Anesthesia research?

[chromuffin]

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Hey everyone! 3rd year medical student here interested in Anesthesia. Specifically, I would love a west coast position, but I’m realistic and know it’s highly unlikely given I’m not even an average candidate. So maybe southwest programs? I was hoping to get some insight into the impact a research year would have on my application as I know Anesthesia isn’t known for being a research heavy field.

Step 1: 218
Step 2 CK: expecting 240-250
Research: 2 oral presentations, 1 poster, 0 publications. All in cancer research.
Preclinical: all P, 1 HP
Clinical: 3 P, 1 HP, 1 H (anesthesia.. yes my school has a rotation)

Flags: failed an nbme due to family tragedy the week before my nbme.

 

[Goro]

Where's the learned @HomeSkool when you need him????

 

[HomeSkool]

No specialty will ever discourage you from doing research, but it's not required to match. A 2012 study published in Anesthesiology (attached) showed that research was the second least important factor that program directors considered when ranking candidates in 2010. Bottom line: research won't hurt your application, but it probably won't do much beyond nudging you over the line if you're right on the cusp of acceptance.

I'll be honest: I'm not optimistic for your chances of matching. The study referenced above showed that the lowest Step I score of any US med student who matched in 2010 was 216, and the field has become more competitive since then. Your grades are also low for this field. I understand that you got Honors in your anesthesiology rotation, but that's the only Honors you've had in med school. If you want to match, you're going to need to absolutely destroy Step II. Based on your credentials, I think you're being unrealistic in your expectation of 240-250. Come back here when you have a Step II score and I'd be happy to estimate your likelihood of matching.

 

[DNC127]

No specialty will ever discourage you from doing research, but it's not required to match. A 2012 study published in Anesthesiology (attached) showed that research was the second least important factor that program directors considered when ranking candidates in 2010. Bottom line: research won't hurt your application, but it probably won't do much beyond nudging you over the line if you're right on the cusp of acceptance.

I'll be honest: I'm not optimistic for your chances of matching. The study referenced above showed that the lowest Step I score of any US med student who matched in 2010 was 216, and the field has become more competitive since then. Your grades are also low for this field. I understand that you got Honors in your anesthesiology rotation, but that's the only Honors you've had in med school. If you want to match, you're going to need to absolutely destroy Step II. Based on your credentials, I think you're being unrealistic in your expectation of 240-250. Come back here when you have a Step II score and I'd be happy to estimate your likelihood of matching.

Thats old news. Gas has not increased in competitiveness. OP has a 97% chance of matching anesthesia according to the 2016 charting outcomes. In the step 1 range of 211-220, 130/134 applicants matched..... You good OP don't take a research year.

 

[chromuffin]

Well thanks for the input guys. Not really what I was hoping for but I appreciate it. I’m not sure you’re really up to date though HomeSkool. My school PD said I was fine and the NRMP data supports that.

 

[HomeSkool]

Thats old news. Gas has not increased in competitiveness. OP has a 97% chance of matching anesthesia according to the 2016 charting outcomes..... You good OP don't take a research year.

You've misinterpreted Charting Outcomes very badly. True, 97% of US seniors who applied for anesthesiology matched. However, that doesn't mean any student who applied had a 97% chance of matching. Turn to page 19 of the report (attached) and you'll see that the mean Step I score for US seniors who matched was 232. In 2010, that number was 226. The same trend is observed for Step II scores. Meanwhile, page 9 of the report you referenced shows that the OP's Step I score would place him below the 25th percentile of seniors who matched in 2016. In other words, it's possible for him to match with that Step I score, but the rest of his application had better rock. The reason for the 97% match rate among US seniors is that the ones with mediocre Step scores and grades didn't apply.

Please take the time to understand evidence before giving evidence-based advice. Your post above could impact someone's long-term career prospects, and giving horrible advice because you don't understand the studies you're referencing is extraordinarily irresponsible.

OP: kick ass on STEP II if you want to match into this specialty.

 

[DNC127]

You've misinterpreted Charting Outcomes very badly. True, 97% of US seniors who applied for anesthesiology matched. However, that doesn't mean any student who applied had a 97% chance of matching. Turn to page 19 of the report (attached) and you'll see that the mean Step I score for US seniors who matched was 232. In 2010, that number was 226. The same trend is observed for Step II scores. Meanwhile, page 9 of the report you referenced shows that the OP's Step I score would place him below the 25th percentile of seniors who matched in 2016. In other words, it's possible for him to match with that Step I score, but the rest of his application had better rock. The reason for the 97% match rate among US seniors is that the ones with mediocre Step scores and grades didn't apply.

Please take the time to understand evidence before giving evidence-based advice. Your post above could impact someone's long-term career prospects, and giving horrible advice because you don't understand the studies you're referencing is extraordinarily irresponsible.

OP: kick ass on STEP II if you want to match into this specialty.

130/134 (97%) of US seniors with a step 1 of 211-220 matched... Tell me what I am missing.

 

[HomeSkool]

130/134 (97%) of US seniors with a step 1 of 211-220 matched... Tell me what I am missing.

Two things. First, that's a single data point that doesn't account for the rest of the application. Second, you're not accounting for the anesthesiology hopefuls in the 211-220 crowd who had mediocre grades, low Step II scores, red flags (like shelf failures), etc., and removed themselves from the applicant pool. The group represented in the graph you're looking at is skewed toward applicants who had otherwise competitive stats.

The same chart shows that 5/5 applicants with Step I in the 181-190 range matched. Obviously, that one chart doesn't tell the whole story.

 

[chromuffin]

130/134 (97%) of US seniors with a step 1 of 211-220 matched... Tell me what I am missing.

Thanks for the input. Just don’t worry about trying to justify.

 

[zero0]

No specialty will ever discourage you from doing research, but it's not required to match. A 2012 study published in Anesthesiology (attached) showed that research was the second least important factor that program directors considered when ranking candidates in 2010. Bottom line: research won't hurt your application, but it probably won't do much beyond nudging you over the line if you're right on the cusp of acceptance.

I'll be honest: I'm not optimistic for your chances of matching. The study referenced above showed that the lowest Step I score of any US med student who matched in 2010 was 216, and the field has become more competitive since then. Your grades are also low for this field. I understand that you got Honors in your anesthesiology rotation, but that's the only Honors you've had in med school. If you want to match, you're going to need to absolutely destroy Step II. Based on your credentials, I think you're being unrealistic in your expectation of 240-250. Come back here when you have a Step II score and I'd be happy to estimate your likelihood of matching.

The hell am I slaving over hot mice then for? Ah well maybe I'll learn something worthwhile.

 

[Goro]

130/134 (97%) of US seniors with a step 1 of 211-220 matched... Tell me what I am missing.

I'll go out on a limb and surmise that when you see people at this end of the %iles, they're bringing something else to the table that makes up for a low Step I. In the same way URM, veterans, people with compelling stories or killer ECs can overcome a weak GPA and/or MCAT. Whaddya think?

 

[DNC127]

I'll go out on a limb and surmise that when you see people at this end of the %iles, they're bringing something else to the table that makes up for a low Step I. In the same way URM, veterans, people with compelling stories or killer ECs can overcome a weak GPA and/or MCAT. Whaddya think?

IDK... 181/202 DO applicants matched MD gas, and most of the 20 who didn't match basically failed/almost failed boards.. We know that 181 DO applicants didn't put together stellar apps with research and such. I am going to say its just not competitive and feel like data supports my statement.