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Chances of Matching for 2016
- Thread starter residencyhopeful16
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I'm surprised you didnt match into some sort of prelim year or family med at a rural location.
Apply early, apply to tons. Like a few hundred programs.
Apply early, apply to tons. Like a few hundred programs.
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- get advice from your mentors. Keep an eye out for new spots between now and July first. Well connected faculty can help with this.
- look at programs in less desirable locations. See which ones have more foreign heads of DOs
- take an interest in something that some of those less desirable programs boast as a strength. Eg public health, rural setting, full spectrum FM training, OB, etc. I'd bet that even the least desirable program gets flooded with Non-US senior applications (mostly img/fmg) so you have to get their attention as someone applying with a unique interest, not another applicant hoping for any spot anywhere. They have enough of those applicants, and then some.
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With your stats it would have been nearly impossible for an IMG to get ANY residency. But since you're US MD grad, it'll be difficult but that hard to get a residency in family med, internal med etc...Good Luck!
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You need to work in a spin zone while interviewing. Spin what happened during Step 2 and then do something productive this yr.
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What field did you initially apply to? How many programs? Geographical region you were focused on?
My advice is going to be different if you were focusing on IM in California vs IM/FM at every community hospital across the entire country.
My advice is going to be different if you were focusing on IM in California vs IM/FM at every community hospital across the entire country.
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Talk to your med school ASAP-
1. Any chance they can find you something for this year (not likely, but worth asking).
2. Ask then whether you can delay graduation, so that you will still be applying as a med student next time around.
3. Ask them for a job to see you through the next year.
1. Any chance they can find you something for this year (not likely, but worth asking).
2. Ask then whether you can delay graduation, so that you will still be applying as a med student next time around.
3. Ask them for a job to see you through the next year.
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I am not expert on the match, but I was told by multiple members here that preliminary spot without a categorical one is the road to nowhere. Therefore, avoid it if you can. Since you don't have the Caribbean curse, you should go all out for any spot in IM/FM or psych even they are in rural Oklahoma etc...
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I'm just a student myself so no inside knowledge or experience helping others through this. Just wanted to offer some ideas:
1) Consider graduating and then immediately working to pass step 3. This is something the step 2 failures make me worry about, so passing step 3 would mitigate this risk for a prospective PD.
2) I don't necessarily think the additional degrees or research will be that helpful because they aren't addressing the issue with your application. If your application were otherwise strong and lacked research, then yes, I can see how that would help, but I doubt it would be an effective panacea for the other red flags on your app.
3) Consider other red flags. Are the step failures the only problems (you don't have to respond, just think about it)? The fact you were unable to secure a prelim spot even at your own institution suggests there may be other issues.
4) Consider other non-traditional options. Would the military be an option? I'm not sure how feasible that would be, but worth a thought. Without a residency you would probably by a GMO, but it would buy you time and loan repayment while figuring out options. Consider non-clinical MD positions as well. Many of these would prefer a residency trained MD with some experience, but there may be some that don't.
Sorry you're going through this and I hope some good things start happening.
1) Consider graduating and then immediately working to pass step 3. This is something the step 2 failures make me worry about, so passing step 3 would mitigate this risk for a prospective PD.
2) I don't necessarily think the additional degrees or research will be that helpful because they aren't addressing the issue with your application. If your application were otherwise strong and lacked research, then yes, I can see how that would help, but I doubt it would be an effective panacea for the other red flags on your app.
3) Consider other red flags. Are the step failures the only problems (you don't have to respond, just think about it)? The fact you were unable to secure a prelim spot even at your own institution suggests there may be other issues.
4) Consider other non-traditional options. Would the military be an option? I'm not sure how feasible that would be, but worth a thought. Without a residency you would probably by a GMO, but it would buy you time and loan repayment while figuring out options. Consider non-clinical MD positions as well. Many of these would prefer a residency trained MD with some experience, but there may be some that don't.
Sorry you're going through this and I hope some good things start happening.
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While it is indeed a "road to nowhere" it is preferable to not matching whatsoever. Having a year of actual clinical practice and getting LOR's from it can make an app look better compared to not having it. Also, a person doing a prelim year could then apply for open second year positions in addition to trying to match again.
