3rd yr student needs help with timing issue

[Catatonic]

Hi everyone,

I am a third year medical student who took a leave of absence after taking STEP 1 for a personal issue. I missed my first rotation, which was the 2 month surgery core clerkship, and I have to make up this clerkship at the beginning of fourth year. This puts a bind on the whole early match process because I am not allowed to take any fourth year rotations until I complete my surgery clerkship and I won't have enough letters of recommendations from ophthalmologists.

So I am wondering whether I should do a year of research after graduation and apply for the residency plus the transition year during my gap year OR whether I should apply for transition year during fourth year and apply for the ophthalmology residency during that transition year. If I do the latter, would it be possible to apply for a residency spot that starts as soon as I finish the transition year, or would the spots be all filled already? I really would like to prevent a gap year if possible but I'm not sure whether that's feasible.

Also with the weird timing issues, would I be competitive enough to match when I do apply? Here are my stats so far:
STEP 1 (taken once): 238/99
Grades: Honors in Ophthal, HP in ENT, Radiology (no core clerkship grades out yet)
Ranking: Average
Research: Poster presentation

Thanks for the advice!

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[The Doctor]

A 3rd possibility that you haven't mentioned that I think you should consider is asking your dean whether you can delay graduation and start completing your research year now. Perhaps you could stagger your remaining clinical rotations over the rest of this year and then the additional research year or start your research next semester and do it as well for the fall semester while you are applying in 2012 then finish your rotations in Spring 2013. I think applying while you are still currently a medical student vs someone who has graduated would be advantageous - you don't have the stigma of a graduate who is out of school and you still have the faculty close by to talk with for their advice, etc.

 

[Ophtho222]

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[Ophtho222]

I don't think you need to delay your ophtho match or graduation just because of a two month delay. It looks like you've already honored an ophtho rotation. Why not just try and secure a letter from that. Even if you explain your situation to the PD, I'm sure they'd help you out. If you want an additional ophtho letter, consider working on a research project with an ophtho for the next year during free time and get a letter from them. Not all your letters need to be from ophthalmologists either. One can be a good gen surg or medicine letter. With that you can apply to the match and just take a second ophtho rotation as early as you are able. No one will even realize you had a delay.

 

[The Doctor]

Look at the precise dates and see when you will be taking that ophtho rotation. You need to submit your SF match application and Fedex off the letters absolutely no later than Sept. 1 most years and preferably slightly before then. Can you do your rotation before then and still give your letter writers 2-3 weeks? You don't want to send in things late because it will limit your interview possibilities. Alternately, maybe you could spend some time in clinic with ophtho faculty at your home school in a non-official rotation context like on weekend clinics or vacation weeks or the summer if you have any time just to try to get those letters (or do a side research project with them now).

 

[Slide]

Hi everyone,

I am a third year medical student who took a leave of absence after taking STEP 1 for a personal issue. I missed my first rotation, which was the 2 month surgery core clerkship, and I have to make up this clerkship at the beginning of fourth year. This puts a bind on the whole early match process because I am not allowed to take any fourth year rotations until I complete my surgery clerkship and I won't have enough letters of recommendations from ophthalmologists.

So I am wondering whether I should do a year of research after graduation and apply for the residency plus the transition year during my gap year OR whether I should apply for transition year during fourth year and apply for the ophthalmology residency during that transition year. If I do the latter, would it be possible to apply for a residency spot that starts as soon as I finish the transition year, or would the spots be all filled already? I really would like to prevent a gap year if possible but I'm not sure whether that's feasible.

Also with the weird timing issues, would I be competitive enough to match when I do apply? Here are my stats so far:
STEP 1 (taken once): 238/99
Grades: Honors in Ophthal, HP in ENT, Radiology (no core clerkship grades out yet)
Ranking: Average
Research: Poster presentation

Thanks for the advice!

I'm going to take an opposite opinion and advise you take a year off to do research or a pre-residency fellowship. Assuming that your 4th year starts in July, missing those two months will hurt a lot. June-August are the major months for M4s to do their ophtho rotations and get letters. Most applicants turn in their forms by mid-late August, and turning in all your forms by early September will still make you miss some deadlines. Your Step score should be fine, and as long as your clinical grades are above average, you'll be alright. Research and letters will probably matter more, and the gap year lets you focus on those.

If people ask about why you didn't go into the match right away during 4th year, I think your personal leave (considering that it's legit) is reasonable; life happens and you can't control it sometimes.