Are my chances shot for matching now because of COVID-19?

[1123445]

I'm currently a DO third year wanting to apply for general surgery this September. I arranged my schedule to stupidly have my two general surgery rotations this April and May ( I decided to try for general surgery mid of third year). It looks like worse case scenario I will not get to do a rotation general surgery during my third year, and if this coronavirus lockdown lasts till September, maybe none at all. I applied to a bunch of away rotations and they all told me they are treating the situation on a month to month basis. I am worried that I will not get any strong general surgery letters of references. At this time I have not worked with any general surgeon. I figure I can ask surgeons that have previously taken students from my school, and get them to write me a letter out of pitty, but what could they possibly say, "this is a nice student who seems to want to be a surgeon".

So my question: Is it even worth applying if I all I can get is letters from surgeons that I never worked in the OR with? Do you have any advice on how I can approach this problem?

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[The wise one]

Unrelated question: But what is your pub on? And how did you get it published?

 

[LucidSplash]

You will have to take it one day at a time. There is no precedent.

If it helps, back in the dark ages (2008-2010) when I was 3rd/4th year, I did not decide to do surgery until my last rotation of MS3. Prior to that I was planning EM and had aways scheduled for that. I decided to pursue surgery May of my 3rd year. At that point it was too late to set up aways. So I didn’t do any. I did extra rotations at my home institution during MS4. I ended up matching to my 1st choice (which was not my home institution).

if you can move your surgery rotation in April to June, do that. The one in May might be ok though obviously it is an evolving situation. Plan surgical electives for July and August. Perhaps a surgical ICU month and a surgical subspecialty if you can. If I recall I did Trauma elective in July and Trauma ICU in August, which was very busy - but I went to Maryland for med school so that is sort of it’s own animal.But I got myself in front of some big names there and got letters based on those rotations.