anesthesia programs

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lluvia2rain

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Please help me. I am a 3rd, almost 4th, year med student trying to decide were to rotate. I can't find any relative list of easier/tougher programs to get into for anesthesia. I have a below average board score for step 1, so I need to rotate at a "back-up" school. I am hoping to match into any place within a couple hours of the beach/water (east coast or west coast). I have relatives in Virginia, Florida, NC. I am sad to have to even think about leaving cali my home because it is very competitive here....😱
 
hurry up and get those apps in. my aways are all set up! and a lot of my friends that haven't set theirs up yet are crying because there fav programs can't offer them aways until MARCH!
search this forurm for the programs that didn't fill this year. From what I can remember some of those that didn't fill: UWash not in st. louis, lots of programs in and around NYC.
I do know that if you are dead set on Miami and you don't make the grade they will let you do a year of research -- I know someone doing that now.
 
FAQ http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=121825

Top programs thread http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=48717

Agreed that you should start looking around NOW. You may have a hard time finding an open spot at very popular or well known programs because those filled up at the beginning of the year. Email or phone each of the coordinators to ask if there is an opening, and if so, ask her/him to pencil you in NOW while you get the application ready.

If you have a difficult time getting a general anesthesia sub-I, you could consider trying rotations in pediatric, cardiac, SICU, pain or other less formally set up electives within the same department. These are probably less likely to have filled.

The main thing is to call (or email, but calling may be faster) all over the place -- at programs near where you want to live, for instance, no matter whether they're popular (hard to get into) or not popular. At this time of year, your options are limited.

If you're average with no red flags, though, you will of course probably still match without an away -- aways are not necessary in this field.
 
which programs in nc, virginia or florida do you think are easier to get into
 
which programs in nc, virginia or florida do you think are easier to get into

From what I recall, none of the programs in the states of Virginia or Florida are among the most highly competitive in the US. In North Carolina, Duke is highly competitive, UNC and Wake Forest are probably moderately competitive and might be difficult if you have barely-passing (or flunked) boards.

So apart from the above named, anything else is fair game. Remember that anesthesiology is simply not one of the highly competitive fields for residency applicants.
 
Don't get too upset with a below average Step I score. (The only red flag is if you failed it.) If you improve your score on Step II, you can show that your mediocre Step I score is an outlier.

You should not sell yourself short. You should not be looking for the "easiest program" to match into. You should be looking for a solid program in which you think you would be a happy resident. Strive for an exemplary evaluation during your 4th year elective and gather a few strong letters of recommendation.

When you arrive at a program to interview, show interest in the program. Above all else look excited about going into anesthesia. A memorable interview with the program director or chair of the selection committee can put your application at the top of the pile when the program's match list is selected.
 
Does anyone know of any of the less competitive programs in Texas, or maybe the border states? (Excluding Texas Tech El Paso, it would drive me CRAZY not being able to understand everyone!)

My Step 1 board score is low, low...192. Ugh. I'm going to work like crazy to get my Step 2 up. My 3rd year clinical evaluations are stellar, 1st and 2nd year grades pretty much B's. Top tier school in Texas. So I'm thinking I may be looking to a low to mid-tier community program?

Anybody got any ideas or have any input? Darn board scores...AND I DID STUDY!
 
Does anyone know of any of the less competitive programs in Texas, or maybe the border states? (Excluding Texas Tech El Paso, it would drive me CRAZY not being able to understand everyone!)

My Step 1 board score is low, low...192. Ugh. I'm going to work like crazy to get my Step 2 up. My 3rd year clinical evaluations are stellar, 1st and 2nd year grades pretty much B's. Top tier school in Texas. So I'm thinking I may be looking to a low to mid-tier community program?

Anybody got any ideas or have any input? Darn board scores...AND I DID STUDY!

While I'm not personally familiar with programs in your region, here's my advice to you. Don't avoid applying to a program just because it's perceived to be highly competitive. If you are interested in the program itself or in its location, apply to it regardless of whether you think you are "competitive" for it. Don't take yourself out of the running -- let them decide.

Your Step 1 is admittedly weak. But stellar clinical rotation grades don't mean nothing, and you still also have Step 2 and letters of recommendation coming. These can turn your application around. It is not unheard of for a person with a weak board score to get a pretty competitive residency -- if they sell themselves smartly, meet the right person or people and get along with them, and make it known they really want the job.
 