No ones goal should be to match a prelim year without a categorical spot for PGY2 on but it is a good way to be more competitive next year. If you do nothing clinical for a year it will just make PD's wonder if your clinical acumen has atrophied after being weak in the first place.
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It is going to be hard to give you actual chances to match. Applying FM only and to TONS, 100+ residencies is going to be the way to go. As @operaman said, take step 3 and try to do well on it. Figure out why you did poorly on step 2 CK+CS and correct it before studying for step 3. Doing an MPH and whatever else is ok but I would guess isn't significantly helping your chances.
Any way you can meet with the PD in FM at your medical school? Have you thought about who is going to write your letters for next year?
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It's certainly better than not matching. My post was in reference to the 2016 match... However, thinking about it now, it will not be all that bad if OP matches into preliminary in 2016 since it might able to get a GP license in most states with 1 year post grad training. Not the ideal situation... heck! it's better than not having a license at all.
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Okay that all makes a little more sense regarding why you didn't get a position at your own school's prelim year. Thoughts:
1) You need to take and pass step 3. A marginal Step 1 and failed step 2 will make every PD nervous, not only that you will be a marginal resident but also that you might not even pass step 3 and thus be unable to complete your training. Even a failed Step 3 that you pass on the second attempt is probably better than how you look right now, mostly because you've removed the big wild card by ultimately passing. Get it done so you can move on.
2) If you pass step 3 and apply broadly, I think you can probably find a spot despite the red flags. Personally, I can overlook a failed step exam easier than I can a failed class or rotation. I know many people who struggle with big exams but are otherwise intelligent and compassionate people; everyone I know who failed classes/rotations usually had an accompanying attitude or other similar issue. Clearly nobody here can read the tea leaves and give you solid numbers about your chances, but I don't think it's impossible.
3) Your own school is your best bet. I would start now with cultivating relationships and working to ingratiate yourself with the department. If you're a good student and easy to work with, then your home program is likely to be your best chance. The fact you didn't match even at your home IM program is definitely a red flag to me; I would try and sit down with someone you trust and find out if the Step 2 was the only issue or if there is something else.
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Not a PD -- still a fourth year student myself, at least for a couple more weeks!
I don't think the lower quartile thing is a red flag per se -- it goes in line with your other problems. While the overall picture definitely shows academic difficulty, it appears to be a consistent issue. I think people get especially worried when they see a disconnect because you wonder what other problem is lurking (substance abuse, mental illness, etc). In your case, I see 3 possibilities for your woes:
1) You are working at capacity. You've always found the material exceptionally difficult and this is the best you are able to do.
2) You are woefully and chronically underpreparing. Simple laziness.
3) You have severe test anxiety and are simply unable to demonstrate your mastery of the material on a test, but do well in real life.
One or some or all of those would explain what's happened thusfar. My gut says a combo of 1 and 3 -- I'm not getting the under-studying vibe from your posts. I don't think you're lazy, but you are clearly not studying enough for what you need. I still think they are worried about your ability to pass step 3; without it, you won't be able to advance to PGY-2 and I think programs are rightfully concerned about the real possibility of you failing and throwing off the whole schedule as you have to retake.
Yeah, your school may simply have dinged you for the step 2 failures. Or it could have been you rubbed people the wrong way. Whatever it is, I'd want to know.
I would email your student clerkship director or PD or whoever you know who you would feel comfortable approaching with this. I would email them or their admin and set up an appointment to "talk about residency and career planning" or something a tiny bit vague. I think if you lead with wanting to ask why you weren't ranked highly (or at all) could scare them off since people are often uncomfortable giving that kind of feedback, but you really need to hear whatever it is so you can refine your strategy going forward and avoiding making the same mistakes again.
Once you're face to face, tell them your current plan and then ask point blank what they think the main issues were that kept you from matching last year. Make sure to say you really want brutal honesty because you want to have the best chance going forward. Float that out there and see what you get. Unless they cover it on their own, I would make sure to ask the following question: Aside from the step 2 ck/cs failures, were there any other concerns that may have negatively affected how I was ranked? There may not have been or they may still not want to talk about it, but hopefully they will give you some ideas. Whatever they say, don't get defensive and thank them for being honest with you. Maybe you come across weird in interviews or there were other issues -- can't fix it without knowing about it.
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