ACGME Auditions as a DO Student

[rimbleton]

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Hi guys,

I am hoping for a little advice regarding 4th year planning. I found some useful threads on this forum that have answered a lot of my questions, but I still have a couple more.

I am a 3rd year DO student applying to EM next year. I am planning to apply to ACGME programs, and I am looking to do 2 (possibly 3) auditions. I am interested in rotating in larger cities (Chicago, NY, LA, etc.), as that is where I hope to end up eventually. I have spent a lot of time researching which programs take DOs, particularly those that have taken them consistently (like at least 1 per class year). I am also looking to do 1 county type program and 1 community type program.

Here are some general stats:
-Preclinical rank: top 15%
-USMLE step 1: high 240's
-Clinical grades: all honors so far, but still have a few core rotations to go
-Research: none (I realize this may keep me out of more academic type programs)

Programs I am interested in possibly rotating at: LAC+USC, Jacobi, SUNY Downstate, Maimonides, University Illinois Chicago

I know some of these are reach programs, particularly LAC+USC. It looks like they have been taking DOs in the last couple years, and so has Downstate. Otherwise, I would not consider them at all.

While I would like a great rotation, I realize getting a good SLOE is probably the most important thing for my application. Would rotating at "reach" programs like LAC+USC make it less likely for me to get a good SLOE?

Also, If any of you have rotated at these sites, how was the experience? and did they provide fair SLOE's?

What is the latest month I can rotate at a program and get a SLOE in time for ERAS?

Thanks for any help you can give me!

 

[QueenJames]

.

 

[Petypet]

As a DO I would have everything in making your application complete the day ERAS opens for submissions. Figure it takes 2-4 weeks to make a SLOE, probably 6-8 weeks before ERAS opens. Some will disagree but for quality programs as a DO it behooves you to have a complete application from the get go. I did my subI/auditions for SLOE in July and Aug.

 

[IH8ColdWeath3r]

As a DO I would have everything in making your application complete the day ERAS opens for submissions. Figure it takes 2-4 weeks to make a SLOE, probably 6-8 weeks before ERAS opens. Some will disagree but for quality programs as a DO it behooves you to have a complete application from the get go. I did my subI/auditions for SLOE in July and Aug.

I thinks this is really important, at least based on friends I've talked to who are a year above me. I was initially going to use July to get some "extra" studying in for step II but instead set up an audition in July, so I can have my SLOE early. Obviously, you never want to drop on step II but it also pays to be early. One of my good friends had her app be delayed because her second audition was later in the cycle and it took them forever to get her SLOE in.

 

[rimbleton]

The whole SLOE business is really what has been concerning me, as your posts and others reiterate the importance of getting them in as early as possible. The problem for me is that due my school's requirements, my earliest away will be in August. I am scheduling the next one in September, which I realize means that I won't get the second SLOE in until mid October at the soonest (but also with the potential of being much later). It is very frustrating to say the least...

 

[IH8ColdWeath3r]

The whole SLOE business is really what has been concerning me, as your posts and others reiterate the importance of getting them in as early as possible. The problem for me is that due my school's requirements, my earliest away will be in August. I am scheduling the next one in September, which I realize means that I won't get the second SLOE in until mid October at the soonest (but also with the potential of being much later). It is very frustrating to say the least...

Not sure if you saw the other thread that was posted. There was PD's who gave several talks about what programs look for, how to do well on rotations, among other things. One thing that they all stressed a lot of high pass/honors during 3rd year clerkships, which was impossible to do at my school (DO school). That has me pretty worried. Less than 2% of our class honors a given rotation, because of the requirements (>110 on COMAT and a 4.8/5 on evaluations, the second of which is nearly impossible and most docs don't even give 5's to residents). It is such a problem that my school has tried to change the requirements, but these wont take affect for a while. I am pretty bummed about all of this because I already feel like I am at a disadvantage as a DO, and the fact that my school make it impossible to honors, we end late as well due to mandatory comp week that includes mock OMM practicals and a written exam (doesn't help the timeline issue we are facing) and them constantly telling us that it isn't mandatory to take step I and step II (I took 1 and am taking II right after COMLEX Level II), I just feel super concerned....

 

[Smiths11]

Not sure if you saw the other thread that was posted. There was PD's who gave several talks about what programs look for, how to do well on rotations, among other things.

Which thread was it if you don't mind sharing? Thanks

 

[IH8ColdWeath3r]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2016-vsas-away-rotations-thread.1193068/

http://www.aliem.com/2014/em-match-advice-em-rotation-eras-competitive/

^ check out those videos.

 

[rimbleton]

Not sure if you saw the other thread that was posted. There was PD's who gave several talks about what programs look for, how to do well on rotations, among other things. One thing that they all stressed a lot of high pass/honors during 3rd year clerkships, which was impossible to do at my school (DO school). That has me pretty worried. Less than 2% of our class honors a given rotation, because of the requirements (>110 on COMAT and a 4.8/5 on evaluations, the second of which is nearly impossible and most docs don't even give 5's to residents). It is such a problem that my school has tried to change the requirements, but these wont take affect for a while. I am pretty bummed about all of this because I already feel like I am at a disadvantage as a DO, and the fact that my school make it impossible to honors, we end late as well due to mandatory comp week that includes mock OMM practicals and a written exam (doesn't help the timeline issue we are facing) and them constantly telling us that it isn't mandatory to take step I and step II (I took 1 and am taking II right after COMLEX Level II), I just feel super concerned....

I ended up watching one of the videos, and it definitely provided some good insight. It is also really frustrating when we feel like our school is working against us rather than for us. One thing the PDs kept mentioning was the importance of good advising. I recently asked my advisor a question about SLOE's/LORs and I was told that any LOR from any specialty would be sufficient for EM! I get that maybe one of my non SLOE letters can be from a non EM attending, but this advice really concerned me. If I had not spent a lot of my own time researching the EM application process, I may have actually listened to this and would likely not get any interviews.

After that advice, I basically realized I was on my own. I recently applied for the EMRA mentorship program and I am hoping I can get matched with someone who at least knows what a SLOE is.

 

[IH8ColdWeath3r]

I ended up watching one of the videos, and it definitely provided some good insight. It is also really frustrating when we feel like our school is working against us rather than for us. One thing the PDs kept mentioning was the importance of good advising. I recently asked my advisor a question about SLOE's/LORs and I was told that any LOR from any specialty would be sufficient for EM! I get that maybe one of my non SLOE letters can be from a non EM attending, but this advice really concerned me. If I had not spent a lot of my own time researching the EM application process, I may have actually listened to this and would likely not get any interviews.

After that advice, I basically realized I was on my own. I recently applied for the EMRA mentorship program and I am hoping I can get matched with someone who at least knows what a SLOE is.

Yeah that is a solid program. We have a bunch of new clerkship advisors at our institution, none of them are even doctors. One of the new ones who I spoke with because mine was out of the office didn't even know what a SLOE was.......

so yeah, I definitely feel your frustration. I realized I was on my own when 2nd year started and they were giving out Step/Board advice..