2018-19 Pain Fellowship Interview Thread

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j4pac

j4pac

Prior Flight Surgeon PM&R attending guy
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The 2018-19 Pain Fellowship cycle has officially kicked off. Good luck guys/gals!
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I'll start with a question to anyone nice enough to response. Does anyone know whether there are any programs that do not participate in the NRMP match? I'm only willing to interview at programs participating in the match. I don't want to ask programs because if I did ask, they may be on to me that they are not my top choice.
 
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j4pac said:
I'll start with a question to anyone nice enough to response. Does anyone know whether there are any programs that do not participate in the NRMP match? I'm only willing to interview at programs participating in the match. I don't want to ask programs because if I did ask, they may be on to me that they are not my top choice.
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I am sure there are — but more often you will find pain fellowships which only participate with some of their positions. To maintain ACGME accreditation, my understanding is a certain number of available spots must be available in the match process.

Most institutions that do not participate at all *every* year are not accredited.

For many ACGME programs, the amount to which they participate in a given year varies — for instance, if a program has five fellowship positions to fill, they may fill 2 with internal applicants and may opt to enter the remaining 3 into the NRMP pool.

OTHER programs opt to have a position or two completely separate from the match timeframe each year. These are called “off-cycle” spots and are typically filled Jan-Jan, although this can vary.
 
... it should be mentioned that some programs remain that do not accept ERAS applications but do participate in the NRMP process. The biggest example of this is Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
 
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MaximusD said:
... it should be mentioned that some programs remain that do not accept ERAS applications but do participate in the NRMP process. The biggest example of this is Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
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Brigham is on ERAS this year.
 
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Good luck all! Just finished itemizing my interview expenses for tax season, it certainly was an odyssey!
 
Hello guys, I have a question about MyERAS application. It requests that I write my NRMP ID, however we still can't register for the NRMP for Pain Medicine as it's not available yet. Do we submit the ERAS application without the NRMP ID or is there a way to register for the NRMP match at this time?
 
Vickz said:
Hello guys, I have a question about MyERAS application. It requests that I write my NRMP ID, however we still can't register for the NRMP for Pain Medicine as it's not available yet. Do we submit the ERAS application without the NRMP ID or is there a way to register for the NRMP match at this time?
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I updated ERAS when my NRMP ID became available.
 
Any recommendations on questions to ask while on interviews?
 
AWETIGER said:
Any recommendations on questions to ask while on interviews?
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I'm biased but my focus has always been about the procedures.

I always asked how many, what kind, and who will supervise procedures.

I asked programs if they did permanent implants and if it was with interventional pain or neurosurgery.
 
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AWETIGER said:
Any recommendations on questions to ask while on interviews?
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-Where people get jobs after fellowship
-Areas of research within the program
-Call Schedule
-How many procedures per half-day
-Do they give you admin time
-Do they pay for your medical license
-Procedures per year with breakdown of procedures (i.e. 5000 trigger points?)
-Do they send you to any training courses?
 
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Are NRMP IDs available yet? I didn’t think they were at this point in time.
 
My application is complete (the ERAS part) but I have been going back and forth for several weeks now when it comes to my personal statement. How much weight do you guys think the personal statement carries? What exactly are they looking for in your PS?

I am trying to produce the "best" PS I can, and always feel like I can make it better, but really need to stop myself at some point and just submit lol.

Thanks!
 
DJDakoo said:
My application is complete (the ERAS part) but I have been going back and forth for several weeks now when it comes to my personal statement. How much weight do you guys think the personal statement carries? What exactly are they looking for in your PS?

I am trying to produce the "best" PS I can, and always feel like I can make it better, but really need to stop myself at some point and just submit lol.

Thanks!
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Don't let it delay you from submitting your app.

I think most PDs use it as a marker to see if you can carry a conversation and to make sure you're a human being.

I beat myself over my PS and in retrospect I realized it doesn't matter compared to letters of rec and word of mouth.
 
Hi guys, new to the forum. Are there any off cycle positions available. Do we have to apply outside ERAaS for off cycle spots. thanks
 
JMat5 said:
Hi guys, new to the forum. Are there any off cycle positions available. Do we have to apply outside ERAaS for off cycle spots. thanks
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FWIW, I know of off-cycle spots at University of Rochester and St. Elizabeth’s of Boston. you should inquire but typically these programs accept ERAS. Good luck!
 
