Advice about entering Match in Plastics

[nicholasdonin]

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Hey-

So I need a bit of advice. I think I already have some idea of the answer but I'm just looking for a bit of a reality check.

I want to be a PRS surgeon. I have only recently made this decision. I am a third year med student at a very good med school. I have a high boards score (like over 250). I have 2 years research experience at the NIH in gliomas, but I have NO plastics research experience.

What are my chances of getting a spot in an integrated plastics program?

If I don't match in PRS, but I stay focused on plastics during my general surgery residency (including a potential year off doing research, and generally performing reasonably well) what are my chances of getting into plastics via this route?

Thanks. Geez, I probably should have made my screen name a bit more anonymous, and not my actual name. Hmmmm.

 

[totipocincy]

Your board scores will certainly help in getting some interviews. I just finished interviewing and found that the people that seemed to get a lot of interviews all had a few essentials in common:
1) They demonstrated their committment to plastics by either doing research related to or with plastic surgeons, OR, by doing away rotations. Most interviewees had both.
2) They all had competitive board scores (>240).

The official 'what do PRS program director like?' survey can be downloaded by pasting this link into a new browser: www.nrmp.org/data/programresultsbyspecialty.pdf

My advice would be to do PRS-research at your home institution, the sooner the better. This will also help you rub noses with your home PS people which may help in other ways down the trail. Then, do 1-2 aways at your dream schools, work your butt off there, and get good LORs. With these, you will certainly get your fair share of interviews.
Good luck!