chances for MSIII

[jamesq]

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Hello All,

I have been interested in radiation oncology and I cant believe that its almost time for me to start applying this fall. I was wondering if anyone could give me tips and suggestions in terms of how to improve my application and what my chances of matching are.

Step 1: 245/99. Top 40 medical school.
Clinical Rotations: HP OB/GYN, Pysch and Honors in Medicine
Research: Worked in Vice Chair of our Department's Rad Onc Program for 2 years. ASTRO Poster 1st author. working on two publications, one basic science and one clinical (not likely 1st author- most likely 2nd-3rd).


Overall, Im planning on doing 2 away rotations and one home rotation. Anyone know when the best months are to do these rotations? Does it really matter when they are done?
Any advice for what I can do would be so helpful. Should I have a backup plan if I dont match and what should that be? Thanks for all the help!

 

[nothingman]

I think you will have a good shot for mid/top tier programs as long as you interview/rotate well.

Priorities:
1. Try to get as many honors as possible as MS3 and rotate in your home department (timing with latter a bit less important but before the fall/early in fall is ideal).
2. Away rotations - early is better (i.e. June/July/Aug). Apply now or very soon (start contacting departments). Would recommend one "reach" and one "happy safety" if you can call it that. If you've been studying in one area of the country (e.g. college/med school on West Coast) and would like to be more competitive in other regions, away in regions you're interested in.
3. Step 2CK - if you're aiming for top programs, probably around August so you can control your score release.
4. Research, hopefully submitted/ideally published by interview time. But really, as long as you can talk about it on interviews with a good idea of what you've done/are doing, that's the most important and finishing it should be less of a priority than #1-3.

Good luck!

 

[Neuronix]

3. Step 2CK - if you're aiming for top programs, probably around August so you can control your score release.

I agree with everything but this. Only one (extremely competitive) program requires step 2CK scores for ranking. I'm not sure a step 2 score would be tremendously helpful with your already strong step 1 score. If you have a long time period to prepare for step 2, and you have time to prep for several weeks to a month to score 260+, it might help a little. But, if you don't have time for that, step 2 would be a low priority compared to everything else. Taking step 2 can backfire if you end up scoring less than step 1, or even the same as step 1, given that most people know step 2 scores tend to be higher than step 1 scores.

 

[ramsesthenice]

A word on step 2: everyone does better because the grades look the same, but they arn't. The curve is much more favorable. Step 1 mean is around 224 with SEM of 20. Step 2 is mean around 233 with SEM of 25 (at least it has been this year). So, you can me like me, your score goes up 9 points and your percentile go down...a decent bit. Bottom line, if your doing ok on your shelf exams, you really don't have to worry about step 2. Labron does not score 40 every night, but if you have a good record, you are ok to take it whenever, just don't release scores if they are no good.

A lot of people on this thread will disagree, but watching people apply and match again and again and looking at match stats, I am not sold that a solid applicant like you benefits (in terms of matching) by doing more than 1 away rotation. This thread will say do one mid-tier rotation and one "reach" program. If you have a sold home program, I just don't think that gives you a better chance of matching. That being said, you can get a feel for programs you are potentially interested in by doing aways. You can see programs that practice differently from your own or utilize their residents a little differently. There are good reasons to do aways, but all the same, with your scores and experiences, if you want to take advantage of being a 4th year med student...more power to you.

At this point getting honors in your 3rd year clerkships will do much more for chances of matching than worrying about away rotations or 4th year schedule.

 

[ramsesthenice]

I meant SD, not SEM. Im sure most people got that, but hey.

 

[jamesq]

Thank You all for the wonderful feedback, I truly appreciate it.

In regards to the dreaded idea of not matching, what should I do if this happens? Is it better to take the Preliminary year and match as Pgy2 or to take a research year off? I have been worried about this as everyone has told me how even the best applicants have difficulty matching some years.

 

[ramsesthenice]

If that happened do the prelim and try to get in outside the match. It is a competative field, but look at the charting the outcomes of the match data from aamc. As long as they interview well top applicants rarely have trouble matching somewhere. Dont get overly cocky, but statistically speaking you can take a deep breath and relax. Again, clerkship grades are what need to be on your mind.

 

[Seldon1985]

Agreed, your chances are looking good. However, (and I'm sure you're already trying to do this), honor as many clerkships as possible. It's not just for the grade - it can show programs your ability to be clinically knowledgable and your ability to interact well with a wide range of other people.

 

[thesauce]

Agreed, your chances are looking good. However, (and I'm sure you're already trying to do this), honor as many clerkships as possible. It's not just for the grade - it can show programs your ability to be clinically knowledgable and your ability to interact well with a wide range of other people.

LOL. You taking shots at me Seldon?

At least at my school, honoring clerkships usually came down to the shelf and you really had to beat it to death to make the grade. On occasion, you had to hurdle a subjective OSCE and you can really only do so many of those before you're incapable of faking emotions for unbelievably fake scenarios any longer. Usually the evals aren't the issue so I don't think it's a great reflection on how you get along with people.

Alas, they are important though: probably why I didn't end up at one of top 10.

 

[Gfunk6]

Please keep things civil. Sauce, I don't see anything in Seldon's post which mentions you.

There is significant variation among schools as to how "honors" are awarded. It will certainly help to honor as many rotations as you can.

 

[crd117]

On the subject of clerkships, the medicine attendings I worked with were not exactly the types I would want to write me a letter of rec. I have heard that it is necessary to have a medicine LOR, so what is a good way of going about getting one from a respectable source? Would med onc's count as a medicine LOR?

 

[thesauce]

Please keep things civil. Sauce, I don't see anything in Seldon's post which mentions you.

There is significant variation among schools as to how "honors" are awarded. It will certainly help to honor as many rotations as you can.

An inside joke. Seldon and I are pals in real life.

 

[Gfunk6]

An inside joke. Seldon and I are pals in real life.

🙂 Good to hear.

 

[thesauce]

On the subject of clerkships, the medicine attendings I worked with were not exactly the types I would want to write me a letter of rec. I have heard that it is necessary to have a medicine LOR, so what is a good way of going about getting one from a respectable source? Would med onc's count as a medicine LOR?

You could probably get away with it if they were one of your attendings on IM. During my 4 weeks of inpatient medicine, our attendings included a cardiologist, endocrinologist, and pulmonologist. I got my letter from the clerkship director instead, but I think any of them would have been reasonable.