLA SVF
San Mateo
UCSD
UNM
University of Colorado

 

[shan564]

No offense intended, but I never understood why some of us find it so hard to dress differently for a few days. Personally, I like to wear colorful shirts, loud ties, and eclectic assortments of facial hair styles, but the last thing I want at my interview is to be "that guy who pushed the dress code."

If I insist on maintaining my current facial hair style and wear a non-standard-colored shirt, I feel like it'll make me appear inflexible... i.e. "I don't care what the standards are, I want to do things my way."

 

[deleted452516]

why some of us find it so hard to dress differently for a few days.

I never thought I'd be the one to play the woman card, but I think part of the problem I have faced is that there is no established outfit as for men- button-down with tie, suit of special occasion. As such, I always face some uncertainty when it comes to professional attire. Obviously miniskirts are out, but dress vs. pant suit vs. dress suit. I dunno, I get a little overwhelmed and find myself wanting to wear jeans and my master of puppets shirt.

 

[shan564]

Ha, that's true. But I wasn't referring to you specifically... I've seen way too many guys say "do I really have to wear a suit? I really don't want to wear a suit!"

We had that issue with our final clinical exams at our school. A lot of senior staff recommended that we wear suits (since we don't use white coats here in Australia), but some guys refused to even wear a tie. Most people just wanted to dress the same way they dress every day to the hospital.

As a girl, I agree that there's plenty of uncertainty, but I think you still have to wear some sort of suit. I think most dresses are either too informal, too multi-colored, or too party-ish.

If you're uncertain about whether a particular outfit is appropriate, then you can bet that there's a faculty member somewhere who is also uncertain about whether that outfit is appropriate. A particular outfit will never get you bonus points at an interview, but a particular outfit can definitely get you negative points. You never know what might offend your PD's personal/cultural beliefs, so you might as well just stick to the formula.

 

[SmallBird]

hi! I am pretty anxious too.

I am an MS4 soon to be US graduate and I plan to apply to about 20 prorams, most on the east coast.

Here is my list so far:

Harvard Longwood
Brown
Cambridge Health Alliance
Boston University
Umass
NYU
AE-BI
Mt Sinai
George Washington University
University of North Carolina
Duke
Jackson Memorial
University of Texas Southwestern
University of Cincinnati
The Ohio State University
Northwestern
University of Puerto Rico

Any suggestions are welcome!

Nice list - might I ask if you considered applying at Yale? My own views are rather biased, of course, since I matched here (Although I would nevertheless be happy to share them), but you can look at previous years interview review threads and I think they will attest to the program being at least as good as a number on your current list.

 

[SmallBird]

I'm going to apply to between 15-20, hopefully interview at 10, rank 8. What's my reasoning behind those numbers? Well I'll apply 15-20 because there are just so many programs that look interesting to me, and I don't have geographic limitations. Interview at 10 because I don't have unlimited funds and I don't want to burn myself out, and I'll rank 8 based on the 2011 Charting Outcomes of the Match.

Places I'm applying:
MGH
Cambridge Health Alliance
Brown
Penn
Jefferson
Temple
WPIC
University of Michigan
Northwestern
University of Wisconsin
University of Washington
OHSU
UCSF
UCLA NPI
UCLA Harbor
UCLA SVF
San Mateo
UCSD
UNM
University of Colorado

I would ask you the same question as above 🙂

 

[211519]

Ha, that's true. But I wasn't referring to you specifically... I've seen way too many guys say "do I really have to wear a suit? I really don't want to wear a suit!"

We had that issue with our final clinical exams at our school. A lot of senior staff recommended that we wear suits (since we don't use white coats here in Australia), but some guys refused to even wear a tie. Most people just wanted to dress the same way they dress every day to the hospital.

As a girl, I agree that there's plenty of uncertainty, but I think you still have to wear some sort of suit. I think most dresses are either too informal, too multi-colored, or too party-ish.

If you're uncertain about whether a particular outfit is appropriate, then you can bet that there's a faculty member somewhere who is also uncertain about whether that outfit is appropriate. A particular outfit will never get you bonus points at an interview, but a particular outfit can definitely get you negative points. You never know what might offend your PD's personal/cultural beliefs, so you might as well just stick to the formula.

I hear you. I ended up ordering a skirt suit, so we'll see how that works out. I second the uncertainty comment for women, and I'd add that fit can be a big problem with women's suiting and no real standardized sizes.

 

[happyoolongtea]

yay, happy to see this thread 🙂 I'm a US-IMG applying to around 50 programs. I might cut it down to 40 but I'm feeling less optimistic. originally from the mid-Atlantic area and hoping to stay around there, but I'm flexible if I can't.

re: interview attire -- had in mind a jacket with pencil skirt (or pants) with a light colored top.

maldabrroc777 -- why not WVU - Morgantown?

