Am I competitive for EM?

[thehealer]

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Hey guys,

I'm currently a 3rd year osteopathic student that is definitely passionate about EM. I took the plunge and took the USMLE and just got my score back yesterday. Got a 209. Disappointed, but I know it's not the end of the world. My question is, as a DO student applying ACGME do I have a shot at matching EM based on my USMLE alone (assuming I of course rock my auditions and LOR's etc)?

I of course have all the statistics pdfs from NRMP, but the problem is that while DO's are part of the "Independent" applicants category, DO USMLE's are not reported, so I don't know how I should interpret the results. 😕 Any personal experiences? Thoughts? Thanks!!

 

[Akail]

Hey guys,

I'm currently a 3rd year osteopathic student that is definitely passionate about EM. I took the plunge and took the USMLE and just got my score back yesterday. Got a 209. Disappointed, but I know it's not the end of the world. My question is, as a DO student applying ACGME do I have a shot at matching EM based on my USMLE alone (assuming I of course rock my auditions and LOR's etc)?

I of course have all the statistics pdfs from NRMP, but the problem is that while DO's are part of the "Independent" applicants category, DO USMLE's are not reported, so I don't know how I should interpret the results. 😕 Any personal experiences? Thoughts? Thanks!!

I'd consider doing some aways in less desirable areas and hope that you can wow the pants off them. As with everything throughout your career, make sure you have a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C.

 

[diphenyl]

Now is an excellent time to be an osteopathic student. There are still dedicated DO EM residency slots that make you eligible for the same boards as you allopathic colleagues. There are many very solid DO Emed programs, 5 of which are dual AOA/ ACGME. IF your COMLEX score is solid you will have far fewer applicants to compete with. Bigger fish in a smaller pond.

 

[J ROD]

Hopefully, this person knows what they are talking about with the DO programs. You def have an uphill battle.

 

[buccsmf1]

One of my buddies had 240s on both steps and fell to the 7th spot on his match list, and he applied mostly to mid-tier mid-west programs.

you may want to focus a little more heavily on the aoa side of EM

 

[dotcb]

Try for EM, but have a backup plan. You may have trouble matching at an ACGME spot with that score. Take step 2 CK early and do well on it to try to offset that below average score.

 

[fiznat]

What is the general thought about competitive scores for DO students looking at ACGME EM? I always assumed that scores earned by DO students would have to be somewhat better than the average for accepted US MD grads (as reported in 2011's Charting Outcomes), but I'm not sure by how much.

 

[MRSAful Fate]

What is the general thought about competitive scores for DO students looking at ACGME EM? I always assumed that scores earned by DO students would have to be somewhat better than the average for accepted US MD grads (as reported in 2011's Charting Outcomes), but I'm not sure by how much.

I'm interested to hear if anyone has insight on this as well. I've heard anecdotes from upperclassmen that a DO student needs a 240 step 1 to keep their application out of the trash at California ACGME programs. Not sure how accurate that is, but with Kaweah Delta being the only ACGME program in state to accept a DO last cycle I imagine the bar is pretty dang high.

 

[dav86]

I would shoot for 220s at the min, with 230-240s becoming avg for DO applicants, at least the ones I have seen. COMLEX scores need to be above 600 if its all you are going to apply with, though I don't recommend that approach. Some programs even with 250+ won't interview you without an in or audition rotation, and even then might not interview you. Most programs will but you need to be more competitive than your MD counterparts. California is very difficult. Usually need a connection or come from California. At least that is what I have seen in my limited experience.

 

[sylvanthus]

For those wondering about applying ACGME as a DO, I will give you my stats and such to give you an idea. It may not help all that much as it is obviously just my experience, but heck maybe it will.

250 step 1
258 step 2
732 comlex 1
688 comlex 2
ED Tech 7 years
National Leadership
Rank 3/75
SSP

Applied broadly to about 65 MD programs and got something like 20 interviews. Some of those were EM/IM MD programs.

MD students with lower stats could reasonably expect to apply to half that number of programs and get the same number of interviews.

Take it for what its worth.