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I applying for a pain fellowship, I notice there is no place for ITE scores, but step scores are available to programs. My step 1 was way below average, step 2 was average. My ITE is >75%tile. Is there a way this can be a consideration? I know mentioning it somewhere wont prevent me getting screened out step 1. Im not even sure if programs screen that way. Any advice? Thanks.
 
IkeBoy18 said:
I applying for a pain fellowship, I notice there is no place for ITE scores, but step scores are available to programs. My step 1 was way below average, step 2 was average. My ITE is >75%tile. Is there a way this can be a consideration? I know mentioning it somewhere wont prevent me getting screened out step 1. Im not even sure if programs screen that way. Any advice? Thanks.
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Some programs may use it, some may not (both ITE and USMLE). It’s not residency though and I’d say it’s more about your references, your program , your other involvements, and how well you interview. Make sure you send it (your ITE score report) to pain programs when/after you submit ERAS as a supplemental material. Some programs listed it as a required item on their website and some contacted me for my ITEs last year.

Good luck.
 
I have 3 of 4 LOR's in. The final doc keeps saying he will upload it however he still has not. He says he has wrote it. Do I wait for him to upload this - hopefully sometime this weekend or next week or do I just submit and then send this LOR separately? Thanks for the input!
 
ED50 said:
I have 3 of 4 LOR's in. The final doc keeps saying he will upload it however he still has not. He says he has wrote it. Do I wait for him to upload this - hopefully sometime this weekend or next week or do I just submit and then send this LOR separately? Thanks for the input!
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Had the exact same problem this time last year. Waited until the first week of feb and submitted without. I added the fourth letter when he submitted it a few weeks later. Hope this helps. YMMV, standard disclaimers, etc.
 
How do programs that only request 3 LoR's handle receiving 4 LoRs? Do they just randomly pick 3 from the 4?

Debating whether to assign 4 LoR's to every program or just the one that specifically state that they want 4 LoRs.
 
MustangGtV894 said:
How do programs that only request 3 LoR's handle receiving 4 LoRs? Do they just randomly pick 3 from the 4?

Debating whether to assign 4 LoR's to every program or just the one that specifically state that they want 4 LoRs.
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Curious to know which program requires 4 lors? thanks and good luck everyone!
 
Out of curiosity: care to venture a guess as to the percentage of residents applying for pain fellowship from your program? Through the grapevine I've heard it's a bit more than usual this year.

At my program (mid-size, located in NYC), just under 50% are applying...
 
Im not finding Pain Medicine as a fellowship in NRMP to retrieve my NRMP ID? Do we just wait until its listed to retrieve our ID to submit our applications on ERAS?
 
MikeMerk-MtS said:
Out of curiosity: care to venture a guess as to the percentage of residents applying for pain fellowship from your program? Through the grapevine I've heard it's a bit more than usual this year.

At my program (mid-size, located in NYC), just under 50% are applying...
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Variable... my class had 4/10 interested in pain The CA-2 class, maybe 1. Class above had 3. YMMV.
 
MaximusD said:
Variable... my class had 4/10 interested in pain The CA-2 class, maybe 1. Class above had 3. YMMV.
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Hey Maximus how’d you get the Air Force logo on your signature? Im a former flight surg now practicing Anesth applying for pain. I’m applying all over the country and hope to start seeing some of these interview invites everyone talks about....!
 
jollygoodfellow said:
Hey Maximus how’d you get the Air Force logo on your signature? Im a former flight surg now practicing Anesth applying for pain. I’m applying all over the country and hope to start seeing some of these interview invites everyone talks about....!
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If you go to the military forum there are instructions in a sticky. Good luck!

Edit: copied the link below.

Uniformed Services Free Membership Upgrade
Forum Members - Uniformed Services Free Membership Upgrade
 
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IkeBoy18 said:
I applying for a pain fellowship, I notice there is no place for ITE scores, but step scores are available to programs. My step 1 was way below average, step 2 was average. My ITE is >75%tile. Is there a way this can be a consideration? I know mentioning it somewhere wont prevent me getting screened out step 1. Im not even sure if programs screen that way. Any advice? Thanks.
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I’m in a similar situation as you. Would it be weird if I sent my ite scores to programs even if they didn’t ask for it ?
 
