Chances/Advice for the match?

[trustmeimlying]

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Seen a few people say they didn't match despite getting 20+ interviews, etc. and I'm worried about next year. I'm a DO student (Northeast), was thinking of bypassing the AOA match for the ACGME match, but wanted to get some advice first.

Pre-clinicals- Class Rank Top ~1/3, SSP (DO academic honor society, don't know if it carries any weight MD world, but

COMLEX I - 525 , essentially average; No USMLE Step 1, but open to Step 2 if it will help

Clinicals - "A" in IM, FP; "B" in Peds/Surgery. Haven't done Ob-Gyn yet. My biggest worry is that I ended up with a"B" in pysch. Started to 2nd guess myself on the NBME shelf, ended up passing, but not doing terribly well, so I ended up with an 88 in the rotation, but transcript will just say "B." My evals are really good, and my letter writers said they would write very strong LORs for me (Psych attending and IM PD).

I figured out late that I wanted to do psychiatry, so my application probably reflects that. Plenty of IM related activities and volunteer work, but not much related to psych. I was planning on doing 2 away rotations next year, one on the West coast to show interest, and maybe one here. Applying to 50-60 programs, all over the country, I'm open to any medium/big city.

Is there anything I can do between now and September to make myself a more attractive candidate for psych, or at least prove I'm truly interested in the field? I'm hoping to go to the APA conference this year, but I'm not sure what else is available. There were a few interesting cases throughout my rotation, and I'm talking to my attending about possibly writing up a case report, but I can't guarantee that would go anywhere.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this, any advice you could offer would be tremendously appreciated!

(Edit: Soooo, found through the search that others matched with my scores, so the most important question I have is in regards to showing interest in psych, I think...I'll leave the whole post up anyway. Thanks!)

 

[heyjack70]

1. Switch your "me" to "I" when you write. I'm reading your post in a Jamaican accent and it's distracting.
2. Apply to a range of places, not just Hopkins, MGH, Yale, UCLA etc, middle of the road places, too. Search the forums for reviews of solid residencies.
3. Many programs have resident lists. See if you can find one that has a DO or two. Call or email the program and ask to talk to them for recommendations.
4. Ask your school if any students recently matched into psychiatry, and where. Most (maybe all) school keep a match list. Then try to contact those residents and ask them questions.
5. Start writing your personal statement now and have as many people proof read it as possible. I'm biased to thinking that a strong personal statement that reads well is a good way to get your foot in the door; it won't get you a spot, but a well written personal statement is important.

 

[trustmeimlying]

I'm guessing that's an SDN April Fools' thing for the #1 on your list haha, I didn't intentionally write it that way.

I didn't actually have any Ivy League places on there, but I did have MUSC, UTSW, Maryland, Emory, Hopkins, USC, OHSU, UW on the list. Most programs I'm considering are all over the spectrum, but I figured I'd do 5-10 upper, 20-30 middle, 20-30 lower. I looked through the resident list for ~95 programs, only applying to the ones that have taken a DO (I think, it's possible one or two slipped past my attention)

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated!

 

[heyjack70]

me be guessin' that's an SDN awesome' thin' for the #1 on yer list haha, me didn't intentionally write it that way.

me didn't actually have any Ivy League places on there, but me did have MUSC, UTSW, Maryland, Emory, Hopkins, USC, OHSU, UW on the list. Most programs me be considerin' be all over the spectrum, but me figured me'd do 5-10 upper, 20-30 middle, 20-30 lower. me looked through the resident list for ~95 programs, only applyin' to the ones that have taken a DO (me think, it's possible one or two slipped past my attention)

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated!

The forums are making everyone sound like they're from the islands today.

 

[Elisabeth Kate]

I'll answer when we switch back to English.

 

[hamstergang]

The forums be makin' everyone sound like they're from the islands today.

I was trying to figure out what they were going for, couldn't figure out what accent to use to read the forum. Thank you.

 

[Firewood]

Argh! Who be turnin' on the Jamaican/pirate autocorrect? Me can't be decidin' between readin' wit an eyepatch or a Rasta hat.

 

[hungrycat]

I always wanted to be a pirate for one day 🙂

 

[Leo Aquarius]

I always wanted to be a pirate for one day 🙂

I am a pirate!! (just look at my photo)

A pirate's life for me arrrr!

 

[masterofmonkeys]

Argh! Who be turnin' on the Jamaican/pirate autocorrect? Me can't be decidin' between readin' wit an eyepatch or a Rasta hat.

THAT WAS HAPPENING TO ME TOO!!!! TWINSIES!!!!!!!!!!!