A question on internships...

[Jimmybean]

So I'm thinking about going into surgery... I only figured that out recently, and didn't do as hot as I could have M1, my grades have been significantly better in M2 but overall I am probably sitting just a couple of points below the class average. I haven't taken step 1 yet either... I'm a DO (obviously) who will probably end up taking both usmle and comlex.

I was curious though, before I get my heart set on it... Say I apply and interview and whatnot but do not get a spot... If I opt instead to do an internship year, will that inherently make me a better candidate to rematch the next year?

I guess I'm just curious as to whether or not going that route would help... and if so how much of an advantage do you think it would be.

Hope you guys can help, I tried to google it but not much came up.

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[Altruist]

Hopefully this article will ease your mind somewhat:
http://journals.lww.com/academicmed..._Criteria_for_Residency__Results_of_a.24.aspx
According to this, basic science grades are far down the list in importance, for surgery and most other fields.

I'm a first year, so I can't help you with the internship question.

 

[rddoms]

A few attendings gave us second years some advice regarding all of that. They were of the opinion that Step 1 and clinical grades were the important factors.

One of the attendings also talked about people who do an internship, and said it could be a disadvantage. He was of the opinion that with a year of being a doctor under your belt, you should be way above a person who just graduated.

 

[TexasPhysician]

An intern year would be a disadvantage. The most desired applicants are straight out of med school.

Study hard for Step 1/Comlex, get good clinical scores/LOR's, and apply broadly. Don't scramble.

 

[Jimmybean]

Curious why you said 'dont scramble'...

Is it better to do a PGY1 as a general intern year as opposed to scrambling for a G.S. spot?

Ugh I can't wait to get done with boards so I can plan out the NEXT 4 years of my education lol.

 

[JonnyG]

if you want to be a surgeon then you would do a surgery preliminary year if you didn't match for a categorical position. The program may allow you to continue on as a pgy 2 or repeat intern year as a categorical.

Scrambling is not a good option these days since more and more spots actually fill in the match. It would be better to have a preliminary spot at a program you like then to risk the scramble and not get a categorical spot or get a spot in a preliminary program you hate.

General surgery isnt as competitive as most fields. Its probably a step above primary care. In the DO world, it is rare to get a spot unless you have rotated with the program. Almost all specialties in the DO world work that way. The people who do usually are top of the heap or the ones they wanted didn't want the program.

 

[Hybrid1]

Even scrambling into a prelim year is not a sure thing these days. I talked to a few friends who had to scramble this afternoon under various circumstances, and they were not able to secure any allopathic prelim spots. They ended up getting an allo categorical spot in another field or grabbing one of the remaining DO internships.