Applying to Categorical vs. Advanced Programs

[Harrison486]

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Hey everyone. I am a current MSIV, preparing to submit my applications next month. I have a few questions regarding what type of programs to apply to. I tried searching and found some related information, but not really the exact answers I was looking for.

Although I am not sure it matters, let me set the stage with my statistics. I believe I am an average-to-above average applicant. I attend a mid-range East Coast state school and think I am in the top 10-25% of my class. I am not AOA. I got 250+ on Step 1. I honored my Medicine and Surgery rotations, but have high passed everything else. I have been involved in 2 non-anesthesia research project, but have no abstracts or publications.

I am hoping to stay on the East Coast and will be applying to university programs from up in Boston down to Virginia. Ideally, I am really hoping to end up in a categorical spot (to avoid potentially having to move twice), but am trying to figure out what to do with advanced positions.

Currently, I am planning on applying to 29 programs: 19 anesthesia programs and 10 transitional years. While 14 of the anesthesia programs offer categorical spots, 5 are advanced-only. As I truly want to end up at a 4-year program, I am wondering if I can/should get rid of the 5 "advanced-only" programs and not have to worry to applying to preliminary programs. This would allow me to applying to only about 14/15 anesthesia programs instead of the 29 programs in total.

That brings me to my questions:
Would it be unwise to drop these programs and not apply to any prelim/transitional programs?
Could I get by applying to only categorical spots or is that against current thought?
Why do programs offer both 3- and 4-year options?
Is there any advantage to applying to both categorical and advanced positions in the same program? Any disadvantage?

 

[RemyMcswain]

Hey everyone. I am a current MSIV, preparing to submit my applications next month. I have a few questions regarding what type of programs to apply to. I tried searching and found some related information, but not really the exact answers I was looking for.

Although I am not sure it matters, let me set the stage with my statistics. I believe I am an average-to-above average applicant. I attend a mid-range East Coast state school and think I am in the top 10-25% of my class. I am not AOA. I got 250+ on Step 1. I honored my Medicine and Surgery rotations, but have high passed everything else. I have been involved in 2 non-anesthesia research project, but have no abstracts or publications.

I am hoping to stay on the East Coast and will be applying to university programs from up in Boston down to Virginia. Ideally, I am really hoping to end up in a categorical spot (to avoid potentially having to move twice), but am trying to figure out what to do with advanced positions.

Currently, I am planning on applying to 29 programs: 19 anesthesia programs and 10 transitional years. While 14 of the anesthesia programs offer categorical spots, 5 are advanced-only. As I truly want to end up at a 4-year program, I am wondering if I can/should get rid of the 5 "advanced-only" programs and not have to worry to applying to preliminary programs. This would allow me to applying to only about 14/15 anesthesia programs instead of the 29 programs in total.

That brings me to my questions:
Would it be unwise to drop these programs and not apply to any prelim/transitional programs?
Could I get by applying to only categorical spots or is that against current thought?
Why do programs offer both 3- and 4-year options?
Is there any advantage to applying to both categorical and advanced positions in the same program? Any disadvantage?

Do yourself a favor and apply to the 5 advanced programs.

Sounds like you will end up at the program of your choosing. Your biggest decision is what city you want to live in for 4 years. With your stats, assuming youre not a complete dick, you will get interviews at the harvard programs, nyc programs, hopkins, etc.

Decide if you want to live in nyc, boston, baltimore, etc. Then apply for transitional/prelim programs in that same city. You wont have to move twice.

To answer your question about why programs offer advanced vs categorical, its basically for two reasons:

1) For stellar candidates who want to switch into anesthesia from another field and dont want to do intern year over again
2) For candidates who need to be in a different city for a year.

 

[Nooblet]

if you apply to both categorical and advanced you have a better chance of matching at that institution since you are now applying for double the amount of available spots

 

[MTGas2B]

if you apply to both categorical and advanced you have a better chance of matching at that institution since you are now applying for double the amount of available spots

Totally agree with this. Programs with both categorical and advanced spots have fixed numbers of each. By ranking both you are putting yourself in the running for both sets of spots. Granted, you do that at the expense of putting another program further down on your list. But, if this is the scenerio with a program you really want to go to then I would recommend it.

As far as advanced I would recommend using the "don't move twice" philosophy. Unless there is some personal reason you want to live somewhere else for a year, significant other, family, I've always wanted to live in X, and may never get a chance again." Rank prelim spots near where you are currently living, which for most would be where you are attending med school. Also rank premlim spots in the cities of the advanced programs you want to attend.

 

[mersault]

I already posed this question on another post, but if we have to write a separate personal statement for the prelim programs, any suggestions on what to write? I mean, they know I don't want to do medicine/surgery, so should I write a separate essay for every program specifying why I would like to do one year with them?

 

[Harrison486]

Thanks for all the helpful responses.

Do you guys think that 3-4 prelims in each city would be enough to apply to?