#Applications vs. #Interviews

[carve em up]

As a student with strong board scores and good class standing with extensive research, I'm looking to apply at a variety of programs from top notch on down. I was curious as to the # of programs I should look to apply to and the # of interviews I should expect to receive out of those. Thanks.

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[Diane L. Evans]

there is a lot of weight given to personal statements and also if you rotate at an institution. Letters of recommedation from a WELL KNOWN OB/GYN or GYN-ONC can go a long way so I would seek out these people do an elective with them and get a good letter. Scores on shelf exams are important as well.

But most important. why OB they want to know will you stay in OB, lot of interns change their mionds come yr #2.


Charisma will go much further than grades so I wouild boast about your congeniality rather than test scores.
D

 

[Celiac Plexus]

Ob/gyn is not a competivie specialty.

A classmate of mine had a fairly weak app, with <200 step I, and received interviews from all over. She applied to about 40 programs thinking she wouuld get 5 or 6 interviews. She got offers from about 30, and turned down about 15 of them. She matched pretty well.

If you are as qualified as you claim, then you should have no problem matching at the program of your choice.

 

[Global Disrobal]

OB-Gyn has in fact been on the down swing last few years. Being a male, solid scores, and good background with nice letters should give you a nice easy path.

I had decent scores (above the mean), nice letters (a strong one from a gyn-onc), and a Post-Soph Fellowship under my belt, and even though I am a US Citizen FMG, I did manage to get a good number of invites.

Just make sure to balance it out with some top, mid, and low tier programs.

Good Luck!

 

[juddson]

Hey Golbal,

Are you worried at all about finding room in a practice as a male. Some comments on the other threads have suggested that a male will have a much harder time building a practice. My guess is that as women dominate the practice groups, they will hesitate to bring in male OB/GYNS for fear that they simply will not be able to generate thier share of the business burden.

What are you thoughts. I'm interested in OB but am concerned.

Judd

 

[Global Disrobal]

Its a great question and one that I was faced with at almost every single one of my interviews. I basically told them that I picked out Obstetrics and Gynecology as a specialty of choice without giving potential malpractice, gender, job market, and other factors getting in my way. I believed that was the most objective way of deciding on a specialty. This, coupled with my strong background in pathology basically proved my point to them.

As to your questions, I honestly don't know what to think. Much like the malpractice issue, I am hoping that the "male" issue will be like a pendulum as well and that in next 5-10 years we'll begin to see a change. I am basically banking on the fact that there will always be need for good OB-Gyn's regardless of gender and that I can secure a job through that. As for the women group, from what I hear from residents, alot of them are beginning to look to bring in male member because of the potential flexibility. You also have to bear in mind that with the recent declines in men OB-Gyn residents, by the time I hit my prime I will be in a minority and that may help with women that will prefer a male.

All in all though, I just keep my fingers crossed and pray that I'll be a good enough resident to get recruited into a good group down the road, even if I have to dress up like a woman to fool them

Good Luck with the decision making process!