Chances for 2020 Match

[Nervousandconfused]

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This may be a bit premature but was hoping to get some insights from current PDs and/or people who have applied this current cycle.

USMD
Step 1: 216
Step 2: 237
Step 2 CS: passed, first attempt

Third year: Pass on Peds and surgery, HPs the rest and Honored Psychiatry.

Red flags:
- Failed Step 1 first time with a 185
- Because of my step 1 failure, I am not graduating with the class I started with
- Shoddy pre clinical years performance

How poor are my chances to match?

What to do until September 15th to bolster my application?

Appreciate any insights, thank you!

 

[futuredo32]

Do well on the rest of your rotations. Apply to less competitive programs. Practice interviewing and a few audition rotations . You will likely match somewhere decent.

 

[ridethecliche]

You're going to get screened outta a few places due to the Step 1 fail but it is what it is. Your better performance 3rd year and on is going to help you out. Write a compelling personal statement and apply broadly and I'm sure you'll get interviews. You're probably going to have to shotgun apps tbh. And agreed re: doing aways. You need to show that you'd go anywhere.

Where are you located geographically?

 

[Nervousandconfused]

You're going to get screened outta a few places due to the Step 1 fail but it is what it is. Your better performance 3rd year and on is going to help you out. Write a compelling personal statement and apply broadly and I'm sure you'll get interviews. You're probably going to have to shotgun apps tbh. And agreed re: doing aways. You need to show that you'd go anywhere.

Where are you located geographically?

I’m in the NE, there’s an abundance of good programs here and a good amount of community programs and programs in between in this area. I know you’re applying this cycle, has it really been as competitive as everyone is saying?

 

[MedMan80]

I’m in the NE, there’s an abundance of good programs here and a good amount of community programs and programs in between in this area. I know you’re applying this cycle, has it really been as competitive as everyone is saying?

The beauty of psych is they are not looking for people with excellent board scores necessarily, just a solid interest, any pubs would be a plus. Look at the American Journal of psych- residents journal, they take pubs from med students as well.. good luck, i think you'll do fine

 

[XannyBarz]

I’m in the NE, there’s an abundance of good programs here and a good amount of community programs and programs in between in this area. I know you’re applying this cycle, has it really been as competitive as everyone is saying?

I applied to 48 programs and got 11 invites. Step 1/2 were 22x/24x all first time passes. With psych specific ECs and research. I definitely think it’s gotten fairly competitive.

Edit: You should be fine as long as you are applying to a good amount of community programs. All my programs were academic and I think that’s part of the reason for my low yield

 

[mymembernames]

Definitely apply broadly, and to more programs to play it safe. I think you still got a good shot.

 

[ridethecliche]

I’m in the NE, there’s an abundance of good programs here and a good amount of community programs and programs in between in this area. I know you’re applying this cycle, has it really been as competitive as everyone is saying?

Also in NE here. Step 1: 21x, Step 2: 23x, step 2 cs pass (score came back post interviews).
I had very good letters and very meh clerkship grades. I got jaded with this entire process early on in med school and stopped chasing grades. My MSPE put me in the bottom 25% of my class. It seems to have worked out okay for me since I got a few good interviews mixed in with everything else. I did reach out to programs that I was interested in a few times over the cycle to express interest.

Applied to 60+ places. Got 11 interviews and went on 10. Of the places I interviewed, I'd be very happy to end up in my top 6 programs and would be socially meh with the rest but would be happy training at the rest. I took a few years off after undergrad, published a few papers in another field, and had some health issues in med school that I discussed openly during interviews but didn't really mention in my application.

If you can write a compelling reason why you should get an audience with the PD of programs and show you have a true interest, then you have a shot. Psych isn't and will never be something like ortho. You have to be able to get through the stuff, but folks tend to be more forgiving if you've shown that you can get back in the game.

I think you might be surprised! Good luck to you!

Re: what to do till sept. Are you interested in research at all? Talk to folks where you are to see if you can get in on papers or posters. Maybe go to a conference or something. Do things that show interest in the field. It goes a long way imho.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I applied to 48 programs and got 11 invites. Step 1/2 were 22x/24x all first time passes. With psych specific ECs and research. I definitely think it’s gotten fairly competitive.