Long time lurker first time poster. Good luck everyone!

Dartmouth Hitchcock (2/7) - 5/7
 
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How do you send your ITE scores?

Also, they want my CA-1 scores, why not just wait for the CA-2 ones to come back? (I am hoping to do much better on my CA-2 ITE lol)
 
DJDakoo said:
How do you send your ITE scores?

Also, they want my CA-1 scores, why not just wait for the CA-2 ones to come back? (I am hoping to do much better on my CA-2 ITE lol)
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Send your score report to the program coordinator.
Update the programs with your CA-2 scores when you get them back.
 
DJDakoo said:
How do you send your ITE scores?

Also, they want my CA-1 scores, why not just wait for the CA-2 ones to come back? (I am hoping to do much better on my CA-2 ITE lol)
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Yep. Was in your shoes last year. I didn’t submit until my CA2 scores were in. I’m sure that was a red flag for some programs, but I didn’t feel that it represented my potential when I hadn’t even studied for it (hadn’t been aware of its significance). Still, if a program is asking for it, and you don’t submit it, there is certainly a chance that they will not review your app until you submit it (or even at all). Good luck!
 
Another long time lurker, first time poster:

Albany (1/31) - 5/4, 5/11
University of New Mexico (2/1) - 4/20, 5/11

Good luck everyone!
 
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So, is it like residency where some of the programs will send out invites through the season?
 
Will these programs have another round of interviews? I just sent my application in
 
MDApplicant3 said:
Will these programs have another round of interviews? I just sent my application in
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Many programs (can’t speak for Albany specifically) may send out a second round of invites if they don’t get enough bites out of the first. Obviously this applies to some programs but not the top tier who have no problem attracting applicants. Typically programs only have a certain number of slots in a certain number of days (or single day) to fill.

Interviewees may cancel as the cycle goes on, opening up some of those slots and programs may or may not try to fill them by extending out further invites, or contacting their waitlist.

Generally, if you don’t get an invite after it’s announced, don’t hold your breath for most of the top programs.

MaximusD is a kind and benevolent poster, seems like good people... I’d listen to him. It can get a little crazy on here. I’m also happy to answer any questions for those applying this cycle. I am PM&R, matched last cycle to my top choice, and I’m THRILLED to be going into Pain. SDN is a highly imperfect resource but was pretty helpful when looking at invite dates.
 
Maximus, you wrote earlier that you didn’t apply until your CA-2 ITE scores were in. Maybe I missed it but I didn’t see a place to add my ITE scores to the ERAS application. My situation is a little nontraditional and I think it puts me at a little bit of a disadvantage in the application process. I’m applying to a pain fellowship after graduating back in 2011 from residency and working at a public hospital ever since. Some programs still want my ITE scores even when I tell them I can give you a copy of my ABA Certificate. I guess it’s another tool they can use to weed through applicants. I was able to dig up my CA-3 but that’s the best I could do. I hope that will do.
 
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Titan -I'm in the same boat, graduated in 2009. I applied in 2008 and had a ton of interviews but cancelled them all and took a job....have regretted it ever since. I re-applied a few years ago and went through the whole process...got 2 interviews...didn't get a spot. I am applying again nationwide and have 91 applications (there are 8 or so that say "incomplete registration) out there in ERAS... I had emailed someone at the ABA about ITE scores and they sent me an email with all of them listed. I sent that in and it seemed to suffice. I plan on applying to Pain every year...there goes my CME money.
 
Titan07 said:
Maximus, you wrote earlier that you didn’t apply until your CA-2 ITE scores were in. Maybe I missed it but I didn’t see a place to add my ITE scores to the ERAS application. My situation is a little nontraditional and I think it puts me at a little bit of a disadvantage in the application process. I’m applying to a pain fellowship after graduating back in 2011 from residency and working at a public hospital ever since. Some programs still want my ITE scores even when I tell them I can give you a copy of my ABA Certificate. I guess it’s another tool they can use to weed through applicants. I was able to dig up my CA-3 but that’s the best I could do. I hope that will do.
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I find it annoying that they don’t have a place to put your ite score on the eras application. It’s tedious but I’ve just been sending my ite pdf to the program coordinators.
 
Should you send your ite scores in? I figured the programs would ask if they want them

Edit: to clarify I mean should you send them in cold, obv send them in if they request them
 
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