Advice for Surgery Prelim reapplying for Categorical?

[GonefromTX]

Hey everyone,

I'm an incoming surgery prelim intern in an academic program. A little background on me: I originally applied ortho, didn't match, ended up with prelim surgery in my home program. My stats: US AMG, Step 1/2CK: 250/249, Step 2 CS passed on second attempt, 3rd year clerkship grades 2H/2HP/3P.

I'm currently trying to do well in my prelim year and reapply next year to a general surgery categorical program, as I've found (a little late) that I'm genuinely interested in general surgery now that the ortho boat has sailed.

I was hoping for some guidance/advice from y'all regarding how to strengthen my application for next year, besides getting great LORs and doing well on rotations. Specifically, is it important to get a Step 3 score by the time of reapplication? How important is a great step 3 score, or is it not important at all once its above a passing score? Or is it more important spend more time and to do well on the ABSITE?

Also, would you recommend applying to radiology as backup? I truly have a passion for surgery but would also like to be realistic about my expectations as a reapplicant and would be content in a radiology position too. Or should I just apply broadly to 100+ general surgery programs next year? I would be more than happy ending up in any gen surg program in the country.

Thanks in advance!

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[MSU24601]

Bump. Same question. GS applicant from newish MD school, 11 ranks. SOAP into prelim surgery. 226/231. CS pass. Clinical grades all P but H on Subi (no HP at school). 2 pubs (1 in surgery), 3 abstracts ( surgery). No failures, repeats or red flags.

 

[TraumaLlamaMD]

Hey everyone,

I'm an incoming surgery prelim intern in an academic program. A little background on me: I originally applied ortho, didn't match, ended up with prelim surgery in my home program. My stats: US AMG, Step 1/2CK: 250/249, Step 2 CS passed on second attempt, 3rd year clerkship grades 2H/2HP/3P.

I'm currently trying to do well in my prelim year and reapply next year to a general surgery categorical program, as I've found (a little late) that I'm genuinely interested in general surgery now that the ortho boat has sailed.

I was hoping for some guidance/advice from y'all regarding how to strengthen my application for next year, besides getting great LORs and doing well on rotations. Specifically, is it important to get a Step 3 score by the time of reapplication? How important is a great step 3 score, or is it not important at all once its above a passing score? Or is it more important spend more time and to do well on the ABSITE?

Also, would you recommend applying to radiology as backup? I truly have a passion for surgery but would also like to be realistic about my expectations as a reapplicant and would be content in a radiology position too. Or should I just apply broadly to 100+ general surgery programs next year? I would be more than happy ending up in any gen surg program in the country.

Thanks in advance!

A great ABSITE score and Step 3 will help, but you will need to kill it on the floor and make sure everyone knows you’re committed to GS. Your best shot may be at your home program, where the attendings will get the chance to interact with you for several months. Be a team player, make yourself indispensable to the group. I saw you had an issue with Step 2 CS but otherwise good scores - do you think your failure was a fluke, or are there maybe some communication issues you could work on which may have impacted both your CS and your interviews?

 

[GonefromTX]

A great ABSITE score and Step 3 will help, but you will need to kill it on the floor and make sure everyone knows you’re committed to GS. Your best shot may be at your home program, where the attendings will get the chance to interact with you for several months. Be a team player, make yourself indispensable to the group. I saw you had an issue with Step 2 CS but otherwise good scores - do you think your failure was a fluke, or are there maybe some communication issues you could work on which may have impacted both your CS and your interviews?

I honestly thought it was a fluke, failed by a narrow margin on communications. I thought I always had good rapport with patients during M3 clerkships. Pretty sociable guy, been told my sense of humor can be a bit arrogant sometimes (working on it) but never towards residents/attendings I'm trying to impress, much less during an interview. I was tripped up on the details during the actual exam like washing hands or using hand sanitizer, wash hands before greeting patient vs washing hands before starting physical exam that I acted nervously throughout the encounters. I also underestimated the exam on my part, and didn't practice encounters enough to time them right.

In case my home program doesn't end up taking me, do you think I'll have a reasonable shot elsewhere? Also, do you recommend applying to radiology back ups?

 

[VincentAdultman]

now that the ortho boat has sailed.

Its good that you have a genuine interest in gen surg and this will only help you, but why do you say the boat has sailed?

 

[GonefromTX]

Its good that you have a genuine interest in gen surg and this will only help you, but why do you say the boat has sailed?

I believe that the boat has sailed when I had a failed attempt on Step 2 CS. I already didn't match ortho with my current stats, and if I reapplied next year I would be adding a failed step 2 CS plus being a reapplicant.

In any case, I'm completely happy aiming for a career in gen surg, as I kept going between the two choices even in 3rd year.

 

[VincentAdultman]

I believe that the boat has sailed when I had a failed attempt on Step 2 CS. I already didn't match ortho with my current stats, and if I reapplied next year I would be adding a failed step 2 CS plus being a reapplicant.

In any case, I'm completely happy aiming for a career in gen surg, as I kept going between the two choices even in 3rd year.

That’s fair. I wasn’t aware that a failed CS gets listed in your app.