applying in IM...question

[smid]

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I'm from a top med school, step 1 score 249 (which I hear medicine doesn't even care about) and only got honors in my surgery rotation...including not honoring in my medicine sub-i (didn't help that I was in my last trimester of pregnancy!). Am I completely screwed out of interviews because of the no honors? Do some programs really just throw out the applications? I'm not applying to MGH or Brigham, but am applying to UCSF, Stanford, Cornell, Columbia, Michigan--a very short list of programs and which I'm nervous about now.

any advice appreciated.

 

[Obedeli]

Dude chill. It is easy for me to say I know. But you'll find a mix bag of encouragement and discouragement from different posters and ultimately, no specific help! Be careful in posting your insecurities on this forum because someone may say something that will keep you worrying all night. We ALL have insecurities on getting our spots, join the club. I mean come on.... are you going to not apply to the programs you are interested in just because some people say you don't have a chance?!?! Give me a break, apply where you want and see what happens. You are going to do that anyway right?!?! Nobody can tell you what your precise future will be! I don 't know my mood is likely affected by any post that starts off *spoken in a super nerdy voice* "I am from a top medical school and my step 1 score is a 249... blah blah blah." SHeesh Poindexter! I am from a bottom medical school and loving my top choice residency and MY score was well below 249.

There should be a Magic Eight Ball thread for all these types of people to shake and turn over to see what the future holds...

"YES!"
"All signs point to 'no' "
"stop sucking your F***ing thumb"
"Look behind you, your car has been stolen"
"Don't shake me so hard"

 

[TxMed]

that's harsh

 

[Laryngospasm]

I'm from a top med school, step 1 score 249 (which I hear medicine doesn't even care about) and only got honors in my surgery rotation...including not honoring in my medicine sub-i (didn't help that I was in my last trimester of pregnancy!). Am I completely screwed out of interviews because of the no honors? Do some programs really just throw out the applications? I'm not applying to MGH or Brigham, but am applying to UCSF, Stanford, Cornell, Columbia, Michigan--a very short list of programs and which I'm nervous about now.

any advice appreciated.

Top med school + 249 step + going into IM = crapload of interviews.

 

[BigBadBix]

Top med school + 249 step + going into IM = crapload of interviews.

That's pretty much true, except that the OP appears to be planning to apply to only 5 schools, and several of them are among the most competitive in the field, where it's a crapshoot no matter how strong one's numbers look.

smid, you are an awesome applicant for IM and should have no problem going to a top program. Your board score and school will definitely help with this. However, IM clerkship grades tend to be a big deal from what I've heard/experienced. For example, I had a slightly higher board score than you and honors in my medicine sub-I but not my 3rd year clerkship. I got rejected w/o interview at Columbia, UCSF, and Stanford. Of course, I didn't have strong ties to Cali and my med school was maybe only top 30 or so...if you are at UCSF or Hopkins you will likely have a very different response from some of those places.

Anyway, I agree with other posters that no one can predict the future for you and you should apply to as many great programs as you want no matter what anybody says. But I would suggest casting a somewhat wider net, unless you have great advice that people from your school w/your clerkship grades match into those places consistently. I'd also suggest checking out the IM forum, which has a sticky where we've all posted our "stats" and where we got interviews, where we matched, etc. It helps to get an idea of how competitive you are (and also underscores how random the whole process is!).

Best of luck!

-BBB

 

[Faebinder]

Applying to 5 programs is the same as applying to 10 programs... pick 5 more... no body is holding your hand and forcing you to rank the programs. I am sure you will get your first choice.


RE: Comments about the Eight-ball.

You hit the nail on the head.

 

[Obedeli]

I'm from a top med school, step 1 score 249 (which I hear medicine doesn't even care about) and only got honors in my surgery rotation...including not honoring in my medicine sub-i (didn't help that I was in my last trimester of pregnancy!). Am I completely screwed out of interviews because of the no honors? Do some programs really just throw out the applications? I'm not applying to MGH or Brigham, but am applying to UCSF, Stanford, Cornell, Columbia, Michigan--a very short list of programs and which I'm nervous about now.

any advice appreciated.

Look, I didn't mean to sound so harsh but to me, it is just silly that someone with your stats should have to worry to the point of opening yourself up on this forum with such a strong application. Apply where you want to go and screw what anyone says. As a mother, I understand you must be a little anxious about the process, but relax, many IM applicants would PAY to be in your position. Seek specifics about the places you are interested in and rank them that way (for some reason, few people every year rank based on where they think they have the best chance highest). Some programs do use step 1 as a cut off but your score is well, well above any cut off and you probably know that already (which led to my irritation with your post). You are not screwed and you will be very happy on match day if you apply wisely (5 does cost as much as 10 as a previous poster said). I am not being sarcastic, I wish you the best of luck. Play the game right and don't be too quick to display your stats... especially on the interview trail. If that happens, you are sunk.