Advice for residency applications

[foofighter7]

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Ok so to sum it up, I am an IMG with a failed step 1 score, 2nd try, 198 on step 1. No excuse for my lousy performance, but I broke up with my gf of 2 years, and then i got hooked on working out and I wasn't really into studying. I basically lost a lot of motivation and didn't really study. Anyway, on step 2, i got a 256. I know, shocker, right. Ideally, i wanted surgery, but should I apply for IM as back up? I guess what I'm asking is, even tho I have a failed step 1, with a low step 1 on second attempt, could I still match into surgery (not a preliminary, but a catagorical).

 

[hewmanoid]

I would hate to say this, but you might want to consider looking into other less competitive specialties. Your IMG status already puts you at a huge disadvantage, and the fact that you failed your Step I doesn't bode well at all. Moreover, the score of 196 on a second try will further weaken your candidacy. While getting 256 on Step 2CK is great, it will in no way make up for your poor performance on Step I. Sorry.

 

[foofighter7]

thanks for the honest reply. Ideally, I would like to do IM then. Would I still be competitive for IM programs. I really don't care about specializing afterwards. Doing 3 yrs IM and being a hospitalist would make me happy. Should I apply for IM and back-up FM or psych? Or will I have a good shot at IM with that 256?

 

[link2swim06]

General surgery isn't that competitive. You have no chance at ortho, neuro, plastics...or any other type of surgery.

Take a look at http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2011.pdf

You definitely need a backup but IM isn't much less competitive than surgery. Things like family and psych are less competitive.

 

[thepoopologist]

If I were in your shoes I'd apply to them all. GS/IM/FM/psych and go to as many interviews as possible without regard to geography.

 

[235009]

If I were in your shoes I'd apply to them all. GS/IM/FM/psych and go to as many interviews as possible without regard to geography.

agree with this. focus on community GS and IM programs in undesirable locations. FM as a backup. You'll probably have to apply to an absurd number of programs (~200 i'm guessing) and spend a ridiculous amount of money on this process. it goes without saying of course that you'll need to write 3 personal statements and have at least 2 sets of letters (IM and FM letters are probably interchangeable)

 

[survivordo]

Just as a word of advice. If you can see yourself being happy as a hospitalist do NOT do general surgery. Yes, things are changing toward shift work but it is still a specialty where you have to bust your a** and are going to be working long hard hours during residency and beyond. My recommendation to you is that if you can see yourself being happy doing anything else than you will likely burn out doing GS.

Survivor DO

 

[ArcGurren]

General surgery isn't that competitive. You have no chance at ortho, neuro, plastics...or any other type of surgery.

Take a look at http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2011.pdf

You definitely need a backup but IM isn't much less competitive than surgery. Things like family and psych are less competitive.

Um, that's not true at all. There were more prelim spots for GS left open after the main match but categorical gen surg is MUCH more competitive for IMGs to match than categorical IM positions. Even for US grads gen surg has gotten more competitive. The competition for those prelim surgery spots is fierce and even if you get them, they in no way ever guarantee a categorical position at any surgical residency program. It is true that categorical IM has become more competitive but the match has still gotten tougher since 2011. With a failed first pass step 1 and a 198 on second attempt he has pretty much zero chance of matching categorical GS.

OP, if I were you I would apply IM across the country to as many programs as you possibly can. Your failed initial step 1 is going to automatically reject you from a lot of programs unfortunately and even though you have a strong step 2 CK score, many programs simply use a step 1 score as a screening requirement and the fact that you're an IMG means that they'll have even higher cutoffs for you as compared to an AMG. I would say applying with an FM and/or psych backup is definitely recommended in your case, although I personally know very little about the competitiveness of those specialties. Best of luck to you.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Unfortunately, I have to agree that being an IMG with a failed step 1 and <200 on the retake probably takes you out of the running for gen surg. Any one of those three things would likely auto screen you out from many programs, and the handful where your app makes it to an actual person who might notice your 250 on step 2 are far from guaranteed to offer you an interview--while it's a nice feather in your cap, as a PD posted on here once, it's not like they're going to suddenly see you as if your step 1 was 20 points higher.

If you really had your heart set on GS I could see trying applying to GS/IM/FM simultaneously and seeing what happened; however, since you seem to be OK with the idea of IM-->hospitalist, I'd just go all-out on IM and make yourself as competitive as you possibly can be for that specialty. I'd also pick either FM or psych as a backup, as I'm sure the fail as an IMG will still get you screened out at several IM programs, and you definitely don't want to wind up in SOAP-limbo as an IMG.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Good luck getting a residency being an IMG with a failed Step 1, followed up with a 198.

Apply IM/FM very very broadly. Even with your 250 Step 2 I'd be very surprised if you get anything more than a surgery prelim interview.