Advice needed to help an underdog

[Doc-sted]

I am a current MSIII. Someone with experience please chime in and tell me what you think I can strengthen:

-DO program
-MSII Class Rank 58/256
-USMLE Step 1: 238
-COMLEX 1: 569
-Sigma Sigma Phi status
-Manuscript submitted, 1st Author Ophtho Publication in Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Poster won best in class at Boston Ophtho Conference (I did not present the poster)
-3rd Author Publication in Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
-3 Month Ophtho Research Internship during MS1 Summer
-Medical mission
-LOR's from two big wigs
-Monthly volunteering at mobile eye unit
-President of Ophthalmology Interest group

What are your honest thoughts? Do I have a chance? What more can I do to strengthen my app or be competitive? I potentially have an opportunity MSIII to do another month of ophtho research or rotate with a top ophthalmologist to help me before audition rotations. I also have an opportunity to do an ophthalmology medical mission. What would strengthen my application most? My plan is to do two DO auditions and two MD rotations and I would be grateful to match at any program. I greatly appreciate your time reading this.

 

[OphthoPractice]

You'll probably be 7 pts below the step 1 average by the time you apply. Your research is pretty good and I would say you should def match if you were MD. Since you're DO it'll be harder. If you want a real good shot at matching MD then you probably want a research year to be honest. You could always try without it but it only makes it harder if you don't match and then reapply with that label.

If you don't care and cool with DO then go for it. The ACGME is taking over the DO ones anyway in the next few years. I suppose that could mean MDs might try to steal your spots so maybe you should do a research year regardless.

I matched MD as a md med student but I def could have matched better if I did a research year and I was around the Step 1 avg and had a few 1st author pubs. That basically made me average for ophtho so I didn't have a lot of say in where I matched. Matching a year earlier was worth it to me than doing a research year though.