"But stellar clinical rotation grades don't mean nothing"? SURELY I didn't work my fingers to the bone my 3rd year for nothing!
 
"But stellar clinical rotation grades don't mean nothing"? SURELY I didn't work my butt off my 3rd year for nothing!



I would beg to differ on this opinion. In my experience & from asking millions of questions when I was applying, my understanding that your clinical grades were a critical aspect of your anesth residency application. I ROCKED 3rd year (honored all but OB & high-passed it) and those grades were frequently mentioned as being stong elements of my application. I had a very successful application/interview cycle. I must concede that things could have changed, I am class of 2003. But I doubt they have changed substantially on the value of clerkship grades.

My 2 cents worth...
 
"But stellar clinical rotation grades don't mean nothing"? SURELY I didn't work my butt off my 3rd year for nothing!

She is using a double negative. I think what she meant to say is that they do count for something, and that you shouldnt give up based on your step I score. I agree with her advice. Push on, my friend. Good luck!
 
"But stellar clinical rotation grades don't mean nothing"? SURELY I didn't work my fingers to the bone my 3rd year for nothing!

Ummmmm....

"Stellar clinical rotation grades DON'T mean NOTHING"

=

"Stellar clinical rotation grades MEAN SOMETHING."

So you did not work your butt off for nothing. ;-)
 
Pre-med giving Anesthesiology match advice?

Interesting.

From what I recall, none of the programs in the states of Virginia or Florida are among the most highly competitive in the US. In North Carolina, Duke is highly competitive, UNC and Wake Forest are probably moderately competitive and might be difficult if you have barely-passing (or flunked) boards.

So apart from the above named, anything else is fair game. Remember that anesthesiology is simply not one of the highly competitive fields for residency applicants.
 
From what I recall, none of the programs in the states of Virginia or Florida are among the most highly competitive in the US. In North Carolina, Duke is highly competitive, UNC and Wake Forest are probably moderately competitive and might be difficult if you have barely-passing (or flunked) boards.

So apart from the above named, anything else is fair game. Remember that anesthesiology is simply not one of the highly competitive fields for residency applicants.[/QUOTE]

Not true anymore. Gas isn't anywhere near derm or ortho, but there are many top applicants who are setting their eyes on this specialty.
 
Pre-med giving Anesthesiology match advice?

Interesting.

No, this is jennyboo and I am quite solidly an anesthesiology resident. 😛 However, my husband and I have a cookie problem and our account seems to be permanently stuck on him right now. I keep trying to logout and log myself in, but even when I am logged in it still sometimes posts as DoctorPhud!
 
Remember that anesthesiology is simply not one of the highly competitive fields for residency applicants.[/QUOTE]

Not true anymore. Gas isn't anywhere near derm or ortho, but there are many top applicants who are setting their eyes on this specialty.

There are a lot of people who keep saying anesthesiology is very competitive, etc. I don't buy it. I think this field is in the middle -- there aren't plenty of unfilled spots like in family practice or IM, for instance, but as you said, this isn't a field where a high percentage of American grads find themselves unmatched at the end of the year.

For the benefit of next year's applicants, I would maintain that anesthesiology is still "moderately competitive" meaning that it's in the middle. Plenty of "average" candidates still get interviews and match at top programs. You do not need above-average boards in order to match. You do not need away rotations or research in order to match. Obviously those things help, but if you do not have those things and you are an average candidate you will still probably match.

Edit: wooh! Posted correctly as me this time!
 
No, this is jennyboo and I am quite solidly an anesthesiology resident. 😛 However, my husband and I have a cookie problem and our account seems to be permanently stuck on him right now. I keep trying to logout and log myself in, but even when I am logged in it still sometimes posts as DoctorPhud!

Understandable! Your hubbie's perspective on competitiveness is off 🙂

Wake and UVA are definitely a couple of the more competitive programs. UF is highly regarded, but not sure how competitive one needs to be to land a spot there, due to a slight bad-taste-in-the-mouth amongst residency applicants I've spoken with (I think it's overblown and unnecessary. It's NOT a slave house like many applicants say, and it was high on my list last year).
 
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