 

[Charlie Hustle]

For those wondering about applying ACGME as a DO, I will give you my stats and such to give you an idea. It may not help all that much as it is obviously just my experience, but heck maybe it will.

250 step 1
258 step 2
732 comlex 1
688 comlex 2
ED Tech 7 years
National Leadership
Rank 3/75
SSP

Applied broadly to about 65 MD programs and got something like 20 interviews. Some of those were EM/IM MD programs.

MD students with lower stats could reasonably expect to apply to half that number of programs and get the same number of interviews.

Take it for what its worth.

Very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

 

[fiznat]

For those wondering about applying ACGME as a DO, I will give you my stats and such to give you an idea. It may not help all that much as it is obviously just my experience, but heck maybe it will.

250 step 1
258 step 2
732 comlex 1
688 comlex 2
ED Tech 7 years
National Leadership
Rank 3/75
SSP

Applied broadly to about 65 MD programs and got something like 20 interviews. Some of those were EM/IM MD programs.

MD students with lower stats could reasonably expect to apply to half that number of programs and get the same number of interviews.

Take it for what its worth.

I don't even know why I visit SDN anymore...

 

[racerwad]

I don't even know why I visit SDN anymore...

LOL x2. Reading this did not help.

 

[sylvanthus]

Not tryin to scare you all just lettin you know there is DOndiscrimination out there and to over apply to programs. Go nuts and toss out more apps than you think you need. Thats all, itll all be good.

 

[Akail]

Agree...don't think sylvanthus was trying to brag or scare anyone. It's just that being a DO is an uphill battle when you apply for an ACGME field. If you have 220s/230s I think you should still be able to match if you have a good strategy and apply to a lot of programs.

 

[QuackaDO]

Agree...don't think sylvanthus was trying to brag or scare anyone. It's just that being a DO is an uphill battle when you apply for an ACGME field. If you have 220s/230s I think you should still be able to match if you have a good strategy and apply to a lot of programs.

I think (hope) that a big part of it also comes from your SLORs and where you got them from. If you go out there and rotate at a couple of big name programs with big name PDs and honor the rotations and get awesome SLORs I think this probably helps all the way around. Of course, if all you do is big name programs and don't rotate at a couple of "reasonable" options then you probably wasted the "audition" aspect but did get some good SLORs... 6 to one, half a dozen to the other I guess. Ideally (at least in my opinion), you can rotate at a couple of big name programs and kill the rotations and get good SLORs and do a couple of true "real" auditions at programs that are a lot more realistic after that. The combination of honors at difficult places, good SLORS, and THEN good showings on those last couple of auditions might open some doors for you that would otherwise perhaps be closed. I don't know... 3, 4, or 5 aways might be too much for most people but as a DO and especially a DO with a lower board score trying to get an ACGME residency spot I think it's about your only shot and the only thing that YOU can do to improve your chances

 

[MRSAful Fate]

For those wondering about applying ACGME as a DO, I will give you my stats and such to give you an idea. It may not help all that much as it is obviously just my experience, but heck maybe it will.

250 step 1
258 step 2
732 comlex 1
688 comlex 2
ED Tech 7 years
National Leadership
Rank 3/75
SSP

Applied broadly to about 65 MD programs and got something like 20 interviews. Some of those were EM/IM MD programs.

MD students with lower stats could reasonably expect to apply to half that number of programs and get the same number of interviews.

Take it for what its worth.

That is eye opening, I hope that you at least matched high on your ROL with those stats! Reading stuff like this makes me motivated to keep busting my ***** so I can get a spot, thanks for posting.

 

[sylvanthus]

That is eye opening, I hope that you at least matched high on your ROL with those stats! Reading stuff like this makes me motivated to keep busting my ***** so I can get a spot, thanks for posting.

Always a good idea to go overboard and be safe. I did not match as high as I expected, but EM/IM only has usually 2 spots per program so it worked out fine.

 

[sylvanthus]

Fyi, I also did not bother looking for DO friendly programs. I just applied by regions I thought I could stand. So, there was bound to be programs I applied to that just dont take DOs.