 

[211519]

x

 

[happyoolongtea]

understood. I'm considering WVU, but man...Morgantown...lol

 

[NYCMS2]

I have been lurking here and reading these lists for the last year, and I would like to see someone at least once list a program that isn't one of the 30 or so programs that everyone lists with little variation. Given that there are over 170 psychiatry residency programs, why do we only hear about interest in the same 20 percent? Just curious...because someone is filling the slots in the other 140 programs, and it isn't just FMGs.

I am searching for the truly hidden gems of the psych world.

 

[twright]

I have been lurking here and reading these lists for the last year, and I would like to see someone at least once list a program that isn't one of the 30 or so programs that everyone lists with little variation. Given that there are over 170 psychiatry residency programs, why do we only hear about interest in the same 20 percent? Just curious...because someone is filling the slots in the other 140 programs, and it isn't just FMGs.

I am searching for the truly hidden gems of the psych world.

Part of the problem is that many people post requests for information prior to the Match; are skittish about posting reviews prior to the Match because of unreasonable fears related to potential lack of anonymity and potential retaliation after unfavorable postings; promise to post reviews after the Match; but do not follow through.

Trying to find hidden gems is like looking for undervalued stocks. If everyone is looking for undervalued stocks, then those stocks will no longer be undervalued. If you think that you can find a hidden gem that others have overlooked, then you must be pretty confident in your investigative skills.

 

[NYCMS2]

Part of the problem is that many people post requests for information prior to the Match; are skittish about posting reviews prior to the Match because of unreasonable fears related to potential lack of anonymity and potential retaliation after unfavorable postings; promise to post reviews after the Match; but do not follow through.

Trying to find hidden gems is like looking for undervalued stocks. If everyone is looking for undervalued stocks, then those stocks will no longer be undervalued. If you think that you can find a hidden gem that others have overlooked, then you must be pretty confident in your investigative skills.

I am not necessarily looking for unfavorable info, just curious why the majority of programs don't rate even a mention here.

And there are ways for people to get reviews posted anonymously, so I don't really buy the fear angle. I do think that people, if they have uncovered a hidden gem, may be overly protective of mentioning it prior to the match, and by then, many posters have started to disengage from SDN, and that is understandable.

 

[211519]

x

 

[deleted452516]

Boston
Boston University Medical Center Program
Tufts Medical Center Program

NC
Duke University Hospital Program
University of North Carolina Hospitals Program

NY/NJ
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Program
Albany Medical Center Program
Albert Einstein College of Medicine Program
Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center Program
Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center Program
Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center Program
Maimonides Medical Center Program
Mount Sinai School of Medicine Program
NSLIJHS/Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine at Zucker Hillside Hospital Program
New York Medical College at Westchester Medical Center Program
New York University School of Medicine Program
SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn Program
SUNY Upstate Medical University Program
SUNY at Stony Brook Program
St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center Program
University of Rochester Program

Philly
Albert Einstein Healthcare Network Program
Drexel University College of Medicine/Hahnemann University Hospital Program
Temple University Hospital Program
Thomas Jefferson University Program
University of Pennsylvania Program

MD/VA/DC
University of Virginia Program
Johns Hopkins University Program
University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt Program
George Washington University Program

New England
University of Vermont Program
Maine Medical Center Program
Butler Hospital/Brown University Program
Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital Program
University of Connecticut Program

Might add Chicago programs... Overkill?

 

[OldPsychDoc]

That's a reasonable theory.

Out of curiosity, what sort of attributes would you assign to a "hidden gem" program?

Sometimes I think the chief attributes of "Hidden Gem-ness" are a) being >250 miles inland; or b) being across town from one of the "usual suspects". 🙄

But that said--most of this process is a matter of personal taste more than anything else.

 

[211519]

Sometimes I think the chief attributes of "Hidden Gem-ness" are a) being >250 miles inland; or b) being across town from one of the "usual suspects". 🙄

But that said--most of this process is a matter of personal taste more than anything else.

Agreed. Most of my preferred programs are quite non-coastal and pretty chilly. That is really tied to the fact that I lived on the Atlantic coast in FL for 13 years. I'm over hurricanes, West Nile scares and tourists.

 

[NYCMS2]

That's a reasonable theory.

Out of curiosity, what sort of attributes would you assign to a "hidden gem" program?