Edit: You should be fine as long as you are applying to a good amount of community programs. All my programs were academic and I think that’s part of the reason for my low yield

I applied within the last decade with similar scores. 11 or so applications turned into 11 interviews.

Every year I’m seeing every field gradually increase in competition. More US med schools and expanding class sizes are greatly outpacing new residency slots.

I still believe the OP stands a fair shot, but applying broadly to lower programs, aways, etc will be important.

 

[Nervousandconfused]

Also in NE here. Step 1: 21x, Step 2: 23x, step 2 cs pass (score came back post interviews).
I had very good letters and very meh clerkship grades. I got jaded with this entire process early on in med school and stopped chasing grades. My MSPE put me in the bottom 25% of my class. It seems to have worked out okay for me since I got a few good interviews mixed in with everything else. I did reach out to programs that I was interested in a few times over the cycle to express interest.

Applied to 60+ places. Got 11 interviews and went on 10. Of the places I interviewed, I'd be very happy to end up in my top 6 programs and would be socially meh with the rest but would be happy training at the rest. I took a few years off after undergrad, published a few papers in another field, and had some health issues in med school that I discussed openly during interviews but didn't really mention in my application.

If you can write a compelling reason why you should get an audience with the PD of programs and show you have a true interest, then you have a shot. Psych isn't and will never be something like ortho. You have to be able to get through the stuff, but folks tend to be more forgiving if you've shown that you can get back in the game.

I think you might be surprised! Good luck to you!

Re: what to do till sept. Are you interested in research at all? Talk to folks where you are to see if you can get in on papers or posters. Maybe go to a conference or something. Do things that show interest in the field. It goes a long way imho.

I got on board with some research projects but they dissolved. I do have some psych related ECs, but I also might start doing some tutoring or some sort of project involving the psych department at my school. The head of department told me that research is important but doing other psych related stuff would reflect positively.

Thanks for sharing your scores and experience. I obviously know I’m not going to the top academic program in the country, but I just want to go somewhere with good training tbh

 

[deleted407021]

I got on board with some research projects but they dissolved. I do have some psych related ECs, but I also might start doing some tutoring or some sort of project involving the psych department at my school. The head of department told me that research is important but doing other psych related stuff would reflect positively.

Thanks for sharing your scores and experience. I obviously know I’m not going to the top academic program in the country, but I just want to go somewhere with good training tbh

Hey, I don’t think I’ll be able to get on board with research unfortunately but I’ve been brainstorming psych related ECs. Would you mind sharing what you’ve been doing?

 

[Nervousandconfused]

Hey, I don’t think I’ll be able to get on board with research unfortunately but I’ve been brainstorming psych related ECs. Would you mind sharing what you’ve been doing?

Get involved with the interest group at your school, maybe get into the leadership if possible. Contact the heads of your psych department and ask them if you can help with anything.

Frankly one really cool thing about psychiatry that I am discovering through advice I’ve received, is that they are very open to creative applications. Like if you got involved in a program at the hospital involving psych care or if you have like a psychiatry blog/YouTube channel, really anything that is expressing an interest in psychiatry is a pretty big deal and psychiatry interviewers are going to look favorably towards you.

Really do something you’re passionate about that you can talk about in interviews. I am obviously not yet a resident, heck I haven’t even applied yet, but I am just sharing advice I’ve received so far. Good luck!

 

[deleted407021]

Get involved with the interest group at your school, maybe get into the leadership if possible. Contact the heads of your psych department and ask them if you can help with anything.

Frankly one really cool thing about psychiatry that I am discovering through advice I’ve received, is that they are very open to creative applications. Like if you got involved in a program at the hospital involving psych care or if you have like a psychiatry blog/YouTube channel, really anything that is expressing an interest in psychiatry is a pretty big deal and psychiatry interviewers are going to look favorably towards you.

Really do something you’re passionate about that you can talk about in interviews. I am obviously not yet a resident, heck I haven’t even applied yet, but I am just sharing advice I’ve received so far. Good luck!

Thanks! Best of luck to you too!