Chances at OBGYN

[gtb1028]

I am a DO student planning on applying to OBGYN. I decided on OB very late in 3rd year (like June). I applied for all kinds of away rotations and pretty much all of them were full by the time I applied. I do my cores at a community hospital so we don't have the ability to do home institution sub-i's. I do have one away rotation at my top choice on 9/23 and was wondering if it is worth it to try to get a LOR from them or not. I have 2 OB faculty letters from M3 plus one general surgery letter and an OB chair letter. Should I go ahead and submit the letters I already have (I was planning on sending all 4), or only send 3 to have a complete app and then upload a letter from the away? Will not having a sub-i LOR hurt me in any way? USMLE 247/260, COMLEX 686/728, passed PE on first attempt, A's on all clerkships so far (our school doesn't do honors), top 10% of class, lots of volunteer stuff, no research, no other red flags. I plan on applying very broadly with mix of community and academic programs. I'm also male fwiw.

Thanks in advance!

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[Dr G Oogle]

You’ll probably get in your board scores are excellent which will help you. Not sure that not having a sub-I will hurt you like it would in urology or ortho. I value gen surgery letters above letters from generalists but that just could be because I’m looking for people who would be good in the OR, and surgical letters tell me more about how you’ll behave during cases. So all in all I think you have a strong application; The DO bit might hurt you a little so I agree with applying broadly (i think many programs don’t reallt care anymore but some of the more upper tier programs might still have a stick up their a$@).

 

[BigTumor]

I think you’ll get interviews at great places. I had the same issue with doing a fall sub-I. My letter didn’t go in until Thanksgiving from that sub-I but I did get a few comments on it when I interviewed. So people read it even though it rolled in a little late. I think you could go either way. Maybe a few places will notice you don’t have a sub-I letter but I don’t think it will hold you back.

 

[gtb1028]

Thank you both for your responses! This has definitely helped calm my nerves on not having a sub-i letter! Do you think it would be best to go ahead and have my 2 OB letters + surgery letter sent on the 15th and add the sub-i letter whenever it rolls in?

 

[Dr G Oogle]

Yea you should be good to go. Good luck

 

[futureprovider2.0]

Thank you both for your responses! This has definitely helped calm my nerves on not having a sub-i letter! Do you think it would be best to go ahead and have my 2 OB letters + surgery letter sent on the 15th and add the sub-i letter whenever it rolls in?

Hope you get the residency you want! I am also a DO student preparing for a residency in OBGYN. I am wondering if you think it's important to do research for OBGYN. Do you think it has been a red flag for you at interviews or does it not seem to matter to much?

 

[Dr G Oogle]

Hope you get the residency you want! I am also a DO student preparing for a residency in OBGYN. I am wondering if you think it's important to do research for OBGYN. Do you think it has been a red flag for you at interviews or does it not seem to matter to much?

Lack of research in obgyn is definitely NOT a red flag.