In most basic terms, a hidden gem is a non malignant program that is not widely known in a location that people tend to overlook; there would be other attributes, but for now this suffices. And by definition it is "hidden" or at least not often discussed, certainly not here, and if not discussed here, where are these discussions taking place? Maybe nowhere, but it makes me wonder how applicants find these other programs, and on the other side of the coin, how do these programs attract enough applicants to fill? Are these programs on lists that FMGs know about?

To be fair, these threads have opened my eyes to a number of programs I likely would have never discovered on my own. Similarly, these posts have red flagged a number of programs, too, and that is invaluable. I am grateful for every review posted here.

But my list, as it now stands, looks exactly like everybody else's list, and that prompted my question. It seems like we are all chasing the same 15 or 20 programs; like everyone, I am looking for an edge, or just a few more gems.

 

[NYCMS2]

Sometimes I think the chief attributes of "Hidden Gem-ness" are a) being >250 miles inland; or b) being across town from one of the "usual suspects". 🙄

But that said--most of this process is a matter of personal taste more than anything else.

I have to admit that my list is made up mostly of programs located within a stone's throw or short car drive from an ocean.

 

[211519]

New England
University of Vermont Program

For what it is worth, I've heard really nice things about University of Vermont. That is mostly heresay and commentary from people on last year's interview trail, but still.

 

[twright]

I am not necessarily looking for unfavorable info, just curious why the majority of programs don't rate even a mention here.

And there are ways for people to get reviews posted anonymously, so I don't really buy the fear angle. I do think that people, if they have uncovered a hidden gem, may be overly protective of mentioning it prior to the match, and by then, many posters have started to disengage from SDN, and that is understandable.

Most people on SDN do not seem to buy the protection of anonymity. If you read posts from previous years in which this issue has been raised, nearly all make some reference to the possibility that a program director might be spending hours on SDN tracing down someone's entire posting history and looking through posts for clues as to their identities, thereby undoing the anonymity (e.g., in 2007 I praised the UM football team, and many of my posts are favorable to DOs, and I disclosed that I have interviews at both University of Bumpkus and Schmancy Fancy University Medical Center... my GOD they might be able to figure out who I am! And I really want to go to a program where the Program Director is spending hours on SDN trying to figure out my identity instead of listening to residents complain about the lack of social work support and med reconciliation forms...).

 

[On Walden Pond]

There's two more hidden gems, University of Bumpkus and Schmany Fancy University. I'd really fit into Schmancy Fancy U, but I hear her sister school across the street, Fancy Schmancy University enforces expensive brand name dress attire at all times (but will fire you for wearing the Kardashian Kollection). Hmm.

 

[211519]

There's two more hidden gems, University of Bumpkus and Schmany Fancy University. I'd really fit into Schmancy Fancy U, but I hear her sister school across the street, Fancy Schmancy University enforces expensive brand name dress attire at all times (but will fire you for wearing the Kardashian Kollection). Hmm.

Yah, but the cost of living at U Bump is way lower, and it is better for the family-minded applicants.

 

[On Walden Pond]

I would apply to more hidden gems if it weren't for the fact that I really want to land in Southern California, and I'm hung up on pedigree since I worked so hard getting into a top med school.

 

[lucyernaga]

I would ask you the same question as above 🙂

I would apply to Yale, but my amazing, supportive partner, who will quit his job and have to find a new one if we decide to move out of our city, vetoed New Haven

 

[m1345]

long-time lurker here. MS4 from a southern mid-tier school who is looking to relocate with wife to the northeast, particularly Boston or New York and surrounding (able to commute if we moved halfway between the city and the program) areas. Steps >250, aoa. Thinking that I should broaden my list, but I also don't want to go broke on interviews if its not necessary. And from talking w psych residents and looking at SDN, I'm not sure how interested I am on some of the programs on the list--noted below--any better substitutes in either location that I've overlooked?

NYC/could split the commute from NYC

NYU
Mt Sinai
Cornell
Columbia
St Lukes Roosevelt (?mainly bc I've noticed that ppl have made it sound great on here)
Yale

Boston/could split the commute from Boston

MGH/McLean
Cambridge Health Alliance
Longwood
Brown
Places that I'm currently planning to apply to for the Boston location but that I'm less sure about-- Southshore, Tufts, BU, UMass.


I love the enthusiasm already in this thread. Keep it up!

 

[m1345]

Deleted

 

[splik]

MS4 at Top 20 med school. The list:

UCLA-SFV
UCLA-Harbor
UCLA-NPI
UCSD
USC
UC Davis
Stanford
UCSF
Harvard Longwood
MGH
Johns Hopkins
Northwestern
UIC
Utah
Hawaii

would suggest you might as well add UCI OHSU and UW whilst youre at it.