Advice: Reapplicant from FM to Surgical Subspecialty

[Clearlake00]

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Seeking some advice for my reapplication:

I unfortunately didn't match into Ortho this past cycle. Upon reflection, I did not apply broadly enough (geographically) and didn't dual apply.

Didn't strongly consider research positions/prelim surgery spots due to financial circumstances (wanting to start making even a little income) and the uncertainty of being chosen for a research spot as well as not getting lucky with elective time in the first 1-2 months at a prelim for the chance to get Ortho letters.

I ended up SOAPing into an FM program to potentially go the Sports Medicine fellowship route, but was quickly reminded how much I love Orthopedics/Operating Room/etc.

I am going back into the Match this cycle with several more research items, updated LoRs, and continued mentorship from Ortho attendings, good feedback from a few programs I interviewed at last year. They told me that I was in the "top 1/3rd of interviewees" and that I should strongly consider reapplying. My app was solid (several pubs, 260+ step 2, etc.), but I fell short on my interview skills, and with that, I will for sure be investing in interview prep courses before interview season.
Also considering dual-applying to Gen Surg or Anesthesia, however Ortho is my true passion. I just can't imagine dealing with the SOAP process a 2nd time.

I recognize the funding issue for 3 vs 5 years, but my hope is to apply very broadly and fingers crossed for the few programs who actually took the time to give me feedback from last cycle and motivate me to reapply.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, or if anyone has gone through anything similar.

 

[CopaceticOne]

1) You’ll likely need some sort of letter from your current program.

1a) most FM programs are small and losing a PGY2/3 for the schedule rotations / planning may be a tough sell for them. It may be that they will try and fill your slot for next year prior to Match results. That can leave you with no position for next year if you don’t match…

2) I get the immediate retry for Ortho… going Gen Surg / Anes is a much bigger gamble because people don’t want to be someone’s backup choice in a do-over.

 

[comp1]

Always better to complete a residency than not. Prioritize that. This seems risky as heck, regardless of your credentials. "Top 1/3" of interviewees still could very much mean not matching. They aren't even really buttering you up well with that statistic.

 

[Clearlake00]

I have approval from my current PD as well as a letter from them. They did mention about recruiting to fill my spot, however, they are willing to hold it and wait until closer to The Match.

I just can’t see myself in this specialty for the remainder of my career. I need to give it a full and honest second go-around and see how many interviews I get.

 

[CopaceticOne]

I have approval from my current PD as well as a letter from them. They did mention about recruiting to fill my spot, however, they are willing to hold it and wait until closer to The Match.

I just can’t see myself in this specialty for the remainder of my career. I need to give it a full and honest second go-around and see how many interviews I get.

Then I will say to you what a doc told my entire class before M4 year - What do we call the person who was last in our class & applied to every ortho program in the country? Answer: an orthopedic surgeon.

Obviously this was before the whole signaling and such.

Best of luck!

 

[HemeOncHopeful19]

What do we call the person who was last in our class & applied to every ortho program in the country? Answer: an orthopedic surgeon.

Uhhh… I would call someone who is last in their class applying to every Ortho program in the country many things, but I’ll just say “foolish” to be nice.

 

[CopaceticOne]

Uhhh… I would call someone who is last in their class applying to every Ortho program in the country many things, but I’ll just say “foolish” to be nice.

Agreed. His point was that his classmate did become an ortho surgeon.

If you’re going to take your shot - go big or go home.

 

[comp1]

I'm glad that it worked out in the anecdote, but I think you'd actually much more likely call the bottom person in the class applying to every ortho program a family medicine doc who SOAPed...

 

[Apollyon]

I'm glad that it worked out in the anecdote, but I think you'd actually much more likely call the bottom person in the class applying to every ortho program a family medicine doc who SOAPed...

"What do you call the person who finished last in their med school class? Doctor! What else do you call them? Defendant!!"

 

[Lost in Translation]

Apply broadly, if it is truly Ortho or bust then I would not dual apply and take your chances SOAPing again.

If you could see yourself happy in anything non-Ortho, I would dual apply but tailor your LORs (not just your PS) for that specialty and do everything you can to make it not look like a “I’m doing ortho this is just a backup”. Keep med school research stuff in there even if unrelated because you can always say in interviews you thought you wanted Ortho initially but changed too late in your M4 or decided during FM intern year you didn’t want Ortho and wanted X. This will mean your PD and any LOR writers will most likely have to write two versions of your LOR and just change the speciality. Obviously keep your Ortho writers just Ortho, but try to get character letters from mentors in med school who should be able to write two versions attesting to you as a person and ability as a student/learner in general and not for Ortho specifically.